|
The midland Atlantic vhf radio
this is my first impression review of
this radio
firstly the official specs are as follows
• Transmission power: 5W
• High/Low power selection
(5W/1W)
• Waterproof protection grade IP54 (Splash proof)
• 56 International channels
• Immediate
access to emergency channel 16
• CALL key with 3 selectable tones
• SCAN/Dual watch function
•
Keypad lock to prevent accidental calls
• Automatic squelch adjustment
• Roger Beep on/off
•
VOX for hands free communications
• High/low power selection
• Battery low indicator
• Automatic
battery saver
• Operates with: battery pack or 4 x AA batteries
• Audio accessory jack: 2 pin
This
is a really nice radio it fits in the hand very comfortably this is not the fully waterproof model but it is shower proof
it comes with a provided waterproof bag it is 5 watt power and has a hole host of features
shown above is the the complete package which consists
of a very comprehensive
user manual desktop cradle/stand and a waterproof bag for the radio it is superbly crafted and
fits nicely in the hand all the control buttons are conveniently placed and clearly marked .
I found the menu’s and buttons easy to navigate
around and use even when in the waterproof bag I particularly like the soft feel of the buttons and the auto squelch feature
of the radio
shown here in vox mode this is for hands free transmissions.
the led
screen is very easy to see and understand I tried the auto scan mode and could clearly hear Liverpool coastguard clearly who
is about 28 miles from me I did try to speak to him but he could not hear me.note the easy layout of the buttons .
seen here The midland atlantic in its provided waterproof bag. a handy
extra with this is if it falls in the water then the air in the bag will stop the radio sinking .
I think this radio
is fantastic value for money it is very easy to understand and use its ready to use straight out of the box .
I particularly
like the large soft menu buttons which would be easy to use even with cold wet hands
The retail of this radio is £79.80
To operate a vhf marine radio legally you require a certificate
of competence usually this is a 1 day course and an OFCOM portable ship licence
VHF Radio Procedures
Article by Terry Jackson
(zebra)
|
