# Best VHF radio?



## Kiltmadoc (Nov 10, 2009)

I am looking to replace a pre-1998 VHF radio with something that can do DSC. I also want something where i can use a full-function remote. I also want the ability to wire up a foghorn since I may go up toward Maine at some point. So far, I have seen:
Standard Horizon Matrix
Icom 504


Anyone have any experience with any of these radios? Any advice?


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

Kiltmadoc said:


> I am looking to replace a pre-1998 VHF radio with something that can do DSC. I also want something where i can use a full-function remote. I also want the ability to wire up a foghorn since I may go up toward Maine at some point. So far, I have seen:
> Standard Horizon Matrix
> Icom 504
> 
> Anyone have any experience with any of these radios? Any advice?


I have SH GX2150 with RAM 3 mic. It works well and also has AIS.

Any radio with DSC should have a GPS connected to it, or you're losing out on 80% of the benefit of DSC.


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

Hello,

All fixed mount VHF radios sold since 1999 must have DSC.

Just about all fixed mount radios can support a remote mic.

I have had a few Standard Horizon radios and I am happy with them. Note that the remote mic is wired to the main radio. That means an extra wire to run, but no batteries to worry about.

If you are price sensitive there are sub $100 radios out there. For a little more money you get features like display of boat speed and course, dual or tri watch, etc. 

The latest radio from Standard Horizon can decode AIS broadcasts and display the AIS information on the radio screen as well as output it via NMEA 0183.

Barry


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## Pamlicotraveler (Aug 13, 2006)

BarryL said:


> The latest radio from Standard Horizon can decode AIS broadcasts and display the AIS information on the radio screen as well as output it via NMEA 0183.
> 
> Barry


That's the one I keep thinking about.


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

BarryL said:


> Just about all fixed mount radios can support a remote mic.


I don't know about "just about all," but many of them can. For example: The Icom M402 did. The M412 does not. The M422 does.

You have to check.



BarryL said:


> The latest radio from Standard Horizon can decode AIS broadcasts and display the AIS information on the radio screen as well as output it via NMEA 0183.


The Matrix AIS and AIS+ (GX2100 and GX2150, respectively) do this.

Some of the Standard Horizon radios have a misfeature of which you should be aware: They only scan for weather alerts if weather alert is enabled *and* the weather channel of interest is tagged for scanning *and* you're actively scanning. If you're stopped on a channel (other than the weather channel) and a weather alert arrives, you won't get it. The Quest-X GX1500S (now out-of-production) and Explorer GX2000 are two SH models that behave this way. (Confirmed by SH.)

You have to read the user's manuals _carefully_ to discern the difference.

As for "best marine VHF radio": Couldn't say. Several years ago, during Yet Another VHF Radio discussion, a sailor allowed as how he'd carefully checked _everything_ that was out there, in a given price range, and found that Icom and Standard Horizon radios had by far the best receive audio. As an ex-radio guy I can tell you that's a more important criterion in a two-way radio than you might believe. All the bells and whistles and big, impressive displays and switches and knobs and doo-dads and output power and antenna height won't mean spit if you cannot hear _and understand_ what the guy on the other end is saying.

I know from my ham radio days that Icom was always one of the better brands of radios. (In fact: I'm pretty sure all the radios I have downstairs I never use anymore are Icom rigs.)

So I've limited my research to Icom and Standard Horizon radios. I've no need of AIS at this time, and money is tight (no room for "just because I want it"s), so I'm looking at either the Standard Horizon GX1600 (successor to the GX1500S, and has _proper_ wx alert monitoring) or Icom M422.

The SH is about $50-$75 less expensive. It has a bigger display. Reading the user's manual: The SH strikes me as having the more intuitive operation.

The Icom has better listed receiver sensitivity. This is a Very Good Thing. The Icom simply "looks" more rugged, to me. And the Icom is, well, an Icom .

They can both take a RAM (Remote Access Mic).

So you pays your nickel and you takes your chances.

I haven't made a final decision, but I'm leaning toward the Standard Horizon Explorer GX1600. If I had the money to burn, I might consider the Matrix GX2100. (I believe it also handles wx alert monitoring properly.)

Jim


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

RhythmDoctor said:


> Any radio with DSC should have a GPS connected to it, or you're losing out on 80% of the benefit of DSC.


Wouldn't that be more like 99-44/100%? With no position information in the DSC call, well...

The most recent issue of the BoatUS magazine had an article about DSC. It seems that a lot of people have GPS', and a lot of people have DSC-capable radios, but many don't have the GPS hooked to the radio, or haven't done so properly.

We have a perfectly good radio, but its pre-DSC. I intend to fix that this year.

