Uniden UM385BK 25 Watt Fixed Mount Marine VHF Radio, Waterproof IPX4 W/Triple Watch, Dsc, Emergency/NOAA Weather Alert, Black & Tram VHF Marine Antenna

The radio was originally intended for my dinghy, but I decided it would be more useful on my main boat after waiting two and a half months to have it installed due to a Covid-related issue. Currently, 19 protocols are in place. There are three issues I have with the radio
1) The radio has no volume control It is impossible for Channels 5A, 11, 14, 21A and 67 to be used at all as the background noise is so loud you cannot hear what's being broadcast. VTS channels 5A, 11 and 14 cover the Puget Sound region in Northern California. 3) The radio does not correctly handle DSC calls since it does not properly send out the automated acknowledgment My alternate radios are identical to the one I used. In addition, the USCG is not correctly notified when the DSC test is active. I confirm that the GPS is properly connected and that its coordinates are displayed correctly. The customer service is not good It is real. It was two weeks ago that I contacted them via email letting them know about these issues. I sent a follow-up email after waiting one week, but did not receive a response. "We do our best to fix your problem", was the automatic response. A second e-mail was sent two days ago and the same automatic response was received. OK, so after considering the option of calling in, I sent a telephone message (ready to endure the inevitable delay). I received an email that said, "We are in training so the server is down. ". There is no information about how long they may be available or even IF they do. So, here is the bottom line faulty equipment + non-existent customer service is the reason you should not buy a UNIDEN radio. I have learned my lesson. In the future, I will stick with the $50 ICOM or Standard Horizon VHF system. In contrast, the difference of $0. 00 is well worth it for the cost savings associated with installing, diagnosing and resolving issues with the more affordable.

Frank Clements

| Aug 13, 2020

This was one of five boats I bought for my fleet. We awarded 4 out of 5 stars due to 4 out of 5 radios lasting as long as 2 A few of them work well, but one does not. In the case of the one after 2 months, the speaker would occasionally work, but would not work all the time. I haven't experienced any problems with any of the other four. I think it may be a defect or something is loose inside. I think you should return it. While they transmit clearly, they are very loud when the volume is cranked up all the way. It is nice to have the multi channel scan feature with one radio if you wish to listen to multiple stations at the same time. It is recommended that if you plan to mount it on a dash (like I did) that you purchase the mounting push brackets that come with it, which are sold separately. In general, it is a decent VHF at its price point.

Blaze Bennett

| Sep 14, 2020

Amazon has excellent return policy, so it was worth the try. adjusted the spring action on the microphone bracket because reports of weak plastic fittings led me to do so. There must have been a fix, and I did not find any weakness in the mike. I installed the equipment on my pontoon boat and launched it on the St. Johns River, 26 miles from me, and I requested a radio check, which was completed on channel I requested a RR bridge opening on channel 09 several miles into the trip and was told loud and clear that I was heard. A number of wx stations were clear to me. The channel selection method isn't my cup of tea, but I can live with it. The decision I made was a good one.

Bentley Duffy

| Mar 12, 2021

During my first trip out I requested the radio check, and it sounded clear and loud when I returned. There is also a scan feature, which is different from an older radio where you hit scan mode and it would stop on a channel if anyone was talking. As with your car radio, this one also requires you to program the channels you want to scan by selecting the station, holding down the scan button until it beeps, just as you would when programming a radio station. quickly and gave it to me free of charge. It actually came sooner than I initially Upon taking the boat out for the third time, there is a popping sound now. I gave it 4 stars for that reason. That might be because of ground wires that I need to check. It is a great value for the money besides that.

Samir Greer

| Dec 11, 2020

The WHAM we had stated to work with the UNIDEN VHF models of the newer version in the manual Even so, it still works, and I was rather looking forward to the We had become spoiled with our previous radio, which had a much better interface in the mic (and had a speaker in it as well, This species is frequently encountered on board With the mike next to my ear, I could clearly hear the transmission), as well as many other features not included in the bargain basement model I received. As it stands, it works just like it should and transmits and receives reliably using the same antenna that was present for the previous My first impulse might have been to buy a replacement for the original had I known one was available. The reason I bought this one is that I was satisfied with hardware from Uniden previously. In other words, it was not even a plug-in We had a taller previous radio, but it did fit into the prior flush-mount installation, so it was plug-and-play for our installation There was a snug fit for the mounting hole on the sides, and the mounting hardware worked fine. There is a good bargain to be found here. It is likely, however, that you would want a more comprehensive radio if you will use it actively (often during the day).

Edison Kane

| Sep 08, 2020

Trying to find a way to connect and use NMEA features for four days. There are some directions that are worse than worthless, they are impossible to understand, and you will spend your entire life trying to understand them. You might think it is easy to connect a Garmin unit with only two wires, but not so fast.

Jaxon Griffith

| Apr 13, 2021

As I put it in, we were at the harbor in Ventura talking to San Pedro. That a tiny radio like this could do so well was amazing.

Addison Olsen

| Sep 18, 2020

It is the second time that I have ordered a product and wanted it returned. This first device had a broken hand-piece and a broken metal ring that connects the hand-piece to the mount. Seeing how it is not smooth and shows signs of warping, as well as the fact that they have an issue with their plastic mold, there's definitely a problem with their mold. After returning the first one, I got a new one and installed it within 2 minutes, the same part broke It's amazing these things are made this badly nowadays since I had the same unit for the last 15 years without any issues. This cannot be returned since it has expired since I haven't used the boat in 2 weeks, and one of my radios needs to be attached to a stand because the hand piece won't fit. A very disappointing experience. My first negative review ever has never been about anything I have purchased before.

Luke KAUR

| Jun 05, 2021