VHF?? Cobra marine HH350 vs. uniden atlantis 270???? - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Wintersun · 08-14-2014, 02:24 PM

My criteria for a VHF radio for use out on the ocean on a kayak are at a minimum that it be waterproof and that it floats and has GPS (as a backup for the fish finder's GPS). My own short list included DSC as well so I can push a button and have my exact position sent out to the Coast Guard accurately.

Accurately is the key word in that last sentence. If you do not provide your location in a manner that is 100% correctly understood your location as received may be off by 13 miles from your actual location. It happened last summer to a person off Newport Beach.

There are radios from Uniden, Standard Horizon, and Icom that have all of these capabilities and sell for under $250. To me my life is worth the extra $150 for the DSC function.

Only drawback is that 99% of the fishing PFD's are not designed for use with a VHF radio. Even the "S&R" type are made for use with a small radio like the Icom M88 and not the larger floating type.

08-14-2014, 02:24 PM	#5
Wintersun Junior Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 22	My criteria for a VHF radio for use out on the ocean on a kayak are at a minimum that it be waterproof and that it floats and has GPS (as a backup for the fish finder's GPS). My own short list included DSC as well so I can push a button and have my exact position sent out to the Coast Guard accurately. Accurately is the key word in that last sentence. If you do not provide your location in a manner that is 100% correctly understood your location as received may be off by 13 miles from your actual location. It happened last summer to a person off Newport Beach. There are radios from Uniden, Standard Horizon, and Icom that have all of these capabilities and sell for under $250. To me my life is worth the extra $150 for the DSC function. Only drawback is that 99% of the fishing PFD's are not designed for use with a VHF radio. Even the "S&R" type are made for use with a small radio like the Icom M88 and not the larger floating type.