Shortwave Sportfishing wrote:
On 8 Sep 2005 20:50:49 -0700, wrote:
I continue to feel that boats in most areas except remote inland lakes
should carry a VHF.
The problem is that it doesn't do any good once you are inland more
than 10 miles or so.
?????????????????
First I've ever heard that a VHF radio stops transmitting 10 miles from
the coastline. :-)
It's true that you might not reach the USCG, but the specific value of
a VHF is that you can reach other boaters on the same body of water.
Your cell phone may or may not work out in the country at Lake
Whatchacallit. If most boats had VHF, you would hear that a guy at the
other end of the lake needs a tow, hit a rock, lost somebody ob, etc,
and be able to respond to help- whether or not the Coast Guard was ever
involved.
If you and I are in two different boats on the same lake and one of
needs some help, we can comunicate with VHF. If we both have a cell
phone we're still screwed unless we know the other person's cell phone
number.