On Sat, 16 Jul 2011 21:50:36 -0400, L G wrote:

Tim wrote:
My Marquis came with a Uniden MC 610 Marine Radio which I believe
isn't working. The LED digital selector comes on when it powers up
but that's about it.

Don't really know what the problem is, but i think it's probably had.
So, I'm going to shop for a replacement.

I've heard that on the Ohio, Cumberland, Tennessee rivers a small had
held doesn't work very well due to the bends and trees lining the
banks, and a friend of mind recommended a radio system with a fairly
good antenna. His unit had a 7 foot whip antenna. I have a similar
antenna that cam with the boat. Actually two of them. I think one was
for the marine radio and the other was for a CB.

Anyhow, the shopping is going to happen.

Anyone have any suggestions for a decent and affordable (but not
cheap) radio that you would recommend for my use on a 23 ft. boat that
will be used to hail marinas, and lock/dams etc?

Thanks!

VHF is line-of-sight so it depends on the distance you are transmitting
and the height of your antenna. Trees shouldn't be much of a problem
unless it's a dense, wooded, area. Short distances are really no
problem for a hand-held unit. If you are so far away that the horizon
is a factor then you need a taller antenna.

Hand held units are limited by their low power and short, inefficient
antennas. They are typically good for about a mile or so.

A 25 watt fixed mount tranciever with an eight foot antenna is usually
OK at 10 to 20 miles over open terrain or water, sometimes more if
talking to a base station with a high antenna.