Hand Held vs. Built in marine radio

[musky hunter]

Looking to buy a marine radio and am confused on whether I should buy a console model and build it in to the boat or go with a good hand held. Can hand helds "plug in" to a deck mounted antenna for more range? How does the range of each type compare?

[Guest]

Depending on how far you want to get out, the handhelds are generally 6 watts or less compared to the dash mounts that are 25watts. I have not seen a handheld that is adaptable for use with a dash radio anntenna. If you fish big waters and need to get out over 8 miles, go with a quality WATERproof dash mount with the longest antenna you can get.

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[Guest]

Some handhelds do plug into an external, larger antenna. The range on handhelds with the built in antenna is not great. I have experienced about 2-3 mile range, but I have only used a few different models.

The consoles have much greater range. I am looking for a console radio w/ large antenna. It depends on your needs too. I don't need a handheld since I would only use it in my boat.