If you love sailing, you should have a VHF marine radio, even if you have a cellphone. The reason is that VHF marine radios can do things that cellphones cannot do. Marine radios are some of the most important safety equipments that you should never leave the pier without. Thus, instead of asking whether you need a marine radio when you have your smartphone, you should be asking where you can get the best VHF marine radio to buy. Besides, you will just look like a rookie sailor if you use your smartphone to communicate with other sailors.

Here are the main benefits of buying a VHF marine radio

Clear communication – no hitches

This is the biggest advantage of all. A marine radio is very clear. As long as you are within range (which is quite long), there are no clarity issues with the communication going on between you and that other person. It is as if you are speaking to a person standing next to you. The communication is quite enjoyable because you can never miss a word that the others say. Even if you have to call for help, every word you speak will be clear.

You can get help fast in times of distress

When you are out there in the water, anything could happen to you. You can be caught in a storm or in an accident on the water, maybe your boat engines fail and you cannot make it back to port. Other mariners will broadcast your distress call far and wide. Just imagine if you had to use a cellphone to call family, and then try reaching the authorities with signal loss and other shenanigans that befall cellphones.

No interference most of the time

Even the police use marine radios because they are very clear. When you are chasing a runner down an alley, you do not want to miss any directions from your partner. The same clarity is also evident when you are on the water.

At times, you will have to transmit information from a long distance away. Your marine radio will do so effectively with as minimal interference as possible. Even when there are multiple users on the channel, there is no interference. Compared to a cellphone whose clarity and communication may be hampered by the volume of traffic, marine radio wins hands down.

Marine radio is easy to carry on your person

First, a marine radio is waterproof, made to be used on water. It can also be clipped to your belt, so it is always within reach when you need it. Even when your boat I rocking about, your radio will still stay intact on your belt. Even when you are running, the radio is easy to access and hold since it does not have a lot of weight. It is also easy to communicate with people on the channel when you are on the move.

A VHF marine radio has many uses

It is a tool of communication, but you will find that communication gets a new word when you are out there on the water. One of the many uses of a marine radio is that you can keep in touch with the harbor all the time. Should the need arise; you will be able to get in touch with the rescue services. You can stay in touch with the locks and the bridges too. A VHF marine radio puts you inside a community of sailing enthusiasts and keeps you in touch with everyone all the time.