Best VHF Radio For Kayak Fishing – Reviews and Buying Guide!

A VHF radio is a must-have digital device for Kayak fishing because the tiny device has the power to save your life by calling others to get help!

In addition to this, if you live in the USA, you may already know that your government recommends using a VHF radio instead of relying on your mobile phone because the mobile network can’t work correctly on the water.

So you go fishing on your kayak and are Serious about your safety. you must look for the best VHF radio for kayak fishing.

In the first section of the article, we’ll show you the review, and in the last area, you’ll get a comprehensive guide on picking an ideal VHF radio for kayak fishing. 

The Best VHF Radio For Kayak Fishing? 

1. Uniden MHS75 VHF Radio Handheld

The Uniden MHS75 is a solid-made handheld VHF radio currently ranking on the top of the market. Because it has an ideal balance of its quality and price range. 

The key attractive feature of this particular model is its battery because the battery will perform up to 12 hours so that it can be used for a full day on the river. 

Since the Uniden MHS75 floats on the water, you don’t need to worry about taking a tumble in your kayak. This radio won’t give up no matter how wet it gets, and it will take it. 

It has selectable watts of 1, 2.5, and 5, so you can select any of them according to your needs, for instance, if you need to communicate in a long-distance, like the 5 watts power, and for short communication, select the 1 or 2.5 watts. 

However, The 1-watt transmission power will be enough for most of your needs. We will suggest you use as low power as possible because it will save your battery life.

Another valuable advantage of using this radio is handling three safety channels and weather channels at once, but that’s not all. There is also a chance to program channels and set them to scan through them. 

It can cover all the USA, Canadian, and international channels to keep you up-to-date with all the latest marine activity.

The dimensions of this model are 6.4 x 6.2 x 3.4 inches, the weight ( 1.35 Pounds ) seems lightweight, allowing you to hold the radio easily.

Pros:

  • Waterproof and international protection rating is IPX8
  • Lightweight
  • Long-lasting battery
  • Selectable Transmit power
  • Triple Watch
  • Affordable
  • Three-year limited warranty

Cons:

  • The bratty clip is not s durable

2. Standard Horizon HX300 Handheld

There are so many reasons behind selecting this model for kayak fishing. The reason is the battery capacity which is 1650 mAhr, and the second reason is its brand value!

It has a highly compact body that will attract you to try it once. You can hold it and use it to communicate with others in an emergency.

For any reason, if the device dropped in the water, a flashing strobe light will be automatically activated to let you protect the unit. 

What we love the most about the device are the programmable Priority Scan and the Tri-watch & Dual watch features. The device can easily monitor three channels at once. 

The radio comes with a long-lasting rechargeable battery, 110/220VAC USB charger, Antenna, Belt clip & wrist strap, a user manual for guidance on how you can install and use the device. 

The screen is clear enough to watch all the important information and the brand new controlling menu, making this the most automatic yet small handheld on the current market.

According to the company, the battery can perform up to 7-7.5 hours. The weight is 1.2 Pounds which also seems lightweight like the Uniden MHS75, and the dimensions are 9 x 3 x 6 inches.

Pros;

  • Ergonomic case design
  • Easy Operate menu system
  • NOAA Weather channels
  • Alkaline battery tray
  • Detachable Antenna
  • 3-year waterproof warranty

Cons: 

  • No speaker microphone

3. Cobra MR HH350

Cobra is now over 50 years of age and is one of the oldest brands that play a vital role in making advanced radio devices, so when it comes to a trusted brand, The Cobra will be in the first place. 

The MR HH350 is one from the Cobra brand that offers many benefits and features at a great price point. In a single word, this is a decent radio device for kayak fishing.

If you’re searching for a good VHF radio for kayak fishing and need a long-range communication-compatible VHF radio, this will be your one-stop solution. 

This radio will allow you to have rapid access to all NOAA weather channels in time of need. The device can give you instant access to 9 emergency stations and channel 16.

Like the Standard Horizon HX300 and Uniden MHS75, this radio also has the Triple watch functionality to monitor multiple channels at once. The battery life is also remarkable. 

you want to enhance your battery life by following a simple trick, note this point “Always try to scan the channels on the lowest power setting,” it will take the lowest power from your battery.

The pack includes everything you need to operate the device, a drop-in battery charger, AC & DC charger, Lion battery pack, antenna, spring-loaded belt clip, wrist strap, and a book type user-manual.

Pros:

  • You’ll enjoy maximum coverage
  • Access NOAA weather channels
  • Floating design
  • A noise-removing microphone will black background noise and ensure a clear communication
  • Lightweight and durable body

Cons:

  • You can only charge the battery with their supplied charging cradle

4. Standard Horizon HX210

If you have a reasonable budget and are looking for a particular marine radio that can be used in saltwater for kayak fishing, the Standard Horizon HX210 might be your next pick.

The compact case design and sizable full dot matrix display make the device more attractive and handy than others. You can efficiently operate the device with the help of its simple menu system. 

