Bargain priced VHF ?????

matiboy · 02 January 2003, 20:13

see the attached link to online sales

http://www.uniden.com/docs/store/ite...rodcatselect=7

Just before Christmas in a rush of blood I bunged my credit card in the puter and a parcel promtly arrived in the post not long later containing a white model mc1020

cost me aprox 70 quid including postage

These are yank returned new units, they look excellent on the mantlepiece and the kids love playing with it

as I'll probably never get around to fitting it for 6 months I cannot report on wether this was a good idea or not, perhaps I should have gone for one of the handhelds which do look a bargain ?

I'm sure the white colour will match my console superbly if they ever get to meet each other

Incidently, came straight through the post no mention of customs duty ?

Oh I now need an arial, but as these cost in the Uk almost what I payed for this unit I'll wait until i can pick up a better price than 50 quid at the chandlers

Please all note my wanted ad for arial in ads section,

anybody totally bored and fancies fitting a vhf into my rib in Fareham area please feel free to help yourself

matiboy · 02 January 2003, 20:17

Oh and please some clever clogs dont tell me it wont work in the UK or something else trivual like that ! LOL

That would totally destroy me and I would become the latest Ribnet laughing stock

Manos · 02 January 2003, 20:33

Great site. Has very good bargains and already placed an order. Much much cheeper than LBS

CHEERS

matiboy · 02 January 2003, 20:34

better looking than mine and costs 45 quid !

As supplied by Trotters independent traders !

Scotty · 02 January 2003, 22:57

This may seem a very stupid question but as someone who is just about to order a VHF for the rib....... Are all vhf's weatherproof if you leave them behind on the boat in a marina situation......... you know what I mean.

Answers on a postcard etc.....

wavelength · 02 January 2003, 23:16

MATIBOY
Excellent site - thanks for the tip!!!

Jelly · 03 January 2003, 09:35

Greetings Matiboy
The American arm of the company I used to work for (just been RIF'd

)used the Uniden and Hummingbird radios in the work boats and FRC's offshore.
From memory the Uniden lasted a reasonable length of time.
The Hummingbird has a great warrentee if in the USA, they die after a while but if you call them up there's a replacement at the dock waiting for you!! Any where else in the world float test it with a sinker they are not a great radio in the quality RF sence, but you can't beat the price and service.
Have you looked at the Standard.
Both are weatherproof not waterproof, as with all equipment don't let water sit on the unit as atmospheric changes can suck it past the seals. Unless you've visited DS Developments or the like.
Most will go to international settings instead of USA/CAN using a button press combination.
Have fun, I'll stick to the Icom
Jelly

John Kennett · 03 January 2003, 10:41

Matiboy

Do make sure that it has an option to switch to International channels as the VHF channels used in the US are not quite the same. They are, however, close enough to fool you into thinking it is working -- right up until you need to transmit!

Scotty

Not all VHFs are weatherproof. Don't assume that it will be unless is specifically says so! Most weatherproof units (and even some "waterproof" ones) are only ptotected on the front so make sure it's mounted into a console where it will be reasonably dry.

Until a few years ago the Humminbird used to be the only real choice for RIBs as there were no other reasonably priced waterproof VHFs. The weatherproofing on them is OK, but the receive and transmit quality is pretty dire. I wouldn't buy one again. The Navico/Simrad VHFs look good, although pricy.

John

matiboy · 03 January 2003, 12:20

with this sort of unit it will be quickly detachable from its mounting which was also supplied, with plugs for wire detachment

clearly you would need to detach the unit when leaving boat, for both theft reasons and no it will not be waterproof / condensation proof

I always detach all the console electronics and bung into the lockable console, cant see the point of having phone, vhf, fish finder and gps knicked when you go for a spot of lunch !

but hopefully a bit of a bargain

JK

I emailed company prior to ordering and they assured me it could be used in the uk, si time will tell ?

whitingiom · 03 January 2003, 23:18

Seeing as I've just passed my VHF licence course, I'd better think about a fixed set (I had a handheld from my sailing days).

Are these £70 sets worth a punt? I bought my GPS from a dealer in Alabama a couple of years ago and that's great.

Could anyone who tests one of these Unidens or Solaras put a test report on the site.

