Vhf radio help

[Loggerhead Mike]

I'm looking at a Cobra 45 or standard horizon 1200. ( or any other yall mite recommend)

Basically these say "gps position display capacity". what the heck does that mean? Buying something extra im assuming?

Any certain antenna I should be looking for?

Basically we have started taking the boat down to perry florida once a year for a fishing vacation. Cell service sucks and I only know 1 feller there that I could call If I was to break down or need any kind of help. I think vhf is my best bet to get I touch with others at the fish camp and take a little less worry out of our good time.

Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have 0 experience with vhf radios

 

[Bob Landry]

Some radios can communicate with the GPS in your fish finder or a separate GPS receiver. If you have GPS on the FF, it's kinda redundant. as far as an antenna, you can't go wrong with a Shakespear. They come with various db gains, but don't get into that, you'll do fine with the short antennas. The Coast Guard monitors the hailing channels, usually 16.

 

[Captain Ahab]

The higher off the water the antenna the better you will be


All radios have the same output (25 watts) - it is just the height of the antenna that makes a difference

https://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/WestAdvisorView?langId=-1&storeId=11151&page=VHF-Antennas#.UrTNodJDucw

 

[Jonboat Jerry]

I'm looking at a Cobra 45 or standard horizon 1200. ( or any other yall mite recommend)
Basically these say "gps position display capacity". what the heck does that mean? Buying something extra im assuming?
Any certain antenna I should be looking for?
Basically we have started taking the boat down to perry florida once a year for a fishing vacation. Cell service sucks and I only know 1 feller there that I could call If I was to break down or need any kind of help. I think vhf is my best bet to get I touch with others at the fish camp and take a little less worry out of our good time.
Any opinions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I have 0 experience with vhf radios

I have a Cobra MR-F80 marine radio With DSC and couldn't be happier. GPS READY is used with DSC (Digital Selective Calling) is a feature that receives GPS position data from a GPS equipped Fish Finder or Plotter you may already have on your boat, no need for another GPS. This handy feature will broadcast your position to any other equipped boat or the CG, when you hit the Panic Button.

Also the 10 or so weather channels is a feature often over looked, that gives you instant access to the latest NOAA weather.

+2 on antenna height increasing the effective range. you have to balance that with the size of your boat and where to mount it.
The fiberglass ones were too heavy for my boat, so I installed a 36" base loaded SS antenna on the side of the console.
In the canals here I don't get very far (houses blocking), but on the open water I get very good range Tx.

Sea Tow has a automated marine channel 26 for radio checks along the gulf coast, that records your transmission and plays it back, so you can tell how your radio is performing. Hope this helps. Jerry