Black box DSC VHF radio - specific features

[KompetentKrew]

Hello again,

Not an urgent problem, but my boat has a rather elderly Shipmate VHF installed, which I wouldn't mind replacing with a DSC unit.

The radio is of the black box type, and since the boat has such a nice cutout for the handset in the cabinetry by the companionway (pic below), I would quite like to replace it with a DSC unit of similar type.

I would like the handset to have a speaker built-in and, ideally I'd like it to have a second station handset, preferably wireless.

Regarding the handset having a speaker built-in, I'm not sure if this is a standard feature or not. My current radio is wired to share the cockpit speakers with the FM radio, which I dislike. I find the Icom IC-M400BB / IC-M400BBE has this, whereas the B&G V90S and Raymarine Ray91 are both pictured with an external speaker.

The Icom is not particularly cheap but, at about £400, the price is still reasonably sane; it doesn't seem to accommodate a second station handset. The B&G and Raymarine both have extensive second station options, but both exceed £1000 just for the base unit. One of those would probably suit me down to the ground, but I can't justify spending so much.

Perhaps I'm being an unreasonable cheapskate, but if anyone has any other suggestions I'd be grateful to hear them. I would be open to buying a secondhand / older model if it was at the right price / features.

 

[Daverw]

Have you con a none black box set with a remote mike option, we have Standard Horizon GX2000 with RAM3, this has full function including on/off / speaker and display in the RAM3 handset

 

[KompetentKrew]

Have you con a none black box set with a remote mike option, we have Standard Horizon GX2000 with RAM3, this has full function including on/off / speaker and display in the RAM3 handset

Yes, this is the most obvious and cost-effective option, but means I have to decide where to mount the radio, instead of keeping things "nice" and as they are. The RAM4X looks quite interesting.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

I’m pretty sure the B&G will be the same unit as my Simrad RS40B which has built in AIS transponder. However, the wireless handset cannot be used anywhere near the base station or an external speaker as your transmission is blasted out through both speakers. I use the wireless handset purely to control the vhf which isn’t visible from the helm and use the main mike to transmit.

This one is just under £1k and is bundled with an external gps antenna.
Simrad RS40-B Marine VHF Radio With DSC, AIS Transmit & Receive - 000-14818-001

 

[laika]

I replaced a shipmate similar to yours with an ICOM (whichever version of the 60x series was new at the time) soon after I bought it 10 years ago (The shipmate was an excellent radio but I just wanted DSC). My observation is that whereas there's not that much to control with a non-DSC radio, there *is* with DSC and trying to do simple tasks (switching to dual watch or making a DSC individual call) with the remote commander mic (which does have a built in speaker) at the second station is hugely awkward. Anything "complicated" I much prefer to do with the actual radio with all its buttons rather than from a little handset. Having said that, I've just taken a look at the new remote commander mics and note that their interface is completely different to mine and more akin to that on the lower end VHF base units so maybe that doesn't apply any more.

I note the 506 which also supports a second station has this in the blurb:

Rear Microphone Version*

With this version, the microphone connector is drawn from the rear panel and a 6.1m (20ft) microphone extension cable i s supplied to allow you clean and neat panel installation.
* Ask your dealer for details.

Could you mount mic where your current handset is and the base unit on a bracket somewhere near enough to twiddle knobs?

 

[prv]

trying to do simple tasks (switching to dual watch or making a DSC individual call) with the remote commander mic (which does have a built in speaker) at the second station is hugely awkward. Anything "complicated" I much prefer to do with the actual radio with all its buttons rather than from a little handset.

For what it’s worth, I very rarely operate the base unit of my Standard Horizon GX2100 because it’s in the cabin and I’m usually not. I have the second station on the binnacle (reachable from anywhere in the cockpit) and it’s perfectly sufficient for all normal and DSC operations.

It also has a built-in speaker that’s easily loud enough to be the cockpit monitor, no need to connect anything to the “auxiliary speaker” output on the back of its deck plug. I’d have recommended it to the OP except that I don’t think Standard Horizon make a black-box version. I suppose you could just mount the base unit inside a cabinet - just because it has buttons doesn’t mean you need to use them - but it seems a bit inelegant.

Pete

 

[PaulRainbow]

No black version is cheap. Garmin make a black box solution that can have up to three handsets, which have built in speakers and full control of the VHF. Some models have built in AIS receivers. There is also a wireless handset option.

My own is the version with built in AIS and i have wired handsets in the saloon and at the binnacle. As prv says above, it can be heard and reached from anywhere in the cockpit.

