2 way radio for on deck

Hi there , any good info on what type of 2 - way radio for deck work ( need about 4 radios ) and what range can I expect to get

Thanks

Andy

Since you're not in the USA, any information I might provide would not be valid in your country. Each country has its own regulations.

fresh from a site in Scotland..only took a couple seconds to find....Icom makes a good radio. Check out the other models. I would check about the typical American FRS (Family Radio Service ) type handhelds as they are dirt cheap, come with voice activated headsets but I'm not sure these are allowed by your Comminications Agency. There are marine grade setups but usually more money for not much more in quality until you get into the real high end stuff.

Two Way Radio: ICOM PMR446
Professional PMR446 Licence Free Two Way Radio
The IC-F27SR professional Licence Free Two Way Radio is the successor to the best selling IC-F25SR and retains the simplicity, functionality and build that made the original so popular. However, there have been some big improvements including a smaller and lighter body, 800mW loud and intelligible audio, built-in VOX function and several new scanning and security features. To top it off, the IC-F27SR includes highly efficient circuitry that provides up to a massive 35.5 hours of operating time with the supplied BP-265 2000mAh Lithium-Ion battery pack.

Hand-free models seem the most desirable. That way there is still one hand each for boat and self.

markpierce said:

Hand-free models seem the most desirable. That way there is still one hand each for boat and self.

Click to expand...

Agree. We purchased the "Eartec Simultalk 24G Multi-Station Wireless System". Wasn't necessary on our sailboat, but invaluable on the trawler.

Mike

Hands-free devices work well with the family radios (FRS), BUT/BUT/BUT...

There's a time delay before the voice activation (VOX) kicks in. We find it helpful to start every sentence with 1...2...3...stuff and more stuff. The count cadence at least lets the listener know they heard the whole stuff, or how much they may have missed.

Also, these are simplex radios, if that matters, so your radio procedure would need to take that into account.

Eartec offers some full duplex systems; maybe others. Don't know about frequency usage in various jurisdictions.

-Chris

Bluetooth paired Android phones.

Northern Spy said:

Bluetooth paired Android phones.

Click to expand...

Can you please expand on this statement.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler

I've got a couple of old Android phones, Motorola Defy, that you can join via any of the numerous walkie talkie aps out there. Use with an earphone, microphone headset or earpiece, and you are set.

They also have chartplotters built in too.

I guess I could use them with our Nexus phones as well.

Get a baofeng uv 5r plus, use it on PMR 446 frequencies.
search baofeng uv 5r review plus my login name, I recently did a review on my blog.
I'm using mine for the last few months and will leave anything in its wake for value vs money.

This radio looks like a portable VHF. You will have to push the Talk button to transmit? Right?

I have been looking at full Duplex radios that start transmitting the moment you switch them on. This way the person on deck (me) can use both hands handling lines and still speak to the helmsperson (Admiral).

The Eartec Simultalk 24G will handle two sets talking to each other continously. If you need three or more stations, the Eartec Comstar will handle up to 8 stations on the air at the same time. The Simultalk 24 G will set you back a few hunded bucks. The Comstar is priced at more than two thousand $$$ depending on number of stations!!

I have had the Eartec for a few years. They work very good and they have great customer service.
Also reasonably priced for voice activate radios.

Sent from my iPad using Trawler

Try one

sdrformariners said:

Get a baofeng uv 5r plus, use it on PMR 446 frequencies.
search baofeng uv 5r review plus my login name, I recently did a review on my blog.
I'm using mine for the last few months and will leave anything in its wake for value vs money.

Click to expand...

I second that. These radios are inexpensive, good quality items. They are easily programmed to almost any countries no-license frequency. Just make sure to get the programming cable as well.