ean_p
Well-known member
Please just remind me what are the down sides to buying radio equipment(vhf and ssb) from the US and if you do is there an import duty and at what level????
Buying radio in USA
- Thread starter ean_p
- Start date
G
Guest
Guest
Seems that their was a thread about this awhile back.....seems that the duty wasn't that great, but it had something to do with some kind of sticker or certification on the radio, and if the radio police couldn't find the sticker, they would flog you or spank you.....
Other than that, I can't see as their would be much difference.....but then...I'm in Florida!!
Other than that, I can't see as their would be much difference.....but then...I'm in Florida!!
dickh
New member
For VHF the USA radio will certainly be much cheaper but it will have the US weather channels and other bits & pieces peculiar to US radios. They should have all International channels which should be OK for use in UK, BUT the set will NOT be "approved" by the UK "approval process"(sorry can't remember the details... AND it will NOT be CE approved... But saying all that the chances of you getting caught are very small. If you are applying for a VHF license for your boat I believe you have to put the make & model on the form, and presumably you could get done for fitting an "unapproved set" or have a license refused?
There is a poster from the Radio Agency who regularly posts on this forum and he is very helpful, and will give you all the legal ins and outs.
Do a search on the forum and you should come up with lots of info.
If you buy from the US you will have to pay VAT and a small import duty - what I don't know.
Mind you, saying all that, presumably it's OK if you are US registered with a US VHF.
Look at the West Marine web site and it gives you what the US radios have as standard.
On Ebay there are Uniden VHF's regularly offered, which are US sourced.
Another point, if you bought a recognised brand, say Icom, in the US, could you get it reprogrammed for UK? I bet the sets are identical, with just programming and facias different.
All in all, probably safer to get the set from UK...
Don't know about SSB... - might be universal standards and OK to buy from the US
dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
There is a poster from the Radio Agency who regularly posts on this forum and he is very helpful, and will give you all the legal ins and outs.
Do a search on the forum and you should come up with lots of info.
If you buy from the US you will have to pay VAT and a small import duty - what I don't know.
Mind you, saying all that, presumably it's OK if you are US registered with a US VHF.
Look at the West Marine web site and it gives you what the US radios have as standard.
On Ebay there are Uniden VHF's regularly offered, which are US sourced.
Another point, if you bought a recognised brand, say Icom, in the US, could you get it reprogrammed for UK? I bet the sets are identical, with just programming and facias different.
All in all, probably safer to get the set from UK...
Don't know about SSB... - might be universal standards and OK to buy from the US
dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
Peter_the_Grate
New member
You might care to consider buying from a French Chandler if you are close to the south coast/there anyway etc. I bought a handheld VHF from West Marine in the US - easy (ordered on the net), cheaper (-20% including shipping and tax) and it took four days(!) to reach me. This was early 2001. Later that year, I saw an almost identical unit in a Fench Chandlery (at Uship in Le Havre) for less: it was bright yellow but you can't have everything ... you will however get a CE mark (or whatever it is the Fench, hence the EU, demands).
You might not be aware that when buying from the US, the UK-side shipper will handle the UK tax collection, not the US supplier, and will charge you for delivery from Heathrow.
As I observed that last time I posted this information, the US VHF works in French as well as English so I'm very pleased with it.
You might not be aware that when buying from the US, the UK-side shipper will handle the UK tax collection, not the US supplier, and will charge you for delivery from Heathrow.
As I observed that last time I posted this information, the US VHF works in French as well as English so I'm very pleased with it.
AndrewB
Well-known member
I bought a radio in the US some years ago and no problems in Europe.
Browsing in a US chandler last year, quite a few of the VHF radios appeared identical to those on sale in the UK. If so, I believe they will be type-approved and even without a little sticker would be acceptable in Europe.
What a pity we don't have those weather channels in the UK. It's a fantastic service (except for racing navigators with the innate ability to sniff out a coming wind-shift: the rest of the fleet can just get it from the VHF!).
Browsing in a US chandler last year, quite a few of the VHF radios appeared identical to those on sale in the UK. If so, I believe they will be type-approved and even without a little sticker would be acceptable in Europe.
What a pity we don't have those weather channels in the UK. It's a fantastic service (except for racing navigators with the innate ability to sniff out a coming wind-shift: the rest of the fleet can just get it from the VHF!).
G
Guest
Guest
I heard that there might be some incompatibility regarding the DSC controller of VHF radios, EC and USA having slight different 'standard' . Anyone heard something about that ?
ean_p
Well-known member
mmmmm...thats interesting and if so how does it effect commercial craft????
johnsomerhausen
New member
Instead of buying in France, you might try Belgium. One of the partners in the Westdiep chandlery in Nieuwpoort told me some years back that he had customers coming from as far as Paris because of his prices on electronic equipment
This would automatically carry the CE sticker.
john
This would automatically carry the CE sticker.
john
dickh
New member
In the West Marine catalogue they say that DSC is going to be a long time rolling out in the US and if you get a dsc set the coastguards won't be listening for many years!
They didn't mention any thing about compatibility though - I understood tha DSC was a world wide standard so should work anywhere, if you speak to ICOM I,m sure they could tell you.
dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
They didn't mention any thing about compatibility though - I understood tha DSC was a world wide standard so should work anywhere, if you speak to ICOM I,m sure they could tell you.
dickh
I'd rather be sailing...
kdf
New member
DSC radios in the US are not the same as DSC radios in Europe. In the U..S. they use DSC class F which is a restricted, minimal, cut down version of the standard. In Europe the minimum requirement is class D which specifies two receivers (one for voice and one for digital) which allows you to get DSC calls even if you are talking on the VHF (U.S. one won't do this). There are other differences but check out the standards site (ITU?) for details on both.
Bottom line is- DSC CLass F devices are not ok in Europe. Class D is the minimum.
Bottom line is- DSC CLass F devices are not ok in Europe. Class D is the minimum.
ccscott49
Active member
But, you can get DSC class "D" in the US, West marine do them. You have to get the GMDSS version, not just DSC.
kdf
New member
Maybe I'm missing something - I just looked at the West Marine site and all their DSC radios are SC101 compliant (Class F) which no options to have class D.
ccscott49
Active member
I haven't looked for a while, like a year, so they have stopped doing them obviously! I don't get stuff from the states, I can get it just as cheap in Europe, if you know how and where. Like all stainlees shackles, rigging screws etc, in Norway at half UK prices!! Radio/electronic stuff in Gibraltar, not Sheppards. Rope in Spain, etc, etc. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif
