Perhaps the best friend you can take with you on your commercial or recreational boat is your VHF Marine Radio. It is the most versatile communication system available for boating. Help calls can be heard 25 or more miles out, or more with SSB units. VHF Marine Radio SSB models have 50 to 150 watts output power. These are weather friendly units, built for possible immersion experiences.
At the Marine Electronics Center we offer you the choice from handheld VHF radios, marine VHF, portable or fixed mount marine VHF radios. Options include NOAA weather channels, weather alert, alarm signals, and boat to boat calling features. At the Marine Electronics Center you will find only top quality VHF Marine Radio brands from Uniden, Icom, Midland,ACR, Cobra and Raymarine. We are always looking for the newest VHF Marine Radios & SSB Radio technology.
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Eagle and Lowrance products cannot be shipped outside of U.S.A. or Canada.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS REGARDING VHF MARINE AND SSB RADIO SYSTEMS
Is there a preference for hand held or fixed mount VHF radios ?
Answer = If you are going to be using your VHF radio continously or require maximum range you will want a fixed mount unit. Hand held VHF radios operate on approx 6 watts with a range of about 5 miles due to the short antenna. A fixed mount unit has a max output of 25 watts with a useful range of approx 20-25 miles; Antenna height is the key to range optimization.
What is DSC capability ?
Answer = Digital Selective Calling or "DSC" is similar to a mayday button on a VHF or SSB radio. When activated it automatically broadcasts an encoded distress call that will be picked up by other nearby vessels equipped with DSC. If the radio is interfaced with a Loran or GPS, it will also automatically broadcast the distressed vessels position. To use DSC you must obtain a MMSI (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) number. To obtain a MMSI number go to www.boatus.com/mmsi
How does an SSB radio differ from a VHF radio ?
Answer = SSB radio requires a large ground plane in order to radiate its signal. With SSB radios, antenna selection and installation is more complicated. SSB radios generally require a much longer antenna than VHFs and different antenna tuning for different bands.
