New DSC VHF Radio

[Caladh]

I'm going to purchase said item for next season as my old standard VHF is on the blink. Have you any recomendations paying up to about £250 (thats not for the recomendation!!)

 

[bert49uk]

standard horizon

 

[KenMcCulloch]

We installed a new radio this year and chose Standard Horizon who have been getting consistently good reviews for a number of years. For that sort of money I would go for the SH GX2000 which benefits from a rotary channel selector making it very easy to use. We went for the fancier one with built in AIS for about £300.

 

[fisherman]

Icom IC M 421. One to avoid, the mic cable has failed on two that I know of.

 

[maxi77]

Standard horizon are good and their service organisation in the UK is second to none. It is worth considering a command mic, installed at the helm it makes life so much easier.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I also bought the S/H 2100 for £299 as I didn't have AIS and it works well.Friends have also bought the same model and all are pleased.I fitted the cockpit mike which saves going up and down the companionway.

 

[tidclacy]

Make sure its your radio and not the aerial as I found this year when the mast come down for inspection.

 

[maby]

Simrad RS25 - you can find them down to about £240. It's an excellent radio and includes a fist mike with full numeric keypad - making it easy to key in MMSI numbers and switch channels without all sorts of acrobatics with a rotary control. The think I really like about it is the optional wireless second-station - you can take it anywhere on the boat - much easier than laying cables through to the binnacle and more versatile. The wireless handset also functions as an intercom to the main unit - makes it easy for the navigator to talk to the helm.

 

[stav]

I have a SH VM3500 radio and very pleased with it, but not sure about the layout of the more modern sets. So would want to compare the SH and Icom offerings. SH is a lot cheaper with a second mic which I would strongly recommend.

Personally I would not buy a silva radio, clucky to use and the navtex was a nightmare with DSC alerts going of.

Do give the ariel a test though, made quite a lot of difference to the operation of my radio. Ask someone with a SW meter.

Enjoy spending.

 

[Slowtack]

Standard horizon + cockpit mike

 

[Babylon]

We installed a new radio this year and chose Standard Horizon who have been getting consistently good reviews for a number of years. For that sort of money I would go for the SH GX2000 which benefits from a rotary channel selector making it very easy to use. We went for the fancier one with built in AIS for about £300.

That's what I've bought. I like the idea of the integrated AIS, so communicating with a problem vessel (ship) can be done immediately without having to transcribe its MMSI.

All that's left to do is fit it!

 

[bjl]

Icom M411. Mine has worked faultlessly for many years. Can be bought for less than £140.

 

[Caladh]

Thanks for all for your recomendations. I like the AIS integration option. FYI it is not the aerial on my own set. I seem to transmit fine on 16 but other channels are to say the least flakey and its not the mike. Thanks again.

 

[oldgit]

Any Icom..... purely for the after sales back up even years later !

 

[nigelmercier]

I also bought the S/H 2100 for £299 as I didn't have AIS and it works well...I fitted the cockpit mike which saves going up and down the companionway.

+1

 

[Billjratt]

My advice would be to LOOK (and touch) before you buy -literally.
Most radios use the same transmit/receive chips and circuitry so will perform pretty well to par, they have international standards to adhere to.
However, they present data and controls to the user in different ways - some of them easy and some diabastrical. Remember you may be using the radio under duress, so it needs to be thought-free, even when you've lost your glasses in the dark... - it may not even be you that's operating...
Etc, etc,

 

[Burnham Bob]

unless the ais is essential, a standard horizon with command mic is good value and (if its like mine!) performs really well. service is second to none as one of the abiove posts says

i got an amzxing deal at the boat show - you may too

 

[Cantata]

+1 for Standard Horizon, excellent rugged kit, very reasonably priced, and first-rate UK service organisation too.

 

[Vara]

Another vote for SH, have the one with built in AIS, 3 months in, its working well, very good support from SH when I had an installation query.

Bit over budget but worth it IMO.

I'm still agonising whether command mic will be worth extra.