Stay safe while navigating the coastal waters with the Cobra MR F75 dual-power marine VHF transceiver. The radio, which boasts a selectable output power of either 1 or 25 watts (for short or long communication), lets you talk with other radios within at least a five-mile radius, and sometimes as far away as 25 miles, depending on conditions. It's an essential tool for communicating with marinas, the Coast Guard, other boaters, and commercial towing companies, all of whom can offer life-saving assistance during a crisis. And because VHF radios work on a party line, any boat that's within range can listen in and provide help, or they can relay the signal to a professional that's outside your range. The MR F75 operates on any of the three channel maps established in U.S., Canadian, and international waters, while also picking up 10 weather channels from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Association (NOAA). The latter feature ensures instant access to national All Hazards and weather warnings 24 hours a day, so you'll always know when a storm is approaching. And because it's nearly impossible to monitor the NOAA channels at all times, Cobra integrated an audible weather alert tone and visual alarm into the radio. Other safety-enhancing features include instant access to emergency channels 16 and 9 and a function known as Digital Selective Calling (DSC), which allows you to send a distress signal at the touch of a button or exchange position information with other boats or stations. The radio even offers DSC call waiting, a handy option that informs you of the caller's MMSI ID number and any other data included in a DSC message.
Furthering the MR F75's safety reputation is its GPS compatibility. When connected to a Cobra or most other GPS receivers, the MR F75 can send your GPS position to other boats in an emergency, or it can exchange position information with other boats or stations. This valuable feature saves a ton of time in a crisis, as it helps rescuers locate your craft quickly and efficiently. And unlike many VHF transceivers, this unit can monitor three channels at once--channel 16, channel 9, and one user-selected channel--so you needn't worry about missing an important distress signal because you're tuned to the wrong channel. Users can also scan all the channels programmed into the memory to find conversations in progress.
The device is a breeze to use, with a large, illuminated LCD display, backlit function keys, and a noise-canceling microphone with its own control buttons for crisp, concise communication. Boaters can also connect an outside speaker to the unit thanks to the external speaker jack, or a PA speaker should users need to make bullhorn-like announcements to other boats through the microphone (the MR F75 is public address capable). All this in a sleek, black, water-resistant chassis (it's submersible in 1 meter of water for up to 30 minutes). In addition, the MR F75 comes with both flush mount and surface mount kits, so you can install the radio in or on almost any flat surface using the supplied hardware.
The transceiver measures 6.25 by 2.25 by 7.125 inches (W x H x D) and carries a three-year warranty on parts and labor.
What's in the Box
MR F75 transceiver with microphone, flush mount kit, surface mount kit, GPS interface cable, user's manual.