Posts Tagged ‘VHF Radios’
Did you know it could do this???
Maybe I’m not alone on this one, but how many times have you used a piece of equipment for quite an extended period of time (maybe even your cell phone) and someone else (usually a teenager) shows you something that your phone is capable of doing that you had no clue of??? Well, I’m willing to bet that the same hold true with your VHF marine radio. Did you know that for the past several years, VHF radios have required by certification some level of Digital Selective Calling (DSC) capability? These may include position polling or a variety of group calling options. If you have a mid priced VHF radio, you probably have the ability to connect to a remote microphone and use your VHF radio as an intership intercom. All these things make your life a bit easier and provide you with that added sense of security when on the water for the day with your friends. Happy Boater.
Need to communicate in a “dead spot”?
You know what I mean…..that cell phone sits there next to you (sometimes for hours) and doesn’t do anything. Then you suddenly remember something that you had to tell someone and you don’t have any signal! UGH! Now, wouldn’t it be nice if the person you were calling had a VHF (very high frequency) radio? Then you could call him/her on your hand held VHF marine radio (assuming you’re within approx 20 miles) and your call will go through since it doesn’t rely on cell phone towers. These type of radios have been very effective for even farmers since they have better penetrating powers and can be easily used in any type of terrain. One main drawback does exist with the VHF Radios. In spite of the fact that they seem to have the ability to clearly broadcast voice messages for the longest distances, the broadcasts can be terminated if you find yourself with a large obstacle such as a tall building or a high hill between you and the person you wish to speak to. This is because the broadcast signals travel in straight lines. Even with this drawback they have been proven to be very useful in even the day-to-day operation of many businesses. These radios (if equipped with a single side band) even have the ability to transmit digital data from one computer to another. The world we knew is changing rapidly. Let’s enjoy the new technology! Happy Boater.
Critical Communication…
Last week I was driving a bus with a local high school track team on board to a scheduled track meet. While I was at the meet, I headed back to bus for a break and found my radio on board was somehow monitoring a lot of emergency vehicle broadcasts and communications. There was apparently severe injuries at an accident scene, and they were trying to get “life flight” choppers into the area, but because of fog and inclement conditions, they were unsuccessful and had to return to base. It’s at times like these, you realize just how dependent we have become on proper communication. …or maybe we haven’t become more dependent – we have just realized that it’s a whole lot better for our health and well-being to have such things as rescue squads, emt’s, or life flight choppers. CB Radios, hand held CB Radios, VHF Radios, and other emergency communication devices such as satellite radios play a very large part keeping us safe and getting help to us in a timely fashion should be be in need of assistance – either on shore or on the water. Emergency personnel were monitoring and relaying information to those who had gotten out of range. It was really kind of fun to be monitoring everyone working together for one single purpose. Happy Boater.
Busy weekend!
This past weekend found me and a friend of mine on snowmobiles traveling through the woods on well groomed trails for a jaunt of about 160 miles. Trails were beautiful, snow was plentiful, temperature was incredible, and the day was super! There was a time that I thought it might be fun to call home to bring everyone up to speed on our trip and found that for nearly the entire trip we had no cell signal. How similar, I thought, to one being out at sea without any means of communication. Now, it really probably doesn’t matter much if everything is going ok, but what if it wasn’t? That measly little investment made in a hand held VHF marine radio would be prove invaluable. VHF Radios have really come down in price and are still probably the single most important piece of equipment you can have on board. Put it on the top of your “to do” list for this next boating season!
Why add a VHF Radio if it isn’t required?
True – VHF radios are not required in many areas of the world – and particularly if your boat happened to be less than 65.6 feet long. Does this meat that you should not put one on board? Certainly not!! Fact is, many boaters find they require 2 on board – one VHF Marine Radio for monitoring communication between them and the coast guard with regard to the weather and another (usually a hand held VHF Marine Radio) to be used in the event of an emergency requiring the evacuation of the ship. Sure is nice to know that there are waterproof hand held marine radios available so even though you may be bobbing around in a raft somewhere, you’ll be safe and you’ll be able to communicate with the Coast Guard to gain assistance.
Major differences between fixed and hand held…
When selecting which radio is the right one for you, you must consider the limitations of each unit. In today’s world, the use of microprocessors and integrated circuits make it possible to achieve amazing results with even the smallest of units. Maximum transmit power and non availability of digital selective calling may be the only two main factors that will come up on the short end when comparing a fixed VHF Marine Radio to a hand held VHF Marine Radio. Other than that all of the VHF Radios operate on all allowable transmit and receive channels – including all NOAA Weather Channels.
Essential Marine Communication
When you are out on the water, communication is one of your most valuable tools. While the open seas provide the opportunity to experience nature at its most serene, it is important to have a safety line that keeps you connected to civilization. VHF marine radios provide this much-needed safety net.
VHF stands for very high frequency. The frequency range for VHF is 30-300 MHz and provides a reliable connection for a variety of communication. These are the same frequencies that are utilized in FM radio, TV and other long-range devices.
Is a license required for a VHF marine radio?
Legally, a VHF radio is only required to be on board if your boat is over sixty-five and 1/2 feet long.
…But There Are Just So Many Channels!
When using your VHF radio (either hand held VHF Radio or fixed unit), it’s sometimes overwhelming when trying to decide what frequency is the correct one to be monitoring.