VHF radio location?

[vizwhiz]

I have been looking at many boats (26S) and noticed that the VHF radio has often been placed below, often mounted near the galley. A few boats have them mounted near the companionway or on the bulkhead. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. The few times I remember using the radio in previous boating activities, it was almost always up on deck, where we were looking at something - another boat, fuel dock, etc. and I can't imagine having to try to use the radio from down in the cabin...

So how do you all (y'all?) use your radios and where are they located and why?

[paj637]

I have my VHF with DSC mounted just inside the companionway on the stbd side on my . I use a hand held for the activities you noted. The fixed VHF is more a base station.

[Highlander]

Same S/B just inside the companion way behind the aft dinnete seat, cordless remote mike for belt clip or pedestal mount , plus hand held its great if your on someone elses boat or walking the marina people can still contact you

J

[Paul S]

SH radio above the gally, remote mic in cockpit. best of both worlds. Actually use the handheld 90+% of the time

[markh1f]

Mounted just inside the companionway. I use the handheld for most things but if the battery dies or need more range then I can still use the main unit standing in the cockpit by just reaching inside and grabbing the mic.

Mark

[Sumner]

We put the new Standard Horizon with DSC over the sink mainly because we are trying to maximise the range with it for NOAA weather and if we needed the DSC feature. The more coax you use the more you impair the signal strength. With it above the sink we end up with the shortest coax run to the top of the mast.



Also we just don't use the radio much, in fact we have never talked to anyone on it . We probably should leave it on, but most of the time it is off. We did leave it on more in Florida when we are going from point A to B. One last thing is that we use it mostly in the morning and evening to check the weather and it is handy for that where it is.

While underway in Florida it was on and it was hooked to the...



...Eagle Cuda 350 and gets our current GPS position from it for the DSC feature. The only thing was that it wouldn't of helped in an emergency since I had forgotten to get our DSC number for the radio, so punching the button wouldn't of done anything . Hopefully as a result of this post I will now get a number for us, thanks.

There is more on the console here if anyone is interested...

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sumner ... de-25.html

When we got the boat it had a VHF mounted by the starboard side of the aft berth with an antenna on the stern. I moved it to under the top companionway step and it is still on the boat as a backup. We also have a good Standard Horizon handheld that we can use in the cockpit and take with us in the dinghy. I imagine we will be using that if we do the Erie Canal at the locks.

I think having the handheld is still a better idea than a fixed mount in the cockpit for a S or D or the older Mac/Ventures as it gives you the most flexibility as you aren't attached to a cord and there is limited places to put a VHF in the cockpits of those boats. With an X or M the pedestal is probably an option.

A note on the Cuda 350. We were very happy with it after using it on the trip a lot. The mount on the life line worked great and I'd do that again. Ruth could see it much easier in all light conditions there which helped going into shallow water to anchor and I could slide it up to where I sat and also play with the GPS functions and such. We ran it in the GPS map mode with our position showing on the screen. You can determine what data you want on that screen, so we had it also display depth in extra large letters and speed in smaller letters and sometimes either water temp or other items as we needed them.

The Cuda outputs your GPS position in NEMA and that is great and works well. The one feature that would make this a really great unit is if you could input NEMA to it. You can put in waypoints a couple different ways, but not via a cable. They imply that it might have input, but it doesn't (I've talked to them also).

While underway we run the chartpotting software SeaClear on the ship's computer down below and it is hooked to a handheld Garmin 76S Map out in the cockpit and we can download the waypoints to it in a matter of seconds for the days trip and then go point to point using the 76 or dropping below to look at the computer screen there. This works well, but if you could download the waypoints to the Cuda you could do away with the Garmin in the cockpit. Still at $200 the Cuda has a lot of features and we would buy another one. We think it was well worth the cost.

c ya,

Sum

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[The Mutt]

I fitted the 27Mhz and VHF Port side inside the compannion way, access is easy enough from the cockpit, I'm about to get a Yaesu amateur radio and setup a waterproof self contained "Go-box" that can be hooked up to a backstay antenna or be easily transferrred into the Rangie for land based trips.

