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Posts: 1086
| I've been looking at these for a while..but have no way of making and educated decision. They all seem to do pretty much the same. I see you can get them as cheap as a $100 bux all the way up to $300 bux.
Anyone have any personal experience or preference to one brand/model over the others?
Anything anyone can add to help me look for or to steer away from?
I don't want an el-cheapo...as I want it to work well and to last a while...but I don't want to break the bank either.
Thanks |
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Posts: 479
Location: Eden Prairie & Pine Island | If you figure this out, get one and like it, please post and let the rest of us who are like minded know.
Is there a significant difference in range between hand held units and dash mounts? |
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Posts: 1086
| My purpose to have them is communication with other boats that do have marine radios. Also...I fish two lakes where I like to be in touch with the marina. As well, when I houseboat down south in the summer, I like to be in communication with the houseboats that are also equiped with marine radio. I also like to keep my ear to the weather band.
The 'lil hand held two-way radios just don't cut it. They're gravely affected by obstructions on the lake, ie, land masses and they're affected by distance.
There's gotta be a brand/model of a hand held marine radio out there that does receive and transmit a good distance and isn't obstructed by land masses...at least I'd hope there is.
From what I'm "hearing" is the dash mounts with the big 3' antennas are the way to go, obviously, but I'm not wanting to invest that much into this boat that I currently have. I'm hearing that these hand held units are affected by land masses and distance just as the 'lil el-cheapo two-way radios are.
I was hoping there'd be a good brand/model out there that has overcome those problems. Maybe not? I dunno...hence why I'm asking around. |
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Posts: 1764
Location: Ogden, Ut | MACK,
We've had reasonably good luck w/ the Icom ones especially for battery life and overall durability. But like w/ pretty much any hand-held, it's gonna be only slightly better than line of sight communication. The weather station always seems to work though. For a hundred and a half, they're a pretty good unit.
Kent |
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Posts: 1438
| MACK-
If I was buying one, I'd go with a dash mount. The handhelds are pretty limited in range. The price difference isn't much. OK dash mounts run about 150 or so if you buy them on sale. Check Cabela's and BPS in the bargain caves and the sale fliers. The only extra cost you'd have over a handheld is the antenna/cable which should be about 60 or so if I remember right.
Cabela's Radios
Bass Pro Shops Radios
As far as mounting goes, if you don't want to permanent mount it look into making up a box for it. I know I've seen truck driver's that run local, or that use different trucks all the time, mount their CB's in something similar to a tackle box. Cut a hole in the front to mount the radio through and a couple through the back for antenna and power cables. That way you can take it from one boat to another and transfer it to your new boat later. The only thing you'll have to check on with that setup is the antenna mount. I don't know how those antenna's get grounded back. Might need to rig something extra up for that.
Just a couple ideas.
Scott
Edited by theedz155 6/25/2005 6:14 AM
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Posts: 462
Location: Syracuse, Indiana | I have to agree about getting the regular unit. I have a handheld I bought to communicate with others on the water. I can listen all day, but if I try to transmit, I get only about 20 seconds. After that, the batteries are shot. Plus, my transmission range is essentially line of sight. My next radio (on my next boat) will be wired in with an 8' antenna. |
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Posts: 107
Location: milwaukee | Fixed or hand-held, Icom or Standard are the way to go in my opinion. Built by companies in the radio communications business exclusively.
Handhelds are limited to 5 watts maximum transmit power compared to 25 for fixed units. On top of that the flexible rubber antennas on the handhelds are a compromise design that basically attenuates the signals (transmit and receive) anyway. So now you are WAAAY in the hole compared to a fixed unit, where the big antenna probably provides some gain ("virtual amplification") of the signals. Handhelds are pretty much intended to be used within harbors for close quarters boat-to-boat communications.
There is nothing technically that would prevent one from using a handheld in conjunction with a 8' marine antenna. Might have to get an adapter for the antenna connector is all. Better than the flexible antenna, but still not as good as a 25 watt fixed unit with 8' antenna. This is the way I will go on my boat.
Gotta consider the waters you are fishing:
small lakes: handheld
big lakes: handheld w/ external antenna, or fixed unit
BFLs (big f-in' lakes), flowages, or chain of lakes: fixed unit w/ tallest antenna available
Generally, the taller the antenna, the more gain it provides to transmit and receive signals.
If you get a handheld, make sure to get the 12 VDC adapter cord so you can plug it into the boat power when (and it will happen) your battery dies when you need it most.
Hope all of this provides some useful information.... |
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Hand held marine radios