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VHF is evolving at a slower pace than plotters or autopilots. Yet VHF remains at the heart of safety exchanges, DSC calls and navigation watch. With its Signal VHF 400 and VHF 220 range, Garmin is seeking to modernize equipment that is still often perceived as austere, while adding functions that are of direct interest to yachtsmen sailing with small crews, or on vessels where the cockpit lacks space.
A color touchscreen in a traditionally minimalist outfit
On marine VHFs, ergonomics are often of secondary importance. Menus are compact, keys are numerous, and monochrome screens sometimes restrict rapid reading of a DSC message or AIS target. Garmin has adopted a logic similar to that of its GPS chartplotters, with a 3.5" color touchscreen.
It's not just a question of aesthetics. On a motorboat subject to vibrations, or in the cockpit of a sailboat where the crew quickly consults the VHF between manoeuvres, legibility becomes a concrete issue. Boaters over the age of 50, who still represent a large proportion of boat owners, will be particularly sensitive to this point.
But touch at sea also has its limits. In pouring rain, with wet gloves or in rough seas, physical controls often retain an advantage. Garmin therefore retains a remote microphone with conventional controls and a powerful loudspeaker announced at 95 dBA at 0.5 meters. This loudness is designed to cover engine noise, apparent wind and chop.
The manufacturer has also added an adaptive noise reduction system and automatic squelch. On paper, this limits the permanent parasites that quickly tire the listener during a long coastal crossing. Users of fast RIBs or outboard launches should be among the first to benefit.
Integrated AIS: a real issue for pleasure craft
Perhaps the most interesting technical point concerns AIS integration. The Signal VHF 400 directly embeds a Class B AIS transponder. The boat therefore transmits its position, speed and course to nearby AIS-equipped vessels.
For yachtsmen navigating at night, in traffic lanes or on crossings to Corsica, the Balearics or England, this equipment makes a real difference to how cargo ships and ferries perceive their boats. Until now, many vessels under 12 meters in length were content with a simple AIS receiver connected to the plotter.
The distinction between the two models remains important. The VHF 220 incorporates just an AIS receiver, while the 400 has a transponder. The choice will therefore depend on your finances and your navigation program.
AIS integration in the VHF also reduces the number of separate devices on board. On a compact console or narrow wheelhouse, each device saved simplifies wiring, power supply and antenna installation.
A single VHF antenna for multiple functions
Garmin highlights the possibility of using a single VHF antenna for VHF, DSC and AIS communications on the Signal VHF 400, an approach of direct interest to owners of 6 to 10-meter boats where space at the top of the mast or on the radar hoop is limited.
Fewer antennas also means fewer losses in external splitters and fewer cable runs. For construction sites or refit workshops, the time saved on installation can be real.
Garmin adds an integrated GPS antenna, as well as 12 V and 24 V compatibility. This dual power supply is of particular interest to houseboats and light professional units using 24 V networks.
Integration with the NMEA 2000, Garmin Marine Network and Garmin BlueNet networks also enables AIS, GPS and DSC data to be exchanged with the rest of the onboard electronics. In practice, this makes it easy to display AIS targets directly on the plotter and to trigger DSC calls from the main screen.
The return of the remote station on flybridges and second stations
Garmin accompanies these VHFs with the Signal RM 100 remote station. The subject may seem secondary, but it responds to a real evolution in liveaboard powerboats.
Flybridges, aft external stations and dual controls are becoming increasingly common on family cruisers over 10 meters. Yet many yachtsmen continue to sail with a single fixed VHF located in the saloon or under the main hard-top.
The RM 100 allows radio functions to be controlled from a second station via the Garmin Marine Network. The 3.5" color screen and remote microphone are identical to the main models.
The integrated intercom function can also simplify communication between the flybridge and the inside station. On some motorboats, where aerodynamic noise makes communication between crew members difficult, this type of link often avoids the need to go back and forth on the companionway.
Audio replay and multiple standby: useful functions for small crews
Garmin adds a VHF communications replay function with automatic recording of the last 3 minutes on an active channel. The radio can also monitor up to six channels simultaneously, depending on the standby mode used. A great solution for replaying weather reports.
In these conditions, missing a call from CROSS, a harbor instruction or a safety message can happen quickly during a mooring maneuver or a sail reduction.
The ability to reread a message also avoids frequent misunderstandings of port names, GPS positions or pontoon numbers. And in dense coastal navigation, simultaneous monitoring of several channels can limit the need for permanent manual changes.
A VHF that keeps pace with connected cockpits
Above and beyond the technical specifications, this new range illustrates the evolution of the modern cockpit. The VHF is no longer just an independent box reserved for safety calls.
It becomes an element connected to the on-board network, capable of exchanging AIS, GPS and DSC data with other electronic equipment. Garmin even extends this logic to software updates and MMSI number programming via the ActiveCaptain application, thanks to integrated Wi Fi.
The Garmin Signal VHF 400 and 220 are priced at ?1,499.99 for the VHF 400 and ?999.99 for the VHF 220. The RM 100 remote station is priced at ?599.99.
