Is there any inexpensive reliable vhf handheld on the market? I have owned a Raymarine 102 and a Hummingbird. Both stopped working after about a year with minimal use and no exposure to harsh environments. Any suggestions?
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Oxymoron
There probably is no such thing ans inexpensive AND reliable depending on yourdefinition of inexpensive. Try an Icom handheld... Also make sure you fully cycle the batteries. they should be fully discharged before recharging. be sure contacts between radio and charger and internal contacts between baqttery and radio are clean and in contact.
There probably is no such thing ans inexpensive AND reliable depending on yourdefinition of inexpensive. Try an Icom handheld... Also make sure you fully cycle the batteries. they should be fully discharged before recharging. be sure contacts between radio and charger and internal contacts between baqttery and radio are clean and in contact.
west marine
I purchased a West Marine hand held radio radio about 4 years ago and have had good luck with it. It came with a 3 year guarantee {including water damage}. I do not know who manufactured it but it has been a decent radio. Watch for sales as they are in there flyer often. Jack
I purchased a West Marine hand held radio radio about 4 years ago and have had good luck with it. It came with a 3 year guarantee {including water damage}. I do not know who manufactured it but it has been a decent radio. Watch for sales as they are in there flyer often. Jack
Uniden Atlantis
I bought a Uniden (West sells same model as the "Atlantis")about 5 yrs ago and paid around $100 for it. I also bought a waterproof bag for it. This radio has a max output of 5 watts, triple scan features, and can run on either nicad rechargeable or alkaline batteries. I tend to keep it in the cockpit with me when I sail alone or during races. I try to take care of it by not banging it around or otherwise abusing it. In return, it has worked flawlessly. If it dies tomorrow, I'm getting another just like it....
I bought a Uniden (West sells same model as the "Atlantis")about 5 yrs ago and paid around $100 for it. I also bought a waterproof bag for it. This radio has a max output of 5 watts, triple scan features, and can run on either nicad rechargeable or alkaline batteries. I tend to keep it in the cockpit with me when I sail alone or during races. I try to take care of it by not banging it around or otherwise abusing it. In return, it has worked flawlessly. If it dies tomorrow, I'm getting another just like it....
Idea
Why not buy a good one and have it last...instead of a cheap one that dies every year? I've had my ICOM for 5 or 6 years and it's still like new...
Why not buy a good one and have it last...instead of a cheap one that dies every year? I've had my ICOM for 5 or 6 years and it's still like new...
Hand held radios
After replacing two cheap (less than $100) VHF radios I bought a Raymarine 101 VHF WATER PROOF radio from West Marine for less than $200 and am completely satisfied with it. Splashes, immersions or spray has no affect on it. You can't go wrong. Novelman
After replacing two cheap (less than $100) VHF radios I bought a Raymarine 101 VHF WATER PROOF radio from West Marine for less than $200 and am completely satisfied with it. Splashes, immersions or spray has no affect on it. You can't go wrong. Novelman
handle it
I bought a Standard Model Something for about $125 six years ago and it's worked fine ever since. It has the memory and scan functions, hi and lo power, all the goodies. I use it in the cockpit and hardly every go below and use the BIG one.
I bought a Standard Model Something for about $125 six years ago and it's worked fine ever since. It has the memory and scan functions, hi and lo power, all the goodies. I use it in the cockpit and hardly every go below and use the BIG one.
ICOM M88
Since the lives on the crew and me may depnd on the handheld, the VHF is viewed as a safety life saving device. If yours or one of your crews life depended on the durability or life of the handheld battery, is an additional $100 to much. Not for my crew, family or self, I spent the extra $100 and bought a ICOM M88 built to military standards, very small, a long life rechargeable battery, and not only water resistance, but waterproof. Do you realy want to mess around taking the radio with a short lived battery and low power out of a waterproof bag while trying to recover a MOB in the rain - NOT ME.
