VHF vs UHF

[crazywalrus]

Hi I have to organize a Radio for the new boat. What should I get UHF or VHF and who has what?

What aerials do I require?

Thanks Ted

[ellicat]

27meg will do for where you are likely to go down here.

Otherwise, VHF as that is the most common radio offshore boaties use as well as Coast Guard etc.

I believe the UHF is a more recent introduction so will be less common.

Get the antenna when you get the radio. The taller the better coverage. Get it at the same time you get the radio - there are different antennas for 27MHz and VHF. I have a VHF that I am not using that you can have for now. Just need a new antenna.

You will need to do a course and get a Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency to operate your radio legally and dare I say it properly.

[aussie123]

Definitely get a VHF Ted

The old 27 meg is getting more redundant every year and most boats do not have an old 27 meg unit in them these days.

VHF units range up to 25 watts in power and with a good VHF arial can reach a great distance.

UHF is a totally different ball game and is mainly used on ships and larger commercial fishing boats that venture miles offshore to work.

Spend the extra few bucks and get a good quality 6 ft VHF arial or bigger if its not in the way on the boat and never use a splitter to run several radios off one arial.

[ellicat]

That's what I would have thought, Lance. However it was pretty hard to find a AFOer that had a VHF rather than a 27MHz. That's why I now have a 27 in the boat and a VHF on the shelf I'm sure Ted will have room for both anyway

[aussie123]

I thew my GME 27 meg in the bin about 8 weeks ago when I cleaned out the garage as well as the older GME VHF Seaphone which Telstra in their wisdom decided to axe the service.

For Ted who will be wanting to head well offshore at times with the bigger boat he will need a VHF,well very advisable to anyway.

[crazywalrus]

Thanks Guys - What is the issue with the Splitter?

what about this one

/>http://www.biasboating.com.au/product_p/0639x.htm

[tugger]

I have a 27 meg and is clearer when you want to talk to your mates close by vhf is good for distance but can be clear at times close by depends on the atmosphere alot of offshore boats put both in to have the best of both worlds. You will nead a license to operate the vhf legally and as ecat said compentantly you can get in a bit of trouble if you use the wrong band while the comercial boats are trying to converse. You can contact marine rescue vonluteers and water police on either radio

[Eug]

i'll be watching this thread with interest.

[crazywalrus]

I have a 27 meg and is clearer when you want to talk to your mates close by vhf is good for distance but can be clear at times close by depends on the atmosphere alot of offshore boats put both in to have the best of both worlds. You will nead a license to operate the vhf legally and as ecat said compentantly you can get in a bit of trouble if you use the wrong band while the comercial boats are trying to converse. You can contact marine rescue vonluteers and water police on either radio

Thanks Mark - Do I need a license for the 27meg as well?

[aussie123]

That will do the job just fine Ted and very cheap considering it also has AM and FM radio.

Splitters are prone to corrosion and can inhibit signal strength.

If you are far out to sea and something happens you need every bit of signal strength you can get from your radio/arial.

Unfortunately mobile phones are useless out at sea these days so we tend to heavily rely on marine radios again so they need to be operating at their best capacity.

Years ago we just used out CDMA phones which worked for us out to around 80 nm and never used a radio at all.

That radio will operate off the one arial for all the bands so its a good way to go.

[tugger]

No mate

I have a 27 meg and is clearer when you want to talk to your mates close by vhf is good for distance but can be clear at times close by depends on the atmosphere alot of offshore boats put both in to have the best of both worlds. You will nead a license to operate the vhf legally and as ecat said compentantly you can get in a bit of trouble if you use the wrong band while the comercial boats are trying to converse. You can contact marine rescue vonluteers and water police on either radio

Thanks Mark - Do I need a license for the 27meg as well?

[bootyinblue]

Slightly off the original topic but probably still relevant for when Ted wants to call up his fellow AFO's for a tow.

Can you converse between 27meg and VHF?

[ellicat]

No, Greg.

Not unless you are in the carpark standing between two boats with different radios :silly:

[Eug]

so basically it boils down to:

vhf for calling vmr

27meg for calling your mates

??

