The 6 Best VHF DSC Marine radios (2023 reviews)

Compared with other radio in this category, the yaesu vhf dsc marine radio has a design with broader appeal. This radio will NOT operate as a stand alone transceiver. It allows dsc calls to be received even when listening to communications. It's a great radio, small and light. The external speaker is for amplifying the signal coming through to hear over the wind or outside noises or for a clearer receiving voice which is most common because it can be hard to understand.

This has an auto volume feature. The mounting bracket can be attached facing up for overhead mounting. It is easy to install and you have the choice to pick a place. It will work on any 12v dc supply.

Why We Like This:

Affordable ultra compact class d fixed mount vhf radio
Automatically poll the gps position of up to 4 ships using dsc
Additional calls that can be made are individual, urgency, safety, position report and send
Programmable scan, priority scan, and dual watch

Best For recreational boaters: Cobra VHF Radio

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Cobra line of radio come in a pretty wide variety of styles, so you can definitely find one that suits your individual preferences and needs. For communicating with other boats, bridge towers, marinas, and emergency services, this radio is perfect. It is designed to ipx8 (jis8) standards for water submersion. It comes with a built-in gps receiver, see your gps coordinates on screen and automatically send your exact location with dsc calls. These two radios with 6 watts output should be able to reach 4 to 5 miles unless there is a large obstruction between them.

It is used for "dsc" (digital selective calling) which is kind of like calling another radio using a phone number. The radio does allow you to talk on your phone but of course, only one person can speak at a time. These are approximate kitchen table calculations.

Why We Like This:

Works great,also comes with a free boat.us 50 dollar free membership from cobra
Floats, high visibility colors, and water resistant
Even has a speaker burp function in case it is dropped in the water

Best For boat: Standard Horizon VHF DSC Marine Radio

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Next on the list, we've got yet another radio that manages to win our hearts. It's the standard horizon vhf dsc marine radio and it's widely considered as radio that has the most suitable features. This is a vhf marine radio and the vhf marine band lies between 156 and 158 mhz. It features smooth and easy and also it is easy to operate a menu system. The digital channel display is easy to read as you scroll through the channels. It has the wires to add an external speaker. It allows dsc calls to be received even when listening to communications.

It comes with an internal 66 channel gps built into the front panel, so there is no need to hassle with wiring the radio to a gps for dsc. The sound is plenty loud. There is a aux speaker wire on the wire harness.

Why We Like This:

Very nice has a volume adjustment on it
You can hook up external speakers
Very good layer of safety for very easy install and cost
Built-in 66 channel waas gps receiver

Best For The money: Standard Horizon external Speaker

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If you often find yourself scrambling for convenient and suitable radio, standard horizon external speaker should be your first option for buying. It comes with an internal 66 channel gps built into the front panel, so there is no need to hassle with wiring the radio to a gps for dsc. It can get your position from GPS and also it can broadcast this as part of a DSC message.

The "G" in the last two characters on this model number tells you it has an internal GPS receiver. It has impeccable build quality, and the gps works flawlessly. It can be hooked up to a gps antenna. It is easy to use design, and the small format simplifies installation. It does not have to be connected to any other source of gps data.

Why We Like This:

Great unit and super simple installation
Good brand reputation

Best For someone: Cobra VHF DSC Marine Radio

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We know from years of feedback from readers, customers and amazon sellers, what most people want in a convenient and appropriate radio. The cobra vhf dsc marine radio is exactly that - it's a simple radio that hits all the right notes. It comes with the power of emerging technology, cobra is propelling the future of driver awareness. It includes a charger, backup battery holder (6aa) and a dc adaptor plug. The Burp feature vibrates the water out of the speaker grill and improves speaker performance, while weather alerts with an audible tone and visual alarm warn you real-time if threatening weather is nearby.

This cobra handheld marine radio comes ready to use with the included drop. It has a NMEA0183 connection if you want to connect it to a network to receive the position data. The radio can be set to require you to press "talk" to open the "mike" when you want to speak, or set to VOX, to do it automatically while you're speaking. There is a key combination to change the MMSI which is great. The Bluetooth is to allow you to control your phone with the handheld.

Why We Like This: