There are many factors that should be considered when purchasing a VHF marine band radio and luckily a wide range of models and manufacturers exist today. Marine radio are a necessity for the safety off shore boating, a requirement of most fishing tournaments, to receive weather alerts, or just to communicate with other boaters. In this article we will review a list of features that you should consider when choosing a VHF marine radio.
The first step in purchasing a VHF marine radio is to decide whether you need a handheld vhf marine radio or a fixed mounting style marine radio. In most cases a fixed mount style radio can transmit up to 25 watts of power while most handheld radios are limited to 5 watts of power. A fixed mount radio will also most often utilize a higher gain antenna. which extends both the transmitting range and receiving range of the radio. With this being said there are still applications that a handheld radio are best suited for. A couple of examples would be if your dropping friends off on a beach location a larger river such as the Mississippi River and if a marine radio is to be used from a smaller boat where you just don’t want to go through the installation process.
The next step is to consider the geographic location where the marine radio will be used. As there are frequencies or channels designated for the USA, Canada, and international waters you will of course want the proper channel capability when navigating outside of the USA. Many higher end radios will support all three, but there is no need to spend the extra money if these channel capabilities are not needed.
The number of channels that a vhf marine radio can monitor is also an important consideration. Both channel 16 and channels 9 are two important emergency channels that most individuals will be interest in. Many radios will also have a scanning capability of selection channels.
Having the choice to select between different power output ratings is also an important feature whether you are purchasing a fixed style radio or a handheld radio. When operating a handheld radio being able to switch between 1 watt and 5 watt power output can significantly improve battery life.
Another consideration is the amount of N.O.A.A emergency/weather channels a radio can receive. Most vhf radios will receive at least one channel but multiple channel capability can be important for national and regional weather information.
The display of a marine radio can also be another important consideration. Having to view the display from a limited distance or certain angle can get to be real hassle on the water. A good sized display that is bright is most desired. Also be sure the display is back lit for easy reading at night.
Since you will be using your radio outdoors be sure it meets JIS7 standards meaning it can be submersed in water for 30 minutes and still work. This is very important as a vhf marine radio is often used in case of emergencies.