[ellicat]

No, Eug. You can call with either the 27Meg or the VHF. The VHF has a far superior range though and is used internationally.

From my place I could listen into the Mooloolaba boys reporting to each other on my VHF (with a broken areal tip). On the 27 I could sit there all year and hear nothing.

I'm pretty sure you wouldn't take your rig too far out and reckon the 27MHz would do you.

[aussie123]

so basically it boils down to:

vhf for calling vmr

27meg for calling your mates

VHF has around 55 channels and some are dedicated to emergency applications while others are used for fishing,charter operators ect.

There is a few channels used by rec anglers and the same principle applies to the standard 27 meg units.

27 meg is basically the older and cheaper technology which most people still have and VHF is better and much newer technology.

VHF is important because of the range that the radios reach compared to standard 27 meg radios plus VHF have a range of options you can have depending on the type of radio and amount you spend to buy one.

DSC is one of the main options used by boaties where the press of a button in an emergency situation can send your vessels MMSI number and also if capable your exact gps co-ords.

These features are not available in 27 meg units.

To give you an idea between units,on a few occasions I was called out to look for rec vessels and yatchies who were past their ETA times.

I was always called as I had the 72 nautical mile radar with the scanner sitting up about 10m above sea level and I could sea any vessels very clearly at around 60nm from my position in any sea conditions.

The majority of these vessels only had 27 meg units and were out of range of any VMR bases and other boats but were well within range if they had VHF radios onboard.

If they had VHF they would have been rescued many hours before hand with a quick radio call for assistance.

I'd like to see the radio laws similar to epirbs,if you want to go outside 2nm in offshore waters a VHF should be compulsory.

I am probably a bit more anal about safety equipment than most rec guys but it was always people like me that had to do the search and rescues and at times in horrific conditions that put my vessels and crew in danger.

I think if deciding on a piece of safety gear comes down to talking to a mate or saving your lives the latter should always win.

[the1fuzz]

Ted the radio you looked at from bia's is only a receiver,you should be looking at transceivers.

[ellicat]

Ted the radio you looked at from bia's is only a receiver,you should be looking at transceivers.

True ! Didn't look at the link. Although Ted talks so much that a receiver might be what everyone will wish he had after a day on the water :whistle: Just jokes - he hardly says boo.

In fact the last thing he said to me on/in the water was "Are you gonna help me back in ?" :woohoo: ROFL

[crazywalrus]

Ted the radio you looked at from bia's is only a receiver,you should be looking at transceivers.

True ! Didn't look at the link. Although Ted talks so much that a receiver might be what everyone will wish he had after a day on the water :whistle: Just jokes - he hardly says boo.

In fact the last thing he said to me on/in the water was "Are you gonna help me back in ?" :woohoo: ROFL

IN TO THE BOAT (after falling in planking on the motor)

Ted the radio you looked at from bia's is only a receiver,you should be looking at transceivers.

Thanks Mate - yeah I was chatting to Bias and had worked that out. Dam shame as it was cheap.

Hey Lance thanks for the info. I think I will get a VHF and do the course. I will also get a 27meg either new or second hand.

[aussie123]

You have time up your sleeve Ted till the new boat arrives so have a look on ebay america.

Radios are far cheaper over there,probably around half the price.

You can also get very cheap 27 megs off ebay.

/>http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Uniden-Solara-DSC-Marine-2-Way-VHF-Radio-White-/280778517120?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item415fb42a80

[Eug]

let me know if you track down a well priced 27 ted i'd be up for one.

[crazywalrus]

let me know if you track down a well priced 27 ted i'd be up for one.

will do

[crazywalrus]

http://www.biasboating.com.au/product_p/0633x.htm

these look ok

[Eug]

saw that one, add another $50-60 for antenna + fold down base. been looking around for a 'package' if available.

[woody1]

I recently got a radio for my boat. I dont go offshore and only plan to use it to listen to weather reports, or yell for help if need be. In the end I decided on VHF, mainly because I figure the 27meg will end up getting phased out down the track, it seems like some new boats are sold with a VHF and no 27meg.

