Thanks for posting this. I was talking with several, especially Tom,
about a VHF in the boat I recently aquired. the old radio is junk, and
with cell phones, I was wondering if I should replace it or not. I've
just decided.


Thanks!






wf3h wrote:
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On 22 Nov 2006 13:34:15 -0800, "Chuck Gould"
wrote:


wf3h wrote:
2 points of information for boaters and pilots

1. The use of *CG as an emergency access to the Coast Guard is being
discontinued. Cell phone users needing CG assistance should dial 911.

While it's always best to have a number of ways to communicate with an
emergency service, discontinuing *CG from cell phones may actually make
a lot of people safer on the water. We'll never know how many people
who really should have purchased a VHF for their boat didn't do so
because *CG seems to imply that the Coast Guard recommends cell phones
as a primary means for emergency communication.

That's an interesting point.

yes, the same issue of the magazine has a sidebar in the article
discussing the merits of VHF radio vs cellphones...