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WHAT TYPE OF VHF RADIO SHOULD WE PUT IN THE BOAT??

WANT NOT A NEED

WANT NOT A NEED

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Hello everyone after reading the MUST HAVES ON YOUR BOAT.I want to get a VHF MARINE radio.So my question is what are people using and do you prefer the handheld or installed in the boat. Thanks in advance for the help
 
We have a Uniden Mystic handheld but it's not made anymore. It also has gps which is why I originally bought it. I installed a Garmin 431s last year but we bring the radio just in case. Our cellphones work on the lake also so we're covered.
 
Unless you are cruising ICW or large bodies of water, I'd just get a handheld. Fixed would typically give you stronger output (distance), but the handheld works if you lose power to elect. system.

Depending on budget, you might get both if you plan on traveling, as you can monitor 2 channels. I've watched videos of people traveling the ICW, and that seems kind of common.

Here's a good read ..... http://www.sierracgaux.org/vhfradios.html
 
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I have two radios for my boat: one fixed VHF and one handheld.

I regularly cruise the ICW and also go out into the gulf with it.

The fixed VHF is Standard Horizon Eclipse GX1150. It is no longer available; has since been replaced by the Standard Horizon Eclipse GX1200. I paid $115 at www.thegpsstore.com. It ties into my Garmin 541s GPS.

The handheld is Standard Horizon HX851 w/built-in GPS. I also like that it has 6W transmit power. I paid $207 for it at www.thegpsstore.com

Both have the DSC Test function, which is nice.
 
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There are not many large lakes in the midwest, but tons of smaller ones, so how does the coverage work for the smaller laked? Is the whole US "monitored" on these radios by someone somewhere? How do I know whether I'm going to be "in-range" without actually buying a radio?

There are dead spots on our lake for cell coverage, so I am interested in a radio, but just want to make sure it would work first.
 
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Kaydano, VHF will only go to someone else with a VHF radio. Our lake is 35,000 acres and in monitored by Tow Boat US. I hear other people chatting on the radio occasionally but it's mainly used for emergency purposes. I don't really know what the range is.
 
I spoke to Juan at Standard Horizon (800) 767-2450 he was awesome he suggested GX1600 or GX1700 with GPS. would suit our needs we are mainly on one Big Lake "Lake Don Pedro" or Discovery Bay he told us all of the parts we would need to accompany this device. flush mount, antenna, how it hooks to a battery source. He was amazingly helpful the antenna Juan suggested was a Shakespeare Marine 5400 XP 4' galaxy VHF antenna, and told me to speak with Chris at shakespeare Marine (803) 227-1590 again very helpful Chris was wonderful told us what antenna would best suit our needs (agreed with Juan)and the devices we were looking into, also explained the differences between devices and how they would mount. Chris told us the best place to purchase all of the items would be with John at thegpsstore.com (800) 447-2611 I cant say enough about John he was helpful thorough and patient given my lack of experience in boating. He told me what I needed, how it would work, and never tried to upsell me. in fact he told me the best combinition for the package we created and I wound up spending $40 less on the vhf radio. final product our setup is...

garmin 546s with dual transducer black flush mounted

standard horizon gx 1600 black flush mounted

shakespeare 5400 Xp 4' galaxy Vhf antenna ratchet mounted
 
cwag911 said:
Kaydano, VHF will only go to someone else with a VHF radio. Our lake is 35,000 acres and in monitored by Tow Boat US. I hear other people chatting on the radio occasionally but it's mainly used for emergency purposes. I don't really know what the range is.
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Wow Carl, that is a big lake. Our lake is 42 Square miles. I had to go onto the internet to find out how many acers in a mile [640] to get a feeling of your lake size which is 54.68 square miles. Our lake is actually man made reservoir designed to stop the flooding of the Capital District. Sacandaga is 29 miles long and at the wide part 5 miles across. Above the wide part are two fingers which more or less resemble a wide river. Sometimes to see others I go to the zee map of Bennington Owners Locator Map and then really zoom it in to take a look using the Satellite view. It is amazing what you can see! On our lake I see my old boat on my dock but can't wait till it updates and I see my Benny. Is that you in Denver, NC, I love all the inlets that come into the lake, it must be a blast slow cruising your shoreline. Damn I can't wait for summer
 
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Not to hijack the thread but we have 520 miles of shoreline and our lake is also man made It's part of the Catawba river chain of lakes. Duke power runs all the lakes and says what you can and can't do (docks, shoreline, etc.). We love it, and it's warmer than your area. B)
 
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Well then I must be in the toilet bowl!! Clear Lake Manitoba (Riding Mountain National Park) 9.6 square miles! Haha
 
BulldogsCadillac said:
Well then I must be in the toilet bowl!! Clear Lake Manitoba (Riding Mountain National Park) 9.6 square miles! Haha
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Well then i'm the **** in the bowl .... :lol:

Our lake is 3.5 miles long x 2.5 at WIDEST points at highest water level. Technically its 1275 acres or 1.99 square miles.

With all the coves and such, it's still plenty big for now. Sure beats sitting on the shore watching !! ;)
 
Hell I was happy last weekend when I sat in my boat in the storage barn and had a beer with the guy that owns the marina :)
 
Lake Murray South Carolina we call home.

Area: 78.12 sq miles (202.3 km²)

Length: 41.01 miles (66 km)

Surface elevation: 360' (110 m)

Width: 14.29 miles (23 km)

Max. Depth: 200 feet

Shore Line: approx. 535 miles

Steve
 
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The last of the snow melted off the trailing cover this morning. Getting closer to launch day.

Lake Cumberland

Area: 102.4 sq miles (265.2 km²)

Surface elevation: 722' (220 m) At 682' for 1 more year due to work on the dam to seal leakage thru the limestone

Width: 5,249 feet (1,600 m)

Length: 101.3 miles (163 km)
 
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I keep readin' about that "snow" stuff! :D

Charlotte Harbor Estuary is a natural estuary spanning the west coast of Florida from Venice to Bonita Springs on the Gulf of Mexico and is one of the most productive wetlands in Florida. The estuary has a large watershed, and includes Charlotte Harbor itself as well as the Peace River,Caloosahatchee River (via Pine Island Sound) and Myakka River basins. It covers 12,653 square kilometers (4,885 sq mi), the second largest open water estuary in the state.It is classified as a bar-built estuary, formed when sandbars build up along the coastline. The sand bars block the waters behind them from the sea. Such estuaries tend to be shallow with minimal tidal action.

Map
 
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