new midland regatta vhf radio

[sandsailor]

is it worth the $85 i'm looking to pay for it???

[artbyjody]

If saving money and having something VHF for distress - yes. Personally I prefer the ICOM series. I couldn't find the differences in wattage but.. New and Sale Prices are in the same range and the 85 seems it is a ebay or craigslist deal?

This is one area where if you can afford to replace or buy new - do so....your life may depend upon it...

[sailingdog]

Why would you spend $85 on it, when Boater's Land has it for $74.99???

I'm not a big fan of Midland for VHF radios. I prefer Icom, Standard Horizon and Raymarine gear, since they've got a lot more experience than Midland in marine gear IMHO.

Also, the Midland Regatta 2 VHF is only IP54 rated, versus the IPX7 rating on most of the other marine VHF radios. This means the Midland is less waterproof than the other brands. On a smaller boat, the radio should probably be more waterproof rather than less, since it is far less well protected than on a bigger boat.

Finally, the Regatta doesn't say it is a Class D DSC radio. It may be using the older RTCM SC-101 DSC specification. You get what you pay for.

One affordable DSC Class D VHF that is probably a better buy is the Lowrance LVR-250. It's only $109 or so, and rated to JIS7 waterproof standards, which is basically equivalent to IPX7.

One other point, the Midland Regatta 2 VHF radio has been discontinued, so if you have a problem with it, getting it repaired may or may not be an issue.

You can read about the waterproof ratings here.

[artbyjody]

Good post SD

[sailingdog]

Thanks Jody...

IMHO, safety gear, like a VHF radio, should be as good as you can afford, and generally buying obsolete tech is a bad idea.

[artbyjody]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Thanks Jody...

IMHO, safety gear, like a VHF radio, should be as good as you can afford, and generally buying obsolete tech is a bad idea.

I totally agree - from what I read on the specs (and ICOM is on the lower end of the spectrum at least on price point, although - tech support is easy and personal..)... definitely not something I would shave a buck on... glad to see we see eye to eye on something

[pegasus1457]

Originally Posted by sailingdog

Finally, the Regatta doesn't say it is a Class D DSC radio. It may be using the older RTCM SC-101 DSC specification. You get what you pay for.

One affordable DSC Class D VHF that is probably a better buy is the Lowrance LVR-250. It's only $109 or so, and rated to JIS7 waterproof standards, which is basically equivalent to IPX7.

The SC-101 is NOT an older spec, but an alternative subclass of the DSC standard.

Are you sure the Lowrance unit is Class D? It is veeeeerrry cheap for a class D radio. I know the lowrance site claims it is class D BUT it also says it is SC-101, which, to my understanding, is a contradiction in terms.

I would go for the SH 1500 unit which has a good rep and costs about $160... A fixed VHF radio will last years and years. It isn't worth it to try to save a few bucks here.