Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?

Not Uniden. They are the low end, me-too, brand. Icom and
Standard Horizon are both good. You pay for size and features.

You ABSOLUTELY want one that's rated JIS-7 (Submersible, 3', 30 minutes).
"Waterproof" radios are only "kinda sorta splash proof, and we'll replace it
IF it's still on warrantee and gets wet".

Beyond that, look at features. Is this going to be used every time you go
out to yack, or a 'yell for help" radio? If the later, get one that comes with
a AA battery tray, and keep the tray and a set or two of batteries in
your dry box. And consider a 25W console mount radio with a 6 dB
antenna.

I have a two SH handhelds (one of which I will unload by and by)
and an SH console mount with a top-of-the line 6 db antenna.
I use them to yack every weekend, but if I ever have to yell for
help, I'm gonna be heard. All three are JIS-7.


--
Chuck Tribolet

http://www.almaden.ibm.com/cs/people/triblet

Silicon Valley: STILL the best day job in the world.


"Ken Corbett" wrote in message ...
Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?

"Ken Corbett" wrote

Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?


Hi Ken, for a fixed-land unit, I am completely happy with my JRC 25w radio.
Connected to an I.C.E. lightning arrestor, 65' of RG-8U heavy feedline and a
custom marine-tuned copper pipe J-Pole antenna, I have excellent coverage of
the whole AOR and quite far beyond it in some directions.

Best part? Paid $105 for it from a big electronics distributor on eBay.

Best regards,

Jack

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 17:09:52 -0700, "Chuck Tribolet"
wrote:

Not Uniden. They are the low end, me-too, brand. Icom and
Standard Horizon are both good. You pay for size and features.


Uniden is now the tech leader with the WHAM mike. (wireless remote
mike that works within 300 ft radius of the radio) That sold me. Also
JIS-7 compliant. Time will tell on reliability and I do hear enough
negative stories that I am nervous.

If you make up a matrix of features and prices, you will see that almost all
manufacturers have radios in the same price ranges with the same features.
They are all pretty much the same; most recommendations that are favorable
are based on personal experience; most recommendations that are unfavorable
are baseless.

"Ken Corbett" wrote in message
...
Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?

"William G. Andersen" wrote

If you make up a matrix of features and prices, you will see that almost
all
manufacturers have radios in the same price ranges with the same features.
They are all pretty much the same; most recommendations that are favorable
are based on personal experience; most recommendations that are
unfavorable
are baseless.

Very well said. A good friend who runs the Kenwood East Repair Center will
help any boater stopped on the ICW in Hampton Roads with one-day service on
their radio problems. But as far as warranty goes, most if not all of the
big names in the business no longer honor repair costs on smaller equipment,
authorizing replacement-only while under warranty. This will eventually
eliminate the repair business for small (inexpensive) electronics. Just so
you know what happens when you send your small radios in for repair under
warranty. If during-warranty repairs while enroute is what you require, it
may now cost something because the manufacturers have largely abandonded
subsidizing this cost through their authorized repair centers. For the most
part, small VHF radios do last their expected lifetime under fairly harsh
conditions without problems. Just don't expect that lifetime to be more than
a few years!

Jack


"Ken Corbett" wrote in message
...
Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?

I work as a service tech for a sales, install, service marine electronics
firm. Warranty repair is excellent on Standard Horizon radios and they flat
rate repairs on out of warranty radios. However, it is return to them for
repairs...no warranty repair at the local shop. Icom is fairly good on
warranty (if bought in the USA, however, no warranty from Icom America for
units bought overseas), expensive on out of warranty, if they still repair
that model at all. Uniden replacement parts are very cheap compared to other
manufacturers. Microphones with cords are about 1/3 the cost of the other
brands. Raymarine honors warranty returns but parts for the older stuff such
as Apelco are unavailable. We don't do Hummingbirds, so I have no experience
with them. Most discount sales places will honor out-of-box failures with a
swap, but don't expect any knowledgeable help on interfacing or failures in
normal use.
Regarding the 6 dB antenna advice, that is fine for a power boat, but may be
too much gain for a sail boat heeled over with the antenna pattern pointing
into the water or into the sky...for a sailboat, stick with a wider
radiation pattern such as a 3 dB antenna. For an authorized base station
ashore, such as Jack uses, a 9 dB would be even better, although I get by
fine for CG Auxiliary use with a stainless steel antenna made by a local ham
manufacturer.
Doug K7ABX

"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news:RogAc.3659$rf7.99@lakeread02...

"William G. Andersen" wrote

If you make up a matrix of features and prices, you will see that almost
all
manufacturers have radios in the same price ranges with the same
features.
They are all pretty much the same; most recommendations that are
favorable
are based on personal experience; most recommendations that are
unfavorable
are baseless.

Very well said. A good friend who runs the Kenwood East Repair Center will
help any boater stopped on the ICW in Hampton Roads with one-day service
on
their radio problems. But as far as warranty goes, most if not all of the
big names in the business no longer honor repair costs on smaller
equipment,
authorizing replacement-only while under warranty. This will eventually
eliminate the repair business for small (inexpensive) electronics. Just so
you know what happens when you send your small radios in for repair under
warranty. If during-warranty repairs while enroute is what you require, it
may now cost something because the manufacturers have largely abandonded
subsidizing this cost through their authorized repair centers. For the
most
part, small VHF radios do last their expected lifetime under fairly harsh
conditions without problems. Just don't expect that lifetime to be more
than
a few years!

Jack


"Ken Corbett" wrote in message
...
Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?

I've never seen a Kenwood Marine VHF. Kenwood used to be my
favorite brand until my ham rig crapped out and they wanted $400
just to look at it. That's half the cost of a brand new TS-50 or even
better yet a IC-706.

Doug
s/v Callista

"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news:RogAc.3659$rf7.99@lakeread02...

"William G. Andersen" wrote

If you make up a matrix of features and prices, you will see that almost
all
manufacturers have radios in the same price ranges with the same
features.
They are all pretty much the same; most recommendations that are
favorable
are based on personal experience; most recommendations that are
unfavorable
are baseless.

Very well said. A good friend who runs the Kenwood East Repair Center will
help any boater stopped on the ICW in Hampton Roads with one-day service
on
their radio problems. But as far as warranty goes, most if not all of the
big names in the business no longer honor repair costs on smaller
equipment,
authorizing replacement-only while under warranty. This will eventually
eliminate the repair business for small (inexpensive) electronics. Just so
you know what happens when you send your small radios in for repair under
warranty. If during-warranty repairs while enroute is what you require, it
may now cost something because the manufacturers have largely abandonded
subsidizing this cost through their authorized repair centers. For the
most
part, small VHF radios do last their expected lifetime under fairly harsh
conditions without problems. Just don't expect that lifetime to be more
than
a few years!

Jack


"Ken Corbett" wrote in message
...
Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?

I like Icom I've had one for about 8 years no problems I would suggest
an antenna length of 8 feet for max. range unless you can mount a
shorter one up high.

Rick

William G. Andersen wrote:
If you make up a matrix of features and prices, you will see that almost all
manufacturers have radios in the same price ranges with the same features.
They are all pretty much the same; most recommendations that are favorable
are based on personal experience; most recommendations that are unfavorable
are baseless.

"Ken Corbett" wrote in message
...

Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?