Advice on handheld VHF radios

[sailingSammy]

Can anyone recommend a handheld VHF radio that is capable of monitoring up to 3 seperate channels with 16 NOT being one of them.
Thanks

[RealityCheck]

Not sure of the non Ch 16 thing but this is the Handheld I now use

West Marine: West Marine Search Tool

For coastal cruising it is very handy. It floats and if you sink the radio has an emergency button that will send your GPS location and boat ID so they can come rescue your body and/or the radio???

I find this is a great cockpit or deck VHF unit as my cabin mounted VHF is difficult to hear even with the extension speakers in the cockpit area. Being able to roam around on the boat with the unit is great and use on the dink for contact back to boat is very useful.

I've seen others dropped and found several non-floating hand held VHF unit at the bottom of two anchorages where charter people seem have a tendency to drop them in process of anchoring... cats mostly it appears. They should probably have been using the head set short range radios rather than VHF but that is what the charter companies gave them and the lost rate is rather funny.

[k1vsk]

Originally Posted by sailingSammy

Can anyone recommend a handheld VHF radio that is capable of monitoring up to 3 seperate (sp) channels with 16 NOT being one of them.
Thanks

Dismiss for the moment that we are supposed to monitor 16, the question then becomes why would you want to eliminate it from the scan?
Assuming there is some other reason than the obvious, the only option you may have is a commercial VHF which can be programmed for any frequency within it's designed range.

[Delirious]

I've got an ancient Icom that I think I could get to do your request by selecting the channels I want into memory and then doing a memory only scan . . . but even then I'm not sure channel 16 could be opted out. It may be hardcoded into every setting as the default channel.

I've never tried. In fact, the last three sailboats I've owned have been U.S. documented and I have to monitor ch 16 when operating.

Granted, it's the Trucker's Channel and amateur hour hereabouts and I often would like to shoot the receiver, but whatchagonnado?

"How 'bout it, Tub Toy, got a copy? Got 'yer ears on?"


BLAM! BLAM!

[sailingSammy]

Maybe I stated that wrong, I need to monitor 3 seperate channels and 16 is not one of them, so a radio that monitors 16 and only 2 others would not work. If it monitors 16 and 3 others that would be fine, sorry for the confusion.

[k1vsk]

Originally Posted by sailingSammy

Maybe I stated that wrong, I need to monitor 3 seperate channels and 16 is not one of them, so a radio that monitors 16 and only 2 others would not work. If it monitors 16 and 3 others that would be fine, sorry for the confusion.

In that case, you can program a number of radios, including the Unidens, to scan 3 or more channels including 16. I'm not familiar with every brand but I can do this on my Icom handheld as well so I infer most have that capability.

[BarryL]

Hello,

The West Marine VHF 150 and 250 can do it.

West Marine: VHF150 Handheld VHF Radio Product Display

You can add channels to memory, and then put the radio in 'scan' mode. If there is traffic on the channel, it will stop on that channel. So you can monitor as many or as few channels as you want. Note that the more channels you monitor, the more likely that you'll miss something.

I used it when I was in a regatta, so I could monitor 16 and the two channels the RC boat used (there were two YC's running the race and they each used their own channels). I didn't really need it, because I found out that the same info was broadcast on each channel, but the radio can do it.

It also has dual (current + 16) and tri (current, 16, 9) watch, and a number of other features.

Barry

Originally Posted by sailingSammy

Can anyone recommend a handheld VHF radio that is capable of monitoring up to 3 seperate channels with 16 NOT being one of them.
Thanks

[WouldaShoulda]

I found that they are a little light on transmission capability even when set to 5 watts.

[mygoggie]

COBRA MR HH425LIVP GMRS/VHF HH W/ DIGITAL VOICE RE Shop.Sailnet.com - sailing resources, shopping, sail, blogs

[mgmhead]

My Standard Horizon handheld VHF does what you are asking. Only cost around $100 and is a great back-up to the primary VHF. Got mine at WM but they're carried at many stores and online.

Good Luck...MGM