VHF Radio Test - West Side Style

I recently purchased a new VHF radio, (Icom M330) Stainless Steel Antenna Mount, and a "Quick Connect Antenna"

It was supposed to be my winter project, but it had gotten delayed, with issues and travel back and forth to Florida, during the winter and early spring.

It was planned because Steve made his thoughts known about SAFETY, and I often fish Lake Michigan ALONE.
So I got the parts, then installation, AND my MMSI# (Maritime Mobile Service Identity) It's like Caller ID in case of a Distress Call on your VHF Radio.
You can add information, like Boat Color, Motor Size, Maximum Occupants, etc.

I have my MMSI# and will get that entered later today. However, if you do not have the MMSI#, you can acquire one for FREE. Lots of places require $25.00, or a membership, but FREE? Well that's a no brainer.
United States Power Squadron (Home) there is a link on the far right, that says MMSI. Click that link, create a Member Account, and then request your MMSI# you will get a Certificate in your EMail when complete, that has your MMSI# that you will enter into your radio.

Did I say that is was FREE (Hint Hint Steve, no excuse get one)


Anyway Skillet & I were talking and got to laughing, "Wouldn't it be funny if we could hear each other from our house?" Guess what?

WE CAN, I could hear him, but he received me garbled. A quick change of the antenna, and he could then hear me fine. So then we text/Call Ready2Fish.
I am not sure what he was using I think Skillet said a hand held, but Skillet could hear him and talk to him, however I could not.

We had to mess with some setting, like jacking the power to 25 watts, but it worked. Like little kids we were in our boats playing with the radios.

"Sparkly Boat Guy, Sparkly Boat Guy", "2 in the boat", "Can I get a wave report", "Ginger, Sir Ginger, can you read me Sir Ginger", "Yeah, Ah, did some one leave Becky at my front door?" We were laughing. This far inland, I doubt we were heard by anyone, but for a test it was great.

We then realized that Skillet was the Pivot Man, the man in the middle, Ready2Fish & I were the bread. That made for some more interesting radio chatter, and somewhere some one, if they heard us, was wondering, "What the heck are these goof balls doing?"

The distance over land in a straight line, is 3.85 Miles to Skillets place, and 4.28 to Ready2Fish, take into account i am in a low valley, and the tree's and building, we were pretty surprised it worked as well as it did. Clear water line of sight @ 25 Watts should be at least a 15-25 Mile range.

In all, I have my winter project done, & tested, just a bit later than expected.

Just think, Rich, Steve, Ready2Fish, Skillet, OE, all on radios, in the same location. Grab some popcorn, and let the entertainment broadcast.

OE

That would require us to be on a completely other channel and seperate from everyone else on the water. That said, don't get me started about my complete disdain for radio chatter. Most of the time, mine is on channel 16.

If you do not respond, we will circle around you all turn up our radios, and talk to each other so you can hear us. :biggrin

OH BOY!!!!
It would be just like the 70’s when we all had CB radios in our pickups and would cruise around drinking beer and ratchet jawin!

That’s all right, I’ll pass.....I’ll just back on out of here and be sittin on the side, not sure about my 10-20, this is the cattle puncher, we gone.....bye bye!


Sent from my iPhone using Crappie.com Fishing mobile app

Rich,

One nice feature, is the Priority Scan.

I can scan desired channels, and it will scan 16. For example, a Scan of channels 1-4 would go like this.

1,16,2,16,3,16,4,16 etc. I thought that was pretty good. I also have it set for Weather Alerts already as well. If one kicks off, I will get that on the radio as well.

I should be well set for awhile I think.

OE

I have scan as well. My old radio I could monitor one channel and transmit another. Many charter guys do this to share information with their buddies while monitoring the community channel.