Handheld VHF Radios

For many sailors, cell phones have become their primary means of both ship-to-shore and ship-to-ship communication. Even the Coast Guard will often ask for a cell number after it receives a distress call. None of this, however, makes a VHF radio any less important—and this goes just as much for a handheld as any fixed-mount model.

There are a number of reasons for this: first and foremost, the fact that despite the seeming ubiquity of cell coverage these days, it is still far from total, even for those sailing coastal. Of course, for those going off shore or venturing to remote locals, cell coverage simply isn’t part of the equation.

Beyond that, while it may be convenient to call ahead to a marina or make dinner reservations by phone, VHF remains the primary means of making a distress call, either to the Coast Guard or any