july 2012
13
practical sailor
as part of an intercom
system. The stan-
dard microphone
has buttons to con-
trol channel selec-
tion, scan, transmitter
power, local/distant receive
sensitivity, and quick 16 or 9 selection.
The Ray 218 provides one-button
control for toggling between weather
and voice channels, making a quick
channel 16 or 9 selection, and select-
ing menus. Volume, squelch, and chan-
nel selection are controlled via rotary
knob. Ray 218 functions that are menu
selected include local/distant receiver
setting, channel group, transmitter
power, scan mode, backlighting and
contrast, key beep, and speed unit se-
lection.
The 218’s phonebook will store up
to 50 MMSI numbers, and the radio
scans channels using dual-watch, tri-
watch, all channels, saved channels,
and priority modes. It will also store
three favorite channels. When it’s in-
terfaced with a GPS, the 218 displays
time, boat position, course, and speed.
It also has a powerful, manual or
automatic 30-watt hailer/foghorn. In
manual mode, it sounds a 400-Hz
tone as long as the push-to-talk but-
ton is pressed. Sound patterns are menu
selectable, and output volume is con-
trolled by soft keys.
Performance-wise, the Ray 218
ranked highly. Testers found the 218’s
power output over the tested tempera-
ture and voltage ranges to be Excellent.
Frequency stability and audio quality
also were rated Excellent, while receiver
sensitivity was Good. It comes with a
three-year limited warranty.
Bottom line: The Ray 218 offers out-
standing performance and a long list of
user-friendly features. It gets the Best
Choice pick for a keypad-less fixed VHF.
standard horizon gX2150
The GX2150 Matrix AIS+ has a built-in
dual-channel AIS receiver that allows
the VHF to display AIS target informa-
tion, including MMSI, call sign, ship
name, bearing, distance, speed over
ground, and course over ground, your
vessel’s position in relation to them, and
a closest point of ap-
proach alarm. It can
also output this
AIS data to a
compatible
GPS chart-
plotter. Like
the Icom M424, t he Sta ndard
Horizon MATRIX AIS + GX2150 can
direct dial AIS targets, but unlike the
Icom, no standalone AIS unit is needed.
Users simply select the AIS target via
the soft key menu to make the call. The
Matrix’s AIS functions use the radio’s
VHF antenna to receive data, so no
special or additional antenna is needed.
In addition to its 30-watt PA/loud
hailer with pre-programmed
fog
signs, the durable, die-
cast Matrix features
user-changeable
channel names,
optional voice
scrambler, clear
voice noise can-
celing speaker mi-
crophone, 4.5-watt
audio output, NOAA weather alerts,
programmable scan, priority scan and
dual watch.
The GX2150 is also capable of sav-
ing up to 100 waypoints, which can be
navigated to via the radio’s unique nav
compass display that shows vessel SOG,
COG, and the bearing and distance
to the waypoint when connected to a
GPS source. The GX2150 also supports
a RAM3 remote access mic, allowing
remote control of all VHF, DSC, and
hailer functions (as well as an intercom
between the radio and second station
microphone).
Testers found the GX2150 to be a
solid performer. Power output over the
entire temperature and voltage ranges
was Good. Frequency stability was the
best of the group, while receiver sensi-
tivity and audio quality were rated Very
Good and Good, respectively.
Rated to IPX7, the GX2150 comes
with a three-year warranty.
Bottom line: If you’re looking for
AIS functionality combined with solid
VHF performance at an affordable
price, the GX2150 is the one for you.
It is our Budget Buy.
conclusion
When it comes to full-featured fixed-
mount VHF radios—most of which
offer excellent performance—the fea-
tures, price, and warranty carry more
weight in our ratings. In our last test of
high-end radios, DSC operation made
us lean toward units with alphanumeric
keypads, which makes using the DSC
features much easier (entering contact
MMSI numbers and call data is faster
and easier with a keypad).
The advent of options like coupling
with the Icom MA-500TR Class B AIS
transponder (allowing for direct calling
of AIS targets without entering the tar-
get’s MMSI number in the VHF) allevi-
ates this concern to a degree. Keypads
are undoubtedly useful, but they
appear to be going the way of
the dodo, if our test group
is any indication.
(The Icom IC-
M604A was
the only test
VHF with a
keypad).
With good performance and a num-
ber of sought-after features (not the least
of which is AIS), the Standard Horizon
GX2150 edged out the Icom IC-M504A,
Garmin 200, and IC-M424 to take our
Budget Buy recommendation.
For our top pick—based on perfor-
mance and features—it was a toss-up be-
tween the Raymarine 218 and the Icom
IC-M604A, so we divided the field into
keypad haves and have-nots for final rat-
ings. Buyers who want the convenience of
a keypad should go with the IC-M604A;
those who don’t can save roughly $83 by
going with the Ray 218.
Raymarine 218
Standard Horizon
Matrix AIS GX2150
garMin,
913/397-8200,
www.garmin.com
icoM aMerica,
800/426-7983,
www.icomamerica.com
standard Horizon,
800/767-2450,
www.standardhorizon.com
rayMarine,
603/881 5200,
www.raymarine.com
contacts
e l e c t r o n i c s
