Which DSC/VHF??

[epb00]

I know it's not that simple but ...

I was looking at all the new DSC/VHF sets in the mags and on line and I really can't tell the differance between one for GBP140 and the ones over GBP400.

Can anyone let me know what are the things to look and what pushes the price up? What are essential features and what is nice to have?

I have a small 21ft Corribee so won't be crossing the Atlantic or the like!

My first post so forgive me if the question is too open.

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[Mike_Martin]

If you can do it try and get down to the London boat show and have a look at them in the flesh.

Mike

<hr width=100% size=1>Bloke interested in boats who just also happens to work for Ofcom

 

[Sans Bateau]

You may have anserwed your own question, do you need £400.00 of radio on an inshore cruiser? As Mike says go to the London Boat show, we went through the same exercise at SIBS. It is very much a case of yer pays yer money etc. What we did establish was that the very cheapest sets had very small heat sinks and flimsy wiring, much like a cheap car radio. We did'nt look at the most expensive models, but for mid £200 mark both ICOM and Raymarine now do a DSC radio. Both looked very robust and of course got a good pedigree. Our choice? We will go for the Raymarine.

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[steve_cronin]

I have a Sailor....

..which cost considerably more than £400.

I've had it three years and STILL can't work my way through the menu system - because the screen is too small. AND the puney little speaker in the back of the handset is so small (It's really the handset earpiece) that you can't hear it across the saloon, nevermind anywhere in the cockpit.

Impresses the neighbours, does the businesslike handset broodily squatting in it's cradle but it's practicality gets 2/10 from me.

Steve Cronin



<hr width=100% size=1>The above is, like any other post here, only a personal opinion

 

[BigLes]

For your type of boat and sailing the Cobra should be OK. I have a Navman, which is more expensive but a fine radio. However as a previous poster said you should get along to the boat show and try them all out and see which one you are happiest with.

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[sailorman]

buy a 2nd hand old vhf. Non dsc

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[Oldhand]

Why?

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[sailorman]

[I have a small 21ft Corribee so won't be crossing the Atlantic or the like!]

epb00 is unlikly to travel on extended trips offshore, even if he did a standard vhf would suffice, just because the MHGC is running-down the "headphones" watch- keeping, BIG Ships still regularly contact each other via Ch 16.
HMCG arn`rt going to turn-down business if they hear a shout on their "speaker"
rather than via DSC.
my guess is that most sailors know where they r these days & can relay that info verbally on Ch 16 as they have done for years.
epb00 can get a very servicable set for say £100 & spend the balance on other kit



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[Talulah]

I would ask yourself how many times have you had to use the set (ignoring radio checks.)
Our Simrad RD38 has just packed up. (Buttons 1 and 2 don't work.)
The set cost £370. (They are now available for £270.) I reckon we have actually used the set at most 30 to 40 times. That makes each call costing £10. I would expect the set to last longer than that.
As I too am now looking at a replacement set there is one thing I dislike about the Simrad but it may be true for many other sets. When the DSC alarm goes off it goes off at full volume and is extremely annoying. If it was a distress alert I wouldn't mind but it also goes off at full volume for Routine Safety Information. What happens is that you keep getting repeats of the same routine safety information and the alarm ultimately becomes so annoying you turn the set off. This defeats the purpose of the DSC alarm. As the more and more safety information broadcasts are going to be preceeded with a DSC alert I anticipate that more and more people will be sailing around with their sets turned off.

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[sailorman]

we have an Icom 56M
this set is 10 yrs old, is superb, never failed, never had a RADIO CHECK IN ITS LIFE
put the fist-mike back into its cradle & it defaults to Ch 16 .
Icom sets are the best as far as im concerned & see no reason to (so-called up-grade to) DSC.

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