Recommendations for handl-held VHF?
 

On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 07:45:32 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Friend with a new inshore fishing boat wants to buy a handheld VHF
radio. I don't follow VHF radio technology at all, so I don't know
what's really good in the latest units.

Any recommendations as to makes and models?

ICOM

http://www.icomamerica.com/products/marine/m1v/

Shop around and they are around $160US.

Gary Gaugler, Ph.D.
Microtechnics, Inc.
Granite Bay, CA 95746
916.791.8191
gary@microtechnics dot com

I have a Uniden Voyager and love it. It's extra small which I like because
I take it out for dinghy sailing in the ocean, but you may not need
something quite that small. But it's been wet many times and works
perfectly.

"Gary G" see.signature@bottom wrote in message
...
On Mon, 12 Sep 2005 07:45:32 -0400, Harry Krause
wrote:

Friend with a new inshore fishing boat wants to buy a handheld VHF
radio. I don't follow VHF radio technology at all, so I don't know
what's really good in the latest units.

Any recommendations as to makes and models?

ICOM

http://www.icomamerica.com/products/marine/m1v/

Shop around and they are around $160US.

Gary Gaugler, Ph.D.
Microtechnics, Inc.
Granite Bay, CA 95746
916.791.8191
gary@microtechnics dot com

I use and love my Standard. It's not tiny nor particularly hi-tech, but the
battery lasts forever, and it is rock-solid with great range.

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.com

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Friend with a new inshore fishing boat wants to buy a handheld VHF radio.
I don't follow VHF radio technology at all, so I don't know what's really
good in the latest units.

Any recommendations as to makes and models?



--
- - -
George W. Bush, our hero!

The President asks for comp time because of the hurricane.

i like icom...for boating and flying

ICOM is the best bang for the buck
Capt. Boots
"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in message
ups.com...
i like icom...for boating and flying

"ICOM is the best bang for the buck"

the resale % ain't bad on e bay, when you are ready
to "trade up" also ......

Hey there! Most of my experience has been with Icom using the M1 and
M1V. We have had major problems with the volume and squelch buttons
seizing together and becoming rather unseparable. We returned on to
Icom for a rather pricey repair. I prefer to use my Icom T-81 2M quad
bander that has been openned up to VHF.... no sticky buttons there but
poor battery life instead.

Boots wrote:
ICOM is the best bang for the buck
Capt. Boots
"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in message
ups.com...
i like icom...for boating and flying

hummm...could be you didn't bitch
enough to the right cust service person...i
have always had good luck w/icom in replacing
parts (sometimes free), upgrading to other,
better mdls when doing service and/or repairs...
all their manuals and lit is posted on the web in
pdf files.....and they are easy to get hold of.....same
w/garmin for gps stuff...both co's consistantaly
please me......and, that's rare......what is a "quad-bander
opened up to VHF"??

Before making a recommendation for a hand held VHF the question is do you
really need one?
ICOM or its equilvalent is a good choice. Bearing in mind that the range is
limited and the battery do not last long.

I have one and I do not use it as much as before. Its not bad for day
sailing.
My fixed mounted VHF has the controls on the mic. The cord is long enough
to use it in the cockpit when I need visual contact. In my neck of the wood
sailors are using cell phone more and more. * 16 gives you direct access to
the coast guard and less people can scan your conversation. Here VHF radio
is used mainly for communicating with the cable ferry operators within the
river systems and Coast Guard ship traffic when entering Harbors in heavy
fog and crossing shipping lanes.
As for kayaking and canoeing a digital cell phone with lithium ion battery
will outlast a portable VHF and has a longer range.
The new trend in VHF now is you can connect it with you GPS. I like this
for when you may need to make a distress call.

When cruising in coastal water its a good thing to a back up VHF.
One year during a big thunder storm my VHF got disabled and I was left
without transmitting capabilities.

"~^ beancounter ~^" wrote in message
ups.com...
hummm...could be you didn't bitch
enough to the right cust service person...i
have always had good luck w/icom in replacing
parts (sometimes free), upgrading to other,
better mdls when doing service and/or repairs...
all their manuals and lit is posted on the web in
pdf files.....and they are easy to get hold of.....same
w/garmin for gps stuff...both co's consistantaly
please me......and, that's rare......what is a "quad-bander
opened up to VHF"??

Your probably right regarding cust service, but of three radios, all
three have had the same problem. It`s just the design of the
squelch/volume button could have been done separately instead of making
two overlaying dials. Otherwise, the radios have survived from the
Pacific Northwest to Antarctica and inbetween.

The quad-bander is a four band handheld ham radio that has been openned
up to include VHF frequencies - something commonly done in the ham
radio world. The T-81s are excellent, but the batteries don=B4t last as
long as the M1V.