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13 August 2012, 09:40
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#1
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Northwest
Make: Humber
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 79
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New handheld VHF required.
All
Would appreciate some help in selecting a new VHF. Don't want to spend an absolute fortune, but want something that gives us peace of mind and is robust enough for the amateur boater on a weekend or for the two weeks annual holiday.
Theres lots to choose from so its a bit mind boggling.
Any advice/ personnal experience would be gladly recieved.
Cheers
Scott
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13 August 2012, 11:06
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#2
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 86
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Cobra MR HH125 is a great radio.
Started off boating a few years back but recently purchased great new rib. Didnt want to spend to much on a vhf so I went onto eBay to have a look. The cobra got fantastic reviews and I must say its brilliant. It just does the job which is what you need and I have used it well so it also seems reliable. They all do the same job but some have more features than others but if you just want a good, reliable VHF then the cobra will be prefect!
Csjukes
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13 August 2012, 11:24
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#3
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: South Yorks
Boat name: Black Pig
Make: Ribcraft
Length: 5m +
Engine: DF140a
MMSI: 235111389
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,178
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Icom M71 ther's also a DSC variant if you want to spend a bit more. Quality gear.
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Rule#2: Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level & then beat you with experience.
Rule#3: Tha' can't educate pork.
Rule#4: Don't feed the troll
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13 August 2012, 12:07
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#4
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Member
Country: UK - N Ireland
Town: Rostrevor
Boat name: Ricochet
Make: Redbay
Length: 7m +
Engine: Twin F115 Yams
MMSI: 235083269
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 930
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pikey Dave
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+ 1 
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Maximum Preparation - Maximum Fun
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13 August 2012, 12:10
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#5
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: New Milton
Boat name: Jianna
Make: Osprey
Length: 6m +
Engine: 200 E-TEC
MMSI: 235076954
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,940
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Quote:
Originally Posted by csjukes
Cobra MR HH125 is a great radio.
Started off boating a few years back but recently purchased great new rib. Didnt want to spend to much on a vhf so I went onto eBay to have a look. The cobra got fantastic reviews and I must say its brilliant. It just does the job which is what you need and I have used it well so it also seems reliable. They all do the same job but some have more features than others but if you just want a good, reliable VHF then the cobra will be prefect!
Csjukes
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Mmm. 3 posts and recommending kit ................. 
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Ian
Dust creation specialist
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13 August 2012, 12:14
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#6
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: New Milton
Boat name: Jianna
Make: Osprey
Length: 6m +
Engine: 200 E-TEC
MMSI: 235076954
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,940
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Not that I can recommend any kit, but you mention your 2 weeks annual holiday. If like me, you are usually away from civilisation for parts of that time battery life may well be an important consideration. From what I have seen the DSC functionality does seriously affect battery life.
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Ian
Dust creation specialist
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13 August 2012, 12:45
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#7
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Northwest
Make: Humber
Length: 5m +
Engine: Merc 60
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 79
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Battery life is not so much an issue as we take the old tin top with us which has a nice big solar panel stuck to the roof. An inverter takes care of most of our charging needs.
Reliabilty is the key as I have kids on board and we are now looking at doing longer day cruises as well as the more usual fishing/ playing about with the ringo etc.
Cheers
Scott
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13 August 2012, 13:55
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#8
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: South Yorks
Boat name: Black Pig
Make: Ribcraft
Length: 5m +
Engine: DF140a
MMSI: 235111389
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 12,178
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Quote:
Originally Posted by csjukes
..........................then the cobra will be prefect!
Csjukes
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If it's so good, I'm suprised they don't make it Head Girl 
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Rule#2: Never argue with an idiot. He'll drag you down to his level & then beat you with experience.
Rule#3: Tha' can't educate pork.
Rule#4: Don't feed the troll
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13 August 2012, 14:00
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Aug 2012
Posts: 86
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Its a 'class' above its similarly priced competitors!
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13 August 2012, 14:24
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#10
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Member
Country: UK - Wales
Length: no boat
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 1,012
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The ICOM M33 holds a great charge, and its buoyant, I clip mine on my LG so if fall in, I can still use it.
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13 August 2012, 17:07
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#11
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Member
Country: USA
Town: NorCal
Boat name: SHARKY
Make: AB
Length: 4m +
Engine: Honda BF75 & BF5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 2,108
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I carry a handheld equipped with DSC these days. Safety to me is being able to call our Coast Guard and fellow boaters right to my GPS location with the push of a button.
Can't recommend a specific radio though. I have an Icom with DSC for my fix mounted unit.
