US-made VHF

[pugwash]

I need a new fixed VHF and I'm inclined to go for the Icom M402 with DSC and all the trimmings which can be bought by mail order from the US for less than £150 and brought here by a friend. This compares with about £450 for a similar set with a CE mark sold here. I understand it is illegal to sell US-made sets here, but okay to use them. Is that right? Are there any pitfalls?

 

[alant]

Check the Channel frequencies, these may differ. For example, instead of Ch 01 (156.050/160.650 MHz), there may be Ch 01A (156.050/156.050) etc. Don't know this model in detail, but on some, you change from International to USA Channel settings. If you don't, you may transmit, be unable to receive since the frequency is incorrect.

 

[Budgie]

I would suggest a browse at the Icom website, to check if the US and UK sold sets are the same spec. Most Icom sets have the facility to select International or US channel sets.

 

[Guest]

In a modern radio, the selection of a set of channels is a matter of software rather than hardware, so some dealer should be able to adjust the radio if indeed you could not adjust it yourself.

In theory, you cannot use non CE marked radios on an EC registered boat, and if they are found (when were you last inspected?) they can be confiscated

Also, type approval for DSC radios was changed after initial problems with false alarms partic in the US. Since this model is being sold off far cheaper than equivalents in the US as well as UK, I wonder if it is to the old approval now withdrawn.

Thats the thoery as I remember it (ring the radio licensing people - they're very helpful). Personally, I wouldnt bother much about the DSC. My experience is that its very much a big ship system, with little relevance to yachtsmen. And a saving on the cost of a radio isnt going to be important to you if, when, the sh*t hits the fan. So get one that works well in conventional use.

 

[Boatman]

I have heard that the US Spec is grossly lacking. Howard mentions that it's probably a software programming issue which is probably correct BUT all Icom dealers have been instructed not to do this, so any warranty will be invalid.

 

[kdf]

You said M402 - Maybe you meant the 502 with built in DSC etc. It will work in Europe - all you have to do is switch to international and you get all the Int channels.

What won't work correctly is the dsc. In Europe we have specified dsc class d - the 502( and all U.S. dsc sets in recreational boats) are class f. With class F you lose a lot of the features like having the ability to monitor dsc messages while talking on the vhf (class D have 2 receivers, one for the voice traffic and one for the digital messages). Also class F doesn't require a larger screen size so as a result you don't have the ability to create your own dsc messages etc.

 

[pugwash]

Icom vhf specs

According to the websites, all the models I looked at are programmed for international as well as US/Canadian frequencies and people here who have bought US hand-helds report no problems. The type approval scenario is more worrying but the ICOM 402 model I settled on is in the same price bracket as Raytheon and Standard Horizon models so I don't think there's any question of stuff beign sold off cheaply because of it. A consumer report in one US boating magazine does not mention a type approval problem so perhaps it has now been sorted.

However, while searching the web I found an ICOM site in the UK which says a handful of new DSC models with CE approval are being announced at the boat show. Outwardly, they look exactly the same as the 402 and others I was interested in. So I'll wait and see what the price difference is.

I think the one compelling reason for having DSC is that if things go terribly wrong you can punch a red button and that's it; particularly reassuring for an inexperienced crew if something happens to the skipper.

Thanks for your helpful input -- and fair winds for 02!

 

[Guest]

Re: Icom vhf specs

i have a dsc set and on the basis of one years experience of it - i wouldn't count on the push one button argument.

trying to contact uk, french and spanish coastguards using the dsc calling facility brought a partially correct response from the uk, and none at all from the others. conversely, when there was a minor problem off the spanish coast (motor boat with engine probs on a calm day) there was endless use of the dsc alarm facility which cannot be turned down, only off - and it had to be.


maybe it is early days but i would recommend a conventional set (they all have to be dsc compatible now, so you can add on later) and putting the extra money toward an epirb.

 

[brianhumber]

Have a Hummingbird which is very good. Only thing is she always comes on in USA mode and you have to switch to Int to hear replies. Don't know about new system as have no intention of fitting one unless the Hummingbird drops terminally out of the sky.