Re: I Need A New Marine Radio and Antenna...What's Best?
I like your choice of antennas. I have two hooked up to an ICOM 504
I have that same Shakespere antenna mounted on my 15 foot aluminum. It's great for around $100.
You will be amazed on how far you can actually receive coast guard alerts like impending storms because even though a 25 watt radio only transmits up to 25 line of sight miles, probably closer to 10 miles (and a lot less if the boats a roll'in) If another boat has a 25 watt'r your 10 and his 10 might get you 20 miles, but the coast guards antennas are usually mounted high up on mountain tops so you can pull in alerts way farther than you could transmit.
Both the radio and antenna are cheap insurance for a distress situation. I found as others had warned me that the handhelds with their 5 watts with the built on rubber ducky antenna's are pretty much totally useless.
The first time I actually needed to use it in the pitch dark around 9:30 pm on lake champlain trying to find the launch that was within 1000 feet of my position, there was no way I could contact anyone! Next day, bought the 8 footer and the 25 watt'er. I use the handheld just to listen to the weather band before I leave the house.
Funny story: I actually had a $1000 combo GPS/Fish finder on board (the Hummingbird 797) and thought I set a way point at the launch area when I left early in the AM like I always do. But I never did! I had a new Navionics hotmaps card that was installed for the first time that day. The highway ends right at the state launch and the ferry to Vermont so one would think it would be a piece of cake to find the launch right? WRONG.
I had about 40 miles to go from a 5pm departure so 4 hours time to get back to the launch for a 2 hour trip would be easy. But every time the lake doglegged the winds changed direction and the waves slowed me down to about 8 mph.
When we were at a restaurant in Burlington at 3 pm I had unhooked the GPS and stored it in a locked locker to prevent theft. Found out another problem on the way back. Unplugging the unit erased the breadcrumb trail the unit records so you can just follow back the way you came (oops).
Still no problem I thought now 1/2 way back, it's not only windy with 2-3 footers, it's raining to boot.
Still no concerns because highway #74 ends right at the launch. Any idiot can see this road right on the basemap (I told the mrs. whose color was getting whiter now with concern as the night moves in).
So 1000 feet from the launch and shallow water and rocks all around in total blackness . . . Did I mention how black it was? I went to find road on the base map and it was now GONE . . . YIKES!
I finally found some guys fishing in the dark around a lantern and they were on the now closed ferry's dock and they said "oh ya" the nys launch is 10 feet to our right . . . PHEEW!
Let me tell you what TOTAL darkness with out any stars out looks like
. It feels like you are lost in outerspace. I was laughing but my was was steaming and calling me lotsa names once her foot was back on soil
So the next day I called Navionics and asked why I just paid like $149 to get highly detailed maps and launches, gas, marina's etc and the map does not even show a big NY State launch area let alone where highway #74 was on there 2 days ago but then it was just gone?
They said " oh ya" once you plug in our card it over writes the base map.
In hindsight, all I needed to do (besides always remembering mark a current location or way point or writting down my coordinates) I could have just pulled the card out and the highway would have magically appeared again . . . . now you tell me
I guess the launch was to new to have shown up on the Navionics version I have. I had a handheld GPS in the car too that I usually carry on board as a back up but forgot to take it.
GPS, 25 watt fixed mount VHF and an 8 foot antenna: $700 to $1200. Don't leave home without them . . . if you go on big waters.
Or a compass, flashlight and a chart: about $10
This should be posted under stupid Expida tricks.
Funny, the Wife always reminds me now . . . "did you set a way point?" before we ever leave a dock?
