The following is my email to the Coast Guard regarding communicating with
the USCG in my expected sailing location. You had a lively discussion in
the "Best Handheld VHF" thread. I thought you might enjoy their reply to my
very simple layperson query.

-----Original Message-----
Sent: Friday, December 09, 2005 5:28 PM
Category: Search and Rescue

Subject: Handheld VHF

Message:
I would like to understand the range limits of handheld VHF radio's.
The 1 to 5 watt handheld VHF radios are considered short distance
transmitters/receivers.

Is one of these 5 watt handhelds adequate for communicating with the
USCG in an emergency when sailing between Long Beach or Marina Del Rey and
Catalina Island?

What is the USCG equipment recommendation for small boats sailing in
coastal and near coastal distances?
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Good Day

I have been asked to respond to your request below.

There are many factors in addition to power that determine VHF FM
range.
Among them the height of the transmitting and receiving antennas,
receiver characteristics and geography.

VHF transmission are line of sight and can easily be reflected or
blocked by, among other things terrain features.

The Coast Guard's VHF system (both the existing and currently being
installed major upgrade) are intended to provide unbroken coverage
from the coast line to 20 miles offshore. We include major islands such as
Catalina within our coverage area. As with any system, there can be "holes"
in
coverage and while we try to find and fix them , there may well be some
we have not found or are impracticable to fix.

A VHF FM handheld radio would, under normal circumstances, provide
communications with the Coast Guard.

Equipment recommendations are dependent on the type of vessel, whether
it is required to be radio equipped or not, and its intended uses.

At a minimum, carriage of a VHF FM radio and a 406 MHz Electronic
Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) would be satisfactory for voyages
that
remain within 20 miles of the U S coast for a vessel that voluntarily
carries radio equipment.

If you desire to read further with regard to maritime communications, I
recommend you review the information at www.navcen.uscg.gov//marcomms
or www.fcc.gov/wtb.

[USCG signature line removed]
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