USA VHF work the same here?

[Warpa]

I never go out of mobile coverage range, but would like to listen in incase i could ever be of help to anyone. Looking through fleabay i can pick one up for around 50 quid plus 20 p&p.
Anything real cheap you would suggest i could buy or would anyone here have a hand held going cheap?

 

[markcw]

I picked up one of these a few years ago for £55 all in from the states, even got away with not paying duty

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Midland-P...tEquipment_Accessories_SM&hash=item35b48624a1

price has increased since then, has been very good basic vhf, but now realise i would like more features, i would spend more and get something that you want grow out off.

Still use it now and must admit battery life is brilliant, mine had settings for international--america--cannada, no problems with it at all, and the chargeing craddle is handy

mark

 

[jfm]

AFAIK the channel frequenies are different in USA as compared with RoW. So it wont properly "work" in Europe, unless it has a control to allow you to select "International"

 

[Solitaire]

I never go out of mobile coverage range, but would like to listen in incase i could ever be of help to anyone. Looking through fleabay i can pick one up for around 50 quid plus 20 p&p.
Anything real cheap you would suggest i could buy or would anyone here have a hand held going cheap?

Unless the equipment is CE marked it would be illegal to fit a US bought VHF to a British/European registered vessel.

There are channels on US sets which are not compatible and may interfer with European frequencies. If you have done the VHF operators course you should have been told this.

 

[Wiggo]

Don't even bother: http://www.piplers.co.uk/3725/Cobra-Marine-Cobra-HH125-Handheld-VHF.html

Or even cheaper here: http://www.force4.co.uk/6293/Cobra--MR-HH125-Handheld-VHF-Radio.html

I bought one a couple of years ago and it's a great piece of kit for the money...

 

[Warpa]

Don't even bother: http://www.piplers.co.uk/3725/Cobra-Marine-Cobra-HH125-Handheld-VHF.html

Or even cheaper here: http://www.force4.co.uk/6293/Cobra--MR-HH125-Handheld-VHF-Radio.html

I bought one a couple of years ago and it's a great piece of kit for the money...

/thumbsup

 

[pred02]

We brought our 21ft US registered Boston Whaler to Croatia and the Standard Horizon VHF worked just fine, channel 16 and all other channels were ok. I believe there is an international setting, however I did not mess with it as radio was working ok as is.

 

[oceanfroggie]

All VHF sets have a menu setting that allows you to switch between US and international frequencies (ie cause yachts travel the world). Many channels including ch16 are the same frequency anyway, so it matters not, and the CE Brussels desk jockeys just want to aid rip off routes to Market that charge twice the price for the same technology. CE=Fools pay twice

 

[VicS]

Not all VHF sets are user switchable between US channels and International channels.!

A number of channels that Internationally are two frequency (duplex) channels are single frequency ( simplex) channels in the US.

 

[El Bee]

Don't even bother: http://www.piplers.co.uk/3725/Cobra-Marine-Cobra-HH125-Handheld-VHF.html

I bought one from Piplers after a mention in another thread on this forum, really pleasant helpful guy took my order and it arrived the next day, my only comment is that the set only comes with a 12V charger, and the radio itself shows fully charged for days of use then goes from 3 bars (fully charged) to empty in about 20 minutes!

I did wonder if it could be recharged from a mobile phone charger, I just don't have enough knowledge of the subject to risk trying it

Anyway, lovely day out on the boat today, quite hot (30 ish) light wind, slight seas, clear blue sky, what more could you want!

Lee B -- no connection with Piplers, Cobra or the ship's cat!

 

[DAKA]

I never go out of mobile coverage range, but would like to listen in incase i could ever be of help to anyone. Looking through fleabay i can pick one up for around 50 quid plus 20 p&p.
Anything real cheap you would suggest i could buy or would anyone here have a hand held going cheap?

If the set does not have an international setting (99% do).
The only issue you will ever notice is ch 80 (marina channel).

You will be able to hear every boat requesting a lock and you can reply to the boats but the lock keeper will not hear you and you will not be able to hear the lock keeper.

If you dont need to speak to the lock keeper or can speak to him by phone you will not have a problem although technically illegal.