Handheld or Fixed mount VHF

[Skoot]

Calling all GURU's, I need your help in purchasing either a Hand-held or fixed mount VHF for my 19-6. I mainly stay near shore, never venturing more than 20miles out. I know most would say both, but... If you had to choose just one, which would it be any why?

As of now, I don't have either and am leaning towards a handheld.  Its a GPS-equipped Standard Horizon HX850S .  http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS. ... Archived=0

[John Jones]

Hand helds have a very limited range compared to a fixed mount, like 1/5th the range.
Any brand but Cobra.  I bought a Cobra hand held for backup/ditch bag.  I can yell farther than it will talk.

On my little boat I mounted a fixed mount under my console, almost out of sight and definitely out of the weather.  I mounted a 3' fold-down whip on the back so it's never in the way.

added pic of antenna

[wingtime]

The higher your antenna the better with VHF.  So a fixed mount is gonna work better based on the antenna alone.  Add on top of that the fixed mount 25 watts of power and you can see your range is considerably better.  Get one with a class D DSC and connect it to your GPS and you have a set up that will broadcast your position and emergency info with the touch of a button.  VHF is line of sight and 20 miles out is far enough you won't see land so the taller your antenna the better.  I have a floating cobra hand held and it seems to work just as good as any hand held I have used.  The antenna on a hand held is so small your not going to receive as good as you can transmit signals.  So someone may hear you but you may not hear them respond.

[gran398]

Definitely go with a good brand fixed unit, like an Icom. And spring for the high end Shakespeare antenna, too. Think its a 5206C, but ck.

Know you have a 19-6, so you may not want/need/have room for an eight foot antenna. I have used those little squatty sailboat Shakespeare units, they have a booster at the base, work great. Just make sure you get the 6db gain model. Attaches right to the front of your console grabrail, out of the way.

[MarshMarlowe196]

Go with a fixed mount.  I have to agree with John- don't get a Cobra.  My Cobra (fixed mount) lasted less than a year, and my boat is covered most of the time.  The unit still turns on, but wont receive any signal - not even the weather channel - and the screen has gone blank.

My job just gave me a gift card for Cabela's- I used it to buy a fixed mount Uniden.  Any thoughts on this brand while we're on the subject?

[pete]

go with a fixed mount and buy a handheld as a backup when you can

[John Jones]

I rate Std. Horizon and Icom first.  I have had super luck with ICOM and no real complaints with SH.  I just like the looks of the ICOM more.  ;)  
I might put Uniden 2nd but my experience with them was other than VHF and I was not so happy.  Can't really comment on their VHF.

[gran398]

Jess, I'm with John on the Icom. I've had Uniden's before and never had any problems, so would say you're good.

And that pic he shows of that little antenna....that's what I have on my flounder queen.
That little sonoffagun will TALK. I can call CG Station Fort Macon from my house. That's up in Morehead...a distance of at least 60 miles as the crow flies. They say they copy, but am sure it can't be a strong copy....but still, pretty amazing huh?

[John Jones]

One note on the base loaded Shakespeare antennas.  They will only last a couple of years until the little plastic can at the bottom falls apart due to the sun.  A couple of coats of paint when they are new and it will last forever.

[GoneFission]

See above - go with both.  Fixed mount has a LOT more range, especially with an 8' antenna, but the handheld is a nice backup and you never know...

[RickK]

I have a Icom handheld 6W for the 170 inshore/nearshore and I have a Icom fixed on the 230 with the Icom handheld as a spare.

[gran398]

One note on the base loaded Shakespeare antennas.  They will only last a couple of years until the little plastic can at the bottom falls apart due to the sun.  A couple of coats of paint when they are new and it will last forever.

My jon doubles as a duck boat, wrapped camo tape around the base of the Shakespeare 6db shortie out of the box, 14 years ago. The tape was UV resistant, still protected.

Thanks JJ, good advice.

[DOCREED]

I'd go with a fixed mount and a Shakespear 5225XT antenna mounted as high as possible..

Icom radios are excellent.

[Hugh]

Electronics thread here.

Icom hands down.  Get the one with NOAA and the NOAA alert along with the GPS thingy.  I gots the M422.

Shakespeare thumbs up.

20 miles out?  Go with an 8 footer, 6db.  Up as high as possible.  I also purchased Shakespeare's heavy duty SS ratchet mount.  

Read the Shakespeare website on the Galaxy antennas  http://www.shakespeare-marine.com/specs ... ick=galaxy ...the 5225FLT is great if you're trying to sort incoming signals from the urban background noise...around any big city.  But if you are fishing off the coast and spend most of your time further away from large cities, consider the 5225XP.  They stock more of them than the FLT...that means easier to get holt of.

Another thing...make SURE you specify the color antenna you want.  The first one I got was black, even tho the ad showed it was white.  Who the heck uses a black marine antenna on a white boat?    

I protested and Poorfish told me to eat barnacles...they have no control over antenna color.  It is drop shipped from Shakespeare.

I would never go with a handheld VHF unless it was for a backup.  What's the point in clipping your radio's nuts before you even use it?

Make sure you use good connectors...and then seal em with liquid electrical tape or have them all inside a radio box.  I also ordered Shakespeare's antenna wire sealing thingy.  Screw it to the hard top, and the wire goes thru it...so you don't have to goop up your hardtop with 3M sealer.

What else....oh yeah...make sure you turn your radio on and try it in transmit, and ask a shore station or a buddy on shore to verify he can hear you.  Just cuz you can receive doesn't mean your xmtr, connectors, antenna etc. are working correctly.

Annnnnd....don't go with one of those AM/FM/VHF splitters to use your VHF antenna as an AM/FM antenna.  It almost always causes problems with VHF receive quality, and is only for use in a pinch where you have no space for a second antenna.

I thought I was done...guess not...If you really, really want to get annular about your radio transmit performance/power, buy one of these...they will tell you if your standing wave ratio is dialed in correctly...and the instructions tell you what to do about it if you're not:

[gran398]

Good stuff!

Speaking of radio checks:

It is against the law to call the Coast Guard on ch 16 for a radio check.

But here's what I do, if no response to a radio check request on 68. Call the CG on 16, ask them to switch to 22a (22 alpha)

Then ask them for the time of high tide at wherever their home inlet/pass is.

Then thank them, sign off, and go fishing.