I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for
cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have
the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not with
our carrier.

del cecchi

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110
for cabin use.

Not legal either.

I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have the range.

Not legal either.

Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Two or three miles over open water.
..
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin?

Even FRS is only good for 5 miles max. If you are up to taking a pretty
simple test then a Tech class ham license will allow you to use radios that
will work. Handhelds if you have a repeater nearby. Good ole CBs may be
a solution. Cheap and can generally do 10 miles.

Doug, k3qt

Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not
with our carrier.

del cecchi

Sounds like you want to move quickly.

The legal options are amateur radio, citizen's band radio,
and GMRS. Amateur radio and GMRS require licenses, the
latter is obtained for only a fee, the former requires an exam.

You don't say what kind of boat. A high-gain antenna on the
boat and/or high power would probably give you the range you
need with GMRS. It is a UHF system. FRS would probably not
do the trick, as Doug suggested.

Do a web search on GMRS and you'll get all your questions
answered.

There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.

Good luck

Chuck








Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for
cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have
the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not with
our carrier.

del cecchi

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On 2005-05-04 said:
There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.
Good luck

Nah I wouldn't suggest using cb for anything, maybe cb'ers for target
practice. HEre's why. THe original poster says:
Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on
shore over distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some
medical issues I have.
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug
into 110 for cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand
helds if that would have the range. Does anyone have experience
with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a
boat unit, a battery and a charger?
NO cell phone coverage in the area, get a regular marine unit for the
cabin, forget the charger unless you want battery backup. Even then
get a 12 volt dc power supply to power the radio and/or float charge
your battery so that you have the radio powered even if the cabin
loses electrical power from mains service. YOu can install a decent
antenna on the roof of the cabin or somewhere else and have 10 miles
or so easy.
CB it's all according. Sometimes 10 miles can be a push if you've got
the skip rolling good and some loudmouth redneck yelling "how 'bout it
skipland!!!" when you're trying to talk between you. AT ten miles
without a good gain antenna at both ends chances are good you're going
to be fighting to be heard over the trash.

gO marine vhf or gmrs. YEs both require some licensing, but it's well
worth it in the long run. Ham has the same thing with rigs, not many
vhf/uhf rigs made to run off a/c mains power, so in those cases a
decent power supply to power a mobile and a decent base station
antenna will be better investments than a cb radio for reliability.




Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--

On Wed, 4 May 2005 14:30:19 -0500, "Del Cecchi"
wrote:

I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for
cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have
the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock
offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.





Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote

Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock
offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.

Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing boats
on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but
individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on
marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty
serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently
been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police
out there just itching to turn you in.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

On Thu, 5 May 2005 10:01:06 -0400, "Glenn Ashmore"
wrote:




"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote

Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock
offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.

Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing boats
on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but
individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on
marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty
serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently
been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police
out there just itching to turn you in.

I was not engaged in legal advice, just practical.

But I wonder just how many people are sitting listening to all
channels in Northern Minnesota, just hoping to hear a violation? And,
on hearing some heinous act, such as speaking French, calling the
nearest USCG station hoping they will send a helicopter to chase down
the culprit?

I have overheard some hilarious conversations on Channel 06 within
range of Station Jonesport. Often it sounded as if a fisherman's wife
was calling him from home about some household matter. If they had
used 16 the CG would have told them to take it to a working frequency,
but on 06 they wouldn't hear it ordinarily, nor care if they did.

But of course, I had no way of knowing where the actual transmission
took place.

I have also heard fishermen in New Hampshire waters conversing in
French on a [shudder] international channel. The unspeakable crimes
that go unpunished every day!!


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty
quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling
in a group and one of our group is retired CG.


"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 5 May 2005 10:01:06 -0400, "Glenn Ashmore"
wrote:




"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote

Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock
offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.

Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing
boats
on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but
individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on
marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty
serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently
been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police
out there just itching to turn you in.

I was not engaged in legal advice, just practical.

But I wonder just how many people are sitting listening to all
channels in Northern Minnesota, just hoping to hear a violation? And,
on hearing some heinous act, such as speaking French, calling the
nearest USCG station hoping they will send a helicopter to chase down
the culprit?

I have overheard some hilarious conversations on Channel 06 within
range of Station Jonesport. Often it sounded as if a fisherman's wife
was calling him from home about some household matter. If they had
used 16 the CG would have told them to take it to a working frequency,
but on 06 they wouldn't hear it ordinarily, nor care if they did.

But of course, I had no way of knowing where the actual transmission
took place.

I have also heard fishermen in New Hampshire waters conversing in
French on a [shudder] international channel. The unspeakable crimes
that go unpunished every day!!


Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

On Fri, 6 May 2005 21:34:12 -0400, "Doug Dotson"
dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty
quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling
in a group and one of our group is retired CG.

In eastern Maine, it is a chit-chat channel for the commercial
fishermen, full time.
Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

In article ,
"Doug Dotson" dougdotson@NOSPAMcablespeedNOSPAMcom wrote:

Since Ch 06 is a safety channel, you generally get chased off pretty
quickly if engaging in idle chitchat. We used to use Ch 6 while traveling
in a group and one of our group is retired CG.

The problem with Marine Channel 06, is that it is a "Ship to Ship Only"
Channel and the USCG Coast stations don't monitor it like they do
Marine Ch. 16 and Marine Ch 22A, so really no one is "Official"
is monitoring Ch. 06 anymore since the FCC closed all the Fixed Base
Monitoring Stations that had VHf Capability in the Field Offices.
the USCG keeps Ch. 16 cleaned up and the Big boys keep Ch. 13 fairly
clean, but Ch. 06 is kindof like "NoMans Land" these days.

Bruce in alaska
--
add a 2 before @