 

[pvb]

No black version is cheap. Garmin make a black box solution that can have up to three handsets, which have built in speakers and full control of the VHF. Some models have built in AIS receivers. There is also a wireless handset option.

I've got the Garmin VHF300i AIS black box, with a wireless handset for cockpit use. I don't think the wireless handset is great, and indeed Garmin discontinued it some time ago (although you can still find them on eBay).

 

[rogerthebodger]

I also have Standard Horizon GX2000 t my nav station with a wired remote mic on the binnacle.

The latter GX2100 or GX2150 are better as they have GPS and AIS receive included where I already has separate GPS and AIS that I just wired to both the PC with OpenCPN and the the radio inputs.

I also have an old simrad black box with 2 handsets that I keep a a backup.

 

[KompetentKrew]

I’m pretty sure the B&G will be the same unit as my Simrad RS40B which has built in AIS transponder. …. This one is just under £1k and is bundled with an external gps antenna.

Nope, if you click the link the B&G V90S explicitly features an "integral AIS receiver".

£1000 for a radio with AIS transponder built in is just the right price - I think RainbowPaul is right that black box radios simply command a premium.

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Nope, if you click the link the B&G V90S explicitly features an "integral AIS receiver".

£1000 for a radio with AIS transponder built in is just the right price - I think RainbowPaul is right that black box radios simply command a premium.

Yep, I was thinking of the V60.

 

[KompetentKrew]

No black version is cheap. Garmin make a black box solution that can have up to three handsets, which have built in speakers and full control of the VHF. Some models have built in AIS receivers. There is also a wireless handset option.

Looks like the GHS 20i doesn't work with the current black box radio, the 315i.

 

[pvb]

Looks like the GHS 20i doesn't work with the current black box radio, the 315i.

As I said in post 8, the Garmin wireless handset is discontinued, and wasn't very good to start with. Mine was replaced under warranty when it stopped charging. It is slow to respond to transmissions, and has limited range.

 

[ithet]

They don't seem to be marketed directly in the UK at present, but the Navicom RT850 black box radios are available from the French retailers. Comes in several versions with choice of GPS and NMEA2000 features. I know nothing about them but believe they are a badged Chinese unit.

 

[pvb]

They don't seem to be marketed directly in the UK at present, but the Navicom RT850 black box radios are available from the French retailers. Comes in several versions with choice of GPS and NMEA2000 features. I know nothing about them but believe they are a badged Chinese unit.

Accastillage Diffusion has them at a very attractive price.

VHF RT 850 AIS | Accastillage Diffusion

 

[westhinder]

Just like the OP I replaced an elderly black box VHF with a new black box to preserve the neatness of the installation. I chose the Icom because it integrates nicely with the Icom AIS I already had. I would have liked the option of a second, wireless handset, but I was not prepared to pay the premium and add another brand to the mix. As my handset is located next to the companionway I can easily operate it from under the sprayhood, which is more sheltered from wind noise than the helm.
The set does what it is supposed to do, the sound from the speaker in the mic is ok, but I normally use the external speaker I already had in the cockpit. With my rather poor eyesight I find the screen on the mic small and the letters tiny, so doing complicated DSC operations won’t be easy, but then they will be complicated just because we never use them. For everyday use it has been perfect and quality of reception and sound is very good.

 

[KompetentKrew]

They don't seem to be marketed directly in the UK at present, but the Navicom RT850 black box radios are available from the French retailers. Comes in several versions with choice of GPS and NMEA2000 features. I know nothing about them but believe they are a badged Chinese unit.

This was in fact what got me started looking recently - I saw one of these in the chandlery here in Roscoff.

Accastillage Diffusion has them at a very attractive price.

VHF RT 850 AIS | Accastillage Diffusion

I can beat that!

I haven't looked closely at one, but they look a bit cheap and plasticky. Nevertheless they solve the basic problem, if I were to admit that I don't really need a second station.

 

[ithet]

This was in fact what got me started looking recently - I saw one of these in the chandlery here in Roscoff.

I can beat that!

I haven't looked closely at one, but they look a bit cheap and plasticky. Nevertheless they solve the basic problem, if I were to admit that I don't really need a second station.

Pvb linked to a version with AIS so explaining price difference, there are several other models depending if you want built in GPS and N2K.

A second handset kit is also available:
Navicom Dual station handset kit for RT850

 

[pvb]

I can beat that!

​

As ithet said, the one I linked to has an integral AIS receiver. The plain radio in your photo is 10 euros cheaper at Accastillage Diffusion!