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DianaT
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Best Radio, Cheap Price???
We want to buy a radio to use for communication in Bahia Asuncion and know NOTHING about them, except everyone there uses them.
Help, educate me please, what kind, price, brand, etc.
Diane
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Minnow
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Icom V 8000
Proud husband of a legal immigrant.
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Hook
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I'll bet they're talking on the marine bands. That's a 2 meter radio, isnt it, Tom?
Any of the lower priced units by Standard Horizon or ICOM that have a strong external speaker option so that you can mount an external speaker outside
so you dont have to be inside to hear the radio.
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Minnow
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I bet you are right. For marine band I use a Solara. They are like 120 bucks.
Proud husband of a legal immigrant.
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Diver
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I have Standard Horizon and they work great.
Bought them at Westmarine.
VHF if you want to talk to others in town.
Ask Juan about his Dual band walkie talkies that get better range if that''s what you want.
If they're just for you 2 in town, it is cheaper to get some 5 mile Motorolas or Cobras.
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DianaT
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Main purpose would be to find help if needed---an emergency device.
What kind of money are we talking about?
Diane
[Edited on 10-19-2007 by jdtrotter]
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MrBillM
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Good and Cheap
Best Bang for the Buck is Uniden. Good radios. Consistently the Cheapest. Their Handhelds are a bit large If you must have one of
those "Little" Handhelds.
I have three Uniden Solaras (about $120 now) and two of the Atlantis (less than $100) Handhelds. The oldest is about five now. No problems.
[Edited on 10-19-2007 by MrBillM]
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Baja&Back
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Diane, you'd better start by asking Juan what radio band everyone is talking on. Is it Marine, SSB, UHF, VHF, 2 meter, CB??? None talk to the other.
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Bajaboy
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I was under the impression that it was VHF
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Dave
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| Quote: | Originally posted by jdtrotter
Main purpose would be to find help if needed---an emergency device.
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You need to find out what's used. My bet would be marine band but why don't you just go ask Juan? Then you could narrow your choices. We're not
talking a lot of money. I've seen the Solaras for $85-90. Might also want a hand-held so you're talking less than $200 for the package.
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Hook
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Gotta figure in an antenna and that's the place you dont want to scrimp. A good one will cost as much as the radio if you are looking at bargain
radios.
The Shakespeare Galaxy 5225 XT is a long proven performer.
http://www.boatersworld.com/product/316030659msk.htm
Probably 250.00 tops for both the antenna and radio assuming you dont need a specialized mount. Then you GOTTA get an external speaker for outside so
you can hear it in the yard when Shari says "come on over for langosta"!
Get one with a hailer and you can give a shout for Jack? John? to come in from the north 40.
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DianaT
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Dave
You need to find out what's used. My bet would be marine band but why don't you just go ask Juan? Then you could narrow your choices. We're not
talking a lot of money. I've seen the Solaras for $85-90. Might also want a hand-held so you're talking less than $200 for the package.
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It would be a long run---about 600 miles right now. 
Seriously, I know so little about these I didn't even know there was a difference ---- so I will U2U Juan and Shari and ask them what they use.
Then I will check out the brands etc. that have been suggested.
Hook, if I used a loud speaker thing to hail John----he would let his fingers do the talking. 
When we worked in Honduras, our boss used to use a bull horn to call her husband when he was on the other side of the school----was real obnoxious,
but he usually came a runnin. 
Thanks,
Diane
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Jack Swords
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There is Marine FM VHF, Marine SSB, 2 meter is VHF (a ham band), UHF radios can be commercial or Ham or FRS. CB is HF and can also be SSB. The
differences are the frequencies of operation (mainly). The intent to communicate with others really is dependent upon what the others are using.
Most probably it is Marine VHF giving you approx 40 channels to use (not counting duplex). Then you need to find out which channel of the 40 people
listen to. Calling for help on channel 88 when everybody listens to channel 22 will be of no help. Others postings give good examples of Marine VHF
radios available almost everywhere. These radios are commonly used throughout Baja. Licensed for only marine use, they serve as distress and health
and welfare communications by boaters so hopefully select channels that will not interfere with their intended function (which also includes Aduana,
port authority, among others).
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comitan
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Diane
I'm about 99% sure they are using marine band, I would use a base station setup, if you have 110V you will need a converter to 12V, I have a pinnacle
converter thats 12 tears old, with my Standard Horizon Radio, for just that area any good marine antenna.
[Edited on 10-19-2007 by comitan]
Strive For The Ideal, But Deal With What\'s Real.
Every day is a new day, better than the day before.(from some song)
Lord, Keep your arm around my shoulder and your hand over my mouth.
“The sincere pursuit of truth requires you to entertain the possibility that everything you believe to be true may in fact be false”
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Bob and Susan
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comitan is correct to use in the house
buy a converter to go from 110v to 12v in the states
none here
just buy a $100 VHF anywhere
just make sure it scans ...
all the newer models do
you need to get a good antenna
that's the trick
DO NOT "cheap out" on the antenna or
you'll have no range to transmit
all legal VHF's transmit with the same power
when you buy an antenna...
have the place you buy it from solder the plug on
they come unassembled
this is always a problem
shakespear with the black tip is OK
forget the white tip shakespear
remember you'll also need a mount for the antenna
get a metal mount
the plastic ones break easily when stored in the sunshine
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bajalou
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| Quote: | Originally posted by comitan
Diane
I'm about 99% sure they are using marine band, I would use a base station setup, if you have 110V you will need a converter to 12V, I have a pinnacle
converter thats 12 tears old, with my Standard Horizon Radio, for just that area any good marine antenna.
[Edited on 10-19-2007 by comitan] |
Better would be to run the 12V from your batteries to the radio. Why INVERT to 120, the CONVERT back down to 12V?
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Bob and Susan
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well... you might be 50 feet away from the batteries
than you need a 3 inch cable to pull "the juice"
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bajalou
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On a plantation such as yours, possibly, But in most homes not likely. I just checked my new V8000 and when transmitting at 75watts, it draws
15amps. A marine radio is limited to 25watts so should draw around 5 amps. What size cable is specked for that amperage?
According to http://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
using 10 gauge you loose about .513 volts at 50 feet. Or 8 gauge, .323 volt drop.
No Bad Days
\"Never argue with an idiot. People watching may not be able to tell the difference\"
\"The trouble with doing nothing is - how do I know when I\'m done?\"
Nomad Baja Interactive map
And in the San Felipe area - check out Valle Chico area |
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Diver
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Here is the handheld VHF we have. Juan was impressed.
I paid a lot more 2 years ago.
http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/producte...
(Just clicking on the blue stuff works )
.
[Edited on 10-19-2007 by Diver]
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MrBillM
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Marine VHF Antennas
Check West Marine and others for closeouts.
Last year, West Marine had a closeout on an 8' Shakespeare model for $16.95 + shipping (UPS). I've got three stockpiled in the rafters of the garage.
3" cable to go 50 feet ? I'd love to see some of your wiring. Lou is on the right track. Considering the wattage of a marine VHF, you could go
pretty far with 10 guage. There are voltage drop charts all over the Net. Remember, too, on electronics, to look for the input voltage it works on.
You only have to stay above the bottom figure. Many devices work on approx 10.5vdc-11.0vdc to 15vdc.
When I ran 25' of 10 guage to my Sun Frost 12/24vdc refrigerator, others said it was too small. Voltage drop was 0.2v under load. No Problema.
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