15 Year old VHF radio. Time to upgrade ?

N

Newman

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Evening all

I have a 15 year old Raymarine VXE VHF radio installed on my boat I bought a year ago, which seems to be working fine.

I am wondering if I should upgrade to a new fixed DSC radio OR keep the VXE and buy a handheld DSC OR simply carry on as I am. I have been looking at the Standard Horizon HX280E and HX851E handhelds.

If I did upgrade to a new fixed DSC would I need to change the existing mast top aerial ?.

I hasten to add that the furthest I may possibly venture would be a cross channel trip sometime in the future. Until then it will continue to be South coast and Solent.

I recently took my radio day course to get my operators certificate

As ever I would greatly appreciate the thoughts of anyone who has the time to reply.

Many thanks in advance
 
Hi Len

I wouldn't bother for now, for your use!
If you do get a fixed DSC one make sure you have a control mike at the wheel so you can cancel the spurious/irrelevant alerts and Belgian (I think it is) securite announcements that a good radio with good antenna will pick up in our area without rushing below.
The antenna is the same by the way.
If you're buying a handheld anyway might make sense to look at a DSC one - if you have an extra £100 spare.

Mike
 
There are only two advantages of DSC. Digital calling means that you can call friends or passing ships and be sure of getting their attention (even when there is a distress going on). And for giving a distress signal that also gives your position and alerts all statios within range.

We lived without these for yonks, although they can both be useful if you want to spend the money.
 
I agree with Searush.

Unless you are planning to get in to serious difficulties as far as I can see the DSC is more of a PITA than an advantage

we have crossed the channel for years without DSC and for years too without a VHF at all.
 
We lived without DSC for years, in the same vein as we lived without mobile phones and personal computers. But could we imagine life without them now?

Yes a fixed DSC set (and a suitable GPS) would be a great addition to the safety features that you have available when you sail. Although you don't have the intention of getting into serious difficulties you never know.

If you do get one don't forget to update your ship's radio licence to include an MMSI number.
 
We lived without DSC for years, in the same vein as we lived without mobile phones and personal computers. But could we imagine life without them now?
Click to expand...
My non DSC radio will see me out I hope.

I can live quite happily without a mobile phone. I forget to take it with when I go out as like as not.

But the PC ??? At least when I go sailing I can get away from it.
 
VicS said:
Unless you are planning to get in to serious difficulties as far as I can see the DSC is more of a PITA than an advantage
Click to expand...

:confused:

Who plans to get into serious difficulties?

I upgraded the non-DSC radio on my replacement boat with a DSC, specifically because I probably wouldn't have lost my last boat and almost lost my life if I'd had DSC.
 
VicS said:
I agree with Searush.

Unless you are planning to get in to serious difficulties as far as I can see the DSC is more of a PITA than an advantage

we have crossed the channel for years without DSC and for years too without a VHF at all.
Click to expand...

+ 1 !:rolleyes:

Elton,

if it's not too painful - and I'm not making light of it - please elaborate re your difficulties, I've always thought by the time I'm reaching for a radio ( or flares ) it's already too late, considering the time it takes a lifeboat or helicopter to get to one, but we are reading this forum to learn...Also the CG and RNLI, RAF etc have had radio direction finding kit for decades, and I often feel like throwing my DSC thing over the side, with the frequent sqaulking alarms !
 
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It should cost you about £50 to "upgrade" to DSC - you'll get £50 or so for a decent used VHF selling on ebay and a new DSC for £100, so if you have a GPS feed for a DSC already in place I think it's worth spending £50 for the extra safety of DSC. That's what I did anyway FWIW...
 
Seajet said:
Also the CG and RNLI, RAF etc have had radio direction finding kit for decades, and I often feel like throwing my DSC thing over the side, with the frequent sqaulking alarms !
Click to expand...
But to use it you need to be transmitting for long enough so that at least 2 stations would be able to take a bearing and plot the result. How much quicker if your location, and other info, is transmitted in a quick burst when you push that red button.

I understood that DF equipment is no longer available/used in many areas these days.
 
Any landlubber crew, also children, can learn how to call for help with a DSC radio. If you, the know-it-all skipper gets hit by the boom, or falls overboard and cannot get back up again, crew just needs to do a long press on that red button and help is summoned.
 
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I've had a dsc radio for 6 years now, and have not used the dsc facility at all.

I admit to being of the generation that sailed before widespread vhf usage, before Decca, before gps, before mobile phones and so on. So, to me, I don't see any of those things as being anywhere near essential.
 
Just a quick visit to say thanks for all the comments. Much appreciated.

Nigel - I think you've got me sussed :)
 
I know there are advantages to the DSC system, especially if it's you that goes over the side! Within the Solent, though I reckon a non-DSC radio followed up with a flare should get a flotilla of other boats in attendance double quick. I already have a DSC set, but the option I'd like (which wasn't available when I bought mine) is the command mic in the cockpit so I can see what inconsequential carp set off the alarm this time! When approaching a marina, I have to nip below to switch off the fixed set and work with the handheld so I can still steer and get the fenders out, etc. If you don't switch off the fixed set you'll often get a capture effect which renders the H/H useless.

Have fun planning which set you want and which options in time to do some bartering at the boat show.

Rob.
 
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