Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 11-29-2015, 04:42 PM   #41
TF Site Team
 
koliver's Avatar
 
City: Saltspring Island
Vessel Name: Retreat
Vessel Model: C&L 44
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 5,663
"AIS we see no use for whatsoever in these waters other than having another distracting toy to play with. We've never been in a situation, : even in heavy fog, where it would have given us information we actually needed, so we've pretty much ruled that out.
Marin"

I frequently cross between Vancouver and the Gulf Islands. I usually keep my VHF on a dual scan of 16 and VTS, which is 12 in Vancouver and 11 across the gulf. In the busy season from the end of June to early September, The problems of 16 getting too busy for this regime, are just starting. The rest of the year, 16 is dead, so 95% of the traffic is on the VTS channel.

I disagree with Marin's assessment of the usefulness of AIS, so that if I buy another radio it will have AIS. That is if I haven't already put in a proper AIS-B before then. I presently use "boatbeacon" on my phone. When I am crossing the Gulf or transiting Active Pass, it will tell me the name of the oncoming Ferry, or whether the oncoming freighter needs to be avoided, all long before that vessel is near enough for evasive measures to be visually obviously required. I use the App to make course decisions on a regular and frequent basis, so having that feature in a VHF radio would indeed be welcome.

I presently use a SH fixed mount at the lower helm and its RAM at the upper helm. There is a remote speaker at the upper helm as well. I don't see a present need for a second radio, but as these waters get busier, that will change.
koliver is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2015, 07:28 PM   #42
Master and Commander
 
markpierce's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
About 20 percent of the time, we hear someone calling out for a radio check on channel 16. Usually someone responds they did a "dirty deed." Why they couldn't call a marina or whoever to confirm the radio works? Or maybe call a bridge tender to "brighten" his day?
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
markpierce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2015, 08:00 PM   #43
Guru
 
JDCAVE's Avatar
 
City: North Vancouver
Vessel Name: Phoenix Hunter
Vessel Model: Kadey Krogen 42 (1985)
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,877
Quote:
Originally Posted by markpierce View Post
About 20 percent of the time, we hear someone calling out for a radio check on channel 16. Usually someone responds they did a "dirty deed." Why they couldn't call a marina or whoever to confirm the radio works? Or maybe call a bridge tender to "brighten" his day?

In Canada the correct approach is to contact coast guard on a working-channel, usually 83A to request a radio check. CG is fine with that.


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
JDCAVE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2015, 09:46 PM   #44
Veteran Member
 
Rivertrader's Avatar
 
City: Myrtle Beach, SC
Vessel Name: Bottomtime III
Vessel Model: 1974 Fales 32 Navigator
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 55
I also use a M604 as the primary because it has a stronger speaker than most other radios. On my secondary radio I also have a small U size AGM battery which is mounted above the bilge line and a separate gps connected to it and the same MMSI programed in it.

John
Rivertrader is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 11:46 AM   #45
Guru
 
JDCAVE's Avatar
 
City: North Vancouver
Vessel Name: Phoenix Hunter
Vessel Model: Kadey Krogen 42 (1985)
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2,877
A second radio for the helm

The following units are on sale at the Vancouver boat show: Icom M324 with GPS is $240 and the unit without is $195. The Standard Horizon GX1300 $175 and GX1700 with GPS is $276. All prices in Cdn funds. I'm leaning towards the Icom units.

Is there an advantage to having GPS on these units if you already have several GPS receivers on the boat? How hard is it for the newbie electronics guy to connect GPS with NMEA 183?


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
JDCAVE is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 12:09 PM   #46
Guru
 
River Cruiser's Avatar
 
City: UMR MM283
Vessel Name: Northern Lights II
Vessel Model: Bayliner 3870
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,357
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDCAVE View Post
The following units are on sale at the Vancouver boat show: Icom M324 with GPS is $240 and the unit without is $195. The Standard Horizon GX1300 $175 and GX1700 with GPS is $276. I'm leaning towards the Icom units.

Is there an advantage to having GPS on these units if you already have several GPS receivers on the boat? How hard is it for the newbie electronics guy to connect GPS with NMEA 183?


Jim
Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum

I found it to be pretty easy to make the NMEA 0183 connections, I solder and heat shrink.


Sent from my iPad using Trawler Forum
__________________
Ron on Northern Lights II
I don't like making plans for the day because the word "premeditated" gets thrown around in the courtroom.
River Cruiser is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 01:26 PM   #47
Guru
 
City: Full Time Cruising East Coast
Vessel Name: Meridian
Vessel Model: Krogen-42
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,014
or use small terminal strip
Attached Images
 
__________________
-------------------------
Terry
Meridian
KK-42097
meridian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 01:48 PM   #48
Senior Member
 
Tolly Roger's Avatar
 
City: Tsawwassen BC
Vessel Name: Tolly Roger
Vessel Model: Tollycraft 34 SC
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 116
Can the iCom unit with built in GPS read the satellites if it's mounted in the pilot house or does it need to be "open to the sky"?

Maybe better to get the non-gps unit and hook it up to your chartplotter.

As stated it's straight forward (and I agree with the terminal strips.)
__________________
Tolly Roger
1983 Tollycraft 34SC
www.tollyroger.com
Tolly Roger is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 02:00 PM   #49
Guru
 
City: Melbourne, FL
Join Date: Dec 2014
Posts: 1,731
Quote:
Originally Posted by markpierce View Post
About 20 percent of the time, we hear someone calling out for a radio check on channel 16. Usually someone responds they did a "dirty deed." Why they couldn't call a marina or whoever to confirm the radio works? Or maybe call a bridge tender to "brighten" his day?
Why not use SeaTow's automated radio check?


Automated Radio Check Service uses one of VHF Channels 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 84. Simply tune your radio to the proper channel for your community.
Conduct a radio check as you normally would.
Upon releasing the mic, the system will replay your transmission, letting you hear how you sound.

https://www.seatow.com/tools-and-edu...ed-radio-check

If you're out of range, how do you know if you're out of range or your radio is broken
stubones99 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 02:24 PM   #50
TF Site Team
 
FlyWright's Avatar
 
City: California Delta
Vessel Name: FlyWright
Vessel Model: 1977 Marshall Californian 34 LRC
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 13,728
AFAIK, we don't have that service out here on the Left Coast. We have Vessel Assist, not SeaTow.
__________________
My boat is my ark. It's my mobile treehouse and my floating fishing cabin. It's my retreat and my respite. Everyday I thank God I have a boat! -Al FJB

@DeltaBridges - 25 Delta Bridges in 25 Days
FlyWright is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-21-2016, 02:29 PM   #51
Guru
 
C lectric's Avatar
 
City: Gibsons, B.C., Canada
Vessel Name: Island Pride
Vessel Model: Palmer 32'
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 4,414
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tolly Roger View Post
Can the iCom unit with built in GPS read the satellites if it's mounted in the pilot house or does it need to be "open to the sky"?

Maybe better to get the non-gps unit and hook it up to your chartplotter.

As stated it's straight forward (and I agree with the terminal strips.)


I have the S.H. GX1700 with built in GPS rather than the Icom. However, I believe your considered VHF should also be able to be fitted with an external GPS antenna or be connected through NMEA to an existing GPS if you have one.
My S.H. is mounted inside my salon at my steering station so it has the cabin structure AND an aluminum tank right overhead. As far as I can tell the radio has NO trouble figuring out where we are.

Ask about the external antenna just in case but I'll hazard that your VHF will work just fine inside without the external antenna.
C lectric is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 03:04 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012