Randy, I have been using a hand held for 5 years and have been quite happy with it overall. However there have been at least two occasions when I would have dearly loved to have more range. I once missed a dinner engagement with Lynn and Larry Pardee because of it:(
For the Dry Tortugas trip I was uncomfortable being restricted to the distance limitations of a hand held so I am putting in an electrical system for better running lights and a masthead antenna. Practical sailor sometime in the last two years rated the Icom-M45 as one of the best and that is what I am going with. I am copying Stan Winarski's mounting technique which he already sent. The same Practical Sailor article rated the GAM electronics SS-2 antenna as far superior to others. I only found the GAM antenna in the Defender catalog (www.defender.com). If you can get a hand held which will work off the masthead antenna you would have the best of both. The VHF is limited to line of sight and the power has little to do with the distance covered. Transmitting from 4 ft off the water vs 24 ft will make a drastic difference in range. As to the whisker pole I also have the same one you are contemplating. I have had a fixed length pole with clamps on both ends and was very happy with it. With the fixed length pole there was a line between both clamps and you could release either end with a tug on the line. With the adjustable pole this is not possible and you would only be able to release the clam end if you rigged some kind of elastic off of the fixed end of the pole to a line running to the clamp on the adjustable end. Too much tension however and the clamp will not close. I liked the fixed length pole better but the adjustable one with the spike is just fine. Doug Kelch "Seas the Day" M15 #310 --- Randy Graves <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > M-Sailers, > > Am looking to purchase a whisker pole and replacment > VHF radio for our M-15, and would appreciate input. > For a VHF radio I like the Icom IC-M45 fixed unit. > Have gone back and forth between a handheld and > fixed unit. Since our M-15 has an electrical system > and masthead antenna, I was thinking the fixed unit > with upto 25 watts of transmitting power would have > an advantage. Any ideas? Other makes & models? > > Forespare makes a 1" diameter, 4-8 ft adjustable > whisker pole that looks like a good match for an > M-15. You can get it with either clamps on both ends > or a clamp on one end and a "spike" on the other > end. In the past, both poles I used on other boats > had the clamps at both ends. Any > advantage/disadvantage of the clamp over the spike > on the outbound end of the pole? Where do you store > a whisker pole on an M-15? Other ideas? > > Thanks for all the good reading and help, > Randy Graves > M-15 #407 > Post Falls, ID > > > > > ��i����Y����Ȩ��&��"n)��������+-�w��j'� > &z����l __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Tax Center - forms, calculators, tips, more http://taxes.yahoo.com/ _______________________________________________ http://mailman.xmission.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/montgomery_boats
