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Can anyone verify that this specific radio, Standard Horizon Quest X has the ability to access VHF expansion channels? I have been trying to buy a radio for over a year that can access VHF expansion channels and a guy at Bass Pro said someone told him this particular radio can send and receive on VHF expansion channels.
If this particular radio cannot access expansion channels can someone recommend a VHF radio that can so I can buy it already.
I did e-mail Standard Horizon but I haven't heard anything back from them yet. I was hoping someone on the forum could talk from experience.
It's illegal to monitor expansion channels? It's illegal to have a radio that can operate at expansion channel frequencies? I guess anyone with a frequency scanner should be arrested if this is true.
I did e-mail Standard Horizon but I haven't heard anything back from them yet. I was hoping someone on the forum could talk from experience.
It's illegal to monitor expansion channels? It's illegal to have a radio that can operate at expansion channel frequencies? I guess anyone with a frequency scanner should be arrested if this is true.
Russ
With a few exceptions, it is legal to listen to any radio broadcast in the USA. It is not legal to transmit on any channel unless you are authorized to do so. You are automatically authorized to transmit on the established marine VHF channels using an approved marine VHF radio but only if you are transmitting from a boat or ship that's in the water. You must follow the rules as to which channel to make your transmissions on and what information you may transmit.
The sales guy @ Bass Pro did not have this radio in stock or on display, he said that he orders them on a regular basis for people that want them for the expansion channels.
Ron- all of the charter guys in my area use expansion channels to communicate. I had no idea these channels existing until I went out on a charter boat and asked the captain what channel he operates on.
The sales guy @ Bass Pro did not have this radio in stock or on display, he said that he orders them on a regular basis for people that want them for the expansion channels.
Ron- all of the charter guys in my area use expansion channels to communicate. I had no idea these channels existing until I went out on a charter boat and asked the captain what channel he operates on.
Russ
OK, ask them what radios they are using. I think they had to have the radios modified to get the other channels. Stock radios only operate on the authorized channels.
As pointed out by others, they are operating illegally.
FWIW we used to run a big ol ICOM with a chip in it. We could then pick a number and set them all the same. We could hear everybody on the reg. channels but they couldn't hear us.
We changed the number every year.
It was a scrambling device and it was from ICOM I believe.
All of the charter captains either use old crystal type radios, or they had their specific radio programmed by a guy that no longer does it. Actually I think the guy died. I can't find any electronics companies in my area that seem to know anything about expansion channels. No one was willing to try to reprogram a new radio.
Something that I thought would be so simple, I have found to be very complicated. From a previous post I know that certain radio's can be programmed to access expansion channels but I would have to buy the cables and do the programming myself. I just want to buy a radio that already has access to these channels, hence this post about the Quest X.
Icom M604 and the connecting cable to a computer with channel programming software is needed then you can get 300 plus channels but as previously stated you need someone else on the other radio with same setup to utilize or spy on say the party boats or others
Pretty much, EVERY radio on the market today can be easily programmed for "expanded channels". But, you need the software from the manufacturer to do it.
While it's leagal to listen to those freq's on a scanner, it is illeagal to transmit on those freqs, even for the charter guys your talking about. But, who is really going to care? As long as you not a complete idiot on there, the guys in black suits will not be looking for you.
But, to be clear, it is illeagal to modify a VHF radio, to receiver anything other than the channels it came with from the factory.
RussH, have you given Consumermarine.com a call? Last I remember they will unlock the expended channels for you.
__________________ "Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll pee on em
Thats what the statue of bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, lets club em to death
And get it over with and just dump em on the boulevard"
-L.Reed
"If you don't like it, go to Russia" -Homer Simpson.
Yes Consumers said they would do it but I had to purchase a pretty high end radio, then I had to purchase the cables, install the software, and attempt to do the programming myself. The cables cost almost as much as the radio and what would I ever do with them once I programmed the radio?
I just want to buy a radio that already has access to expansion channels, or buy a radio and have someone do the programming for me. I have no desire to buy cables that I will never use again, nor do I want to screw around trying to program a radio.
Yes Consumers said they would do it but I had to purchase a pretty high end radio, then I had to purchase the cables, install the software, and attempt to do the programming myself. The cables cost almost as much as the radio and what would I ever do with them once I programmed the radio?
I just want to buy a radio that already has access to expansion channels, or buy a radio and have someone do the programming for me. I have no desire to buy cables that I will never use again, nor do I want to screw around trying to program a radio.
Russ
Ouch...I thought it would be easier....
__________________ "Give me your hungry, your tired your poor I'll pee on em
Thats what the statue of bigotry says
Your poor huddled masses, lets club em to death
And get it over with and just dump em on the boulevard"
-L.Reed
"If you don't like it, go to Russia" -Homer Simpson.
Yeah I thought it would be much easier too! It has become a very complicated thing to buy or to have someone do the programming. I was hoping someone on the forum would already have programming cables and knew how to do the programming. I would buy whatever radio they told me to buy, then ship the radio to them to do the programming. I thought I could pay someone maybe $50 and the shipping costs, but so far no one has offered to do it.
Yeah I thought it would be much easier too! It has become a very complicated thing to buy or to have someone do the programming.
Consider that, in order to legally repair radio transmitters in the USA, one must have an FCC license. One must also make any repairs in accordance with FCC regulations and specifications. If a licensed radio technician were to modify a radio illegally and be caught, he could lose his license and face a large fine. Without a license, his investment in training and equipment would be worthless. He would be out of business.
It's not surprising to me that a licensed technician would decline to illegally modify a radio for the few dollars profit it might bring.
VHF radio to access expansion channels. 
