Kayak Safety Equipment – Marine Radio 2023

One of the most important safety items you can have on your kayak or boat is a VHF radio. If you venture far from the shore or if wind, fog, or storms are common in your neck of the woods, a marine radio needs to be with you on every trip. This device is your lifeline to fellow fisherman, boaters and rescue services such as calling for a tow or getting lifesaving services from the Coast Guard.

Many rescue services like the Coast Guard and Vessel Assist scan marine radio frequencies. You are never more than a button click away from a friendly voice to render assistance and information when its needed most. Many kayakers are satisfied spending $500-$1000 on a fancy fish finder but skimp when it comes to adding a VHF radio to their essential list of gear. A good marine radio is only $100-$200, so follow the recommendation of the boating authorities by keeping this valuable safety item with you on every trip.

Check out our best kayak vhf radio pick.

Benefits Of a Handheld Marine Radio:

• Cell Phones Are Not Reliable – When you are miles from the launch and the unthinkable happens, you want to ensure your SOS call will be heard. Cell phones often loose signal out on the water away from land-based towers.
• Easy To Transport – Kayakers love nothing more than small compact gear. Its nice to have the ability to keep such an important and useful tool right on your life vest or in a small cubby at arm’s length. Most radios are very light weight, and you will not even know you are carrying it.
• A Backup Is Best – If you have a larger vessel, you might have a mounted radio system. But when an emergency hits and the worst happens, you may find your electrical or battery systems out of action. It’s good to have a portable waterproof radio ready to go as your fixed unit could be under water.
• Bottom Line – It can save your life!

What Should I Look For In A Good Marine Radio?

• Battery Charge Time
• To Float or Not To Float
• LCD or Dot Matrix Screen Type
• Does It Have GPS and DSC
• Range And Power Specs
• Special Features and Accessories

How Long Will My VHF Radio Stay Charged?

Most handheld marine radios will have a 7 to 15 hour battery life. That can vary quite a bit depending on the amount of use and power settings you enable. If you go out fishing once a month and just turn on your radio and never actually use it, then you may not need to charge it for months. On the other hand, if you like to chat with your fishing buddies, use high power settings and keep the back light going you might end up on the low end of battery life, or worse.

Another factor that affects battery life is the size and weight. If you have a lightweight floating model then it likely is manufactured with a smaller battery to reduce weight. This will contribute to a shorter battery life. A large, heavy radio may contain a larger battery contributing to longer charge times.

Most all VHF radios come with Lithium-ion batteries. Some people are not fans of these type of batteries. One reason is that replacements can be hard to find especially if you need one when you are out of town. Radios that allow the use of regular rechargeable or non-rechargeable alkaline batteries, allow for more flexibility and potentially lower battery replacement cost. Unfortunately, there are few radios that accommodate that option. If you would rather not be limited to just Lithium-Ion check out the HX870 from Standard Horizon. It comes with a 1,800 milli-Amp hour lithium ion battery AND a AAAx5 alkaline battery tray.

Should My VHF Radio Float?

When it comes to kayak gear, we often need two things, the ability to tie it down or make it float. Nothing hurts the heart and wallet more than to see your expensive new ‘thing’ sinking into the abyss. Fortunately, many handheld VHF radios are designed to float. This feature can put your mind at ease knowing you never need to worry about your radio hitting the water.

Some manufacturers like Icom have gone a step further. Icom pioneered the floating VHF marine radio and created the Float N Flash flashing light feature. When your radio falls into the water the feature turns itself on even if the power is off. This can be handy say, fishing at night or if you drop the radio in murky water.

Compare These Top Rated VHF Radios

VHF Radio	Estimated Charge	Floats or Flashes	Dot Matrix or Segmented	GPS	DSC	Price
ICOM M73	18 hrs.		Segmented			Check Latest Price
STANDARD HX400	17 hrs.		Segmented			Check Latest Price
STANDARD HX210	15 hrs.	Floats/Flashes	Dot matrix			Check Latest Price
ICOM M85	14 hrs.		Segmented			Check Latest Price
STANDARD HX300	13 hrs.	Floats/Flashes	Segmented			Check Latest Price
STANDARD HX890 BK	11 hrs.	Floats/Flashes	Dot matrix	Yes	Class H	Check Latest Price
ICOM M25	11 hrs.	Floats/Flashes	Segmented			Check Latest Price
STANDARD HX40	10 hrs.	Floats with optional case	Dot matrix			Check Latest Price
ICOM M94D	9 hrs.	Floats/Flashes	Dot matrix	Yes	Class D	Check Latest Price
Uniden MHS75	12 hrs.		Segmented			Check Latest Price

What’s The Best Screen For My VHF Radio – Dot Matrix Or LCD?

