Many boaters feel cell phones are more reliable and are easier to use - and ultimately are making the VHF radio obsolete. This misconception can leave you in a very vulnerable spot. Utilizing a "simplex" transmission style, VHF communication can only take place in one direction at a time. This type of transmission is the same used in aviation, fire and rescue departments and our national security.

It is far more reliable and allows the person talking to be heard uninterrupted by other transmissions or the person on the other side of the communication. Because the VHF radio has only three major components, it is quite simple and reliable. Most marine radios are designed to take much abuse and hold up to the corrosive saltwater environment. The Coast Guard encourages boaters to invest in a

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VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress calling. When a Mayday is sent out via VHF-FM radio it is a broadcast to Coast Guard radio stations as well as any VHF radio within listening range - nearby boaters can sometimes offer immediate assistance before a Coast Guard vessel can arrive. Contact Cap Sante Marine for more information on VHF marine radios.