If an Old Blevins type has ever cornered you at a marina bar, you know all too well that we boaters have a bit of a garrulous streak. Yes, we like to talk. Most likely, it's because when we're out on the water, we really don't have much opportunity to chat, unless we have company on board. Then again, maybe that should read: We never used to have much opportunity to chat. Back in the day, it was next to impossible to wax poetic when ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore communication was limited to flashing Morse code with a lantern, or waving semaphore flags like a demented pom-pom boy or girl. Back then, unless you were in major distress, you pretty much kept to yourself. But technology's changed things, so that in addition to enabling emergency communications, cell phones and VHF radios let us stay in contact at any time with other boaters and people on shore.

Fortunately, technology has advanced to the point where boaters don't have to choose between carrying a cell phone or a VHF radio when they head out to the water. It's entirely possible to carry both a cell phone and a VHF radio in your hip pocket, and to spend less than $300 on the pair. You do have to choose, however, which tool to use in a specific situation, because both cell phones and VHF radios have strengths and weaknesses that make them more or less appropriate for use at certain times.

CELL PHONES
Cell phones have taken over the world. It's that simple. You don't even notice when the person in the next restroom stall answers their phone and starts a conversation, and Bluetooth devices are turning millions into silly-looking cyborg wannabes. But cell phones have their bad points, too.

Seriously, the rise of the cell phone is a boon to boaters, allowing them to maintain contact - emergency or otherwise - with other boats or people on shore with an absolute minimum of hassle. Unlike VHF radio, cell phones don't require adherence to any particular protocol, although it's a good idea, if you're calling for help, to speak as clearly as possible and to avoid slang. Other than that, you're good to go.

Cell phones, however, do have certain limitations. They work by broadcasting, wirelessly, via antennae (cell towers). Each cell tower has an effective range of about 10 square miles, but can be configured so it broadcasts in a more or less hexagonal shape. This allows cells (service areas) to fit neatly against one another. In urban areas, there's enough coverage to provide seamless connectivity as you move from cell to cell. But as soon as you leave that coverage area and get beyond the reach of a cell tower, forget it. You get no bars, no service, and you're left shouting at the phone, "Can you hear me now! NOW?"

This is a real problem for boaters, because they do most of their boating away from heavily populated areas where there's good cell coverage. If you're cruising a desolate stretch of the ICW, or if you're 10 miles out in the Gulf of Mexico chasing tarpon, odds are that your cell phone will be utterly useless. You can't even call your buddy in the boat 25 feet off starboard. And there's really nothing you can do about it, since the newest generation of cell phones can't be attached to external antennae to extend their receptive range.

VHF RADIOS
In simple terms, a VHF radio works the same way a walkie-talkie or a CB radio does. Your VHF unit is a transceiver, meaning it can transmit and receive signals on a specific part of the radio spectrum. (Cell phones are transceivers, too, but unlike VHF radios, cell phones can't transmit directly to one another - their signals must be routed through the cell towers. That's how the providers make their money.) It's possible to set up a system of "repeaters," antennae that relay VHF signals to increase the radios' effective range, but that's not terribly feasible on the water, and so there are very few such repeaters outside major shipping lanes.

VHF radio signals are what's called "line of sight," meaning the signals travel in a straight line, so they can't follow the earth's curve. As a result, handheld VHF radios have an effective range of about five miles, and fixed-mount radios are essentially limited to about 25 miles or so, due to the curvature of the earth. Fixed-mount radios have greater range because of their taller, longer antennae. The higher the antenna, the more potential range. So a 20-foot antenna mounted atop a fly bridge will have a significantly greater range than a handheld unit with an antenna that's about six inches long and no higher than your forehead.

Range is one great benefit of VHF radios; constant monitoring is another. The Coast Guard monitors VHF Channel 16 at all times, as do most recreational and all commercial vessels, so if you find yourself in trouble, as long as you have a VHF radio and there's someone in range,  you can get help.

The main drawback of VHF radios  is that communication over the VHF frequency is held to a fairly high standard by the federal government. Unlike CB radios or walkie-talkies, VHF communication is subject to FCC rules and regulations, so watch your mouth, Salty. Also, specific channels have been assigned for specific uses. Channel 16, for example,  is for emergency communications or hailing ONLY. If you don't have an emergency, you MUST move the conversation to a different channel once you've hailed your party. Channel 9 is also used for hailing, but not for emergencies. Channel 13 is for hailing bridge tenders and lockmasters. A full list of VHF radio channels and their uses can be found at the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center website, www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/vhf.htm.

Cell phones and VHF radios are both useful on board. Cell phones are best for non-emergency communication near populated areas, while VHF radios are best for emergencies or working communications, and are often the only option if you're out to sea or are in an isolated area. Bring both (or keep both) on board every time you're out on the water, and you'll never be out of touch again.