The effective range of the VHF-FM radio is up to how many miles?

The effective range of the VHF-FM radio is up to how many miles?

• A. 2
• B. 5
• C. 10
• D. 25

Answer: (B)

VHF-FM signals travel by line of sight, meaning you can only communicate as far as both antennas can “see” each other over the curvature of the Earth. With typical boat antenna heights, the reliable, everyday range on the water is about five miles. This is the practical distance you can expect for standard handhelds or deck radios without special setups. The range can stretch a bit if you have higher antennas or better antenna gain, but reaching only a few miles is common, while ten or even twenty-five miles would require significantly higher or more powerful installations and favorable conditions. So five miles is the best general rule of thumb for typical marine VHF operation.

VHF-FM signals travel by line of sight, meaning you can only communicate as far as both antennas can “see” each other over the curvature of the Earth. With typical boat antenna heights, the reliable, everyday range on the water is about five miles. This is the practical distance you can expect for standard handhelds or deck radios without special setups. The range can stretch a bit if you have higher antennas or better antenna gain, but reaching only a few miles is common, while ten or even twenty-five miles would require significantly higher or more powerful installations and favorable conditions. So five miles is the best general rule of thumb for typical marine VHF operation.