Standard Horizon Handheld - not transmitting on ch.80

[Way]

I've bought a handheld for emergencies/grabbag/backup etc but also to allow me to call marinas easily from the cockpit. Ch 80 is marked as Duplex and I cannot call on it. Is this right? Am I doing something stupid?

 

[l'escargot]

What do you mean "cannot call on it"? You're not getting a response? The marina can't hear you? You can't hear yourself on the fixed set?

 

[elton]

How are you testing it? You won't hear transmissions from it on your fixed set, but I guess you know that.

 

[nigelmercier]

Is it set to use international channels?

 

[Way]

It transmits on channels not marked Duplex but does not transmit on ones that are, 80 being one of them. So no the marina couldn't hear me seemingly (in hindsight it's happened before) and a quick test seems to suggest that it's no transmitting on 80 at all

 

[nigelmercier]

It transmits on channels not marked Duplex but does not transmit on ones that are...

How do you know?

 

[Way]

It is on Int. Chans

Even on top close into a marina I get nothing after a few calls then an immediate response from the fixed. Never had a problem on 12 or 68 for Weymouth or Yarmouth

 

[nigelmercier]

It is on Int. Chans

Even on top close into a marina I get nothing after a few calls then an immediate response from the fixed. Never had a problem on 12 or 68 for Weymouth or Yarmouth

Perhaps you are too far away from the relay for it to work. See here.

 

[Way]

Interestingly I found that article tonight. Thanks for your help. Sure that must be the problem or something else explainable and not the radio itself

 

[VicS]

Perhaps you are too far away from the relay for it to work. See here.

Surely relays or repeaters don't come into it in the UK do they ? Isn't it just direct from one station to the other

 

[VicS]

It is on Int. Chans

Even on top close into a marina I get nothing after a few calls then an immediate response from the fixed. Never had a problem on 12 or 68 for Weymouth or Yarmouth

I would have said your problem is that it is not using the international frequencies.

However if it is using the US frequencies and you transmit on Ch80 you will be able to receive it on your fixed set.


EDIT ... Thats wrong ... see below

 

[pvb]

However if it is using the US frequencies and you transmit on Ch80 you will be able to receive it on your fixed set.

Don't think so, unless the fixed set is also set to US frequencies.

 

[pvb]

Everyone's coming up with ideas, but is it not possible that the radio is simply faulty?

 

[Burnham Bob]

maybe you can take it in to a chandlers based in a marina. if they have a hand held (ideally the same model but not necessary) they could call the marina on channel 80 on their hand held and then you could try on yours. testing with your fixed vhf could be using a better signal, so a side by side test with another handheld next to yours would show definitely whether the unit was defective.

btw my standard horizon hand held transmits fine on 80

 

[VicS]

Don't think so, unless the fixed set is also set to US frequencies.

You are right.

It would be the other way round. He would be able to hear the fixed set on the H/H
And the Marina should still hear his transmissions but he would not hear their replies.
That's not what he reports is happening

I think you are right when you suggest that the radio is faulty

 

[Bilgediver]

Perhaps you are too far away from the relay for it to work. See here.

That is how ham radio repeaters work but not how marine radio works. The coastguard uses remote links however most of them do not transmit to the coastguard but send it down a private phone line. You never use a duplex channel to talk to another boat on marine VHF as it is only shore stations that have the channels reversed so they can talk to boats with out other boats/ships eavesdropping.

If you are worried about the VHF then when IN a marina which does use channel 80 carry out a radio check with the marina.

If your radio is on american channels then 80 may become a simplex channel. (80A).

If tests prove it is not transmitting then either Standard Vertex or an agent will have the cable and software to ensure that channel 80 etc are correctly set up in the firmware.

 

[lustyd]

maybe you can take it in to a chandlers based in a marina. if they have a hand held (ideally the same model but not necessary) they could call the marina on channel 80 on their hand held and then you could try on yours. testing with your fixed vhf could be using a better signal, so a side by side test with another handheld next to yours would show definitely whether the unit was defective.

btw my standard horizon hand held transmits fine on 80

Why not just take it into the marina office? Most of the time you can see and hear their set so you don't even need them to participate in the test

Standard Horizon tech support is second to none by the way, I suggest you call them. If the radio is faulty they are in Winchester and can reprogram or get it fixed for you.

 

[Leighb]

You never use a duplex channel to talk to another boat on marine VHF as it is only shore stations that have the channels reversed so they can talk to boats with out other boats/ships eavesdropping.

/QUOTE]

That is not quite correct with Ch 80, on your fixed VHF you CAN hear the shore station talking to other boats, and of course to you, what you cannot hear is other boats talking to the shore station. This often results in yachts calling up a marina simultaneously as neither can hear the other.

To avoid this, if it is a problem with a busy marina, you can use a handheld set to US Ch 80. With this on you will hear other yachts calling, and know when the Int channel is OK to use.

Tip posted on here some time ago.

 

[pvb]

To avoid this, if it is a problem with a busy marina, you can use a handheld set to US Ch 80. With this on you will hear other yachts calling, and know when the Int channel is OK to use.

Yes, listening on channel 80A can be quite entertaining, too!

 

[nigelmercier]

only shore stations that have the channels reversed so they can talk to boats ...

That's how I thought it worked, until I found the article I quoted. I think the latter is perhaps only in the US, sorry for the misinformation.

I think the best way to prove this is to go to the marina office.