Handheld Range

[Neil]

What range can I expect from a 5Watt Handheld VHF transmitter ? In other words, could I make do with a handheld until I can afford the fixed one I really want. I expect the furthest I would purposely go offshore is about 8 miles.

A question I'm sure my VHF course examiner could answer, but there's a radio on special offer that I will buy now, depending on your kind replies.

Thank you in advance

 

[JeremyF]

There are loads of cheap non-DSC handhelds on the market at the moment. DSC around the corner is the reason for this.

You should get 5 miles from deck to deck, maybe more to Coastguard, but much less to a marina office with low antenna. Power is not the issue, location and efficiency of the antenna is the principle determinant of range.

Why not fit a mast head antenna, and use that on the handheld when you need the extra range.

Jeremy Flynn

 

[andyball]

We reach solent cg at Lee on Solent quite easily from inside chichester harbour with a h/h....although not if we're in mill rythe....the land seems to block the signal there, although it's fine in the main channel...that's about 10nm, and over land.

 

[rogerroger]

The CG is in Lee - but I've often wondered how many antenas there are for Solent CG along the south coast...

Roger Holden
www.first-magnitude.co.uk

 

[andyball]

good point

 

[VMALLOWS]

Put your available money into a mast-head antenna, and connect it to the handheld. The difference between 5w and 25w will be negligible at 10miles. But I don't think you'd have any problem contacting the coastguard on the hand-held rubber duck at 10 miles anyway. Just make sure you can charge the handheld/run off boat power.

Handhelds can be great when you're single-handed, approaching a Marina/Lock, and need to be on the tiller.