VHF recommendations

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Windfall

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VHF recommendations - update

We need to replace the outdated & broken VHF on our (new to us) sailing boat. I don't have a clue and the old man is even less interested. What would the panel recommend with a budget of sub £200?

Thank you.

Sharon
 
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Anything from ICom or Standard Horizon will be more than acceptable.

Be aware that the condition of the aerial (and more specifically, its cable down to the radio) will have more impact than the quality of the VHF you buy, so it might be worth looking at that.

Pete
 
PhillM said:
For a variety of reasons I have borght 2 in three years (dont ask!).

I now wish I had spent a little more nad got a VHF + AIS like this one. http://www.allgadgets.co.uk/marined...lay-p350.htm?gclid=CIDzppOOubcCFdIPtAodDFIACw

It is a little over your budget but if / when i buy another, this is the sort of thing I woudl go for.
Click to expand...

We do have a chart plotter & AIS receiver that we brought with us from the out-going boat so probably don't need the AIS display - although I can see it might be handy for calling any ships identified.
 
prv said:
Anything from ICom or Standard Horizon will be more than acceptable.

Be aware that the condition of the aerial (and more specifically, its cable down to the radio) will have more impact than the quality of the VHF you buy, so it might be worth looking at that.

Pete
Click to expand...
Have replaced the aerial and cable this weekend - just need a radio to plug into the end of it now.
 
Furuno Radio Ocean RO4800 VHF with AIS £200 at Force Four. Good price, great after service. Won't work with Lowrance hds5 or 7 plotters. Great with Garmin.
 
Force 4 have been clearing out the tail end of the Standard Horizon GX1500E series at a very low price. Nice functional radio and a good brand.
 
My Icom VHF has a remote microphone, (RAM) useable in the cockpit. I find this feature a real bonus and would most definitely recommend it. I think that you could get this combination at the cheaper end of the Standard Horizon range reasonably close to your budget.
 
Hi Sharon, I would suggest something like the Standard Horizon GX200 or ICOM M423. These sligthly more expensive radios have a rotary selector for changing channels which is far easier to use than the up and down buttons you find on the more basic sets. We fitted a SH VHF with a rotary selector last year and it is quite possibly the best VHF set I have ever used, and that is quite a few. Replacing the antenna and cable is always a good move.
 
Also a SH fan.My 2100 screen went blank after 28 months from purchase.I phoned SH and they said send it back.I sent it on a friday and got it back on the next thursday which considering the monday was a bank holiday was very good .They put a new screen in free of charge.That is good service.
 
SAWDOC said:
We replaced an XM set with a Standard Horizon set. Very happy with the result. Don't buy an XM set for any money.
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Maybe we've been lucky then. Put in an XM DSC when we bought the boat, to replace a non-DSC unit, and have been mightily pleased with it. Was all we could afford at time but turns out to have been a good decision. I suppose, having posted this, it will now go kaput...
 
I love Standard Horizon gear. Mine works superbly and good value too. The after sales service I've received when a crew-member was somewhat less than gentle with the RAM mike mounting was excellent.

I absolutely recommend fitting a RAM mike too. I seldom (if ever) use the saloon mounted mike. Having access to all the radio functions at the helm is a real benefit.
 
OK looks like SH or Icom and think I'm favouring SH as we already have an SH plotter and have been very pleased with that. The GX200e has AIS capability but as we already have this I'm not sure I want to duplicate.

What do the panel think of this one http://www.marinesuperstore.com/item/99349929/standard-horizon-gx-1700e ?

Thanks for this. But I'd better warn you that as almost all of the gear on our 25 year old boat is original I'm going to be asking for a lot of recommendations over the next few weeks
 
Windfall said:
What do the panel think of this one http://www.marinesuperstore.com/item/99349929/standard-horizon-gx-1700e ?
Click to expand...

Well, it's Standard Horizon so it'll be a good radio. Built-in GPS will save you having to make NMEA connections to a separate GPS, which isn't hard but some people seem to struggle with. Ability to add a remote mic is a good thing - like Sea Spray, I rarely use the panel at the chart table any more. You can always add that later if the price is an issue. Channel up and down buttons rather than a twirly knob is a pity, but perhaps not that big a deal overall. I think the front panel looks purposeful and businesslike.

Seems like a good choice to me.

Pete
 
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