I’m thinking of getting a VHF radio probably with DSC. Any recommendations?
One requirement is I’d like to be able to attach it to one of the loops on the front of my PFD. My PFD has one big pocket instead of individual pockets so it would be best not to put the radio in it.
-Ken
My old one died last October so I shopped around for a new one.
My one criteria was one with the shortest antennae and the one I found was the West Marine
VHF75.
It probably doesn’t have what you want and I won’t rate it since I haven’t had a year yet, but living here in the Florida Keys I have had it on almost every day since November and still it is on it’s original charge.
A few times I have asked for a radio check and immediately have gotten a reply.
It was a no brainer for me since it was on sale marked way down and then they had a one day only sale on top of that and it cost me $88.
I cut the bottom of the holster clip and have a lanyard attached through the slot
I saw this one – https://www.amazon.com/Uniden-MHS335BT-Floating-Bluetooth-Submersible/dp/B07C78LMZ5/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=Uniden+MHS335BT&qid=1554215787&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull and the price looks quite good but of course I should make sure I get one that meets requirements and not just shop on price.
Bought the Standard Horizon HX870 VHS/DSC last year through West Marine as Standard Horizon was offering a $50 rebate and West Marine has great customer service.
https://www.westmarine.com/buy/standard-horizon--hx870-floating-handheld-vhf-radio-with-gps-and-dsc--16263261
I have had good experiences with Icom. The neutral battery trminal do corrode off faster than I like (after a couple of years in salt water with decent cleaning), so I end up replacing the battery every few years. Bought last one from West Marine and paid for the extra service, so will just go there and get new battery when this one corrodes.
A rental site I work for uses Standard Horizon. They get hard use and seem to last. I like the USB charging.
I bought a Uniden from Amazon because it was a good price for what I needed. Regretted that. Came with a 5 year warranty, but I had to send back over 6 times for a problem they kept not fixing (and at over $10 to ship to them, it was approaching the purchase price in shipping for warranty). They would just replace batteries and not test, where I couldn’t even get it to power on.
I’ve used the West Marine VHF160, 6w for three years now. Most of our local group uses them as well. The unit floats (although I still tether it), has worked well, holds a charge for a very long time, the antenna is a bit long but it’s flexible. It lacks the DSC feature but I carry an InReach Explorer+ for emergency location.
The radio has traveled from Nova Scotia to Florida and the Chesapeake to the San Juan’s with no failures or corrosion.
The craving is there for a smaller radio, I will admit. I clip it to my PFD shoulder strap where it’s easy to hear and use. Peter-CA brings up a good point about USB charging. I think it would be a good feature if you were kayak camping. I’m not sure how I’d charge mine with the AC/DC cradle set up it uses.
The Horizon HX40 is my fave because it is small, small, small. I tether it to a PFD so I don’t worry about floatation. No DSC.
My last West Marine just recently started to die after about 10 years. It lived on my Life vest and swam with me in fresh and salt water many many many times to no ill effect until now. It has outlasted life vests and a lot of other gear. Pretty great record for electronics in salt water a lot.
Standard Horizon HX870 DSC
If I am reading the ad right, West Marine has a radio with DSC button/service, currently on sale for under 200 bucks. VH470. Just tripped over this yesterday so I haven’t done a detailed look yet. But you may want to check them out.
I know nothing about these radios. But I stopped by a local West Marine store today. The all knowing store “guru” was out and their sales system was down. But I did chat with the sales guy there and looked at every radio they stock. By far and away the smallest option was the new Standard Horizon HX40, a super compact 6W radio. The other thing I noticed with this particular radio is that the antenna was more flexible than the other options. Did not buy one but plan on stopping in again to learn more and compare it to the other options…
The radios with DSC are still bigger than I love. But it is a valuable asset and worth tracking them as more come onto the market.
I am curious to know if any kayaker
Not sure that testing DSC before launching would be a plan, probably will get my first DSC equipped unit this season and would have to read up on it to know if that means sending an oops.
You may want to talk to a Coast Guard type about the rest. The strongest arm I have pushing me to get one is the husband of a godchild, he is Coast Guard. I assume because he sees it as something that works.
I haven’t. To perform a DSC test call on my radio (Standard Horizon HX870), the call must be made to another radio which has the DSC test call feature. Am primarily a solo paddler and the instances when I was with a group, the radios carried were not DSC enabled.
and 3). No, and I’ll do my best to keep it that way.
The DSC transmission automatically sends the signal to the CG with your MMSI identity and position, as well as to any nearby boats with DSC enabled radios.
I also carry a PLB in my life jacket pocket, I do test the battery and the GPS signal once a year.
@Rookie said:
- I haven’t. To perform a DSC test call on my radio (Standard Horizon HX870), the call must be made to another radio which has the DSC test call feature. Am primarily a solo paddler and the instances when I was with a group, the radios carried were not DSC enabled.
Are you sure you can’t make a DSC test call to the Coast Guard’s MMSI? I know we can here in Denmark. It pops up on the screen in their control centre, marked as a test call, which they ignore. At the same time, an auto response is sent back.
I have never done this myself, though.
@Allan Olesen said:
@Rookie said:
- I haven’t. To perform a DSC test call on my radio (Standard Horizon HX870), the call must be made to another radio which has the DSC test call feature. Am primarily a solo paddler and the instances when I was with a group, the radios carried were not DSC enabled.
Are you sure you can’t make a DSC test call to the Coast Guard’s MMSI? I know we can here in Denmark. It pops up on the screen in their control centre, marked as a test call, which they ignore. At the same time, an auto response is sent back.
I have never done this myself, though.
I looked through the radio’s manual and in the DSC test section, it says only that “DSC Test. This function is used to contact another DSC equipped vessel to ensure the DSC functions of the radio are operating. To use this feature, the radio that will receive the test call also needs to have the DSC Test feature.”
Then I got curious about my MMSI number and when I found the certificate in my Apple mail, i saw it has instructions on testing the DSC function through the Coast Guard - and provides the CG MMSI number. I just have to be in an area served by “Rescue 21” to use the test. Checking that out, the 9th District of Rescue 21 is the Lake Michigan Sector.
Will enter the CG MMSI in the radio’s memory, then do a test call this weekend as I plan to paddle Lake Michigan.
Thanks Allan, as your comment led me to read the fine print!! 
Set the radio to make a test call to MMSI 003669999 to get an acknowledgement, if any, from the automated CG system. (USA only)
@ExploreNE said:
Set the radio to make a test call to MMSI 003669999 to get an acknowledgement, if any, from the automated CG system. (USA only)
Programmed that number last night. My MMSI certificate claims if it’s working properly, my radio will “almost immediately” receive the CG’s acknowledgment of the call. And if it doesn’t? Does that mean the radio isn’t working or that the CG is ignoring it?
Will see what happens this weekend.
@Rookie said:
@ExploreNE said:
Set the radio to make a test call to MMSI 003669999 to get an acknowledgement, if any, from the automated CG system. (USA only)Programmed that number last night. My MMSI certificate claims if it’s working properly, my radio will “almost immediately” receive the CG’s acknowledgment of the call. And if it doesn’t? Does that mean the radio isn’t working or that the CG is ignoring it?
Will see what happens this weekend.
It means that the CG base did not get your signal (eg radio is out of range)