Marine Radios
 

I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob

Marine Radios
 

As a former employee of Raytheon, I'd say
you can't go much wrong with ICOM :)

Doug
s/v Callista

"Bob" wrote in message
m...
I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob

Marine Radios
 

I'd second that.


"Doug Dotson" wrote in message
...
As a former employee of Raytheon, I'd say
you can't go much wrong with ICOM :)

Doug
s/v Callista

"Bob" wrote in message
m...
I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob

Marine Radios
 

"Bob" wrote in message
m...
I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob

Bob, when you shop for the bottom of the lines, they are all comparable. The
differences are only barely noteable when the price climbs more than twice
that high. I would recommend any new radio you choose have "D" class
DSC/GMDSS capability. That way it won't be too far out of pace when the "E"
models are mandatory when the (someday effective) Rescue-21 vhf-marine
emergency system is online nationwide.

Jack

Marine Radios
 

Jack,
What is the difference between "D" class and "E" class DSC/GMDSS
krj

Jack Painter wrote:
"Bob" wrote in message
m...

I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob


Bob, when you shop for the bottom of the lines, they are all comparable. The
differences are only barely noteable when the price climbs more than twice
that high. I would recommend any new radio you choose have "D" class
DSC/GMDSS capability. That way it won't be too far out of pace when the "E"
models are mandatory when the (someday effective) Rescue-21 vhf-marine
emergency system is online nationwide.

Jack

Marine Radios
 

"krj" wrote
Jack,
What is the difference between "D" class and "E" class DSC/GMDSS
krj

The differences listed below appear almost non-existent, but I believe that
the "E" manufactured radios are intended to allow greater flexibility in
both distress and general messaging instructions sent via DSC. In other
words, the receiving radios "might" be allowed to be commanded to a specific
frequency after DSC message on Ch-70.

Jack

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/dsc.htm
Classes of Digital Selective Calling

Class D:
Minimum DSC capability for VHF marine radios carried by recreational
boaters, commercial fishing vessels, and other non-SOLAS regulated vessels.
Class D required capabilities include:

Distress call
All-ships call
Individual station call
Use of distress, urgency, safety and routine priorities
Nature of distress
Distress coordinates
Time for last (distress) position update
Type of subsequent communications
Radio VHF channel
Display
Receive distress relay and distress acknowledgment calls
Alarm

Class E:
Minimum DSC capability for HF marine radios carried by recreational boaters,
commercial fishing vessels, and other non-SOLAS regulated vessels. Class E
required capabilities include:

Distress call
All-ships call
Individual station call
Use of distress, urgency, safety and routine priorities
Nature of distress
Distress coordinates
Time for last (distress) position update
Type of subsequent communications
Radio channel or frequency
Display
Receive distress relay and distress acknowledgment calls
Alarm

Marine Radios
 

krj wrote:
Jack,

krj

Jack Painter wrote:
"Bob" wrote in message
m...

I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking
at an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which
is a better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large
display, but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other
brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob


Bob, when you shop for the bottom of the lines, they are all
comparable. The differences are only barely noteable when the price
climbs more than twice that high. I would recommend any new radio
you choose have "D" class DSC/GMDSS capability. That way it won't be
too far out of pace when the "E" models are mandatory when the
(someday effective) Rescue-21 vhf-marine emergency system is online
nationwide.

Jack

What is the difference between "D" class and "E" class DSC/GMDSS

D class are very difficult to undersatnd, and E class are impossible to
underestand.

Remove "nospam" from return address.

Marine Radios
 

Thanks Jack,
According to what you posted, "D" class is for VHF and "E" class is for
HF radios. The requirements you posted are otherwise identical.
krj

Jack Painter wrote:
"krj" wrote

Jack,
What is the difference between "D" class and "E" class DSC/GMDSS
krj


The differences listed below appear almost non-existent, but I believe that
the "E" manufactured radios are intended to allow greater flexibility in
both distress and general messaging instructions sent via DSC. In other
words, the receiving radios "might" be allowed to be commanded to a specific
frequency after DSC message on Ch-70.

Jack

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/dsc.htm
Classes of Digital Selective Calling

Class D:
Minimum DSC capability for VHF marine radios carried by recreational
boaters, commercial fishing vessels, and other non-SOLAS regulated vessels.
Class D required capabilities include:

Distress call
All-ships call
Individual station call
Use of distress, urgency, safety and routine priorities
Nature of distress
Distress coordinates
Time for last (distress) position update
Type of subsequent communications
Radio VHF channel
Display
Receive distress relay and distress acknowledgment calls
Alarm

Class E:
Minimum DSC capability for HF marine radios carried by recreational boaters,
commercial fishing vessels, and other non-SOLAS regulated vessels. Class E
required capabilities include:

Distress call
All-ships call
Individual station call
Use of distress, urgency, safety and routine priorities
Nature of distress
Distress coordinates
Time for last (distress) position update
Type of subsequent communications
Radio channel or frequency
Display
Receive distress relay and distress acknowledgment calls
Alarm

Marine Radios
 

Rgr that - didn't mean to include the E class comparison. Not sure if all or
many VHF radios sold in the US are D-class, since the capablities here for
distress messaging are not implemented yet. Maybe a dealer on the list can
verify whether radios for sale here are all D models yet...

