VHF recommendations?

[dsaavedra]

I'm in the market for a VHF radio and looking for recommendations.

I'd like to keep the cost around $100 if possible. I don't really know much if anything about features of VHF radios, but I see that a lot of them float which I think is a must-have, along with a waterproof rating. Is GPS a must-have for a VHF radio?

This one seems like it could be a good option, does anyone have any experience with it? https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/cobr...d-marine-radio

[Big Mike]

I have a Standard Horizon HX300, which you can find for around $120 and floats. Everyone in the SMOG crew now has Standard Horizon for the clarity and ease of use. The HX300 is lithium ion and lasts all day and then some.

[Mark]

Dave,

I have a Standard Horizon. It has more features than I use, including GPS. It has been reliable for over 6 years. It gets excellent reception. I hear Charter Captains and other boaters many miles away, sometimes even when they are in different rivers. It transmits well. I rarely go unheard by my companions.

I did have to replace the original battery after 4 or 5 years after being recharged many times. That was around $50 or $60, I think.

Back to GPS, it has a compass, gives my speed, marks waypoints and can transmit my location in an emergency. The first three capabilities I do not use, the third, I hope I never use and probably won't because I'm a small water kayak angler and I rarely fish alone.

I would buy a Standard Horizon again, but I would buy a less expensive model with fewer capabilities. In fact, I did. I got one in the $100 range for my son last Christmas and it works very well.

[ronaultmtd]

I have a Standard Horizon HX300, which you can find for around $120 and floats. Everyone in the SMOG crew now has Standard Horizon for the clarity and ease of use. The HX300 is lithium ion and lasts all day and then some.

Plus 1

[dsaavedra]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. I'll look into the Standard Horizon.

Regarding GPS, I can't imagine I'd use any of that functionality except being able to send coordinates in an emergency. That alone seems like an incredibly useful feature, albeit one that you hope you never need.

When you have a radio with you on the water do you leave it turned off unless you need to use it? Or keep it on all the time? Do you tune in to any specific channel? Isn't there a channel (68 maybe) just for general banter? I remember being on boats and having that channel on and hearing if other boats were catching fish or not, and hearing boats brag when they landed big fish.

[Mark]

Dave,

I leave it turned on and I suspect most kayakers do.

I keep it on channel 68 which is used for general comms -- not banter or a typical telephone-like conversation. Too much conversation on 68 will get you a reprimand from an irritated listener.

When not locked on 68, I have a roaming feature which allows me to monitor several channels, including channel 16, which is used for distress calls.

This list tells you the purpose of the recreational boater channels:

https://wireless.fcc.gov/marine/vhfchanl.pdf

There are plenty of other sites online that provide VHF radio protocols.

[dsaavedra]

Thanks for the link Mark, that's helpful. I also found this article helpful: https://www.paddlinglight.com/articl...use-vhf-radio/

I think I'll go with the HX300, seems like a no-nonsense unit.

[dsaavedra]

I got the HX300 from West Marine the other day, they were nice enough to price match it, saving me nearly $20.

Last night I got it all charged up and read the manual to get a basic understanding of how to use it. Does anybody here have any practical tips on how to best use it? I went ahead and added all the general communication channels (68, 69, 71, etc) to my preset list so I can access them easily and it looks like I can use the scan feature to constantly monitor those channels as well as channel 16. Do you all leave it on scan mode? Or just keep it on a single channel (16 or otherwise)?

It looks like the Sea Tow automated radio check (channel 27, 28) is no longer in service. FCC recommends doing a radio check using channel 9 now so I guess I'll try that next time I'm on the water with other boaters around.

[UnkleRob2020]

I have been thinking about getting a VHF. There is so much good information in this thread. Such a wonderful resource. Thank you everyone

[Mark]

I scan channels on those rare occasions when I am fishing alone.

When I'm with others, we generally agree to use 68. I keep it locked on that channel then.

I do a quick radio check with my buddies. Something very quick and unofficial -- "I'm on the water." But never a radio check at large. I answer a bunch of them, however, when charter captains, watermen and recreational anglers do their radio checks. "I hear you captain, loud and clear."

[dsaavedra]

I scan channels on those rare occasions when I am fishing alone.

When I'm with others, we generally agree to use 68. I keep it locked on that channel then.

I do a quick radio check with my buddies. Something very quick and unofficial -- "I'm on the water." But never a radio check at large. I answer a bunch of them, however, when charter captains, watermen and recreational anglers do their radio checks. "I hear you captain, loud and clear."

That makes sense Mark. I fish alone frequently so I'll probably be scanning then (or even just leaving it on 16), but when fishing with friends it makes sense to just stick to a single channel.

[J.A. Veil]

I keep it locked on that channel then.

The Lock button can make a difference in how well your VHF works to keep in touch with fishing buddies. My previous radio did not have a "Lock" button. On several trips, I inadvertently bumped a button such that the radio was reset to channel 67 or 69. I did not realize that until the end of the trip, but wondered why I was not getting any calls from fishing buddies. My newer radio does have the Lock button -- I use it all the time.

If your radio does have the Lock button, set the controls where you want them, then push the Lock button to keep them from changing. You can always hit the Lock button later to unlock the keys to make adjustments.

[Mark]

John is correct. The lock button is a good feature.

I learned to employ mine as a result of this true story:

I was among a group who launched at Goodhands Creek. We spread out, as usual, but I knew from discussions at the launch that one of my buddies was heading first to the breakwater near Kent Narrows to try topwater. So, I asked him to please let me know if he gets into fish because I’d like to join the party.

We agreed to be on Channel 68.

He dutifully went to the rocks while I meandered to Kirwan Creek. I was doing well along the way with white perch in and near the creek but no stripers. Thirty minutes go by and no calls from my buddy at the rocks so I kept casting near the mouth of the creek. Another 15 minutes passed and I realized I wasn’t hearing from anyone in our group. So, I looked at my radio and noticed my channel had slipped to 69. I must have inadvertently hit the arrow button which tunes the channels sequentially.

I quickly switched to 68 and called out to the rocks. My buddy was slaying the stripers. He said he had been trying to call me. I have no doubt that he was. I was in my Revo and I hustled from Kirwan Creek to the breakwater as fast as I could. That’s no short haul. When I got there, it was too late. The bite was over.

That was the day I learned about the importance of the lock button.