When you are in trouble you need to attract someone's attention. In order to
do this you need a properly installed marine VHF radio transceiver! The VHF radio
should be the first piece of electronics you buy. Depending on your boat and
where you use it your needs may be met with a hand-held VHF transceiver, but a fixed
radio installation, plus a hand-held is a far better choice (regardless of how reliable
radios are, two are far, far better than one when one MUST work). Chuck Husick,
BoatU.S.