Is there any special lisc. needed to have a VFH radio on board a fishing vessel? Or any other type boat for that matter.

How far will a typical 250.00 to 500.00 radio broadcast? Last, what type antenna is needed?

If I understand the basic overview the FCC has allocated certain channels as free to use but limit the transmission wattage on the free ones. A basic license allows more power on some of those channels.

Range is subjective mostly based upon line of sight between radios. Power has only limited gain over terrain.

Wow, so much info, so little time. OK what warrior said. Only thing any antenna must do is resonate with the given frequency. Saying that, many truck drivers have talked all over the world with 50 dollar radios putting out 5 watts. But that is an exception to the rule and under unusual circumstances. And I'm still looking for a 1000 watt old tube style linear amplifier. Please find a local ARRL club in your area they will be eager to help. A lot have their station numbers as their license plate number, easy to spot. Good luck.

Case are you looking for a CB linear? If so I may have one. I had a 1K and a 2K for the old cbs, both were tube type. I will have to look and make sure I know where their at though.

Warrior thanks for that info. I am about to start on a 22ft. river cattin boat and was considering having a VHF radio on it for night time fishing on the Miss. and Ohio rivers.

A Fcc license is not required on a standard vhf. As far distance that's up to your antenna, but even the small 4ft ones will cover many miles on a clam clear day.

Yes that would work just fine. I see your in Illinois you may have one made by my old friend Bob Chestnut and I would like to have one. May want to use PM so we don't have trouble with forum rules.

not on the great lakes , there used to be a registration

it depends how tall each of your antennas are but the coast guard can get ILL WI state line up to Milwaukee and then about that much further north from the Milwaukee station when out 15 miles off Racine we can hear Kenosha and Milwaukee traffic dad has a an 8 foot on top of the canopy that is about 9 feet off the water with he base it's close to 18 feet up

when the antenna was much lower on the old boat only about 9 feet we could hear one side of conversations a lot more often

I bought one many years ago for my fishing boat for emergency use, all I needed to do was set up an account with (THE) phone co, ( was only the one at the time) for ship to shore phone. Chanel 16 I believe it was, is guarded by the Coast Guard. Been a long time ago and never used it.