Cobra Marine VHF

[Bladerunner]

Does anybody have experience of the Cobra Marine F55EU fixed mount DSC/VHF ?

I am on a very limited budget and need to refit the whole of my Achilles. There are no instruments apart from a Stowe log so looking eventually for a full complement of electronics.

The Cobra is appealing because it is only £115 but is it worth the money ?

Many thanks in advance.

http://achilles24.users.btopenworld.com/freedom.htm

looks ok on the outside but is only a shell !
Thanks to Geoff Marks for keeping the Achilles owners association alive.

<hr width=100% size=1> Bladerunner - Hung like Einstein. Brains like a donkey<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Bladerunner on 29/08/2004 11:16 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[gjeffery]

No experience of the VHF, but were unable to obtain support when our relatively new and expensive Cobra car alarm gave up.

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[dickh]

Is this a US sourced VHF radio? If so it will almost certainly NOT be EU approved, CE marked and is therefore illegal to sell in the UK/EU. (but not illegal to use....... I think). Also the DSC function will almost certainly not be the version approved in th UK/EU.
Do you really need the DSC function? - why not fit a second hand VHF - many available cheaply from both dealers who have taken them in from people upgrading to DSC or from private sales - many on eBay for instance.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[BigLes]

I think you will find this set is for the Euro market and CE aproved. In the States its the F55 and in Europe it's the F55EU. I think it might be something to do with the Midland brand (they used to make CB radios) and is quite well known in the States. It's being sold in this country through a respectable Chandlery (AC) chain so I would imagine it's fully CE compliant.

See http://radioproshop.com/cobramarine/cobramarine.htm

Although it's a US site it will give you more info on the Cobra sets.

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[robp]

Cobra sets are in the middle to upper ranges of PMR-446 and seem to be quite well respected . So it seems reasonable to assume that it would be a good budget radio.

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[Bladerunner]

Take a look at the advert on p35 of Sailing Today (Sept 2004).

Don't think it would be a US set from this source.

I have decided to place an order as it seems a very good price and nobody has been too negative about the brand.

<hr width=100% size=1> Bladerunner - Hung like Einstein. Brains like a donkey