Jack

"krj" wrote
Thanks Jack,
According to what you posted, "D" class is for VHF and "E" class is for
HF radios. The requirements you posted are otherwise identical.
krj

Jack Painter wrote:
"krj" wrote

Jack,
What is the difference between "D" class and "E" class DSC/GMDSS
krj


The differences listed below appear almost non-existent, but I believe
that
the "E" manufactured radios are intended to allow greater flexibility in
both distress and general messaging instructions sent via DSC. In other
words, the receiving radios "might" be allowed to be commanded to a
specific
frequency after DSC message on Ch-70.

Jack

http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/gmdss/dsc.htm
Classes of Digital Selective Calling

Class D:
Minimum DSC capability for VHF marine radios carried by recreational
boaters, commercial fishing vessels, and other non-SOLAS regulated
vessels.
Class D required capabilities include:

Distress call
All-ships call
Individual station call
Use of distress, urgency, safety and routine priorities
Nature of distress
Distress coordinates
Time for last (distress) position update
Type of subsequent communications
Radio VHF channel
Display
Receive distress relay and distress acknowledgment calls
Alarm

Class E:
Minimum DSC capability for HF marine radios carried by recreational
boaters,
commercial fishing vessels, and other non-SOLAS regulated vessels. Class
E
required capabilities include:

Distress call
All-ships call
Individual station call
Use of distress, urgency, safety and routine priorities
Nature of distress
Distress coordinates
Time for last (distress) position update
Type of subsequent communications
Radio channel or frequency
Display
Receive distress relay and distress acknowledgment calls
Alarm

Marine Radios
 

In article ,
"Dennis Pogson" wrote:

D class are very difficult to undersatnd, and E class are impossible to
underestand.

Remove "nospam" from return address.

Thats what we (USA) get for letting the Europeans take the lead in
Maritime Communications Design and implimentation, at the ITU.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @

Marine Radios
 

Bob wrote:
I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob

Some time back I posted a question about VHF’s and remote
control microphones. I ended up buying an Icom 402 and
their CommandMic. Installation was straight forward and
relatively easy except for the 6 meters of extension cable
for the CommandMic. This was a real chore snaking the cable
through the stern of the boat. The radio worked extremely
well and the CommandMic did everything it was supposed to do.

BUT

The third time we used the boat after the installation,
someone stumbled and hit the CommandMic plug on the
extension cable and it shattered. It turns out that this
plug is extremely flimsy. I called Icom’s technical support
and was told that they have had several reports of this
happening. They have passed the word on to the Japanese
factory and, supposedly, they are working on a solution.
Meanwhile, I’m out another $50 for a new extension cable and
a lot of work to both pull the wire and to figure out a good
way to protect it in the future.

Recommendation – If you buy an Icom with its CommandMic, be
certain to put the remote plug in a location where it can’t
be damaged. As flimsy as this plug is, I’d also be
extremely careful about pulling on the CommandMic cord.

Jerry

Jerry & Phyllis Vaughn Hunter 40
Corpus Christi, TX NoETA

Marine Radios
 

"Jerry" wrote in message
...

Some time back I posted a question about VHF’s and remote
control microphones. I ended up buying an Icom 402 and
their CommandMic. Installation was straight forward and
relatively easy except for the 6 meters of extension cable
for the CommandMic. This was a real chore snaking the cable
through the stern of the boat. The radio worked extremely
well and the CommandMic did everything it was supposed to do.

BUT

The third time we used the boat after the installation,
someone stumbled and hit the CommandMic plug on the
extension cable and it shattered. It turns out that this
plug is extremely flimsy. I called Icom’s technical support
and was told that they have had several reports of this
happening. They have passed the word on to the Japanese
factory and, supposedly, they are working on a solution.
Meanwhile, I’m out another $50 for a new extension cable and
a lot of work to both pull the wire and to figure out a good
way to protect it in the future.

Recommendation – If you buy an Icom with its CommandMic, be
certain to put the remote plug in a location where it can’t
be damaged. As flimsy as this plug is, I’d also be
extremely careful about pulling on the CommandMic cord.

Jerry

Jerry & Phyllis Vaughn Hunter 40
Corpus Christi, TX NoETA

Regarding the Icom Command mic and the radio connectors. Do NOT plug the
Command Microphone into the front panel microphone plug, even though it fits
OK. Only plug the Command Microphone/extensions into the rear panel
connector. In the fine print Icom mentions this will cause damage...really
good engineering there in the 402/502/602 series. They have designed it
customer proof.

Doug K7ABX

Marine Radios
 

"Doug" wrote in message
.net...

....really
good engineering there in the 402/502/602 series. They have designed it
customer proof.

Doug K7ABX


I meant ...should have designed it customer proof.

Marine Radios
 

Last independent test I saw was from Powerboat Reports. They reported that
the ICOM and Standard Horizon were the top two by far. The ICOM was slightly
better. I have the latter and love it... it's the only radio I've ever had
that didn't need an external speaker!

--


Keith
__
Never test the depth of the water with both feet.
"Bob" wrote in message
m...
I'm looking for a VHF marine radio for a small boat. I al looking at
an Icom and a Raymarine init. Both in the $150.00 range. Which is a
better unit?? I favor the Raymarine as it has a very large display,
but if it is lousy radio, I'd prefer the Icom, or other brands.

Your suggestions please!

Bob