Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

I just got a pontoon boat, my first boat, for use on Lake Murray, SC. I have no idea what cell phone coverage is like across the lake; so I'm wondering if I should buy a VHF radio. But, when I do a little online research, I find that, unless I have a tall antenna, radio range is likely to be a mile or two, which doesn't seem particularly reassuring. Can anyone familiar with Lake Murray advise me? Does a VHF radio make sense?

I have 1 on our lake and always monitor 16, the marinas here monitor it and I always get a radio check from them or twra on 17. We don't have coast guard to bitch at us for it.

I would say less than 10% have them, line of sit here is at most 3 miles.

Got ours for when we are at beach/ICW cruises

I have not ever had an issue with phone coverage on Lake Murray all the way up to Blacks bridge. I use AT&T (cricket). If I am going offshore out of Charleston a VHF for sure. I have not needed one on the lake and most boaters around here don't have one.

jrolin1 wrote: ↑

Thu May 14, 2020 3:59 am

I have not ever had an issue with phone coverage on Lake Murray all the way up to Blacks bridge. I use AT&T (cricket). If I am going offshore out of Charleston a VHF for sure. I have not needed one on the lake and most boaters around here don't have one.

I wondered about that when I looked at the lake on google


We are a small lake and cell coverage is crap due to the mountains it weaves in and out of, we can luckily contact a marina from everywhere if there is a medical emergency (May through end of Oct)