Because I'm cheap! If my 121.5 will work, that'd save $100 or more. Of
course, I do not want to compromise safety either. I was thinking
about going with a handheld marine radio - are they inadequate?

Just today, a new acquaintance told a harrowing story about being
under the Golden Gate Bridge with tide going out, lost his engine,
heading out to sea, no radio. Saved his butt with a trolling motor and
a paddle. Can you imagine boating the SF Bay with no radio?

Mitch


"Mitchell Gossman" wrote in message
om...
I'm an airplane pilot with an aviation Icom handheld that will
broadcast on 121.5. Any other pilots using this on your boat, esp.
when out of cellphone range, for emergency use rather than spending
the $$$ on a separate marine VHF radio?

Mitch

Marine radios are fairly inexpensive, with some under $100. Why take the
risk? Besides, a handheld has pretty limited range.

I think you should not have gotten into boating if $100 is too much for you
to spend for an important boating safety item.



"Mitchell Gossman" wrote in message
om...
Because I'm cheap! If my 121.5 will work, that'd save $100 or more. Of
course, I do not want to compromise safety either. I was thinking
about going with a handheld marine radio - are they inadequate?

Just today, a new acquaintance told a harrowing story about being
under the Golden Gate Bridge with tide going out, lost his engine,
heading out to sea, no radio. Saved his butt with a trolling motor and
a paddle. Can you imagine boating the SF Bay with no radio?

Mitch


"Mitchell Gossman" wrote in message
om...
I'm an airplane pilot with an aviation Icom handheld that will
broadcast on 121.5. Any other pilots using this on your boat, esp.
when out of cellphone range, for emergency use rather than spending
the $$$ on a separate marine VHF radio?

Mitch

Marine radios are fairly inexpensive, with some under $100. Why take
the
risk? Besides, a handheld has pretty limited range.

"Mitchell Gossman" wrote in message
om...


I was thinking
about going with a handheld marine radio - are they inadequate?



The handheld marine VHF can be an excellent choice, especially in the San
Francisco Bay area. The Coast Guard stations are close enough and have
their transmitter/receivers at a tall enough elevation that a handheld will
easily communicate anywhere in the bay and for a significant distance off
shore.

The handheld also has the advantage of having its own battery source so if
your distress is the result of total power loss the handheld will still
work. Most of the Marine handhelds are also water resistant (which your
aviation radio might not be) which means that it will survive the wave that
sweeps over the deck. You can also take it with you if you are forced to
abandon ship.

If you desire to monitor the radio for long periods of time then a fixed
mount radio that operates off the boats cabin battery system is your best
choice.

Rod

"Rod McInnis" wrote in message
...

"Mitchell Gossman" wrote in message
om...


I was thinking
about going with a handheld marine radio - are they inadequate?



The handheld marine VHF can be an excellent choice, especially in the San
Francisco Bay area. The Coast Guard stations are close enough and have
their transmitter/receivers at a tall enough elevation that a handheld
will
easily communicate anywhere in the bay and for a significant distance off
shore.

The handheld also has the advantage of having its own battery source so if
your distress is the result of total power loss the handheld will still
work. Most of the Marine handhelds are also water resistant (which your
aviation radio might not be) which means that it will survive the wave
that
sweeps over the deck. You can also take it with you if you are forced to
abandon ship.

If you desire to monitor the radio for long periods of time then a fixed
mount radio that operates off the boats cabin battery system is your best
choice.

Rod



I guess it all depends on where one boats and how far off shore they may
travel. Hand helds have a 5 mile range, or so I understand. I always had a
hand held as a backup. We kept in the master as a weather alert when
mooring or anchoring overnight.

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 11:03:20 -0700, "Rod McInnis"
wrote:


"Mitchell Gossman" wrote in message
. com...


I was thinking
about going with a handheld marine radio - are they inadequate?



The handheld marine VHF can be an excellent choice, especially in the San
Francisco Bay area. The Coast Guard stations are close enough and have
their transmitter/receivers at a tall enough elevation that a handheld will
easily communicate anywhere in the bay and for a significant distance off
shore.


this is true. i was in SF recently, and am a watchstander with
activities NY. there was a 121.5 beacon going off in the area, and a
helicopter was dispatched. turned out it was coming from one of the
marinas.

it's not the optimum solution, but, in ADDITION to a marine VHF (and a
cellphone), it can be valuable backup.

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