Cheers

wavelength · 03 January 2003, 23:24

we've got a uniden h/h set - different model though see reply on buy and sell under vhf antennas

matiboy · 04 January 2003, 10:06

Hmm thought I got away with tax bit on this purchase, bill came through the post this morning for 19 quid vat

vat seemed to be picked up through fedex system, but no other import duty

So total purchase price 90 quid

wavelength · 04 January 2003, 18:41

oh well-think positive, still a bargain.

crazyhorse · 05 January 2003, 21:38

Well I bought a icom 503Euro with dsc.It was purchased in the u.k as it needed a U.K mmsi number.It was cheaper in the states but couldnt get the European model

.And if i had then they would not give me a mmsi number that I could program into this set.
So what Im saying is be careful on purchasing vhf from another country as you may not be able to register it as a vhf set for the liscence you need to operate it with in the U.K.

It is the same for ssb.as at present the icom 802 whillst available
in the states cant be used on a European boat.Icom are bringing out the 801euro which has ledgeslation for use and is C.E. marked for europeam use.?

Good luck Bargain hunters.

J.K The simrad is a good set,but not sure weather you can recieve DSC whilst transmitting,therefore I went for Icom 503 as it has two ariels so as to be able to recieve dsc imfo and transmit at the same time.

Crazyhorse

wavelength · 06 January 2003, 21:23

those on the site and the subject of the thread were non dsc-no problems obtaining licence. The early dsc sets available in boaters world and other american boating supermarkets when we last looked over there included some very iffy looking distress button covers that quite literally fell off when we prodded them and I would not risk the spec or the mmsi complications. We bought a non dsc icom fixed set which was dearer than the dsc sets on display.
The previous owner of our little searider told me that his humminbird vhf had come from the states in his suitcase one trip. When it went wrong (now there's a suprise!) it went to uk agents for repair and came back sporting a "CE" sticker on the back of the casing!

crazyhorse · 06 January 2003, 21:58

Are you saying that one can use none ce marked sets or that they will be upgraded to ce marked status after a repaire.Or that these sets are ok for use in a open rib and that they will be supplied with a mmsi number if required.I.e they are legal over here and that it is ok to use them legaly.?

In my opinion besides the boat and life aids the most important piece of kit is your vhf.

I would not dream of trying to do this on the cheap.

Crazyhorse?

crazyhorse · 06 January 2003, 22:21

I will look into this as a set that may not work is a danger and no matter how many get upset by my comments then if it stops one person buying a set that doesnt work when it matters and be most needed then it is worth while.

I will let you know weather the sets are legal and weather there will be any problems using them on a u.k boat.Legaly and what the script is liscence and ce marking..

If everything is ok then either way I will report back my findings.

Crazyhorse

wavelength · 06 January 2003, 22:28

I'm saying exactly what I said in the reply. that the RCA will issue a licence for a non dsc set cos they do not ask for details of what the set is.
I said I would not get a dsc set from america cos there may be difficulties with the mmsi.
The anecdote about the CE mark is just that - a story about an event that happened and made the owner of the radio laugh a little.

Whilst we are at it there seems to be some confusion over the CE mark. The ce mark is applied by the manufacturer or first importer into the community, to show that he has taken steps to ensure, and has compiled a technical file to show, that the article complies with any european directives which are relevant to that item, be it a boat, a toy, personal protective equipment, medical device, low voltage electrical equipment etc. etc..It is only confirmation of that. It is not type approval for the RCA, it is simply coincidental that radio equipment is also subject to the electro magnetic compatability directive.
How did we ever survive growing up with the perils of this world without european directives? What with lead soldiers, the sharp edges on tin toy cars, and non ce marked boats I should have been dead years ago.

crazyhorse · 06 January 2003, 22:45

Are you saying that the rca will issue a liscence for a none approved set?Is this set approved?

I agree that ce marking is a real pain and that it does not mean that the equipment is good for its intended purpose.

But are you saying that these sets can be used over here.It is not a trick question as untill I ring the radio communications agency and find out I genuinly dont know.Everything may be hunky dory and you may of found a real bargain.What I am saying is I personaly would be carefull with bargains with re constituted american vhf sets maybe none ce marked and wetherproof? on ribs.

Thats my point and as far as legals go ,I will comment on that when I can get the imfo.

Cheers crazyhorse

crazyhorse · 07 January 2003, 16:58

Its taking some time as Im told that the mca have the list of approved vhf sets.Rca have said that they run a check on the liscence to make sure that a set conforms.It may have a wheel mark on it as well as a ce mark,evidently a ce mark is not a guarantee that a set conformes with type approval.

The good news is the that a common garden cane out of the garden and some sticky tape to attach the set to the garden cane,and a felt tip pen can be used in the meantime to display the Distress flag,bye attaching the set to the top of the garden cane and waving it about to attract attention to you if your in distress.

Thats the good news I will let you know weather the set is legal in the mean time.

All the best Bargain hunters