Good article over at Boating World explaining the configuration of a good VHF set-up by detailing the workings of the different components. Do not focus too much on the radio itself, understand the importance of the antenna and cables. Click here for an overview of good, but more expensive, antennas at Amazon.
"The basic rule of VHF communication is to buy the best antenna that you can find and install it so that it provides the maximum range and reception for your boat. Dave's friend, on the other hand, had saved some money by taking a different approach. He bought a good but inexpensive VHF that had the channels and features he needed, and then he used the savings from that purchase to add a high-performance antenna and top-grade connecting wire. The result was good range at a reasonable price. It's about the best mix you can get for your VHF needs. So before you buy your equipment, you should take a look at some antenna facts to see how to get top performance."
If you are considering a PC for on board use, please have a look at the FlipStart Mini PC. Over the years there have been several attempts at producing such a small laptop, without giving up on performance. It looks like someone finally succeeded. It is a very portable one and allows you to connect wirelessly to any network, which is a huge advantage.
"Additionally, the unit will ship with MobileMail which "enables a more efficient email experience on low bandwidth connections while preserving battery life", and MiddleMan navigational software, which most likely refers to navigating on screen (scrolling and the like) which is aided by the scroll wheel on the right side of the unit."
Today's Wall Street Journal discusses a problem many wi-fi users will recognize. Dead spots around you property where you can't get a signal. The same problem occurs at marina's offering Wi-Fi. Depending on your berth, you will or you won't get a signal. There are a couple of solutions to this problems, amongst which repeaters like this one and antennas like this one.
"But it turns out the popular Wi-Fi systems that beam the Internet throughout the home can have the same dead spots that drive cellphone users mad. "It's the wireless-network equivalent of 'Can you hear me now?' " says Doug Hagan, spokesman at Wi-Fi manufacturer Netgear. Now, computer companies are catering to this fixation with a new range of gadgets meant to stamp out those dead spots."
Open source is spreading everywhere, and that includes the maritime industry. Although very much for techies at this time, this is a nice example of a marine related open source project. OpenSourceGPS allows for much more flexibility in the use of a GPS receiver. Again, it's not for everyone, but if you're interested... For some more examples do a search on SourceForge for any boating/sailing related key word.
"These days you can purchase OEM GPS receivers for under $100 - in quantity, even under $50. These OEM receivers are circuit boards with a GPS chip set on them and some kind of processor which runs the GPS chipset (although sometimes it's all just one chip). Along with the hardware, there's useually some custom, proprietary, closed-source software in the flash (so really it's firmware) which runs the chipset and produces the position estimate."
Cruising the world but can't get away from what's happening at home? If you have a printer on board and a good internet connection, you can enjoy your favorite newspaper on deck in the morning sun wherever you are.
"NewspaperDirect has proprietary technology and compatible print stations that allow the recipient to receive on-demand newspaper service, which offers same-day delivery of complete, 11X17 print editions of more than 185 domestic and international newspapers directly to a luxury yacht."
Performance racing goes hand-in-hand with wireless communications. Ockham, a leading provider of instruments and software, introduced a PocketPC version of their software, which communicates with other instruments using Wi-Fi.
"Cost effective wireless instrument information and system control - Ockam
introduces OS4 EYE. Load Eye software on your PDA (Pocket PC) and your
Ockam connected WiFi PC. View multiple pages of instrument data, set cals,
averaging and controller functions, track trends on stripcharts, all in
your pocket. - hiking hard on the rail or monitoring performance from your
bunk!"
If you're thinking about using a Pocket PC on board that will connect wirelessly to other systems via Wi-Fi, have a look at this review over at ZDNet.
"Last year saw wireless tech's profile take a major jump. Hot spots popped up all over, and more and more Wi-Fi products hit the market. Want to score a Wi-Fi handheld that scored high with our editors? Here are five we love."
For you fishing fanatics who are looking for a simple, but smart, device to assist you, Boating Life has a short review of the Humminbird Smartcast wristwatch. Another, more extended, review can be found here.
"We thought this Humminbird Smartcast wristwatch fish finder was a schmaltzy gimmick when we saw it in the package. Then we saw it in action. Hook the green transducer to a rod and cast it where you think fish might be. It will transmit a bottom graph and images of anything in the water column right back to the wrist-receiver. Fish show up as, well, they look like fish."
Working with computers on board can be a bit difficult, especially if you want to use them in a too small navigation station. Or if you have a cockpit display connected to them. A new product solves at least a part of the problem. It's a wireless computer mouse that you can use in the air, so no more mouse pad required...
"The Gyromouse, by Gyration, is an ultra high-tech pointing device, and it's the best thing to happen to mice since wireless. In fact, it is a wireless (proprietary RF) optical mouse with little gyroscopes that sense your hand motion. You hold the trigger button on the bottom and wave the Gyromouse around to move the cursor. Sit it on the desktop, and it magically becomes an optical desktop mouse."
A new all-in-one analog/digital display from VDO which can be can be perfectly matched to any cockpit � ranging from sporty powerboats and the stylish old-timer to the luxury yacht. It is available with different dial variants and front rings, which means that there is a total of over 30 design variants to choose from.
"This leaves the limited amount of space available at the helm station free for further information, displays and additional systems," said VDO, noting that the new VDO Ocean Line Combi "is the only device available on the market to recognise information from NMEA and VDO sensors without the need for additional adapters." The new Combi instrument combines four devices that previously had to be mounted separately and groups them together in an integrated 85mm casing. "From this, in addition to the water depth, the skipper can also read off the most important navigational data," said the company."
"The basic rule of VHF communication is to buy the best antenna that you can find and install it so that it provides the maximum range and reception for your boat. Dave's friend, on the other hand, had saved some money by taking a different approach. He bought a good but inexpensive VHF that had the channels and features he needed, and then he used the savings from that purchase to add a high-performance antenna and top-grade connecting wire. The result was good range at a reasonable price. It's about the best mix you can get for your VHF needs. So before you buy your equipment, you should take a look at some antenna facts to see how to get top performance."
If you are considering a PC for on board use, please have a 
Today's Wall Street Journal 
Open source is spreading everywhere, and that includes the maritime industry. Although very much for techies at this time, this is a nice 
Cruising the world but can't get away from what's happening at home? If you have a printer on board and a good internet 
Performance racing goes hand-in-hand with wireless communications. 
If you're thinking about using a Pocket PC on board that will connect wirelessly to other systems via Wi-Fi, have a look at this 
For you fishing fanatics who are looking for a simple, but smart, device to assist you, Boating Life has a short 
Working with computers on board can be a bit difficult, especially if you want to use them in a too small navigation station. Or if you have a cockpit display connected to them. A 
A new all-in-one analog/digital display from VDO which can be can be perfectly matched to any cockpit � ranging from sporty powerboats and the stylish old-timer to the luxury yacht. It is