New VHF radio - delivery time.

Ian_Edwards

Ian_Edwards

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Hi,
I'd like to replace my VHF radio. I looked at this last winter and the delivery times quoted where quoted in months, shortage of semiconductors was the excuse.
Does anyone have up to date info' on the current delivery times?
I'm working on the boat this week and thinking about replacing a panel by the nav table. The panel is a bit of a mess, holes and patches where old kit has been taken out, and the replacement patched in.
There's a cut out for the existing VHF, and don't want to make a cutout in the New panel, for the old VHF, then buy a new one requiring a different cutout.
I'd be back to "quare one".
The new one needs to have an NMEA 2000 interface and a remote cockpit handset (I sail single handed most of the time), preferable with a wireless connection, to the remote.
 
Availability is generally back to normal now.

N2K and a wireless mic will set you back about £800 +.

N2K gives several choices, but a wireless mic will severely restrict your choices.
 
We have a simrad HS40 and Rs40, inwoudl describe them as OK, integrates with the rest of the simrad bridge onboard well, but the wireless link can be a bit temperamental, the handset lacks a lanyard hole, so you have to create one using the back clip.

The actual set is pretty reasonable, speakers good and seems plenty powerful, however the sailor radio a 6000 series outperforms it, but its probably an unfair comparison.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
Hi,
I'd like to replace my VHF radio. I looked at this last winter and the delivery times quoted where quoted in months, shortage of semiconductors was the excuse.
Does anyone have up to date info' on the current delivery times?
I'm working on the boat this week and thinking about replacing a panel by the nav table. The panel is a bit of a mess, holes and patches where old kit has been taken out, and the replacement patched in.
There's a cut out for the existing VHF, and don't want to make a cutout in the New panel, for the old VHF, then buy a new one requiring a different cutout.
I'd be back to "quare one".
The new one needs to have an NMEA 2000 interface and a remote cockpit handset (I sail single handed most of the time), preferable with a wireless connection, to the remote.
Click to expand...

Would you care to say ................ What VHF ??

I read your post and I understand your question, but TBH - most VHF's are stocked by dealers - so why the ????
 
Refueler said:
Would you care to say ................ What VHF ??

I read your post and I understand your question, but TBH - most VHF's are stocked by dealers - so why the ????
Click to expand...

Last year, there was a shortage of VHF and AIS units, some had delivery dates months into the future, hence the question:

"I'd like to replace my VHF radio. I looked at this last winter and the delivery times quoted where quoted in months, shortage of semiconductors was the excuse.
Does anyone have up to date info' on the current delivery times? "
 
I ask because I have had very poor experience with some of the big chandler's, quoting a delivery, getting the order and then not delivering in the time frame promised.
There are people on this forum with inside knowledge, and I was hoping for a bit of that.
I'm not fussed about the manufacturer, but as I stated, must have a an NMEA 2000 interface and a remote hand set I can use in the cockpit. I was leaving it deliberately open, because I'm unsure what currently on the market.
 
Last November, 2022, I bought an SH GX1800 from Cactus Nav. It arrived within a week of the order. My only criticism is that the manual is variously unclear, ambiguous and misleading so go carefully. Cactus Nav were helpful; SH wouldn't respond to my questions.
 
The VHF manufacturers might have got a few electronic chips to make some devices, but generally the situation for component supply to industry is still absolutely dire. The company I am currently stationed in require 2000 processors a week but are only getting 200. Suppliers are giving a lead time of 50 to 80 weeks for earliest supply with no guarantee of how many of the ordered components will actually be allocated to the purchaser when they arrive. Some suppliers are putting a supply date of 2050 on the quotation which is the new way of signalling that they have no idea when they will be able to supply. Even when supply is available the price can easily have quadrupled.

Upshot of this is - if you see a VHF for sale that does what you want and the retailer actually has his hands on it, maybe just buy it asap, because they are likely to be hard to get again before long, and more expensive.
 
I find this interesting ... I know that car manufacturers are moaning about lack of Chips ... and here we have VHF radios ....

In another activity - RC models with TX's / RX's relying on chips - we don't seem to be seeing similar situation .. the market appears to be healthy.
 
The supply situation is not the same across either the range of all the different types of electronic components, or time. Pretty much all VHF manufacturers that I am aware of use one of two Software Defined Radio chips in their VHF sets. The manufacturers of those chips do not make them continually on lines dedicated to just that chip. The lines will make that chip for a production run of maybe a few weeks, and then not again for perhaps 18 months. After a run manufacturers of radios will be supplied and completed products incorporating them will be available. 6 months later the situation could be entirely different - all supplies of the component are shipped and no more planned to be made for another year. Shortly after the devices become unavailable in the retail suppliers again. It won't be possible to use an alternative component without a complete product redesign, even if one becomes available.

