I work as a service tech for a sales, install, service marine electronics
firm. Warranty repair is excellent on Standard Horizon radios and they flat
rate repairs on out of warranty radios. However, it is return to them for
repairs...no warranty repair at the local shop. Icom is fairly good on
warranty (if bought in the USA, however, no warranty from Icom America for
units bought overseas), expensive on out of warranty, if they still repair
that model at all. Uniden replacement parts are very cheap compared to other
manufacturers. Microphones with cords are about 1/3 the cost of the other
brands. Raymarine honors warranty returns but parts for the older stuff such
as Apelco are unavailable. We don't do Hummingbirds, so I have no experience
with them. Most discount sales places will honor out-of-box failures with a
swap, but don't expect any knowledgeable help on interfacing or failures in
normal use.
Regarding the 6 dB antenna advice, that is fine for a power boat, but may be
too much gain for a sail boat heeled over with the antenna pattern pointing
into the water or into the sky...for a sailboat, stick with a wider
radiation pattern such as a 3 dB antenna. For an authorized base station
ashore, such as Jack uses, a 9 dB would be even better, although I get by
fine for CG Auxiliary use with a stainless steel antenna made by a local ham
manufacturer.
Doug K7ABX

"Jack Painter" wrote in message
news:RogAc.3659$rf7.99@lakeread02...

"William G. Andersen" wrote

If you make up a matrix of features and prices, you will see that almost
all
manufacturers have radios in the same price ranges with the same
features.
They are all pretty much the same; most recommendations that are
favorable
are based on personal experience; most recommendations that are
unfavorable
are baseless.

Very well said. A good friend who runs the Kenwood East Repair Center will
help any boater stopped on the ICW in Hampton Roads with one-day service
on
their radio problems. But as far as warranty goes, most if not all of the
big names in the business no longer honor repair costs on smaller
equipment,
authorizing replacement-only while under warranty. This will eventually
eliminate the repair business for small (inexpensive) electronics. Just so
you know what happens when you send your small radios in for repair under
warranty. If during-warranty repairs while enroute is what you require, it
may now cost something because the manufacturers have largely abandonded
subsidizing this cost through their authorized repair centers. For the
most
part, small VHF radios do last their expected lifetime under fairly harsh
conditions without problems. Just don't expect that lifetime to be more
than
a few years!

Jack


"Ken Corbett" wrote in message
...
Looking for an inexpensive fixed VHF radio. Looked at Uniden, Icom and
Standard Horizon.

Any advice on which to buy?