On Sep 9, 6:26*am, "Brenda Ann" wrote:
"Brenda Ann" wrote in message

...

Not so much a matter of the size of the boat as the waterway. *A small
boat with an electric motor isn't likely to be sharing a major waterway
with a ship. Larger boats (trollers, pleasure craft, etc.) which do share
those waterways, are required to have a VHF Marine radio. The can, and
often do, also have CB and sometimes amatuer radios onboard, but the law
requires the VHF rig. This is largely to ensure universal communications
between vessels.

Note: Back in the bad old days, before VHF marine became a standard, small
craft were not required to have a radio because of the large size of the
radios (MW). However, many still did have one. Of course the craft would in
such case have had an engine with a generator to drive the power hungry
radio. *I think somewhere in the skunkworks here I still have an old hybrid
(transistor receiver with a valve output for the transmitter) MW ship to
shore radio.

Interesting discussion, you guys. Thanks for the info. That explains
a lot. It was a small helicopter and we didn't go very far - though
we were right outside of O'Hare. Thanks.