Advice on Marine Radio

[Titanic]

I am just buying a new boat and I am looking at what is available
in Marine Radio's. I have a Navman Chart/Plotter and I will
probably go with Navman gear. I have chosen the Navman 4433
sounder as the best greyscale choice without the expense of colour
display units. I had chosen the basic Navman 7270 Radio Rig but the
sounder says it provides a Weather info feature if coupled with a
Navman 7200 Radio.
I would go to that radio but is the feature really worth it. Has anybody
got this combination and had any experience with it. I am a very
cautious sailor and always seek the current and predicted online
weather forecasts before venturing anywhere.

[Brumby]

Hi Titanic (umm unusual name for a boatie?)

Try and pm subzero, he has a pretty good handle on what features each of the radios has and what's worthwhile. I'm open to correction, but I don't think the weather feature is supported locally - USA only.

Cheers

Carl

[subzero]

Gidday Titanic,

I havent heard of a sounder playing any part at all in communicating with a radio. It is the radio that will often help predict some weather characteristics such as barametric pressure etc, but more importantly the radio has the ability to send and receive spoken voice as well is in some cases digital messaging.

The radio that you talk of buying, is only a 27MHz set, and none of the State run Coast Radio stations have, monitor, or transmit on them.
Even some Rescue groups nationally no longer monitor 27Mhz radio.

Depending on where you are, local VMR's, Coastguards and Royal Coastal patrols will send regular weather forecasts but you will have to check in your local area.
All will provide Weather Forecasts that have been issued by B.O.M on demand to you and this is a free service often very underutilised. Most will also offer current conditions at their station and some will offer their interpretation of what the weather is LIKELY to do over the comming few hours through local knowledge, but they have to be very carefull about offering these opinions just in case the boater were to run in to trouble and then went down the old "but you said" path in a court of law.... sad but true, so dont be surprised if some wont offer their opinions.

In Moreton Bay and south of us, generally Southport Seaway Tower will issue regular weather bulletins as well as warnings.

Other rescue units, and fishing clubs etc, will often transmit weather information if a sudden unexpected change to the weather occurs, particularly if it is going to deteriorate or there are warnings current.

If I personally was going to buy a marine radio to outfit my new vessel I would only purchase the 27MHz radio as a supplementary set to a VHF radio, not as my primary means of communication.

The 7200 model you also mentioned is VHF, does come equipped with a basic weather reading and forcasting ability using barametric pressure and temperature readings.
More importantly the set comes with the ability to transmit and receive digital selective calling, as well as the ability to access repeaters, thus enabling your set to transmit over far greater distances, if the need-be arises than 27Mhz radio.
This set can be hooked up to your plotter/GPS and if the DSC feature is enabled on the radio you can send and recieve possition reports both manually or automaticly if you wish.
It can be handy if you have a good mate whom also is connected to a plotter/GPS. To be able to utilise this feature requires a 9 digit MMSI number to be installed in your set. This can only be obtained if you hold an appropriate Marine Radio license/certificate. The feature IS NOT ACTIVATED in the set untill the 9 digit MMSI number is installed.

VHF radio requires a greater level of user knowledge so there is quite often a lot less channels tied up through chit chat that can sometimes get a little bit out of hand.

To use a VHF radio you must have a Marine Radio Operators License. Hence the skill level is usually greater to those that have just purchased a 27MHz straight off the shop shelf with absolutely no prior experience.
VHF is the least effected by induced engine and atmospheric noise as well as has the best modulation (clarity of speach).
Finally, I am not decrying 27MHz radio or the users of these sets but generally the VHF operator is more skilled and understands how and when to transmit and receive important messages if the need arises.

I hope this covers your questions, the Navmans are a good set, they have by far the best manuals/guides but personally I am an ICOM man. Love them, personally they are the only sets I would ever buy..... but like I said, the Navmans would be my second choice but just the same a top line performer, one that I am sure will provide you many years of reliable communication.

Kind Regards
Lloyd

[-spiro-]

GO THE NAVMAN

[ozscott]

I have an ICOM with DSC and its a gem. It is dead easy to use and the clarity and power is excellent. I have mine hooked up to a 7 foot Navman aerial.

Cheers

PS. Lloyd knows his stuff and is a long time examiner for VHF licences and has spent plenty of time around the VMRs etc so please take his advise.

[captain rednut]

if you want reliability and ease to use buy an icom