Handheld VHF - 3 Watt or 5/6Watt?

[Little Rascal]

Can anyone give me an idea of the differences in range between the cheaper 3 Watt and the 5/6 Watt handheld VHF's?

The Cobra MR-HH125 is attractively priced at c£50 but how useful would it be for coastal cruising?

[GrumpyOldGit]

In my humble opinion, buy the best you can afford, Icom m71 at 6w output can communicate across Mersea to Brightlingsea ( 7-8nm ) in reasonable conditions !

Smaller will clearly not punch out so far, no doubt expert opinion will tell you more reasons but the little £50 Cobra will not have anything like the range. Good luck anyway. Ps. there was an icom m71 on ebay the other day for about £35. might be worth a look !!!

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Second GoG's comment.

Buy a good one. Not only better range, but also survive the knocks better.

I had a cheap Cobra one as a temporary, and it didn't take much abuse before it started to struggle.

[pvb]

OK, there's a reason the Cobra's cheap - not waterproof, low output power, NiMH battery.

Spend a bit more and get a proper radio. For £99 you can get a Standard Horizon HX280E, which has 5W output, is submersible, and has a large-capacity Li-Ion battery.

[jwilson]

Can anyone give me an idea of the differences in range between the cheaper 3 Watt and the 5/6 Watt handheld VHF's?

The Cobra MR-HH125 is attractively priced at c£50 but how useful would it be for coastal cruising?

I don't think the range will actually be that much different, but I don't think the cheap Cobra has the M1/M2 channels, used by quite a few clubs and marinas. I have two of the next model up Cobras (HH300 and HH325) at under £90 each - one six years old one one year old, and am very pleased with them.

In my experience if you don't get through at 1 watt going to 5 watts doesn't usually help.

[davidej]

Simple physics suggests that a 6w transmitter will have 1.4X the range of a 3w one - square law.

[Sea_Spray]

Simple physics suggests that a 6w transmitter will have 1.4X the range of a 3w one - square law.

Not quite that simple. VHF Range is usually limited by the VHF horizon not transmission power. A Handheld at 3m above sea level has an horizon of 6Km or so. So for handheld to handleld more power wont help (much) beyond that.

However, if you are talking to the coastguard via a 100m mast to your handheld then your potential range is much greater. Absolute power (!) though, is seldom the range limiting factor.

[Sea_Spray]

I too would second the sentiments that you should buy the best you can afford. I'd worry less about the absolute power tho.

[LadyInBed]

For £99 you can get a Standard Horizon HX280E.

+1 http://www.worldseafishing.com/revie...on_hx280e.html and Standard Horizon as a company are well regarded.

[pteron]

We were dismasted off Christchurch and I used my handheld to call in the pan pan.

After being towed in to Yarmouth, we popped into the pub that the lifeboat crew frequent and were told that my transmission came in loud and clear for them which was most unusual - they usually only hear the coast guard's side of the conversation.

Icom IC-M71 6W waterproof. Excellent.