There are now many ways to communicate on boats. Mobile phones and messenger services such as WhatsApp are the undisputed number one.
However, they do not really replace a VHF radio system. Even if you can reach many harbours or locks by telephone today, VHF radio is often the only and usually the most uncomplicated way, especially for ship-to-ship or ship-to-lock connections.
We show you how to install an ICOM IC M 330 VHF combination radio system. The system is equipped with both DSC (Digital Selective Calling) for marine radio and ATIS (Automatic Transmitter Identification) for inland radio. This is also the reason why we chose it for our boat, a Futura 36, as the cruising area is predominantly inland in Germany.
Photo instructions for VHF mounting
Depending on the supplier, the system costs around 250 euros and is available from many dealers. We chose the Glomex RA 106 antenna from Nordwest-Funk. The approximately 1 m long antenna costs around 70 euros and is supplied complete with antenna cable (4.5 m, RG 58), plugs and mounting base. When choosing the antenna: You should always choose an antenna with a so-called "gain" of 3 db, as the radio is designed for this type of antenna.
