Peter - interesting post about VHF/DSC. I'll assume that since some of the terms you used has me scratching my head, some other folks on the list also have questions. West Marine's fixed-mount VHF technical advisor suggests "...the receiver sensitivity and selectivity of all the VHFs we offer are so close that they simply aren't an important differentiating factor... All new fixed-mount radios include DSC since the FCC doesn't allow type-approval without it." From that, it's easy to assume there are no discernable technical differentiators so a VHF should be selected based on functional features (scanning, display, remotes, hailer, etc). Are there other technical factors that should be considered? Are there other VHF's that serious boaters should seek out beyond the typical selection? You used two terms in your post that I am unfamiliar with - "SC-101" and "Class D radio." What are these designations and are there specific brands/models that are especially robust? Thanks for letting us pick your brain. It's easy to take VHF's for granted - Peter www.SeaSkills.com