Since the lives on the crew and me may depnd on the handheld, the VHF is viewed as a safety life saving device. If yours or one of your crews life depended on the durability or life of the handheld battery, is an additional $100 to much. Not for my crew, family or self, I spent the extra $100 and bought a ICOM M88 built to military standards, very small, a long life rechargeable battery, and not only water resistance, but waterproof. Do you realy want to mess around taking the radio with a short lived battery and low power out of a waterproof bag while trying to recover a MOB in the rain - NOT ME.
my 2 cents
West Marine had Cobra handhelds, 2 (two) for $88 last summer. I have a raymarine, but dummy me hit a key and couldn't send (till after I bought the other two and corrected my mistake). I used them all season on the Nutty Queen (Nautica Queen - a dinner cruise ship run by fools) and had NO problemss. They work great. My take on it is they are tryng to break into the market and are selling them for cost. If you see em, buy them. The raymarine works great too, and is water proof.
West Marine had Cobra handhelds, 2 (two) for $88 last summer. I have a raymarine, but dummy me hit a key and couldn't send (till after I bought the other two and corrected my mistake). I used them all season on the Nutty Queen (Nautica Queen - a dinner cruise ship run by fools) and had NO problemss. They work great. My take on it is they are tryng to break into the market and are selling them for cost. If you see em, buy them. The raymarine works great too, and is water proof.
think "submersible"
I feel about vhf's the way they tell you to think about pdf's--the best one is the one you'll use. From that perspective portables are best because they are easy to get at and carry around in the cockpit, and their narrower range is actually an advantage because you're not being distracted by calls about stuff going on 50 miles away that you can't do anything about. One big advantage of a portable is that you can grab it and take it into the water if the boat goes down, which makes it a huge safety advantage--but only if it can take exposure to the water. The buzzword you want to look for in the advertizing is "submersible". I own an older Uniden Atlantis and this affordable ($99) model had the nice feature of an optional power pack of AA batteries so you could have backup if the rechargeable was used up. It claimed to be water resistant but not "submersible". An updated model is still around for that price, and the Uniden Voyager is the submersible model for $169. Voyager doesn't seem to have the AA battery pack option, at least from the advertising.
I feel about vhf's the way they tell you to think about pdf's--the best one is the one you'll use. From that perspective portables are best because they are easy to get at and carry around in the cockpit, and their narrower range is actually an advantage because you're not being distracted by calls about stuff going on 50 miles away that you can't do anything about. One big advantage of a portable is that you can grab it and take it into the water if the boat goes down, which makes it a huge safety advantage--but only if it can take exposure to the water. The buzzword you want to look for in the advertizing is "submersible". I own an older Uniden Atlantis and this affordable ($99) model had the nice feature of an optional power pack of AA batteries so you could have backup if the rechargeable was used up. It claimed to be water resistant but not "submersible". An updated model is still around for that price, and the Uniden Voyager is the submersible model for $169. Voyager doesn't seem to have the AA battery pack option, at least from the advertising.
hand held VHF
I use a small, submersible VHF (Standard)and carry it in my vest-type PFD pocket (along with a stobe lite and whistle). There are some very good ones on the market...when your life is on the line...money is no object. I've been over the side for an extended period of time, and you wonder which will get you first, the sharks or the cold water. Being able to use a GOOD radio could make the difference.
I use a small, submersible VHF (Standard)and carry it in my vest-type PFD pocket (along with a stobe lite and whistle). There are some very good ones on the market...when your life is on the line...money is no object. I've been over the side for an extended period of time, and you wonder which will get you first, the sharks or the cold water. Being able to use a GOOD radio could make the difference.
Standard Horizon.
Bob: Standard Horizon makes a decent radio. I have had one for a few years. Recently a guest stepped on the radio and broke the on/off volume know. I sent it to Standard and the went through the entire radio and replaced a couple of other part (besides the knob). The total charge was $69 + shipping (flat rate repair). Standard has radios across a wide price range, check them out.
Bob: Standard Horizon makes a decent radio. I have had one for a few years. Recently a guest stepped on the radio and broke the on/off volume know. I sent it to Standard and the went through the entire radio and replaced a couple of other part (besides the knob). The total charge was $69 + shipping (flat rate repair). Standard has radios across a wide price range, check them out.
