Suggestions for handheld VHF?

[J P]

What do y'all like/dislike?

I'll mostly use it sailing and sea kayaking on inland waters and occaisional coastal trips.

Features:
Waterproof, floating would be nice (any experience with the ICOM M-34?), easy to see and use (in the cold), reliable, batteries (option for alkalines?).

[Bark]

I have the West Marine handheld (not sure which model - bought it maybe 3 years ago). No problems with it, and it has a quality feel to it. Rechargeable or takes regular batteries. I've been pleased.

Ben

[Gary Bergman]

We carry an ICOM IC-M2A..great little unit...

[John B]

me too.

[dreyer]

yaesu vx-7r

Small, powerfull and rediculously feature packed. Maybe even too much so.

[George Ray]

Ability to use AA batteries is high on my list.

[John B]

The m2 A has rechargeables plus a carrier that will accept AA's. I had to buy the 12 v accesory to charge off a cig lighter outlet.. but it was cheap.

[Clinton B Chase]

You'll get a ton of answers but for your use I would get the very small standard horizon model (I put mine right in the front pocket of my paddling vest). Another company, starts with a "U" can't remember how it is pronounced makes a nice one for a little less ($170) vs 200+ for the standard horizon. But the SH model is better. DO NOT SCIMP here....do not buy the WEST model...get the best. You life may depend on it someday. My 2 cents.

Cheers,
Clint

[paladin]

Uniden is good, Icom is better...

[Lew Barrett]

I have both a Standard Horizon (HX350?) and a small Icom (can't call up the model offhand). The Icom is well made and performs well, is claimed waterproof, but a night out in the rain killed it and required a return to the factory. The Standard Horizon came with extra stuff; AC and DC charge adapters, and both a rechargeable battery as well as a AA pack. The battery life (and it's ability to hold a charge over time) is superior to what the Icom provides; I can't tell you why. I'm surprised to say this as Icom has always been my standard of comparison, but I prefer the Standard Horizon. Both are claimed to be waterproof. I haven't tested the Standard, but the Icom failed to live up to the billing in my case.

[Kim Whitmyre]

I have the Standard Horizon HX350S (s for "submersible") as well. I remember reading an event report on two kayakers on the east coast that got caught in serious waves and were ejected from their kayaks. They were outfitted well in drysuits and such, and one had his HX350S lashed to his pfd. He used it to hail the local harbor master's office, and repeated communication with the CG crews/harbor master. All the while being thrashed about in large, breaking waves.

[Gary Bergman]

Hmm, our ICOM sits on an open binnacle; a few hundred rainstorms, in my pocket in the water, so the above mentioned must have been a flawed unit.

[Thorne]

According to this vendor site the M2A isn't available, replaced by the M34 -
http://www.landfallnavigation.com/eicm2a.html

By the way -- do these prices seem the best? -- can't find anything lower than $170 in a quick search of the web.

[kc8pql]

I've had Icoms, both Ham and marine, for years without problems (well, there was that lightning strike but Icom service fixed the radio and had it back to me in less than two weeks). I'm looking at the M-34 myself. A floating VHF seems like a good idea.

[kc8pql]

Thorne, average M34 mail order price seems the be about $158-160. It's a new radio, just introduced. The street price should drop another $10 or so in a few months.

[J P]

Thorne, I've seen prices at just under $150 for the M34.

[Lew Barrett]

Hmm, our ICOM sits on an open binnacle; a few hundred rainstorms, in my pocket in the water, so the above mentioned must have been a flawed unit.


No doubt, but I have only my own experience to go by. In Icom's defense, they sent me back a working unit no charge.

[Lance F. Gunderson]

I bought an Icom M34 a few months ago; it seems to be giving good service so far. Paid $152 at West Marine. They are cheaper on line, and sometimes West Marine will match an on line price.

[Paul H]

I picked up a uniden for $100, comes with both ni-cads and a AA pack. So far it's a backup to Icom 304 that's mounted on the boat.

It seems everyone is either on the boat or off the boat, so we haven't had a chance to check range/performance.

[BrianW]

I hate repeating this everytime, but if you don't like to hear a beep everytime you touch a button, the ICOM is the way to go. At least in the model I own, you can turn that feature off. Not so with the 2 Standard-Horizons I've owned.

[Lew Barrett]

I just bought (obviously for a different application) an ICOM 504. Anybody else have one? It looks like a good radio to me.

[Gary Bergman]

Naw, we run a Uniden 625 with a remote, but the 504's a good radio

[Mike DeHart]

I looked at many different models when I got mine. What struck me about most handheld units was that they were being "fashion" designed to look cool, giving utility a back seat. They were all moving toward a shorty, low profile look. I held them in one hand and tried to operate them. The buttons were so low on the face that I could only push them comfortably by holding the darned things upside down. Think about why you will carry it. If it is a strain to work it one handed while standing in a store, how do you ever expect to make a distress call in heavy waves when you need one hand to operate the radio and the other hand to keep a hold onto the upturned hull of your swamped boat? I ended up with a Uniden (forgot the model number) that is waterproof rated (JIS-7 I believe) and has the buttons high on the face, above the speaker grille. It also has an old fashioned "OFF-ON-Volume" knob on top that I can find easily in the dark and operate without thought or effort.

[Gary Bergman]

ai agree on the design trends, kinda tuff on us that prefer function, but what the heck....That said, as far as advances in technology, the radio's really take the prize. Both our handheld and the base and remote Uniden were low priority items in the rescue following our grounding. I bought the Uniden in November, the grounding was in January, and both were well underwater for the duration; five days....All were alive, altho' the base radio surfed several hundred channels on it's own before 'normalizing'..the speakers and mic's all were garbled for a week or so, but they dried out o.k. too...I would love to see the rest of the electronics manufacturers come up to that standard...