i need to replace the vhf radio on my boat.
What is the difference between the $125.00 and the $400.00 radio? (please dont answer $275.00) If both are 25 watts, is there a difference.
thanks
Bells and whistles? Some meet different specs on how tough they are built…I tell my six pak classes to put their money in the antenna and not the radio…ICOM makes the best vhf (IMHO)…hope this helps and don’t forget to have someone check that your radio is actually putting out 25 watts and the antenna connection is good by chaecking the signal loss between the radio and antenna…i have an SWR meter and would be more than happy to do it, if you near the james island area…
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
Sea School Charleston
843-747-1000
www.seatow.com
www.seaschool.com
ICOM vhf 402 or the 422
Dont go cheap on the antenna
Thanks,
Paul
GW 257 Advance
Does the Charleston area have the abilty to receive and locate someone from the GPS location sent through the radio.
stanotti…did you get my pm?..and for the rest of ya’ll…today (or “the other week”) the USCG has requested that NMEA make the GPS to VHF a standard connection that will enhance sending a distress call via DSC…
Am inordinate amount of boaters that have the capabilty, but do not make the GPS to VHF connection because its just tot confusing.
If you are considering making this connection and find it confusing…drop me an email or pm and i’ll help you sort it out…remember you must have your MMSI number in order for the whole system to work as it should.
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
Sea School Charleston
843-747-1000
www.seatow.com
www.seaschool.com
Where do you get or resister for a MMSI number?
http://www.seatow.com/boating_safety/mmsi.asp
you can go to the Sea Tow website on the link above (you do not have to be a member) to get your MMSI#…THEN read the directions for the radio because some only give you 2 try’s to program the number in or it will lock you out and you wind up sending the radio back to the manufacturer to unlock the radio (wonder how I know that:face_with_head_bandage:…hope this helps ya out
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
Sea School Charleston
843-747-1000
www.seatow.com
www.seaschool.com
Mike, I have the Standard Horizon GX1600 radio, 2011 model and it is linked into the HDS-8 Lowrance. i have loaded my MMSI # into the radio. What will loading the MMSI # into the HDS-8 do for me or others?
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
i’m assuming that you are getting time and gps position on your radio? if so then you are good to go for DSC…as far as inputing your MMSI into the GPS with your radio setup…then you should have a dsc call come up on your chartplotter, and show other vessels transmitting on AIS…i’m not that familiar with standard horizon…but you would have a seperate antenna if you are transmitting on AIS…i believe your VHF is AIS receive only…
your NMEA 0183 has to talk both ways with your charplotter…one way for DSC and then back again for AIS to show vessels transmitting on AIS…
once NMEA gets their stuff together and the VHF companies start making VHF radios taht are NMEA 2000, then it woud be all plug and play…
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
Sea School Charleston
843-747-1000
www.seatow.com
www.seaschool.com
Mike, Thanks for the reply. I do receive time and GPS position on the radio. So GTG with that. Just trying to get the basics down before venturing into all the bells and whistles that come with these new electronic gadgets.
A wise man once said “Do as I say not as I do” Good advice when I tell you that.
pulg your MMSI into the GPS…worst that can happen is nothing…it’s only when you want your VHF to talk to the GPS that the wiring gets a little freaky…i am still ironing out the problem with my ICOM M604 talking back to the GPS…MAYBE all these NMEA and VHF people could get together and make this simpler[:0]
Mike Crouch
Sea Tow Charleston
843-881-8949
Sea School Charleston
843-747-1000
www.seatow.com
www.seaschool.com