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04-01-2012, 17:51
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: South East Asia
Boat: Amel Euros 41
Posts: 92
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Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
Hi,
I am shopping for a new VHF and it seems like some units are much cheaper in the US than in NZ / OZ.
I read that some channels can not be used in the US. Do you know if the units sold there are locked down to comply?
Regards
Geza
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04-01-2012, 17:57
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#2
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Registered User
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Presently on US East Coast
Boat: Manta 40 "Reach"
Posts: 10,108
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
I believe all vhf units can be user-set to US, Canada and International frequencies. Our 13yr old one had that capability and our hand held and new fixed mount also do.
Mark
__________________
www.svreach.com
You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
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04-01-2012, 21:26
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 262
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Look that the model you want has a U/I/C button:
U - USA
I - International
C - Canada
For what it's worth, so far in Mexico, everyone is on U mode.
-p
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04-01-2012, 23:23
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
I use U.S. model VHFs on my boat in the UK. There are two UK channels -- M1 and M2 -- which do not exist in the "International" channel set. One is for races and the other is used by some marinas. So far never been a problem for me, but you should compare the "International" channel sets to your local channel sets in NZ.
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05-01-2012, 02:15
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#5
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Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Hawaii
Boat: CS 40
Posts: 171
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
I'm pretty sure they all use the same channels, they just have a different mix of simplex and duplex channels.
__________________
Michael Fössl
S/V Second Jump
British Columbia
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05-01-2012, 04:59
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#6
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Eternal Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,046
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
1. Go to this web page: Marine VHF radio - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2. Go down to the table at the bottom of the first page.
Bill
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05-01-2012, 05:20
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#7
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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Make sure you get the simplex "A" channels like 22A etc. This allows you to do boat to boat traffic on these otherwise boat to shore channels. This means you need an USA mode I think.
cheers,
Nick.
__________________
“It’s a trap!” - Admiral Ackbar.
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05-01-2012, 06:28
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#8
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 718
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
There are lots of expanded channels that are locked out in US radio's as they are not legal marine channels in the US but are in other parts of the world. They can be enabled via software.
Eric
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05-01-2012, 06:38
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#9
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
Quote:
Originally Posted by fairbank56
There are lots of expanded channels that are locked out in US radio's as they are not legal marine channels in the US but are in other parts of the world. They can be enabled via software.
Eric
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If anyone knows how to enable Channels M1 and M2 in Icom radios via software, I'm sure a lot of people would be very grateful for the hack!
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05-01-2012, 07:32
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#10
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Nearly an old salt
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Lefkas Marina ,Greece
Boat: Bavaria 36
Posts: 22,801
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Theres no problem buying your radio on the US all modern radios have the 3 band sets. Just switch it to international when you install it
Dave
__________________
Interested in smart boat technology, networking and all things tech
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05-01-2012, 09:05
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#11
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Senior Cruiser
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,082
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"
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05-01-2012, 11:06
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#12
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Registered User
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 718
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead
If anyone knows how to enable Channels M1 and M2 in Icom radios via software, I'm sure a lot of people would be very grateful for the hack!
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It's not exactly a "hack". You need the Icom software specific to each model radio as well as the interface cable. As a service tech, I have software for some Icom models but it is not legally available to end users like yourself. You may find some of this software on the Internet and you may be able to coax it from a local dealer/service shop.
Simply switching to international mode does not get you these expanded channels. They can only be enabled via the software. With the software, you can program any VHF frequency within the capabilities of the radio. Iv'e used it to program in 2-meter ham frequencies. Some radio's can work at these frequencies, some require slight tweaking of the VCO's and others cannot.
Eric
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05-01-2012, 17:07
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#13
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Moderator
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Denmark (Winter), Helsinki (Summer); Cruising the Baltic Sea this year!
Boat: Cutter-Rigged Moody 54
Posts: 33,750
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
Quote:
Originally Posted by GordMay
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My Icom M604 does not have any channels at 157.80 or at 161.25, no 37a and no P4. Perhaps this is beyond the range of the set altogether?
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05-01-2012, 17:09
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#14
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always in motion is the future
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: in paradise
Boat: Sundeer 64
Posts: 18,757
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dockhead
My Icom M604 does not have any channels at 157.80 or at 161.25, no 37a and no P4. Perhaps this is beyond the range of the set altogether?
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Nah, we just need to get that illegal to have software
I'll stroll the torrents a bit
ciao!
Nick.
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05-01-2012, 17:59
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#15
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: South East Asia
Boat: Amel Euros 41
Posts: 92
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Re: Buying Marine VHF in the US to be used around the world
Thanks for the replies so far.
The VHF I am looking at is a Standard Horizon GX2100. I looked at the users manual and it seems like that all the channels are available for NZ (can switch between US/Internation/Canada). Maybe not for UK though.. haven't checked that.
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