Difference between marine HF and land HF

Hi,
The marine radio uses a different frequency set than a land unit and also will have some quick access to some marine specific things like single button press for a marine emergency channel. I also think that the land based sets may not have AM (non SSB) mode which saves having to adjust things like weatherfax frequencies for the shift to the side band. The 2182 emergency frequency is AM, or it was the last time I checked. Marine HF has become pretty useless on the sea now that the OTC bases have been shut down.

Also, you will find that if a radio has been abroad on a yacht, then it may have been altered such that any HF frequency can be selected for transmition, rather than just the set burned to the eprom. This may be done legally for a departing set and often they are not rerestricted when the vessel returns. This can be handy in an emergency as it enables the set to be used on ham frequencies if no contact can be made on a legal frequency. It could also get you into trouble if used without a genuine emergency.

Another likely difference is the amount of salt water that the set may have swallowed.

Cheers Frank.

Marine radios will not have the Selective Calling and Telecall that's so useful to call VKS737 bases, to receive Selective Calls or to make phone calls.

Marine radios can legally put out 125 watts. Land Mobile regulations only allow 100watts so a marine set would not be legal.

This link will tell you some of the differences between the marine codans and the land ones. (8525 and 8528s)

codan info