My experience with Hummingbird was/is
different. Except for one battery change, mine's worked well for going on 6 + years. I use it regularly as a backup while Bay sailing and it always goes on board when dinghying about. It's been dropped a couple of times and exposed to drizzle, and the battery seems to hold its charge pretty well.
different. Except for one battery change, mine's worked well for going on 6 + years. I use it regularly as a backup while Bay sailing and it always goes on board when dinghying about. It's been dropped a couple of times and exposed to drizzle, and the battery seems to hold its charge pretty well.
An SH that just won't quit
I bought a Standard Horizon submersible last summer and have only charged it once after I got it home from the chandlery. I've used the radio a number of times, and a year latter it still doesn't need a charge. What batteries are they using in these things anyways?
I bought a Standard Horizon submersible last summer and have only charged it once after I got it home from the chandlery. I've used the radio a number of times, and a year latter it still doesn't need a charge. What batteries are they using in these things anyways?
Cheap?
The admonition below "not to be cheap," and how "much is a life worth" are interesting and make you think a lot about what you buy for your boat. Yet buying stuff for your boat (or anything, for that matter) is really a question of figuring out "how much is enough," or "what do I really need?" IMHO, some years ago if you paid a lot for an item you probably got better quality than a similar item selling for less. I don't think that applies any more. Some inexpensive stuff is just as good (or bad) as the expensive stuff. I would wonder if the guy who thinks that the primary purpose of a portable VHF is to grab when your boat sinks also has a top quality inflatable life raft on his boat; a top of the line EPRIB; and so forth. You get the picture...
The admonition below "not to be cheap," and how "much is a life worth" are interesting and make you think a lot about what you buy for your boat. Yet buying stuff for your boat (or anything, for that matter) is really a question of figuring out "how much is enough," or "what do I really need?" IMHO, some years ago if you paid a lot for an item you probably got better quality than a similar item selling for less. I don't think that applies any more. Some inexpensive stuff is just as good (or bad) as the expensive stuff. I would wonder if the guy who thinks that the primary purpose of a portable VHF is to grab when your boat sinks also has a top quality inflatable life raft on his boat; a top of the line EPRIB; and so forth. You get the picture...
Is the best, the best?
I think what is the best is also determined by location. Do you need an Epirb or life raft? I went through this thought process here on the West Coast. If my radio has DSC and I am always within 25 miles of anywhere on the BC south coast, I know my distress DSC signal will be picked up and monitored by many ships, boats, coast guard and military. So do I need Epirb, probably not. If I can't get to the little red button on my radio, then I carry my portable with me. Life raft - now this is an issue which should be addressed. Dingies should be "convertible" to a form of life raft. We've seen pictures of companies that make a hard dingy that can take a canopy. It seems to me that this should be standard fair for dingies - canopies available to protect and buy time for an occupant in an emergency. I emailed Walker Bay and requested a canopy, but I know my voice is somewhat a voice in the wilderness. They didn't reply. IF I was doing serious cruising around the world, I'd probably have two Epirbs. I notice on that TV program about dangerous fishing in Alaska for King crab that some of those boats have up to 4 Epirbs.
I think what is the best is also determined by location. Do you need an Epirb or life raft? I went through this thought process here on the West Coast. If my radio has DSC and I am always within 25 miles of anywhere on the BC south coast, I know my distress DSC signal will be picked up and monitored by many ships, boats, coast guard and military. So do I need Epirb, probably not. If I can't get to the little red button on my radio, then I carry my portable with me. Life raft - now this is an issue which should be addressed. Dingies should be "convertible" to a form of life raft. We've seen pictures of companies that make a hard dingy that can take a canopy. It seems to me that this should be standard fair for dingies - canopies available to protect and buy time for an occupant in an emergency. I emailed Walker Bay and requested a canopy, but I know my voice is somewhat a voice in the wilderness. They didn't reply. IF I was doing serious cruising around the world, I'd probably have two Epirbs. I notice on that TV program about dangerous fishing in Alaska for King crab that some of those boats have up to 4 Epirbs.
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