Hand Held VHF

[davidmh]

My old Hand held radio has given up, the charging has been troublesome for along time, it is an NI-Cad unit with all the associated problems. I am in the market for a new one as simple as posssible. Cobra, Standard Horizon and Icom seem to be that main contenders. My use would be when going into harbours etc when single handed as my fixed unit is below and I have to leave the tiller the operate it. The Cobra units still seem to be using the recharagable AA batteries so I have ruled that out. The Icom is only 5 watts with 11 hours battery life claimed and a 500 w speaker it floats and is IPx7. The Standard horizon HX320 has 6 watts with 17 hours claimed battery life and 700w speaker. The battery is Lithium Polymer 2100ma comapred to the lithium iron battery of 1500ma of the icom unit. Battery charging is by USBC on the Horizon compared to the older USB on the Icom. The Horizon has a drop in charger and mains and 12v adaptor. Prices are very similar. My gut feeling is that the Horizon unit would suit me better, a louder speaker would be good for my poor hearing. My question is what is the forum exoerience with Horizon, and has anyone got an HX 320. Look forward to your help.
David MH

 

[Laser310]

i bought the HX 40 recently, and while I love the small size (fits easily in my dinghy sailing pfd pocket) i often wish i had gone for one with USB-C charging.

Otherwise I am very happy with the HX 40.

I mostly use it to call the launch when i get back to the mooring, so not much at all, but the battery stays charged for weeks.

 

[Dellquay13]

My old Hand held radio has given up, the charging has been troublesome for along time, it is an NI-Cad unit with all the associated problems. I am in the market for a new one as simple as posssible. Cobra, Standard Horizon and Icom seem to be that main contenders. My use would be when going into harbours etc when single handed as my fixed unit is below and I have to leave the tiller the operate it. The Cobra units still seem to be using the recharagable AA batteries so I have ruled that out. The Icom is only 5 watts with 11 hours battery life claimed and a 500 w speaker it floats and is IPx7. The Standard horizon HX320 has 6 watts with 17 hours claimed battery life and 700w speaker. The battery is Lithium Polymer 2100ma comapred to the lithium iron battery of 1500ma of the icom unit. Battery charging is by USBC on the Horizon compared to the older USB on the Icom. The Horizon has a drop in charger and mains and 12v adaptor. Prices are very similar. My gut feeling is that the Horizon unit would suit me better, a louder speaker would be good for my poor hearing. My question is what is the forum exoerience with Horizon, and has anyone got an HX 320. Look forward to your help.
David MH

Please double check those wattages for the speakers, I suspect they may actually be mW not W, and are likely the rated maximum for the speaker, not what they are running at.
Don’t get too hung up on the individual speaker wattages, the speaker sensitivity (in dB for 1w@1m) is much more relevant to perceived volume but won’t be listed anywhere in the specs for the radios.

 

[PaulRainbow]

I'd go with the SH, although Icom are good quality as well.

 

[Ammonite]

I am on my fourth HX320E because the first three fogged up as soon as they caught a glimpse of the sun. Fortunately, Marine Superstore replaced them without quibble and the fourth seems to be OK, but lets just say I won't be rushing out to buy another one.

 

[Paul1962]

Icom for me very time - my M73 plus has 6w transmit, is IPX8 rated, has a drop in Charger and the battery is Li-ion. The speaker is 700mW.

 

[Gurrig]

I have Plastimo SX400 , no issues, very good battery life and won't break the bank

 

[Bilgediver]

The Yaesu has provision for a speaker mike. This speaker mike can be clipped close to your head. This is a configuration I use with other Yaesu radios and the speaker mike has ample volume.

It also has Bluetooth which would give connectivity to a ear mounted phone speaker mike.

 

[Roberto]

My old Hand held radio has given up, the charging has been troublesome for along time, it is an NI-Cad unit with all the associated problems.

FWIW, I had a SH260 with original NiCd battery pack at its life end (+the alkaline emergency box was totally oxidized), I gently opened the battery box and found they were 3x2 AA batteries, so bought a generic 3x2 NiMH battery pack +NiMH usb charger, capacity went from 700mAh to 3000 (Chinese 3000, more realistically 2000-2500mAh). These voltages/battery packs are often found in model cars, they are made with single AA cells soldered together in various configurations. Cost maybe 20-30euro total, keep this old vhf (together with the new dsc one), better than throw everything away.

 

[Plum]

My old Hand held radio has given up, the charging has been troublesome for along time, it is an NI-Cad unit with all the associated problems. I am in the market for a new one as simple as posssible. Cobra, Standard Horizon and Icom seem to be that main contenders. My use would be when going into harbours etc when single handed as my fixed unit is below and I have to leave the tiller the operate it. The Cobra units still seem to be using the recharagable AA batteries so I have ruled that out. The Icom is only 5 watts with 11 hours battery life claimed and a 500 w speaker it floats and is IPx7. The Standard horizon HX320 has 6 watts with 17 hours claimed battery life and 700w speaker. The battery is Lithium Polymer 2100ma comapred to the lithium iron battery of 1500ma of the icom unit. Battery charging is by USBC on the Horizon compared to the older USB on the Icom. The Horizon has a drop in charger and mains and 12v adaptor. Prices are very similar. My gut feeling is that the Horizon unit would suit me better, a louder speaker would be good for my poor hearing. My question is what is the forum exoerience with Horizon, and has anyone got an HX 320. Look forward to your help.
David MH

For me, ICOM are good and robust. Used by the emergency services, for good reason, in particular the M73 (which superceded the M72 with just different buttons).

