What radio would you have

[mlthomas]

Hoping to do a deal on a new boat in the next couple of days, the kit on offer is all raymarine, which is great, really happy with. However the radio is the 49e -not sure if this is dsc etc. so, over to the experience of the forum, everything else nav wise will be raymarine so what radio would you recommend??

 

[Skyva_2]

I have Raymarine kit but went for a DSC Standard Horizon 3500 with remote mic, very satisfied. I gather the SH 2500 is also good.

 

[Cloven]

Another vote for the Standard Horizon kit.

I also have integrated Raymarine instruments plus a separate Navman chartplotter & back-up Garmin GPS. I went for the SH VHF/DSC as it will pick up its GPS feed from any NMEA GPS source - Garmin or Navman. Not sure if it will interface with the Raymarine kit.

 

[blueb]

On my Bavaria 34 I had a Simrad installed. However two years ago I switched to an ICOM IC M505 with a fully functional including DSC remote handset mounted on my binacle. This has transformed radio use. I'm often sailing short handed and know that the harbour master always seems to call just as you can't leave the helm. No problem now. The radio is very user intuitive and with the remote handset at the wheel is the complete solution for my type of sailing. All my other nav aids are Raymarine and the GPS links into my radio to give a position when calling with no problems.

I hope that this helps.

 

[AIDY]

don't know what boat you have... ie where the helm position is sited in relation to the vhf but i would recommend the investment in a seperate command mic at the helm... we have the icom with 2 hand mic's i think Standard H also do it.

 

[Elemental]

I also have the SH VM3500 with remote mike. Never use the set from down below as the remote mike gives full access to everything I need. Is plenty loud enough. Crystal clear - even to/from quite distant stations.

Got the SH HX-270 handheld too. Also excellent.

 

[1955patric]

Another vote for the M505, particularly with the command mike. Fantastic bit of kit.

 

[Dave_Rolfe]

My last two boats have had command mikes fitted in the cockpit and I would not consider a radio without one now. Both radios self installed when buying the second hand boats. Previous boat had a Standard Horizon, current one has Icom 505 which I much prefer

 

[SwedishLass]

Got the SH3500e with submersible command mic excellent bit of kit and heavily built, nice touch is link to SH plotter when dsc alarm goes off enabling quick plot of originator. Installed on first boat and transferred to new in preference to M601 no hassle with MMSI setup on new boat. Beginning to standardise with SH Kit.

 

[Cantata]

Another vote for the Standard Horizon 3500 with remote mic, has performed superbly for me.

 

[Lizzie_B]

Moi Aussi /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Anonymous]

I have a Standard Horizon GX1500E with remote mic. It works but frankly it isn't the best quality bit of kit on board. I think - not certain - that SH is the budget brand from Icom? Anyway, I wish I'd gone for Icom which is renowned as the best. Depends what you want to spend, tho'.

 

[mlthomas]

The previous boat (Prestige 32) had a simrad 87 at both helms, great piece of kit to use, big and simple but when I looked it up on the web a huge price too. I doubt we used 5% of its features
In answer to what boat, we are hoping to get a oceanis and would be looking for a remote mic at the helm (twin wheel? not sure where the mic would go though).
Most of the time there will only be the two of us on board so we are looking for simple to use (bigger display the better) and reliable. Most of the time previously we were on dual watch with the comfort of knowing DSC was always there if required. Technically, I would also want the full 25W transimission, other than that quite open to whatever. Interestingly no-one has mentioned raymarine radio?