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IMO, while a radio is a great thing to have on board, a cell phone in a waterproof case can be much more useful. Radios only work when you are in "line of sight" with whomever you are trying to reach. If you have an emergency and are tucked behind a mountain, say something like Mt. Soledad, your call may not be heard by the CG or Lifeguards on the other side of the hill.
Most cell phone services get excellent reception out at least three miles from the coast around San Diego so you should always be able to reach help. Just call 911 in an emergency or, as most of us do, store the numbers for the Lifeguard Service and Coast Guard in the phone's memory.
If you have a smart phone, like an iPhone or one using Android, there are a host of useful apps that you can carry with you while on the water. I have ones for navigation, weather, tides and fish identification. I even carry with me a copy of the latest DFG regs.
Bob
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