VHF : Cobra?

Buying a VHF this weekend. The shop recomended a Cobra M55 fixed unit. Does anybody know this unit, any pros & cons etc?

Cheers
Colm

I have not heard of Cobra VHF units. ICOM make a M55 vhf and it is my experience that ICOM make good gear. My current transreciever ( ICOM)is an IC-M401, it is the best boat radio that I have owned.

Peter

I have owned a cobra M55 for the past 5 months, and have found it adequate for my needs, ie. Weather forcasts, calling other boats, calling the coast guardb and dual watch . I have an 8 foot antenna attached to mine and am able to receive clearly. My only criticisms are that the receiver speaker is not able for it when I turn up the volume so I may have to attach an external speaker and also that light on the LED readout does not always come on immediately when the unit is switched on. Icom VHF's are top class and you do get what you pay for, but for the money the cobra is good piece of kit. Thankfully, I have not had to use the DSC facility.

FISH MAGNET DID YOU DO A VHF COURSE BECAUSE IF YOU DID NOT YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE DSC FEATURE ON THE M55 BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PUT IN A MMSI NUMBER INTO THE RADIO. YOU CAN ONLY GET ONE AFTER COMPLEATING A VHF DSC SHORT RANGE CERTIFICATE . APPROX 180 EURO FOR THE COURSE.1 AND A HALF DAYS.

FISH MAGNET DID YOU DO A VHF COURSE BECAUSE IF YOU DID NOT YOU WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO USE THE DSC FEATURE ON THE M55 BECAUSE YOU NEED TO PUT IN A MMSI NUMBER INTO THE RADIO. YOU CAN ONLY GET ONE AFTER COMPLEATING A VHF DSC SHORT RANGE CERTIFICATE . APPROX 180 EURO FOR THE COURSE.1 AND A HALF DAYS.

Thanks for info Guest. The ticket i have at the moment is a limited one for non DSC vhf so I will need to do the DSC course soon and get myself an mmsi number.. Anyway I believe that some skippers are not overly impressed with the DSC system, as when you press the red button in an emergency there is no way of knowing whether your distress signal has been recieved by the coast guard station. If circumstances allowed I would still be inclined to send a mayday on channel 16 with all the relevant info.

NO PROBLEM FISH MAGNET. DSC IS A BRILLIANT SYSTEM WHEN YOU GET USED TO IT. WHEN RED BUTTON IS PRESSED EVERY VHF WITH A MMSI CODE GOES AUTOMATTICLY TO 16 TO LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE CALL. IT ALSO SENDS YOUR POSITION TO ALL OF THEM IF YOU HAVE A GPS CONNECTED. YOU CAN ALSO SEND PERSONAL CALLS AND POSITIONS TO OTHER BOATS IF THEY HAVE MMSI NUMBERS AND YOU HAVE THEM . I WOULD URGE ALL BOAT OWNERS TO DO THE COURSE NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF GREAT FUN . COURSE PROVIDER I USED WAS SEA CRAFT PH 01 2863362 COURSES HELD IN DUN LAOGHAIRE M.Y.C. HIGHLEY RECOMENDED IF YOU HAVE OLD RESTRICTED CERT YOU DONT HAVE TO DO WRITTEN EXAM AGAIN BUT YOU BETTER TELL INSTRUCTOR. I SEEN TO LADS GO THROUGH THE FULL COURSE WHEN THEY DIDNT HAVE TO .

Thanks for the extra information Guest, I agree with you, it's time we all got legal and moved with the times.