The cheapest one out that lets you transmit is the GME GX600, and Whitworths has it $50 cheaper than anyone else. I got the whole steup for less than $300

/>https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=69798&intAbsolutePage=5

[crazywalrus]

I recently got a radio for my boat. I dont go offshore and only plan to use it to listen to weather reports, or yell for help if need be. In the end I decided on VHF, mainly because I figure the 27meg will end up getting phased out down the track, it seems like some new boats are sold with a VHF and no 27meg.

The cheapest one out that lets you transmit is the GME GX600, and Whitworths has it $50 cheaper than anyone else. I got the whole steup for less than $300

/>https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=69798&intAbsolutePage=5

That one is a good price.

I will probably get the Lowrance as it has the GPS link so if in trouble it can send a distress with GPS coordinates. Should be compatible with my Lowrance Sounder

/>http://www.biasboating.com.au/product_p/6252x.htm

[tugger]

They won't be phased out it just is another band of radio frequicy you have HF, VHF, 27meg and UHF. Its the length of radio wave that is the diference as in UHF the radio wave is steep and close together which bounces off the ionesphere and back to seas level close to where it started and does this until it is absorbed by the atmospere.

27meg is inbetween uhf and vhf so it is reletively steep and vhf the wave continues to get further apart which the radio wave can bounce back from the upper atmosphere less often over the same distance as the previous wave bands thus taking longer to be absorbed which will give it longer distance.

All of these radio bands have been around since they invented the radio practically the new technolgy on vhf which sends your details by satelite has been around for a while now as we have been using it on ships for over 10yrs now. Epirbs use this same technolgy which sends your details via satelite which is why you need one for offshore you will be pinpointed once you set it off and its the reason you fill out your info when you buy a epirb.

I hope all that makes sense they taught me all this over 20 yrs ago at the australian maritime college before i worked on merchant ships and have been around them ever since though i mighten be the best to educate others with the right words

I recently got a radio for my boat. I dont go offshore and only plan to use it to listen to weather reports, or yell for help if need be. In the end I decided on VHF, mainly because I figure the 27meg will end up getting phased out down the track, it seems like some new boats are sold with a VHF and no 27meg.

The cheapest one out that lets you transmit is the GME GX600, and Whitworths has it $50 cheaper than anyone else. I got the whole steup for less than $300

/>https://www.whitworths.com.au/main_itemdetail.asp?cat=114&item=69798&intAbsolutePage=5

[aussie123]

Heya Ted

Don't forget if you need any gear for the new boat like steering,pumps,lighting ect we can get it at wholesale for you.

Any chandlery we can get you.

[coker]

They won't be phased out it just is another band of radio frequicy you have HF, VHF, 27meg and UHF. Its the length of radio wave that is the diference as in UHF the radio wave is steep and close together which bounces off the ionesphere and back to seas level close to where it started and does this until it is absorbed by the atmospere.

27meg is inbetween uhf and vhf so it is reletively steep and vhf the wave continues to get further apart which the radio wave can bounce back from the upper atmosphere less often over the same distance as the previous wave bands thus taking longer to be absorbed which will give it longer distance.

All of these radio bands have been around since they invented the radio practically the new technolgy on vhf which sends your details by satelite has been around for a while now as we have been using it on ships for over 10yrs now. Epirbs use this same technolgy which sends your details via satelite which is why you need one for offshore you will be pinpointed once you set it off and its the reason you fill out your info when you buy a epirb.

I hope all that makes sense they taught me all this over 20 yrs ago at the australian maritime college before i worked on merchant ships and have been around them ever since though i mighten be the best to educate others with the right words

27mhz falls into the upper hf band, so it is actually a lower freq than vhf

[Dubbzy]

So where do you find out about the course

[ellicat]

Maritime Safety something or other...sorry slipped out of my head :blush:

Google - Marine Radio Operators Certificate of Proficiency .

That'll give you the answer.

[1800amix]

VHF