Lifeline as an all purpose VHF radio

[quatin]

I'm convinced that the lifeline works great as an emergency VHF radio for divers, which is great since I dive alot, however I also need a general purpose VHF radio for when I go kayaking. I couldn't find any reviews of the lifeline being used in this manner, so if anyone has any info that would be great.

How long can the radio last in receive mode only? Better yet, is there a battery life rating for general VHF use. (IE 10% transmit, 90% receive)

Can the radio receive while the lid is closed?

How much does it cost to replace the battery?

Can I permanently disable GPS when I'm not using it?

 

[Nautilus Lifeline]

Hi quatin,

To answer your questions,

- With general use or if Distress Mode is activated, the Lifeline battery should last about 60 hours.

- The Lifeline can receive while the lid is closed, however, ideal performance is with the lid open.

- The battery can be replaced for $59.99, however it should last you at least 5 years before this is necessary.

- With the Lifeline powered off, the GPS receiver is also inactive. When the Lifeline is powered on, it will automatically begin trying to acquire a lock.

Feel free to contact techsupport@nautiluslifeline.com if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
The Lifeline Team

 

[robertarak]

I have done some testing with the Lifelines. The unit works well as a VHF radio. With the lid closed it will work but the range is greatly diminished.
..........
Looks like Lifeline beat me to the answers. Duplicate information deleted.

 

[quatin]

I bought the Lifeline soon after I started this thread.

My experience is that it's a poor general use radio. The automatic power off settings has a max time of 1 hour. Therefore, I have to keep turning the radio on. There's no way to disable the GPS when the radio is on, so it sucks a lot of battery current. After an 8 hour trip with the occasional chatter, the battery was down to 50%. Turning the radio off is also difficult, because it takes 5-6 button presses.

I feel like there should be a general use firmware that could solve all these problems. Allow me to turn off the automatic power off setting, turn off GPS entirely and custom configure the radio menus. Volume and power off are the two most commonly used knobs I need to mess with. I'm not sure where to send these suggestions though.

The Lifeline is still a great emergency dive radio. The waterproof cap really makes a difference on reliability. However, I'm still shopping for a better general use VHF handheld. Most of the commercial ones in the market are not durable to withstand sea kayaking and to have constant salt water splash.

 

[Peter_C]

I own a lifeline and carry it on every dive. I also bring it with me on my boat attached to me or in my pocket.

With that said a good handheld VHF is easier to use for everyday use, along with being easier to hear. I would highly recommend having DSC and floating capabilities. Something like one of these.
WEST MARINE VHF460 Floating Class D GPS/Handheld VHF Radio | West Marine