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13 August 2012, 17:20
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#12
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RIBnet admin team
Country: UK - England
Town: The wilds of Wiltshire
Boat name: Dominator
Make: SR5.4
Length: 7m +
Engine: Yam 85
MMSI: 235055163
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,069
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Cobra gear is awful.
Go for Standard Horizon or Icom if you can. My M71 has taken a lot of beating in 5 years.
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13 August 2012, 17:48
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#13
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: NW& wherever the boat is!
Boat name: depends on m'mood!
Make: Humbers/15-24m cats
Length: 6m +
Engine: etec130/big volvos
MMSI: many and various
Join Date: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,816
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Quote:
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Go for Standard Horizon or Icom if you can. My M71 has taken a lot of beating in 5 years.
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+1 
my coastguard issue Icom lasted years, great battery life and was still good when handed back in. Been covered in mud, dunked in sea, dropped out of the vehicle and regularly washed off with a hosepipe. Never a problem.
Buy cheap and you'll end up buying twice - unless of course you don't go near the sea.
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13 August 2012, 18:50
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#14
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Member
Country: UK - Wales
Make: XS // Delta
Length: 6m +
Engine: 60hp // 2x90hp
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 213
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I'd +1 for the Icom M71.
Great bit of kit, and battery life is great.
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13 August 2012, 19:02
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#15
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Member
Country: UK - England
Town: Ashton-under-Lyne Lancs
Boat name: IMOGEN
Make: Air-Craft 5.4
Length: 5m +
Engine: Suzuki df70a
MMSI: 235087492
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 7,078
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M71
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Member of S.A.B.S. (Lancashire Division)
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13 August 2012, 19:26
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#16
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RIBnet admin team
Country: UK - Scotland
Boat name: imposter
Make: FunYak
Length: 3m +
Engine: Tohatsu 30HP
MMSI: 235089819
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 11,632
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Quote:
Originally Posted by csjukes
It just does the job which is what you need and I have used it well so it also seems reliable.
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Your advice is at odds with the generally perceived wisdom in these parts on Cobra compatability with Ribbing. They might be fine as a backup tucked up the cabin of a yacht but bounced around and sprayed with water perhaps not...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ian M
Mmm. 3 posts and recommending kit ................. |
Well of course even new members might have useful experience to share! Nothing to say that new comers don't have a wealth of experience outside rib net - but everyone needs to treat all recommendations with suspicion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by buzzin hornet
Reliabilty is the key as I have kids on board and we are now looking at doing longer day cruises as well as the more usual fishing/ playing about with the ringo etc.
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I wonder if a fixed VHF might be more appropriate. (A handheld is a useful addition even then).
Quote:
Originally Posted by wavelength
Buy cheap and you'll end up buying twice - unless of course you don't go near the sea.
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Nah I had a cobra h/held that started randomly transmitting before it had ever been on a boat! Its replacement leaked!
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13 August 2012, 19:46
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#17
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Member
Country: UK - Channel Islands
Town: Alderney
Length: no boat
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,047
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Icom do make a good radio, but in value for money terms the Standard Horizons just nip in ahead. Their build quality per pound is outstanding. You can expect to get a solid radio for a smidge over 100 quid.
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13 August 2012, 20:00
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#18
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Member
Country: UK - Wales
Town: N. Pembrokeshire
Boat name: Various
Make: RIBs & Hovercraft
Length: 9m +
Engine: Outboards
MMSI: Various
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,358
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Channel Ribs
Icom do make a good radio, but in value for money terms the Standard Horizons just nip in ahead. Their build quality per pound is outstanding. You can expect to get a solid radio for a smidge over 100 quid.
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13 August 2012, 20:03
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#19
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Member
Country: Ireland
Make: Zodiac Mk I
Length: 3m +
Engine: 15 hp Yam two stroke
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 728
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Icom,as good as you will get.They are expensive,but will not let you down.
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13 August 2012, 21:32
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#20
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RIBnet admin team
Country: UK - England
Town: The wilds of Wiltshire
Boat name: Dominator
Make: SR5.4
Length: 7m +
Engine: Yam 85
MMSI: 235055163
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 13,069
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I've got both a Standard Horizon HX270 and an Icom M71. I've had the Icom 5 years and the SH 2 years.
I'd choose the M71 personally, simply because after 5 years it's still holding charge like new and has a tether on it whereas the SH doesn't so it has to live in a pocket or on a holder.
__________________
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Please click HERE and HERE and support our Trade Members.
Join up as a Trade member or Supporter HERE
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