Glenn

[Catigale]

On my It is mounted port side, just inside the companionway.

Out of the weather, but reachable from the cockpit. I have a remote station mounted on the cockpit too.

My consideration for this location was safety driven. If my boat is holed and sinks, the VHF is mounted above the flotation line, so that it could broadcast the GPS coordinates on DSC for as long as possible.

[Chinook]

On our X, I mounted our VHF radio just to the right of the fuse panel. I wanted to flush mount the radio, instead of using the mounting bracket, and this requires access to the back of the radio, in order to be able to tighten the threaded knobs. I realized I'd need to cut an access hole in the bulkhead in the cockpit, just opposite the radio installation location. I decided to install an external speaker in the cockpit, in the hole I cut so I could tighten the nuts for the flush mount. This ended out working just great. It gave me a VHF speaker that could be heard from the steering wheel. And, I could still hear the radio just fine down in the cabin.

[Captain Steve]

I have an X and located my radio, like Chinook.... but I removed the fuse panel for aforementioned access.

[Terry]

My consideration for this location was safety driven. If my boat is holed and sinks, the VHF is mounted above the flotation line, so that it could broadcast the GPS coordinates on DSC for as long as possible.

Where is the battery that powers the VHF radio located...? Well below the flotation line I'll bet!

I have the same setup as John (Highlander) except my radio is on the port side just below the fuse panel for convenient hook up. I use mine mostly for ship to marina communications when getting slip assignments. I can easily use the mic and see the marina facilities and attendant while docking and talking. I often use the portable WHAM mic or the handheld in these circumstances too but they require a fully charged battery which is not always the case.

[dreamer]

I cut out an openning on the starboard side of the companionway above where Highlander has his...right where the round mirror is. Has a built in look.

[Rick Westlake]

On my belt; rather, on my lifejacket's waist-belt.

I use a Standard Horizon HX851 walkie-talkie, with Digital Select Calling and a built-in GPS "self-locator". I sewed up a fitted pocket for it, made of "Phifertex" heavy mesh fabric (scraps from another project), and sewed that onto the waist-belt of my SOSpenders inflatable PFD. I double-secure the radio with a lanyard buckled into the belt, so if the worst happened and I fell overboard, the radio is still with me. I have a charger-cradle on board, so it just plugs into that for charging when I'm out overnight.

The previous owner of Bossa Nova installed an Icom VHF radio inside the companionway, to port. It works, and I have a whip antenna for it on the port railing, but I never use the thing.

[Sumner]

On my belt; rather, on my lifejacket's waist-belt.

I use a Standard Horizon HX851 walkie-talkie, with Digital Select Calling and a built-in GPS "self-locator". I sewed up a fitted pocket for it, made of "Phifertex" heavy mesh fabric (scraps from another project), and sewed that onto the waist-belt of my SOSpenders inflatable PFD. I double-secure the radio with a lanyard buckled into the belt, so if the worst happened and I fell overboard, the radio is still with me. I have a charger-cradle on board, so it just plugs into that for charging when I'm out overnight.

The previous owner of Bossa Nova installed an Icom VHF radio inside the companionway, to port. It works, and I have a whip antenna for it on the port railing, but I never use the thing.

Hi Rick that handheld looks like a great radio and I like the DSC feature. We will have to consider that down the road if we continue to sail in places where the DSC would work.

Have you considered changing out the other radio to one with DSC? With a top of the mast antenna and a radio with 25 watts vs. the 6 watts of the handheld with its antenna near water level you would be able to send that distress signal a lot farther if you had problems with the Mac.

I still do like your handheld if you fall overboard or have to get into a dinghy or something.

Good luck,

Sum

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[Catigale]

Terry - the battery would be flooded but they will continue to work for a surprising long time even when submersed...

Sea water is roughly 10E7 less conductive than Cu wire (really rough swag so you wont run down the battery as much as eventually diluting/crapping up the electroyte and thus the electrode chemistry.

Dont try that at home, kids.