Buying a radio overseas
Submitted by Mikado on Tue, 2012-12-18 09:43
Hi guys. As the tital states.Im after a Standard Horizon branded radio and after info or feedback on others who may have bought from the US. The radios over there seem to be almost half price.
Another VHF/UHF question I have is this license rule. I know it has been said before but after a couple of much older searches on here I still can't find the final answer. Do I need this license which I'm happy to sort out. And is the reception etc that much better with VHF. I'm almost finished a centre console build and will be based in the Pilbirra and Broome hence this question.
Thanks in advance.
On another note. I'm surprised that this forum doesn't have a dedicated Radio/Communication topics page? Or at least I couldn't find one.
grayzeee
Posts: 2283
Date Joined: 09/07/09
I just bought an icom vhf
I just bought an icom vhf from US no probs off ebay.
The reception and range is way better than my 27 meg was IMO , and it gets used by more than just rec boaties.
If I spent half as long fishing , as I do reading this bloody forum , I'd be twice the fisherman I am.
alfred
Posts: 3097
Date Joined: 12/01/07
The Marine VHFs are the same.
The Marine VHFs are the same.
Starbug
Posts: 563
Date Joined: 27/08/09
US VHF marine radios have a
US VHF marine radios have a slightly diferent set of frequencey allocations. Most radios have a US/INT button or software setting to change between the two. We adhere to the INTernational band plan. Just make sure is is able to change between the two.
As for a licence. You are still required by ACMA to be certified to use VHF. Most sea rescue groups run regular courses, and they are well worth doing.
Certification is not often policed by DOT as there are no requirments in the WA regulations that reqire a recreational user to be licenced. It is a federal government requirement.
The ACMA had a discussion paper and public submissions regarding the dropping of the certification requirement for marine VHF for recreational users. As far as I am aware no recomendation or outcome has come out of this. Even if they decided to drop the requiments, it would have to be approverd by the minister for communications, a bill raised and passed by both houses of parliment, the communications act re written and then passed into law. Having delt with ACMA and their former departments both recreationaly and professionaly for more than 3 decades.........dont hold your breath. :)
On top of this the goverment is facing a federal election within the next 12 months and bills like these will not be high on the priority list.
Mikado
Posts: 5
Date Joined: 26/07/12
Appreciate the feedback guys.
Appreciate the feedback guys.