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Author Topic:   VHF Radio

compounder posted 04-14-2001 11:41 PM ET (US)
I have a handheld VHF but feel I need to upgrade to permanent mount.
With what I have gathered so far the ICOM 59 and 45 seem like good prospects along with a Shakespeare 5225 antenna.
Any other suggestions? Any suggestions on where to buy?
Also, how far away do I have to mount the radio from my compass so as not to have interference?
The old ears are not as good as they used to be-----would an external speaker be a good idea?
Thanks.
Joe
jimh posted 04-15-2001 10:37 AM ET (US)
I would recommend an external speaker. Usually the audio amplifier in most VHF Marine radios is capable of producing several watts of audio power, but this is coupled to a teeny-tiny speaker in the radio.
Connect the radio to a nice external speaker and you will get much better audio from the radio.
By the way, audio perception is best when coming from ahead and from eye level. It is worst from overhead. Also, there should be a direct path from the loudspeaker to your ears. Speakers buried in the bottom of consoles are hard to hear clearly.
You want to separate the compass from the magnetic fields of the speaker as much as possible.
I would recommend you mount the radio near the helm console but away from the compass. Many boaters put the radio inside of the console or console locker.
I would locate the speaker a few feet away from the helm console and compass, aimed at the helm from the side. That way you can turn slightly to hear the speaker head-on.
--jimh
triblet posted 04-16-2001 10:37 AM ET (US)
My Standard Horizon Spectrum (and I THINK the
Intrepids) have a speaker built into the
mike also. Could someone with an Intrepid
check this out? It's not in the manual --
tune the NOAA weather station and listen to
the mike.
You want to get a radio that's rated
"submersible" not "waterproof". Waterproof
is just kinda sorta splashproof.
Putting the compass and radio on opposite
sides of the console is probably good enough,
but play with it BEFORE you drill any holes.
The voice of experience. DUH. And take note
of which side of the radio the speaker is on.
All the recent radios are DSC, Digial
Selective Calling. The most important
feature is that you can wire it to your GPS
and have one-button distress calling. Your
position is sent out digitally. The Coasties
won't be fully setup to handle it until they
do a VHF modernization in a couple of years,
but any new radios they are buying are
capable of receiving the digital distress,
as are other boaters with DSC radios (like
me).
Chuck
blackdog posted 04-16-2001 12:32 PM ET (US)
Chuck,
I have the Intrepid. I just tried putting the mic up to my ear yesterday and I couldn’t hear anything. I noticed from my owners manual you can buy that mic, it is called a “Ram mic” I think. $99.
I was going to hook my Garmin 162 into the accessory outlet/ Data cable from my Intrepid this weekend but I need the female end of the accessory outlet. Standard does supply this but the dealer never gave the one that came with the radio. It cost $35! So hold on to those extra parts. Anyone have one?
Blackdog
triblet posted 04-16-2001 02:42 PM ET (US)
I know the RAM mike has the builtin speaker.
The normal mike on my Spectrum has a builtin.
Chuck

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Author	Topic: VHF Radio
compounder	posted 04-14-2001 11:41 PM ET (US) I have a handheld VHF but feel I need to upgrade to permanent mount. With what I have gathered so far the ICOM 59 and 45 seem like good prospects along with a Shakespeare 5225 antenna. Any other suggestions? Any suggestions on where to buy? Also, how far away do I have to mount the radio from my compass so as not to have interference? The old ears are not as good as they used to be-----would an external speaker be a good idea? Thanks. Joe
jimh	posted 04-15-2001 10:37 AM ET (US) I would recommend an external speaker. Usually the audio amplifier in most VHF Marine radios is capable of producing several watts of audio power, but this is coupled to a teeny-tiny speaker in the radio. Connect the radio to a nice external speaker and you will get much better audio from the radio. By the way, audio perception is best when coming from ahead and from eye level. It is worst from overhead. Also, there should be a direct path from the loudspeaker to your ears. Speakers buried in the bottom of consoles are hard to hear clearly. You want to separate the compass from the magnetic fields of the speaker as much as possible. I would recommend you mount the radio near the helm console but away from the compass. Many boaters put the radio inside of the console or console locker. I would locate the speaker a few feet away from the helm console and compass, aimed at the helm from the side. That way you can turn slightly to hear the speaker head-on. --jimh
triblet	posted 04-16-2001 10:37 AM ET (US) My Standard Horizon Spectrum (and I THINK the Intrepids) have a speaker built into the mike also. Could someone with an Intrepid check this out? It's not in the manual -- tune the NOAA weather station and listen to the mike. You want to get a radio that's rated "submersible" not "waterproof". Waterproof is just kinda sorta splashproof. Putting the compass and radio on opposite sides of the console is probably good enough, but play with it BEFORE you drill any holes. The voice of experience. DUH. And take note of which side of the radio the speaker is on. All the recent radios are DSC, Digial Selective Calling. The most important feature is that you can wire it to your GPS and have one-button distress calling. Your position is sent out digitally. The Coasties won't be fully setup to handle it until they do a VHF modernization in a couple of years, but any new radios they are buying are capable of receiving the digital distress, as are other boaters with DSC radios (like me). Chuck
blackdog	posted 04-16-2001 12:32 PM ET (US) Chuck, I have the Intrepid. I just tried putting the mic up to my ear yesterday and I couldn’t hear anything. I noticed from my owners manual you can buy that mic, it is called a “Ram mic” I think. $99. I was going to hook my Garmin 162 into the accessory outlet/ Data cable from my Intrepid this weekend but I need the female end of the accessory outlet. Standard does supply this but the dealer never gave the one that came with the radio. It cost $35! So hold on to those extra parts. Anyone have one? Blackdog
triblet	posted 04-16-2001 02:42 PM ET (US) I know the RAM mike has the builtin speaker. The normal mike on my Spectrum has a builtin. Chuck