Don't buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it's not legal in UK

MoodySabre

MoodySabre

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Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

I saw this on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?V...A:IT&ih=003
A combined plotter and DSC VHF.

Thanks to Jon Brooks for confirming that this is a USA product and that it is not legal to fit it to a UK vessel and that there is no support for this product in the UK. Suddenly £99 is not such a bargain!
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

Not yet available for use in Europe, but the idea is a brilliant one for cockpit mounted plotters. One device with the plotter, VHF and GPS antenna requiring only a single power connection, and a VHF aerial connection, and with the DSC linkage to the GPS built in with no external connections. Hopefully Standard Horizon will market these in Europe before long.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

What law is it breaking if it's not legal in the UK?

at £99 who cares if it goes wrong....
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

As a matter of interest how/why is this thing "illegal"

Seems a strange thing to make illegal, when you can smoke skunk on the streets and get away with a caution...
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

So why is it illegal? Cos its £99 and we sailing mugs in the UK need to be fleeced for at least £300? Does the chart plotter work? Does the radio work on ch16 and 67?, if so wot's the problem.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

could be wrong buy i think the frequency for different channels is different.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

[ QUOTE ]
could be wrong buy i think the frequency for different channels is different.

[/ QUOTE ]Yes, you are wrong - it has full International channels, just like European sets.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

[ QUOTE ]
So why is it illegal

[/ QUOTE ]Because it doesn't have a CE mark. However, it meets the standards and will work fine in Europe. If it were fitted in an American boat which came over to Europe, they'd have no problems using it. Just red tape and, I have to say, a boon to the manufacturers who can get away with charging much higher prices here than in the US for basically identical kit.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

Nor does my boat, but it still works and has done for the last 28 years. So in essence £99 and you get a fab combined unit that is fully functional, realistically priced. But, you may have to hide it when the CE police board you and if it where to go wrong you will have to send it back to the States. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

I asked Jon Brooks of this parish who is a Standard Horizon agent and that was his reply. It does looks like an excellent idea. I don't think that he would have said it just to stop me buying an import.

Have I started a fight over it? The price on the net is over £500 so it may not stay at £99. I'm passing on it. Seconds out /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

The legality issue is a cynical way of protecting high pricing in Europe. If you doubt this, compare the prices. About the cheapest price for the Standard Horizon GX1500E in the UK is £130 - in the US the corresponding GX1500S can be had for $130, roughly half the price! Similarly, the Standard Horizon GX3000E is £160 here and the GX3000S is $165 in the States.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
could be wrong buy i think the frequency for different channels is different.

[/ QUOTE ]Yes, you are wrong - it has full International channels, just like European sets.

[/ QUOTE ]

You may find M (aka Ch37) and M2 missing. This may, or may not matter to you.

John
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

Thanks for the tip, but the price of £99 is only the first bid, with 4 days still to go!! It won't stay at that price, for sure. Looks like a good bit of kit, though. Funnily enough, I asked a few months ago if anyone sold a DSC radio with built in GPS, which seems such an obvious development, so now we know.
 
Re: Don\'t buy this plotter/DSC VHF on ebay - it\'s not legal in UK

exactly and to be quite honest i get fed up with jon brookes squeaking like a schoolkid, he who used to work for icom, who is it now, vested interest?
what happens when an american boat gets to the 12 mile line? (is that still in force?) does the oggin open and swallow them? is the end of the world nigh? does sqadrons of jobsworths descend on them? does it bollox, if they need to use any of the dedicated european channels, they do as i do, they press a button, select Int and hey, magic, they can speak on the same channel as us, hom dooly la!
Stu
 
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