Jim


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

SEMIJim said:


> Wouldn't that be more like 99-44/100%? With no position information in the DSC call, well...
> 
> The most recent issue of the BoatUS magazine had an article about DSC. It seems that a lot of people have GPS', and a lot of people have DSC-capable radios, but many don't have the GPS hooked to the radio, or haven't done so properly.
> 
> ...


Yes, if the GPS is not connected you have to manually input your GPS coordinates, which is exactly what you do not want to be doing in an emergency situation!  I said 80% because you can still call another vessel directly by inputting its MMSI even if your GPS is not connected (I think), but you do lose 99% of your emergency capability. I noticed that if my GPS is not turned on, my GX2150 has an alarm that kicks in every 5 minutes telling me to enter the coordinates manually. So I've now hotwired the GPS puck to the radio circuit so that it's always on if the radio is on.

I saw that BoatUS article. It's pretty scary, especially if people think they have DSC capabilities that aren't there when an emergency hits.

Click here for my very geeky writeup of my VHF/AIS/GPS/chartplotter/Bluetooth installation.


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## rockDAWG (Sep 6, 2006)

Kiltmadoc said:


> Best VHF radio?


Don't know what does it mean by the best. The best for me is most likely not the best for you. But I do like Standard Horizon's product and its warranty- full warranty for the first 3 years and followed by the flat rate life time warranty. If they can't fix it or yours is too old, they will replace yours with a new comparable refurbished model.

Hey.......... that is not a bad deal.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

I like the look of Icom gear. Seems to me simple and easy to use, clear display. We have both VHF and SSB/HF but I only have a day or so experience thus far.


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

SEMIJim said:


> ...Some of the Standard Horizon radios have a misfeature of which you should be aware: They only scan for weather alerts if weather alert is enabled *and* the weather channel of interest is tagged for scanning *and* you're actively scanning. If you're stopped on a channel (other than the weather channel) and a weather alert arrives, you won't get it. The Quest-X GX1500S (now out-of-production) and Explorer GX2000 are two SH models that behave this way. (Confirmed by SH.) ...I haven't made a final decision, but I'm leaning toward the Standard Horizon Explorer GX1600. If I had the money to burn, I might consider the Matrix GX2100. (I believe it also handles wx alert monitoring properly.)...


I can confirm that my GX2150 handles the alerts properly. We launched on a Wednesday - the first time we used the radio. We were not scanning - we wee stopped on Ch 16. We got a piercing weather alert alarm that scared the crap out of us. It turned out to be their routine Wednesday test.

The GX2000/2150 manual also says that the alerts will work when using another channel. You do not have to be scanning.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

SEMIJim, and others,

Excellent post!

I have an iCOM 422 (it came with the boat - of course MMSI wasn't programmed, 
and the GPS wasn't connected).

While the 422 does not support a RAM Mike, it does support a "Command Mike II." According to iCOM,


> New optional COMMANDMICII™
> The new optional COMMANDMICII™ makes it convenient for using the IC-M422 from a separate cabin or tower. It allows you to control most functions* of the IC-M422, including remote power ON/OFF, PA and RX speaker functions. (*except DSC operation)


Is this not what a RAM Mike does?


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

RhythmDoctor said:


> I can confirm that my GX2150 handles the alerts properly. We launched on a Wednesday - the first time we used the radio. We were not scanning - we wee stopped on Ch 16. We got a piercing weather alert alarm that scared the crap out of us. It turned out to be their routine Wednesday test.
> 
> The GX2000/2150 manual also says that the alerts will work when using another channel. You do not have to be scanning.


Yeah, but I have to retract my comment about the 2100. The 2000/2100 manual (it's the same for those two radios) indicates the undesirable weather alert operation.

I've sent an email off to the guy at SH with whom I've been corresponding, asking for confirmation.

Seems odd to me that two radios out of the Matrix series would work one way, and the third another, in this respect. But the Matrix AIS+ *is* apparently a revised/updated/improved version of the Matrix AIS. My SH correspondent had also told me that the behaviour of the wx alert in the GX1600 was a result of market demand, so perhaps it's the same with the GX2150, as compared to the other two?

Jim


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## prroots (Nov 13, 2010)

I agree that what's best for one is not best for another. Also, it's important for the OP to state whether he would hook a gps up to the radio (for DSC and/or AIS capability). If so, I would highly recommend the SH gx2150. My Garmin 441s outputs to the radio and the radio in turn outputs the AIS data to both the 441s and my laptop via a serial/USB converter. Basically, I can get AIS target data directly from radio, gps, and laptop (although interestingly the amount of descriptive data varies from one to the other). The radio issues an alarm whenever it loses gps data; a nice safety feature. I also have the RAM mic and it seems to do everything one can do at the radio. We discovered it even has an intercom feature whereby the helm can communicate with the Nav station. During a recent passage from FL to Puerto Rico the AIS data was extremely helpful and certainly added to our safety. On both the gps and laptop one can set criteria that determines what generates an AIS alarm. Needless to say, I'm a happy customer 
Pete


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

SEMIJim said:


> Yeah, but I have to retract my comment about the 2100. The 2000/2100 manual (it's the same for those two radios) indicates the undesirable weather alert operation.
> 
> I've sent an email off to the guy at SH with whom I've been corresponding, asking for confirmation.
> 
> ...


