VHF, Antenna and mounts

actions · 04 August 2011, 19:17

Hi all,

Ok, I have a handheld VHF, Icom M33, but i've found that the range is not brilliant

. For example when leaving the harbour i try and do a radio check with the coastguard but get no repsonse. The rib i normally go out with has a fixed Icom M411 and they get an instant repsonse. I'm guessing my 5w handheld and short aerial just doesnt cover the distance. So......

I'm looking at the M411, antenna and mounting system for the transom. Channel Ribs on here has kindly provided a quote of £196 ex Vat for the radio, pro mount, antenna and a 1" diameter stainless pole with transom fixings. Basically everything i need to set up a fixed radio.

My question is, is this the best route to go to get better reception and does anyone have any pics of a stainless pole and aerial option so i can see how it all looks. I dont have an a-frame you see.

I wouldnt bother with a fixed set but now we are sometimes ribbing out to 15 miles offshore i want to have best reception for safety reasons.

Any thoughts welcome

Cheers, Matt.

Channel Ribs · 04 August 2011, 19:19

Erin · 04 August 2011, 19:43

You will benefit two fold. Firstly by having a 25w radio transmission and also by having a much more effective aerial. There is no alternative I can think of than getting a fixed set. Having said that, I am very surprised your local coastguard can't hear you (or you can't hear them) They obviously have very large aerials and powerful sets. 5w is still pretty powerful in terms of local transmission.

actions · 04 August 2011, 19:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Erin

You will benefit two fold. Firstly by having a 25w radio transmission and also by having a much more effective aerial. There is no alternative I can think of than getting a fixed set. Having said that, I am very surprised your local coastguard can't hear you (or you can't hear them) They obviously have very large aerials and powerful sets. 5w is still pretty powerful in terms of local transmission.

Every now and again i can pick them up, but its very hit and miss. We have had our boats side by side and can hear them broadcasting on the fixed set but get nothing on my handheld but then sometimes they come through on both.

treerat · 04 August 2011, 19:59

Used to have the ariel on the side on the consol, worked pretty well - no need for a pole then.

actions · 04 August 2011, 20:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by treerat

Used to have the ariel on the side on the consol, worked pretty well - no need for a pole then.

I did think of mounting it somewhere else, but think it would look better and not get in the way if its on the transom.

SPR · 04 August 2011, 21:51

just a question, do you adjust your sqlech? so it is at lowest without noise?

regards

actions · 04 August 2011, 22:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

just a question, do you adjust your sqlech? so it is at lowest without noise?

regards

Hmmmmm. Just checked it, and the squelch was set at 6, so lowered it to 1, any lower (off) and it squelches away. Did my VHF course at the beggning of this year and cant remeber this be mentioned?

SPR · 04 August 2011, 22:05

squelch alters the wave form of VHF radio, too much will weaken/distort the wave signal, hence lower range.

I teach squelch on my radio courses.

S.

captnjack · 04 August 2011, 22:05

If you are not receiving from the coast guard side-by-side with a fixed mount...

The antenna on the handheld is probably bad.

actions · 04 August 2011, 22:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

squelch alters the wave form of VHF radio, too much will weaken/distort the wave signal, hence lower range.

I teach squelch on my radio courses.

S.

Thankyou for that, we are heading out tommorrow on the ribs so will try a test call with a lower squelch. Just looked squelch up and seen exactly what its use is. Really didnt cover this on the course, strange. Thanks for the info.

willk · 04 August 2011, 22:10

The CG get a lot of this, squelch up or volume down - all part of a days work.

One night earlier in the season I was listening to a grounded WAFI calling the CG for urgent assistance. They were asking him all sorts but no reply. They had a rough fix on him and launched the RNLI to locate and assist (that was seven men out of bed)

His volume was off (to stop that irritating chit chat)

actions · 04 August 2011, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

The CG get a lot of this, squelch up or volume down - all part of a days work.

One night earlier in the season I was listening to a grounded WAFI calling the CG for urgent assistance. They were asking him all sorts but no reply. They had a rough fix on him and launched the RNLI to locate and assist (that was seven men out of bed)

His volume was off (to stop that irritating chit chat)

I bet they do....... Luckily whenever i have tried to call them for a test call i have always done it next to the other ribs i go out with so if they do reply at least one of us will hear them, just for that very reason. The last thing i would want is to cause a search.

actions · 04 August 2011, 22:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by actions

I bet they do....... Luckily whenever i have tried to call them for a test call i have always done it next to the other ribs i go out with so if they do reply at least one of us will hear them, just for that very reason. The last thing i would want is to cause a search.

Just read the "might have to adjust the squelch each time you turn it on" comment in the manual.

. why o why did this not get covered. Oh well, good old rib net.

So should i still get a fixed set them? Channel Ribs, i know what your reply will be

SPR · 04 August 2011, 22:25

I would buy a PLB Fastfind 210 instead, of fix VHF unless you going to Connect it up to GPS etc, so the DSC functions work fully.

or if your always in a group , buy petrol!

regards

S.

SPR · 04 August 2011, 22:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by actions

Just read the "might have to adjust the squelch each time you turn it on" comment in the manual.

. why o why did this not get covered. Oh well, good old rib net.

So should i still get a fixed set them? Channel Ribs, i know what your reply will be

you might need to adjust squelch during the day...up or down, I an habit of checking squelch before broadcasting if not used radio for a while....

I always get students to play with squelch on courses, to the point they start checking before transmitting...

regards

S.

actions · 04 August 2011, 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

I would buy a PLB Fastfind 210 instead, of fix VHF unless you going to Connect it up to GPS etc, so the DSC functions work fully.

or if your always in a group , buy petrol!

regards

S.

I'm liking the petrol option

.

Well, i shall try the radio tommorrow and see what happens. There's normally at least two ribs, sometimes 3. but come the winter its 9 times out of 10 me in a dry suit and millions of base layers...

I do have a GPS which does have other ports on the back of it. Oh choices choices.

GJ0KYZ · 04 August 2011, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

squelch alters the wave form of VHF radio, too much will weaken/distort the wave signal, hence lower range.

I teach squelch on my radio courses.

S.

I don't think that's quite right. A squelch circuit in an FM receiver sets a threshold that a signal needs to exceed in order to unmute the audio. The reason why weak transmissions break up when the squelch is 'on' is that they will occasionally drop below the signal threshold and so become temporarily inaudible.

GJ0KYZ · 04 August 2011, 22:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPR

I would buy a PLB Fastfind 210 instead, of fix VHF unless you going to Connect it up to GPS etc, so the DSC functions work fully.

or if your always in a group , buy petrol!

regards

S.

That's insane advice, surely? If the guy's 15 miles out to sea, a hand-held tx is unlikely to raise the CG; only a 25w fixed set with a decent antenna will guarantee communication at that range. An EPIRB is fine as an additional safety measure but a reliable radio is more important in my book; you can't talk to the CG or other vessels and update them of your situation with a PLB.

SPR · 04 August 2011, 23:12

an Ariel mount at 1metre will contact a shorebased station at 15 nautical miles.

Fixing a VHF is an option, but my comment is if he is always in group...you have safety in numbers...

A PLB is good if the when all goes wrong, a DSC Fix VHF radio is worth it weight in gold if GPS is fitted to it - Press the Red Button.

We communicate with 5 watt, radios from ranges along the coast greater than 15 miles to Forth Coastguard.

Power Does not govern the range of a VHF signal but is the height of Ariel.

I carry a handheld, a Fixed Radio and PLB on my 5.5 metre RIB, but i have A Frame.

Regards

S.