Handheld VHF

[Guest]

As you know I am doing my VHF course tomorrow with my wife. We will be using a handheld Garmin VHF that we bought. Do you think that everyone on board should have one, like lifejackets. Just think that if I fall in and have the radio in my pocket, the others would be stuck, same as if my wife was holding it and fell in, or if it fell in on it's own. I was thinking of getting a another five, so all aboard can have one each and a spare. It may be cheaper to put a fixed radio on the boat and make use of the DSC facility, what do you think? Just made me think as well, that I only have one EPIRB, who is going to hold that, or should I get five more of them? I think too much thinking can be a bad thing, it seems to be a matter of judging it just right, but that requires experience, which I am relying on from you lot. /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Cheers,

 

[banus]

Why don,t you buy some velcro. Stick the vhf somewhere handy and make sure when your using it you don,t fall in. lot cheaper than loads a radios
I think the other thingy is for throwing at people after they have fallen in./forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Guest]

I just bought a strip of Velcro, good idea, I'll try that.

 

[hlb]

Would not think it would matter to much if the hand held fell in. I've never got one to work passed about two miles, where as the fixed one manages about fifty miles or more to coast guards.

<font color=blue> Haydn

 

[Guest]

It depends on line of sight as you may or may not know. If you calculet the size of the radio e.g. 20cm multiply that by your eye level height, then divide that by the cubic meters of your hull, multiply that by the length of the aeriel in mm's and then times that by the wattage output x 10, then you are no nearer to knowing the reason more than me. 2 miles? that is far enough away from anything for me. But I will consider a fixed unit if I deam it necessary in my risk assessment. I was waiting for the launch of the cheapo XM DSC at £199, I think it is out now. It only has the scroll channel mover, but that's no big deal, it would do me, with the correct aerial.

Thanks for the info,

 

[Blue_Blazes]

Better idea. Get lots of velcro and sew it to the allparts of your clothing. Glue the other side all over the boat, and you won't be able to fall in! Save a fortune in extra VHFs )

 

[Guest]

That is stupid and overdoing it, what are you talking about, BUT what about velcro carpet and velcro boot soles, velcro seats and velcro trouser seats /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

 

[Blue_Blazes]

But somebody's got to decide, when making the velcro carpet whether it should be hooks or loops, so we can have an international standard. Otherwise your velcro boots might not be compatible with someone elses velcro carpet, putting you in real danger! Whatever way is adopted in Europe, no doubt the Yanks will get it back to front like they do with bouyage)

 

[BrendanS]

Ha! You of all people, accusing some one of overdoing it! /forums/images/icons/laugh.gif

Have you told your insurance company the gross weight of all the safety equipment you are planning on carrying. When the boat sinks, they may well have an angle to avoid payment /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

 

[Guest]

Perhaps we need an international conference on it. I would suggest hooks on boots and loops on carpet, don't want loads of fluff stuck to my boots. If we had it in different colours we would all know which was which, now is that a good idea or what?