VHF Radio for a small boat??

John Fraser

John Fraser

Well-known member
I’m considering buying a basic VHF radio and antenna to install on my Lund Alaskan 1600. The past few years I’ve been carrying a small handheld, but I believe it’s capabilities are limited. I’d like the radio for safety, as we often hunt on Lake Ontario out of Oswego (there’s a USCG station right there in the harbor). We are usually close to the harbor, but it's often lonely out there and the weather can turn quick. The new radio could also be used on layout hunts to communicate with my handheld unit on board the layout boat.

What is a decent, affordable radio/antenna setup that I could fit on the side console? I would probably have it installed by the Lund dealer as I’m also thinking of having them install a 12 volt plug to power a spotlight. I’m trying to avoid the spaghetti wiring that existed on my old boat and I don’t imagine it will take the dealer that long to install.

Also, could the antenna be flexed down and tied to the side of the blind so that it doesn't get in the way of decoy lies, shotgun barrels, etc.?
 
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VHF is pretty easy to install yourself, not much to it other than running the wires to the battery, installing the mount and mounting the antenna.
You can get a folding mount for the antenna, depending on where you mount it, it will fold horizontal and be out of the way.
Remember VHF is line of site, so to get any advantage over a handheld, you need a 5' antenna to get some height advantage.
 
Any small waterproof console mount will work well. This is my set up on my 20-ft. Upper right you can see a section of my pivoting 8-ft antenna. Since it's line of sight, taller is way better. If it isn't higher than you standing up with a hand held it isn't going to reach all that much further.

View attachment ConsoleRadio.JPG

Antenna deployed:

View attachment awr matey.jpg

Antenna down: Usually only down for trailering but every bit helps hunting out of the big boat.

View attachment Nov1102comp.jpg

Scott
 
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One additional comment, I really like either a selective scan or a 3 channel scan feature. When I tried a full scan on LI Sound I'd frequently get locked in on one particular station with a signal I couldn't hear (security, communications?) Very frustrating, so being able to switch to a 9,16, 68 scan made life much better.

Scott
 
Thanks again Scott.

Here are the two radios I found available at the local Bass Pro.

http://www.basspro.com/Standard-Horizon-Explorer-GX1600-Fixed-Mount-VHF-Radio/product/10228854/

http://www.basspro.com/Cobra-F45D-Class-D-Marine-Radio/product/10210164/

The Standard Horizon looks like it has more flexibility for scanning. Think it's worth the extra money?

Also they had two 8 foot Shakespere antennas available, one with a copper cable element (model 5206-C) and one with a brass and copper coil (model 5202). The 5202 cost more than twice as much as the 5206-C. Again, is it worth it?
 
John,

Unfortunately I'm not the guy to answer these questions. I'm 10 years out of date and have never had a radio with GPS. I like that both are submersible. Unless your stuck with bass pro I'd recommend checking out the different models on the manufacturers websites then check0ricing on Amazon or equiv. shopping sites. Better selection, better descriptions and as good or better pricing. Amazon also has antennas and SS swivel ant. mounts.

Scott
 
Thanks Scott, I'll shop around online. I just liked checking things out in person first to actually see all the components.

Last night I looked at the layout of my boat and console. With the blind attached it may be hard to fit one of the 8 foot (6 dB) antennas while still being able to raise and lower it. Online I see that Shakespeare makes a 5 foot 3dB antenna (model 396-1) which may fit better. A 5 foot antenna mounted level with the rail will still be 7 feet above the waterline. This may work inshore, except maybe when I'm tight up against a breakwall. Do you think the shorter 5 foot antenna would be a big disadvantage for inshore use?
 
Standard Horizon is good stuff. However, my favorite brand is Icom. You can get one with a command mic, and put the unit well out of the weather. On my seaduck rig, I carry a handheld and have an antenna and a built in unit I can deploy if necessary.

Remember, the Coast Guard can hear you when no one else can and they put out enough power for you to hear them, even on a hand held at considerable range.
 
Thanks Nelson.

Looking at the Standard Horizon website and I see that their GX1700 has a built in GPS. Being that I don't have a GPS, that's an attractive feature. Costs a little more than I thought I'd be spending, but at $200 it still seems reasonable.
 
Just consider that for the GPS to do you any good, you may have to mount the radio on top of your console so you can see the navigational data. Having the GPS built into the radio is great for the Digital Distress feature, but the nav features may not compare to even the simplest hand held gps with charts.
 
That is an important point. I did think about that and was in my boat staring at the console last night. The bottom half of the console actually angles up towards the operator, so I believe I could mount a radio there, relatively out of the weather and still have a good view of the screen. I would have to find out if the unit needs to be set up level for the GPS. If so no deal as I don't want it on top of the console.

I realize that a handheld GPS probably has better capabilities. However it'll probably be awhile before I purchase more electronics. Plus, like the fixed mount radio, I like the idea of it being attached to the boat and running off the boat's battery. It's one less thing I have to charge and then remember to grab in the morning. (I've got two sons that hunt with me, so I've already got to remember a lot). I do carry a compass on the boat, the handheld VHF, and a pull start kicker motor just in case the boat battery were to take a dump.

Thanks again.
 
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This doesn't have to do with the radio. But it is about kids and boats. Here's my son Ethan with his first walleye he caught last week. I haven't caught one in years and we were actually fishing for bass, so it was exciting. You couldn't tell from the picture that it was the middle of August!

0815130759-01_zps0dd54017.jpg

 
Very good. That is a happy fisherman! I know what you mean about gear. My boys are "in charge of" food, shells, and guns. I'm in charge of everything else, including backup food, shells, and guns!
 
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I hear yah. If we don't lay everything out/pack it all the night before, mine would get in the truck still wearing pajamas!!
 
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I have a Shakespeare 3db stainless lift and lay antenna with a Raytheon fixed VHF on my 16 Lund Alaskan. The 25 watt fixed VHF will blow away
any 5 watt handheld for performance, regardless of your antenna (3, 6 or 9 db). I went with the 3db antenna as it radiates a 'fat small doughnut' signal.
since I am low to the water to start and never out of 'line of sight'.
 
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