Just because a particular product that was not available becomes widely available for a while does not mean that the supply situation of electronic components is easing. It's still dire. I don't think the situation will ease until western companies get fabs set up outside of China which is ongoing, but it takes time. China is no longer a reliable supplier. The cost will be higher, but at least we will be able to get them.
 
jwfrary said:
We have a simrad HS40 and Rs40, inwoudl describe them as OK, integrates with the rest of the simrad bridge onboard well, but the wireless link can be a bit temperamental, the handset lacks a lanyard hole, so you have to create one using the back clip.

The actual set is pretty reasonable, speakers good and seems plenty powerful, however the sailor radio a 6000 series outperforms it, but its probably an unfair comparison.
Click to expand...
Slight drift…….

I also have Simrad vhf with additional handheld. No issues with the wireless link but after approx 8 seasons the battery life is now pretty dire. Not yet found a replacement battery or a helpful YouTube video showing how it’s changed.
 
Just checked my electronics suppliers website, they have a range of Raymarine, Garmin, Icom and Vesper kit in stock, although not every model from every manufacturer.

Personally, i would avoid a wireless mic.
 
Refueler said:
Having posed the question with RC people - I rec'd info that some RC radio manufacturers have in fact redesigned radios to remove or modify to accommodate the lack of or different chips.
Click to expand...

That's always a possibility, but becomes very expensive with products that need extensive independent testing and approvals, as VHF radios do. Getting CE Radio Equipment Directive, FCC and UKCA re-approval done is not a procedure manufacturers will want to have to repeat too often during the lifetime of a product. EMC re-testing and reapproval is enough of a kerfuffle.
 
There's also no visible fix in site.

You had fabs offline due to flooding in America, droughts in Taiwan, fires in Berlin, lower than normal exports of Neon from Ukraine and rare earths from Russia.

Add on top a move to working from home leading to surging demand.
 
AngusMcDoon said:
That's always a possibility, but becomes very expensive with products that need extensive independent testing and approvals, as VHF radios do. Getting CE Radio Equipment Directive, FCC and UKCA re-approval done is not a procedure manufacturers will want to have to repeat too often during the lifetime of a product. EMC re-testing and reapproval is enough of a kerfuffle.
Click to expand...

As no doubt you are aware ... CE / UL / FCC etc Certs' are a minefield and also blatantly 'tricked' by manufacturers ....

Itys well known in RC - that the Multi Protocol Radios and various before them were certified by using 'crippled' gear ..... not unlike the VW car affair ...

I can remember a line of flashlights cert'd by USA UL that were dangerous because they did not lock the body to stop anyone opening in hazardous environment. But the competitor flashlight that needed a key to unlock was refused because they submitted a full 100% example ....

CE / UL / FCC etc. is no gtee or limitation to the 'wily' manufacturer.
 
Thanks for the inside track on the supply of semiconductors for VHF and other kit, very useful.
I'll see what available.
I'd like to replace the RAY 55E, fitted in 2012.
It's coupled to a Digital Yacht AIS B and a aerial splitter, it uses NMEA 183 to communicate with the Raymarine e125 and e95
It all works at the moment, but the whole system takes up a lot of room, the AIS box and aerial splitter and all the wiring.
It would really simplify the set-up to have a VHF with an integral AIS B+, and an NMEA 2000 interface, I could them get rid of the Digital Yacht AIS box and the aerial splitter, and that would free up a lot of room under the chart table, and eliminate a lot of connections, always a weak spots.
The 55E's display is very poor, you have to be looking directly at the screen to be able to see it, and I don't find the user interface intuitive.
The remote handset in the cockpit is OK, it's wired in.
But I've had persistent problems with the connector, the plus 12v pin gets corroded. I've tried the usual contact cleaners and WD40, and it works for a while. The pin is very thin, and has some form of platting on it, and I'm careful that I don't' damage or bend the pin when I clean it.
I put the remote hand set below when I leave the boat, put the cover on the connection, then cover the wheel and brinicle with a close fitting canvas cover, and put the cockpit tent up, so it well protected from the elements when not is use. But it gets rain and spray when sailing.
The seals look OK.
I'm thinking that a wireless hand held would eliminate the connection problem.
I'm not a prolific VHF use, basically limited to calling up a marina when approaching, I normally book a berth using a mobile phone. I also avoid using marinas, perhaps 2 or 3 visits in a typical 2-3 week trip.
The VHF handset in the cockpit is really useful, if I'm called by the Coast Guard, one of the MOD ranges or another vessel. I'm usually sailing single handed, (even when I have non sailing friends on board) and when the Cockpit remote fails, I have to leave the helm, dive below and get the Icom hand held.
 
Ian_Edwards said:
It would really simplify the set-up to have a VHF with an integral AIS B+, and an NMEA 2000 interface, I could them get rid of the
Click to expand...

That would be a very expensive VHF, if such a thing exists yet. A VHF with built in transponder gives you a very restricted set of options. Add in a wireless handset and your options are extremely restricted and very expensive. Also gives you a very, very expensive single point of failure.

I'd suggest that you fit an Emtrak AIS, which has a built in GPS, splitter, NMEA0183 and NMEA 2000.

Add a decent N2K VHF from Icom, Standard Horizon or Garmin, stick with a wired handset.
 
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