I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for
cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have
the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not with
our carrier.

del cecchi

"Del Cecchi" wrote in message
...
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110
for cabin use.

Not legal either.

I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have the range.

Not legal either.

Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Two or three miles over open water.
..
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin?

Even FRS is only good for 5 miles max. If you are up to taking a pretty
simple test then a Tech class ham license will allow you to use radios that
will work. Handhelds if you have a repeater nearby. Good ole CBs may be
a solution. Cheap and can generally do 10 miles.

Doug, k3qt

Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not
with our carrier.

del cecchi

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On 2005-05-04 said:
There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.
Good luck

Nah I wouldn't suggest using cb for anything, maybe cb'ers for target
practice. HEre's why. THe original poster says:
Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on
shore over distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some
medical issues I have.
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug
into 110 for cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand
helds if that would have the range. Does anyone have experience
with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a
boat unit, a battery and a charger?
NO cell phone coverage in the area, get a regular marine unit for the
cabin, forget the charger unless you want battery backup. Even then
get a 12 volt dc power supply to power the radio and/or float charge
your battery so that you have the radio powered even if the cabin
loses electrical power from mains service. YOu can install a decent
antenna on the roof of the cabin or somewhere else and have 10 miles
or so easy.
CB it's all according. Sometimes 10 miles can be a push if you've got
the skip rolling good and some loudmouth redneck yelling "how 'bout it
skipland!!!" when you're trying to talk between you. AT ten miles
without a good gain antenna at both ends chances are good you're going
to be fighting to be heard over the trash.

gO marine vhf or gmrs. YEs both require some licensing, but it's well
worth it in the long run. Ham has the same thing with rigs, not many
vhf/uhf rigs made to run off a/c mains power, so in those cases a
decent power supply to power a mobile and a decent base station
antenna will be better investments than a cb radio for reliability.




Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--

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Organization: BellSouth Internet Service
Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 13:50:47 GMT
Xref: number1.nntp.dca.giganews.com rec.boats.electronics:60024


On 2005-05-05 said:
CB it's all according. Sometimes 10 miles can be a push if
you've got the skip rolling good and some loudmouth redneck
yelling "how 'bout it skipland!!!" when you're trying to talk
between you.
Skip isn;t a possability at 10 miles. Groundwave only.
True but the skip can easily overwhelm the ground wave station you're
trying to hear at 10 miles.

without a good gain antenna at both ends chances are good you're
going to be fighting to be heard over the trash.
True, so install a good antenna.
YEs but I'd still suggest something vhf or uhf.

gO marine vhf or gmrs.
GMRS is legal, marine isn't.
YEs there is the problem of the shore station on marine vhf.

YEs both require some licensing, but it's well
worth it in the long run.
License or not, marine is illegal for the proposed situation.
in the market here boys! Who's gonna be
the first to plug it?
HEre in the states we've got the new Murs service on vhf. DOn't know
how that would do you for a 10 mile range but with a decent antenna on
both ends it might work. YOu could probably use your same marine vhf
antenna for the murs frequencies.
YEs indeed a hole in the market, but I wouldn't ever want to depend on
cb for anything except maybe running up and down the highway and
communicating with the vehicles within a mile or two of me. Have seen
times when to get ten mile range I had to put a little more fire in
the wire than the legal 5 watts.



Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--

Sounds like you want to move quickly.

The legal options are amateur radio, citizen's band radio,
and GMRS. Amateur radio and GMRS require licenses, the
latter is obtained for only a fee, the former requires an exam.

You don't say what kind of boat. A high-gain antenna on the
boat and/or high power would probably give you the range you
need with GMRS. It is a UHF system. FRS would probably not
do the trick, as Doug suggested.

Do a web search on GMRS and you'll get all your questions
answered.

There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.

Good luck

Chuck








Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for
cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have
the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Unfortunately there is no cellphone coverage in the area. At least not with
our carrier.

del cecchi

wrote in message
...

On 2005-05-04 said:
There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.
Good luck

Nah I wouldn't suggest using cb for anything, maybe cb'ers for target
practice. HEre's why. THe original poster says:
Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on
shore over distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some
medical issues I have.
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug
into 110 for cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand
helds if that would have the range. Does anyone have experience
with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a
boat unit, a battery and a charger?
NO cell phone coverage in the area, get a regular marine unit for the
cabin, forget the charger unless you want battery backup. Even then
get a 12 volt dc power supply to power the radio and/or float charge
your battery so that you have the radio powered even if the cabin
loses electrical power from mains service. YOu can install a decent
antenna on the roof of the cabin or somewhere else and have 10 miles
or so easy.

And the fact that there is a big fine if you get caught isn;t a factor?

CB it's all according. Sometimes 10 miles can be a push if you've got
the skip rolling good and some loudmouth redneck yelling "how 'bout it
skipland!!!" when you're trying to talk between you.

Skip isn;t a possability at 10 miles. Groundwave only.


AT ten miles
without a good gain antenna at both ends chances are good you're going
to be fighting to be heard over the trash.

True, so install a good antenna.

gO marine vhf or gmrs.

GMRS is legal, marine isn't.

YEs both require some licensing, but it's well
worth it in the long run.

License or not, marine is illegal for the proposed situation.

Ham has the same thing with rigs, not many
vhf/uhf rigs made to run off a/c mains power, so in those cases a
decent power supply to power a mobile and a decent base station
antenna will be better investments than a cb radio for reliability.




Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email

--

On Wed, 4 May 2005 14:30:19 -0500, "Del Cecchi"
wrote:

I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on shore over
distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to some medical issues I
have.

I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug into 110 for
cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand helds if that would have
the range. Does anyone have experience with the range of VHF Handhelds?

Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a boat unit, a
battery and a charger?

Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock
offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.





Rodney Myrvaagnes J36 Gjo/a

The meme for blind faith secures its own perpetuation by the
simple unconscious expedient of discouraging rational inquiry.
- Richard Dawkins, "Viruses of the Mind"

Doug Dotson wrote:
wrote in message
...

On 2005-05-04 said:
There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.
Good luck

Nah I wouldn't suggest using cb for anything, maybe cb'ers for target
practice. HEre's why. THe original poster says:
Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on
shore over distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to
some medical issues I have.
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug
into 110 for cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand
helds if that would have the range. Does anyone have experience
with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a
boat unit, a battery and a charger?
NO cell phone coverage in the area, get a regular marine unit for the
cabin, forget the charger unless you want battery backup. Even then
get a 12 volt dc power supply to power the radio and/or float charge
your battery so that you have the radio powered even if the cabin
loses electrical power from mains service. YOu can install a decent
antenna on the roof of the cabin or somewhere else and have 10 miles
or so easy.

And the fact that there is a big fine if you get caught isn;t a
factor?

CB it's all according. Sometimes 10 miles can be a push if you've
got the skip rolling good and some loudmouth redneck yelling "how
'bout it skipland!!!" when you're trying to talk between you.

Skip isn;t a possability at 10 miles. Groundwave only.


AT ten miles
without a good gain antenna at both ends chances are good you're
going to be fighting to be heard over the trash.

True, so install a good antenna.

gO marine vhf or gmrs.

GMRS is legal, marine isn't.

YEs both require some licensing, but it's well
worth it in the long run.

License or not, marine is illegal for the proposed situation.

Ham has the same thing with rigs, not many
vhf/uhf rigs made to run off a/c mains power, so in those cases a
decent power supply to power a mobile and a decent base station
antenna will be better investments than a cb radio for reliability.




Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email



Seems like there's a hole in the market here boys! Who's gonna be the first
to plug it?



--

--
Digital Photo-charts fo all UK areas.
Remove 'nospam' to reply.

"Dennis Pogson" wrote in message
...
Doug Dotson wrote:
wrote in message
...

On 2005-05-04 said:
There is a news group of sometime questionable protocols
that might be willing to help you determine whether CB radio
would work for you. It is rec.radio.cb. Give it a try.
Good luck

Nah I wouldn't suggest using cb for anything, maybe cb'ers for target
practice. HEre's why. THe original poster says:
Del Cecchi wrote:
I am looking for a way to communicate from boat to my spouse on
shore over distances of less than 10 miles. This is due to
some medical issues I have.
I have looked at VHF radios, but there seem to be few that plug
into 110 for cabin use. I could just go with a couple of hand
helds if that would have the range. Does anyone have experience
with the range of VHF Handhelds?
Any suggestions for a unit for the Cabin? Or do I just get a
boat unit, a battery and a charger?
NO cell phone coverage in the area, get a regular marine unit for the
cabin, forget the charger unless you want battery backup. Even then
get a 12 volt dc power supply to power the radio and/or float charge
your battery so that you have the radio powered even if the cabin
loses electrical power from mains service. YOu can install a decent
antenna on the roof of the cabin or somewhere else and have 10 miles
or so easy.

And the fact that there is a big fine if you get caught isn;t a
factor?

CB it's all according. Sometimes 10 miles can be a push if you've
got the skip rolling good and some loudmouth redneck yelling "how
'bout it skipland!!!" when you're trying to talk between you.

Skip isn;t a possability at 10 miles. Groundwave only.


AT ten miles
without a good gain antenna at both ends chances are good you're
going to be fighting to be heard over the trash.

True, so install a good antenna.

gO marine vhf or gmrs.

GMRS is legal, marine isn't.

YEs both require some licensing, but it's well
worth it in the long run.

License or not, marine is illegal for the proposed situation.

Ham has the same thing with rigs, not many
vhf/uhf rigs made to run off a/c mains power, so in those cases a
decent power supply to power a mobile and a decent base station
antenna will be better investments than a cb radio for reliability.




Richard Webb, amateur radio callsign nf5b
active on the Maritime Mobile service network, 14.300 mhz
REplace anything before the @ symbol with elspider for real email



Seems like there's a hole in the market here boys! Who's gonna be the
first
to plug it?


Yes, it seems as if there is no solution. VHF is unlawful, GMRS is too
expensive and won't go far enough if I understand correctly, at least
without a elaborate base station. CB is the only hope, and it is reportedly
still overpopulated with obscenity and lunacy. :-(

It is only an 18 foot fishing boat on a lake in northern Minnesota.

del cecchi

"Rodney Myrvaagnes" wrote

Yes, or just a 12-Volt DC supply. Look at the radios in marina dock
offices. They are standard fixed mount marine radios.

Marinas, radio repair shops and other businesses engaged in servicing boats
on the water can apply for a land based marine VHF station license but
individuals can't. It is illegal for a private individual to transmit on
marine VHF frequencies while ashore, period. The penalties are pretty
serious and as with the self appointed newsgroup police we have recently
been infected with here, there are plenty of self appointed airways police
out there just itching to turn you in.

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com