Hand held VHF and land transmission

[Canibul]

"Badges? We dont needs no stinkin' badges..."


actually, one of the higher-tecn neighbors recently put up a repeater for one of the VHF marine channels, with a good antenna and some kind of linear amplifier. I stopped by to offer a hand, and played REAL dumb. didnt want him to know that I knew what he was doing, But now when I am on the boat and want to talk to the house, I use that channel and Oh man is the reception good!!

[rsn48]

There are land based VHF's all over the place in Canada. If it weren't for land based VHF's the Queen of the North BC Ferry passengers would have been in greater trouble. It was because a very small coastal community relying on land and marine based VHF's heard the "Mayday" call from the sinking ship and sent out rescue parties that injuries and drownings weren't more prevelant. Members from this coastal community were sent to "Government House" (no American equivelent - but the Queens rep in BC - kind of an internal provincial ambassador for the government) to be thanked officially.

Its not like I am in fear of the Coast Guard "catching" me using the portable VHF inapropriately on land. Our Coast Guard is under funded, under equiped, under staffed, and under supported by the Canadian public and government - much like our Armed Forces until recently. Don't interpret this to mean I don't respect our Coast Guard, I do, but I know they are up to their arm pits in work.

I'm more likely to see the second coming of Christ before I would see a Coast Guard member after me for a "land" VHF communication; they just don't have enough staff to chase me for this minor infraction.

[Cadence10m]

I have a Standard Horizon HX471S (http://www.standardhorizon.com)

It's a marine VHF, but also has FRS built-in. We have a set of cheap FRS radios on board too. So if the person zooming around in the dinghy has the HX471S they can use either band as appropriate/legal. Nice radio too.

Craig