All-in-One: VHF, GPS, Cell, and More
A recent story for Boating Magazine opened my eyes to a new category of gadget on the market that should prove of particular interest to offshore, or long-distance PWC touring enthusiasts, as well as just boaters in general. These gadgets are handheld VHF radios — valuable in their own right — with the added benefits of everything from built-in GPS receivers, to Bluetooth mobile phone connections, even water-activated strobe lights for emergency locating.
A recent story for Boating Magazine opened my eyes to a new category of gadget on the market that should prove of particular interest to offshore, or long-distance PWC touring enthusiasts, as well as just boaters in general. These gadgets are handheld VHF radios — valuable in their own right — with the added benefits of everything from built-in GPS receivers, to Bluetooth mobile phone connections, even water-activated strobe lights for emergency locating.
Handheld VHF combines GPS and more into single unit.
The GPS models are most appealing. Though far more basic than the average handheld GPS models, these units work a GPS into the same small footprint as the radio. You can store waypoints, navigate to locations, even transmit your location in an emergency. Standard Horizon and Lowrance are two manufacturers making GPS-equipped models.
Bluetooth also has its value. You don’t want your cell phone exposed out on the water, but link it to your VHF handset, and you can take calls through the radio. Your phone can stay tucked away, secure and dry. Cobra currently has the corner on Bluetooth. A handy repeat feature also allows you to replay messages should you only catch the last minute of the transmission.
My test of these three, along with a tried-and-true base model from Icom, will be out in the May issue, available next month. I’ll keep my results under wraps until then, but the availability of these radios is worth knowing about now.