The large capacity of an 1850 mAh Lithium-ion battery might be another reason that can force you to try this device for your kayak fishing project!

The smaller and lightweight body is enough to float face up if dropped in the water. Another great feature is the strobe light. What this feature does is if the device falls in the water, the strobe light will automatically be activated. 

It has a built-in FM broadcast band to tune in to your favorite FM radio station, and the radio can receive FM broadcast bands between 76 MHz to 108 MHz.

This can cover up to 5-6 miles on the 6 watts transmit power, but of course, the range will depend on the condition of your local weather. It supports all USA, International, and Canadian channels. 

In addition to these, it also has some standard features such as selectable transmit power, programmable function keys, speaker mic jack, High-resolution, and easy to read display. 

Pros: 

  • Compact and lightweight body
  • Built-in FM Broadcast
  • Three-hour quick charger
  • Dot-matrix LCD display
  • 1850 mAh Li-Ion battery
  • 3-year waterproof warranty
  • Maximum coverage

Cons:

  • Seems a little bit costly
  • No noise-canceling microphone

5. BAOFENG BF-F8HP

What a radio we’re reviewing! The Baofeng BF-F8HP is such a radio that it is the perfect choice for most users because of the price range and the quality, and these two things make the device one of the most popular models in the market. 

You may not compare other radios against this model because it offers enough capabilities, affordability, and concierge service!

The BF-F8HP is an upgraded version from a previous model from the BAOFENG brand, which offers a vast number of features than the old version, and this is the crucial point why it’s become a famous model!

The primary benefit of this model is it has the largest battery capacity at this low budget (2000mAh). It will give you peace of mind to use the premade flashlight and the built-in FM smoothly for a long time without worrying about the battery life!

One fully charged battery will be enough for you to use the device for your entire day! Although this model is a Dual-band radio, it has more transmit power based on a brand new chipset and the new concierge service!

The unique feature is the latest N5R-340A firmware that is not available on any other model on the market!

No matter how many years you have experience with a handheld VHF radio, by following their In-Depth Documentation and Concierge Support, anyone will be able to know how to use this device and many more!

BaoFeng always offers the best and user-friendly customer support to keep their customers happy, but exclusive customer service is only available for their particular model, such as this BF-F8HP.

Let’s see what you’ll get in the pack. And the device comes with a high-capacity 2000mAh battery, V-85 Antenna, power adapter, hand strap, battery charger, belt clip, Earpiece, and a user manual. And finally, you’ll get 1 Year complimentary Warranty Support and customer service!

So, if you’re on a low budget and haven’t found any good option yet, this model might be the best option for kayak fishing.

Pros: 

  • Best value for the money
  • In-depth documentation
  • Comes with all the needed accessories that you need
  • High Gain V-85 Antenna
  • Super affordable
  • Durable body

Cons: 

  • Slightly thick to look at

A Comprehensive Buying Guide For The Best VHF Radio For Kayak Fishing

Buying an ideal radio for your specific job is not an easy task. Since you’re going to buy a good option for your kayak fishing. A massive number of facts needed to be considered to determine which one is the best!

Before buying, you should consider these key things: which type of radio is better, how much transmit power the device supports, GPS, and Waterproof rating, and so on!

In the below section, we’ll share these facts step by step! 

The Type of a VHF Radio:

If we highlight the primary type, two types of VHF radios are available in the market, handheld and fixed mount. 

Handheld: This type of VHF radio is widely used in small-sized boats, kayaks because they are easy to carry and have great portability and versatility. 

A handheld VHF radio powered by dedicated or built-in battery power, so you can always keep it with you! 

Fixed Mount: This type of VHF radio is mounted in the cockpit of boats, and you need a power source to use the device. A fixed mount VHF radio doesn’t have any built-in battery. You’ll need to use your boat’s power source.

These types of radios are suitable for covering large distances in the waters. But since you’re looking for a radio for your kayak, don’t buy a fixed mounted radio. We suggest a handheld radio!

Transmit Power: A handheld radio can support a maximum transmit power of 5-6 watts, a fixed-mount, on the other hand, supports up to 20-25 watts of transmit power. 

GPS: using the GPS, you can send automatic distress calls via DSC. in addition to this, the GPS will also help you track your position, waypoints, and routing. 

Channels: Channels are important for VHF radios. When buying a radio for kayak fishing, make sure the device has a Dual or Triple watch feature. A Dual-watch feature will help you monitor two channels at once, and a Triple-watch part will help you monitor three channels at once!

Waterproof Rating: When buying a handheld radio, making sure the device is waterproof is quite important. The most important ratings are the JIS7, JIS8, IPX7, and IPX8. The highest waterproof rating is the IPX8. 

Conclusion: 

Fishing on a kayak in the water is always an enjoyable job for everyone. But if you want to go fishing in the seawater, you should ask Sirius about your safety first!

For safety, you can keep a VHF radio with you all the time during fishing and get help from others in emergencies by a simple call!

Here we have tried our best to highlight the best VHF radio for kayak fishing, if the review helped you to find an ideal device for your needs, this would be our success

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