Hand held marine radio

[FISHINMAN]

Hand held marine radio

Looking for some input on hand held marine radios. Any suggestions on them good or bad idea and what's a good one to get without breaking the bank? I'm thinking as a back up in case of emergency and phone were to have issues.

 

THANKS!

[Traveling Circus]

https://powerwerx.com/wouxun-kguv3d-handheld-amateur-radio

 

These are not sold as marine radios, but can be programmed to receive and transmit on traditional marine channels and the marine weather channels...... My experience with them is for coyote hunting, but I have also used one on the lake when fishing out of a 16' aluminum boat during the early spring. 4 or 5 watts is all though...... 

[hard knox]

i love my ICOM HAND HELD 5 WATT FLOATS AND WATER PROOF UNDER 200 BUCKS CK THEM OUT AND ORDER ONLINE 

[Mike M]

Problem with a handheld is they just don't have any transmission power. What gives a regular VHF its transmitting power is the antenna. If you have a good quality 8 ft or bigger antenna mounted at about the highest point you can on your boat NOW YOU CAN TRANSMIT. Once I had  a conversation with another boater that was 27 miles away from me. This is important for your safety on the open water.If your in trouble you need to be able to reach out to the Coast Guard on channel 16. There always there on 16 ready for your call. Buy a regular VHF and power it to your 12 volt battery and spend the most you can afford on a quality VHF antenna. Also don't think your cell phone is gonna save ya cause theres no towers on L.Ontario. Once  your any distance from shore you have no cell service!

[jimski2]

Your cell phone service on Lake Ontario may connect you with Canadian towers. They have more power than the three mile range of American towers. It is most important that you inform their 911 operators that you are in American waters so they understand your position to respond properly. On the Grand Island bridge we came into contact with a Canadian 911 operator and there was a several minute delay in forwarding the call to a Niagara Falls USA operator.


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[zipnzim]

Fishinman for a back up hand held radio I have a uniden (Atlantis 250 g ) I think they cost around $80.00  they operate on 1 watt or 5 watt  Great back up radio 

[Skidplate]

I have one and the rang is only a few miles

[ErnieLearns]

For emergencies is the range greater than several miles since the coast guard has antennaes that are maybe 50 feet high? 

[J.D.]

ICOM hand held floating, waterproof  in my ditch bag ..... better safe than sorry

Edited April 10, 2017 by J.D.

[jimski2]

If you end up in the water, you still have the ability to communicate. The sight line to a helicopter is very good for communication. When the Coast Guard boat flipped at the Niagara Bar several years ago, a waterproof radio may have saved a couple lives. Remember if your boat goes down, your waterproof portable radio could save your life.


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[Skidplate]

On 4/10/2017 at 11:28 AM, ErnieLearns said:

For emergencies is the range greater than several miles since the coast guard has antennaes that are maybe 50 feet high? 

Not sure I'm on the finger lakes 

[jimski2]

The Coast Guard has an antenna on the Chautauqua Ridge near Forestville, NY that has a range from Detroit to the St. Lawrence River. I am not sure if it is for VHF FM or Single Side Band FM that commercial shipping uses.


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