Vehicle Mount for Cell Phone

Mountek nGroove Grip Universal

Smartphones can be excellent while driving, especially in vehicles lacking comparable electronics, providing such hands-free services as:

• Phone calls
• GPS location and turn-by-turn navigation with voice prompts
• Playing music and podcasts
• Streaming Internet radio

This works best with a mount that holds the smartphone where it can be easily seen and used. Common mounts attach to windshield or dash with suction cups that can loosen over time and which often obstruct the view. Mounts that attach to air vents partially block the vents and can make them hard to adjust.

If your vehicle has a CD player, a better mounting solution may be the Mountek nGroove Grip Universal, pictured mounted in a Volvo S60 holding a Google (LG) Nexus 5 (recommended) with a Diztronic protective case (recommended). This mount is attractive, solid and secure, tilts and rotates, attaches and removes easily, with no need to remove or modify protective cases. (If you never play CD discs, you can leave the mount attached.)

• Cable is power from a PowerGen Car Charger (recommended)
• Connection to car audio is by Bluetooth in the picture, but cable could be used instead
• App displayed is CarHome Ultra, made especially for driving (recommended)

VHF Radio with DSC and GPS plus AIS

Your crew are outfitted with hand-held VHF radios with DSC and GPS (see Hand-held VHF Radio Could Save Your Life) that will transmit exact locations should they fall overboard. Excellent. So now how do you actually find them? And since you're so safety conscious, wouldn't you also like to have an AIS receiver? The answer: Standard Horizon Matrix AIS GX2100, which has many cool features, including:

• Dual Channel AIS Receiver built-in
• Contact AIS Ship with DSC
• AIS Closest Point of Approach Alarm
• Navigate to waypoints with Compass page
• Navigate to DSC Distress Call
• Programmable Scanning and Soft Keys

Highly recommended! Find It Online with Google Products

Hand-held VHF Radio Could Save Your Life

A problem with EPIRB or PLB is that if you fall off a boat, without an expensive 121.5 MHz RDF the boat has no way of finding you by the radio signal, and you might well succumb to hypothermia before the USCG responds and arrives.

An excellent alternative that will give your boat (and all other DSC-equipped VHF radios) within a range of several miles your exact position, making it possible to find you, is a waterproof hand-held marine VHF radio with internal GPS and DSC.

Best Products

• Standard Horizon HX850S
  6W, floating, internal GPS, DSC, SOS strobe light
  "EDITOR'S CHOICE" by Practical Sailor September 2009
  "BEST CHOICE" by Practical Sailor July 2009
  SAIL Magazine 2009 Pittman "INNOVATION AWARD" January 2009
  Find It Online with Google Products
  
• Standard Horizon HX851
  6W, floating, internal GPS, DSC, SOS strobe light, glow-in-the dark gasket, navigate to waypoints and compass display.
  Improved version of HX850S
  Find It Online with Google Products

Honorable Mention

• Lowrance LHR-80
  5W, floating, internal GPS, DSC, navigate to waypoints
  PRO: track-your-buddy, larger display, less expensive
  CON: not as waterproof, less powerful, not as rugged

More Information

• Help When You Need It [Chuck Husick, BoatUS]
• MMSI Frequently Asked Questions [BoatUS]

See Also: VHF Radio with DSC and GPS plus AIS

UPDATE: Another option is the Mobilarm V100 "VPIRB" water-activated DSC+GPS distress beacon. Cool idea (despite the misleading moniker), but suffers from limited function and very high price tag (~$750). At (say) $250 it would be much more competitive and compelling.

Garmin Foretrex 401 Wrist GPS

The new Garmin Foretrex 401 Wrist GPS is a substantial and worthwhile upgrade to the original Foretrex 101/201, and can be an invaluable tool for marine navigation (cruising, racing, long passages) in addition to hiking. The new high-sensitivity receiver acquires satellites much more rapidly, and holds them in more difficult conditions. New electronic compass works even when not moving. Data can be shared wirelessly with other 401's. Screens are readily customizable. Highly recommended. As of this writing, Internet prices are as low as $172. Find It Online with Google Products