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Nice write-up on the VHF radio's David. Great website! I have had two kayaking friends that lost their VHF radio's, but because they were floaters, They were later able to find them --one washed up on the beach.
Because of the harsh environment on kayaks, getting a good radio warranty is worth noting. West Marine has one of the best warranties around.
The range of a VHF radio has many factors. The dry atmosphere of California has some of the best radio ranges of any area. There have been times when a ship off Cedros Island, Baja was able to make calls to San Pedro Marine Operator with a good sky bounce. (a distance of nearly 500miles). The Humidity of the East Coast causes lesser VHF radio ranges. That said, I was once off Boynton Beach and called Coast Guard Group Miami with my kayak handheld. (about 35 miles away). Coast Guard Group Miami must have a super high-mounted antenna.
I usually think of VHF radios as having a line of sight range. For that reason, It is best to have it mounted high up. If one's VHF is sitting in the hull of the kayak it may not be able to receive the signal of a buddy's hail a few hundred yards away. IF one is having trouble receiving a kayak buddy's call, The reception will frequently improve if one can hold the radio higher up, or stand up for the conversation. The line of sight between kayaks for VHF communication is typically 2-3 miles on the Humid East Coast.
When the Coast Guard first allowed ships to travel without radio operators, Digital Select Calling was a major PITA as false alarms occurred all the time. Having a VHF radio with DSC is definitely an extra level of safety. The system will automatically sound an alarm on other DSC VHF radios(within range) -- switching their radios to the same frequency for emergency communications.
Beyond DSC, a Personal Location Beacon is a worthy consideration. PLB's use satellites to relay one's distress to shore rescue facilities. Mine is overdue to have the 5yr battery replaced. Note some have 7-year batteries making them a better value for the same price.
If fishing near shipping lanes, AIS is worth considering. Automatic Identification Systems are transponders that broadcast the vessel's information. The crew of large vessels frequently spend too much time staring at radars instead of out the window. Small targets like a kayak are hard to spot visually, and often washed out by sea clutter filters on a radar. Having AIS increases visibility by causing an identification symbol to show up on AIS-capable radars. It also allows the kayaker to scroll through a list of contacts for identifications purposes so that vessels can be hailed by name on the VHF.
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