There are basically two kinds of screens manufactured for marine radios, LCD and Dot Matrix. LCD screens have 7 lines or segments as seen in the picture below. They make for rather crude readouts that can sometimes be a little hard to decipher as they can limit the detail displayed on the screen. The other screen type is dot matrix. This has a more modern look as it is similar to your cell phone and LCD screens. This technology allows for smoother more readable output. Higher rated screens of this type are determined by the pixel count of the unit. I prefer the dot matrix models but there can be other factors that are more important.

LED display. Picture: Wikipedia.

Do All Marine Radios Have Weather Alert?

Almost all marine radios have a weather channel or automatic weather alerts. Alerts will automatically notify you when there is a special weather statement or sever weather signal from NOAA.

Do I Need Digital Selective Calling And GPS?

You should consider buying a unit that includes GPS as a feature. Having GPS can enable your radio to double as a navigational aid or a backup to your main GPS unit. GPS will enable you to store waypoints or specific locations, that you can navigate back to on a subsequent trip. Built on top of GPS is another function called Digital Selective Calling or DSC. This feature allows you to send a digital distress message to any agency or vessel that is also DSC enabled like the US Coast Guard. So instead of having to change channels and tell someone who you are, that you are in distress and provide your longitude and latitude information, all you need to do is push a button. All that pertinent information is sent to all parties listening automatically including things like the name of your vessel, emergency contact info, etc.

There are other uses for DSC besides being an emergency beacon. You have the added capabilities to talk with other individuals or groups using MMSI identification numbers. This functionality also allows you to send position information if those involved all have GPS units. The key to unlocking DSC benefits is to register for an MMSI number. It only takes a few minutes to get one and the access is free. You can obtain your number at www.boatus.com/mmsi

What Are Useful VHF Radio Accessories I Might Need?

Some popular radio accessories are noted below. If you have a high-end radio, you may already have these options, or they may be an extra you can purchase. Regardless be sure to check that your unit is equipped, never assume no matter how much you are paying.

Antenna adapters – This will give you the ability to connect your radio to a ship’s antenna. This can greatly widen your range of reception if such an option is applicable to your situation. This allows you to use your handheld as a backup for a fixed radio you might have that dies.  

Charging Cradle – having a cradle makes it easy to charge your unit and keeps things neat. Some of these chargers will be slower charging units and some are rapid charging. Its best to have a unit that can be charged in a few hours, so you’re not tied down if you forget to check battery levels prior to the trip. Having a DC connector can be handy if you need to charge things on the drive to the ramp.

Alkaline Battery Option – Lithium batteries can be hard to find if a quick replacement is needed. They can be pricey as well. Alkaline batteries have up to 10 years of shelf life, are easily obtained and are relatively cheap. You will be in a much better position if your radio accepts alkaline batteries or has an add-on to accommodate these types of batteries.

What are the limits of range and power?

Large, fixed marine radios normally have around 25 watts of power. Your handheld VHF will likely be 6 or less. Although wattage can increase the distance of reception and transmission, you will get greater benefits from having a larger external antenna. For small boats and kayaks this is likely not an option. And since we are limited by a 6-watt maximum for handhelds, we have to be satisfied with a 3 to 8 mile radius. Larger vessels with a large, fixed antenna and 25 watts should expect 15 to 20 miles of coverage.

How much difference does increase transmit power make? Very little on the range of the communications. ICOM states that by switching from one watt to three watts of output you may gain 10 percent in range, but your battery life is dramatically reduced when you transmit at high power. The batteries in handhelds vary in capacity from about 500mAh to 2000mAh, and the current draw on high-power transmit can be in the two-amp range. This quickly depletes a battery if you talk a lot. Note: Radio manufacturers measure their battery life on a 90/5/5 basis: 90 percent standby, 5 percent receive, and 5 percent transmit at high power.

Cleaning your Marine Radio

I wipe down my radio as soon as I get back from kayaking in salt water. To keep your unit water resistant as long as possible, open the battery door and clean and lube the gasket a couple times a year. If you tend to get your unit wet, remember, most VHF radios are only water resistant. With good treatment you should expect two or three years of use before the radio dies from water leakage, if it’s in the water a lot. If you venture far from the ramp its best to stay with others that have radios, or carry a spare incase yours dies.

Your marine radio is one of your most important safety tools. Never venture out far from the ramp or in questionable conditions without it. Having a shiny, top of the line radio clipped to your vest will do no good if you don’t know how to use it. So read your manual and play around with it now and then. Now get out there and have fun, knowing you are only a button click away from help and information if you need it.