It's even odder than that. The GX2000 is covered in two different manuals, and they say different things. The old manual for your radio covered the GX2000/GX2100, and p. 35 says it needs to be scanning. The new manual for my radio covers the GX2000/GX2150 and p. 32 says it does not need to be scanning. Did they revise the GX2000 at some point? If so, they should have changed its model number (GX2050?). Or, they forgot that the GX2000 operates differently when they issued the new manual for the GX2150.

You might want to email your contact at SH to ask about this.


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

RhythmDoctor said:


> It's even odder than that. The GX2000 is covered in two different manuals, and they say different things. The old manual for your radio covered the GX2000/GX2100, and p. 35 says it needs to be scanning. The new manual for my radio covers the GX2000/GX2150 and p. 32 says it does not need to be scanning.[


Yes, that's what I was pointing-out. I own none of the Matrix (GX2xxx) series radios. Our current radio is an older, pre-DSC, SH radio. The whole point of my research is to determine with what to upgrade it.



RhythmDoctor said:


> You might want to email your contact at SH to ask about this.


Already done.

Their model line may be confusing, but the Product Manager (that's with whom I've been corresponding) is responsive  After an initial delay in responding to the web form I filled-out, he's replied to my follow-up emails pretty quickly. I figure the initial delay was probably due to them figuring out to whom to direct my original questions.

Jim


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## Kiltmadoc (Nov 10, 2009)

This is all very helpful info! As far as GPS is concerned, I have an OLD GPSMAP162 that does have NMEA in/out. Do the modern radios have the capability of hooking up to an older GPS? 

I just upgraded the 162's software and maps, so please dont tell me to get another GPS. I would rather spend $$ on a good radio.


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

Kiltmadoc said:


> This is all very helpful info! As far as GPS is concerned, I have an OLD GPSMAP162 that does have NMEA in/out. Do the modern radios have the capability of hooking up to an older GPS?


Read the prospective radio's specs and your GPS' specs and cross your fingers if they appear to be compatible 

Jim


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

Kiltmadoc said:


> This is all very helpful info! As far as GPS is concerned, I have an OLD GPSMAP162 that does have NMEA in/out. Do the modern radios have the capability of hooking up to an older GPS?
> 
> I just upgraded the 162's software and maps, so please dont tell me to get another GPS. I would rather spend $$ on a good radio.


If the GPS outputs NMEA 0183, it should work fine with most radios (check the instructions, as already suggested). In some ways, an older GPS is actually better. The newer handhelds that connect via USB can be much more difficult to connect directly to a radio that expects RS232 or RS422 protocol.


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## SEMIJim (Jun 9, 2007)

RhythmDoctor said:


> It's even odder than that. The GX2000 is covered in two different manuals, and they say different things.
> ...
> You might want to email your contact at SH to ask about this.


Just got off the phone with Scott Iverson, Product Manager at Standard Horizon.

It turns out the 2000/2100 manual is in error and, in fact, the entire Matrix line works as described in the 2000/2150 manual. That is to say: When weather alert is enabled, you're going to get the alert, regardless of whether the radio is currently scanning or your camped-out on a single channel.

I may go with the GX2100, if I can swing it.

[edit] Good customer inquiry response times from Standard Horizon. I'd asked about the GX1500S vs. GX1600 and the wx alert issue in a thread I'd started here, Standard Horizon GX1500S VHF Radio and Weather Alerts, and Jason Kennedy, Executive Vice President at Standard Horizon, just responded to that thread a couple hours ago 

Jim


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## TakeFive (Oct 22, 2009)

By the way, I can reconfirm that the GX2150 does weather alerts even when you're parked on another channel. I went down to the boat yesterday to do some work on the dock, and there were severe thunderstorms about 100 miles away. The alarm went off every 10 minutes (each time NOAA transmitted a warning), and got louder and louder unless you acknowledged it by pressing the keypad. This was actually quite annoying, since I was working on the dock and had to re-board the boat each time to stop the alarm.

There did not seem to be any way to stop the alert beeps from repeating. They went off even if I was already tuned to the WX channel. I'm really glad that I bought the RAM mic, because without it I would have to go down into the cabin every time to acknowledge the alarm.

But with possible thunderstorms possible every afternoon this weekend, it does make me glad to know I'll get an emphatic advance warning if they're coming.


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