 

[doug748]

My older SH HX270 was a very nice radio to use and felt well made. It was marketed as submersible but failed it's first ducking. The waterproofing looked pretty feeble to me but that may well be the case with the alternatives.
My advice would be to treat them all as vulnerable around water.

 

[jwilson]

I used to like Cobra, as they came with both Li-ion and alternative AA battery packs - still using a 18 year old one on AA as a backup after the original Li-ion died. But then the second Cobra died fairly early (received fine, would not transmit properly) and I replaced it with a basic Icom. The thing I miss from the old Cobra is the manual squelch - somehow just four levels for squelch seems wrong.

 

[davidmh]

thanks for replies yes the speakers are mW. So far it seems Icom are better on reliabilty stakes. The reduction in battery hours woul nt be that bad as it can be charged on board and topped up at any time.

David

 

[oldgit]

Last year had a an Icom portable handset returned to me, it, having been floating up and down the very salty and tidal Medway for around 10 days.
It still worked and is still in use.

Did of course in the meanwhile buy a new replacement.
How it was lost and eventually returned to its rightful owner is an interesting tale straight from a Sherlock Holmes story.

 

[requiem]

I have an HX890 bought in February 2020. It still works fine but can run the battery down quickly over the course of a day, and I think I have that same fogging issue (what looks like condensation when out sailing). My HX40 doesn't have that issue.

 

[jbweston]

Last year had a an Icom portable handset returned to me, it, having been floating up and down the very salty and tidal Medway for around 10 days.
It still worked and is still in use.

Did of course in the meanwhile buy a new replacement.
How it was lost and eventually returned to its rightful owner is an interesting tale straight from a Sherlock Holmes story.

Do tell . . .

I have an old (circa 20 year old) Icom portable. It's on the boat so I can't remember the model number - I think maybe its an M1-Euro. Maybe that doesn't matter as it must be a long-discontinued model. It's been excellent. So much so it's built Icom brand loyalty for me, for fixed VHF as well as portables. I replaced a broken Raymarine set on my previous boat with an M423G and have an M506 on my present boat - both solid bits of kit.

One of the things that always surprises me about the handheld is how the lithium ion battery holds its charge for months without any noticeable loss of charge.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

I had problems with two new Standard Horizon (HX890E) with moisture on the screen within weeks of purchase to the point where I could not read the channel numbers on the screen, I finally purchased an Icom, a bit more expensive but better.

 

[oldgit]

Do tell . . .

I have an old (circa 20 year old) Icom portable. It's on the boat so I can't remember the model number - I think maybe its an M1-Euro. Maybe that doesn't matter as it must be a long-discontinued model. It's been excellent. So much so it's built Icom brand loyalty for me, for fixed VHF as well as portables. I replaced a broken Raymarine set on my previous boat with an M423G and have an M506 on my present boat - both solid bits of kit.

One of the things that always surprises me about the handheld is how the lithium ion battery holds its charge for months without any noticeable loss of charge.

Club biggest event of the year, requiring an "Admirals Barge" , the largest boat on our moorings usually pressed into service.
In order for the invited great and the good from the area to safely get on board with some dignity , boat is moved from its usual difficult to clamber aboard mooring to our Fuel Pontoon a day or two prior to event.
Thursday
OG notices that whoever moored "Admirals Barge" to Fuel Pontoon should not be allowed near a model yacht on a pond, and makes a note to correctly make the vessel fast.
Have several other visitors arriving with craft during the day, OG collects his rather expensive and posh ICOM vhf handset, safely tucks it under several layers of clothing, anticipating VHF calls from incoming craft.
Friday
One particular rope on the the Admirals Barge requires leaning over the bow of the boat to clear it from a obstruction.
There is a barely audiable "Plop" as something drops into the water, this followed by some very bad language indeed.
Spend a few moments watching a little red light bobbing merrily away upstream.
Spend several moments walkiing up the pontoon in a pointless hope that might be able to recover with a broom.
Dash down to boat, get underway and head up towards the estimated point of entry and add a bit of tidal flow.
Several transits up and down the entire length of our pontoons results in more swearing and not much else.

Order new Icom Handportable.
Mention to anybody who will listen about loss of radio, 10 days later approached by club member who asks have I lost an ICOM radio ?
Club members son works on one of the tugs at Sheerness, crew member of another tug at Sheerness relates a curious event, on his houseboat moored up at Cuxton ,hears a strange tapping noise on the steel hull of his boat and bothers to investigate.
There is a ICOM portable radio in the water so he rescues it.

The new radio arrives .
The old radio is returned to its amazed owner still charged and working.

 

[Refueler]

FWIW, I had a SH260 with original NiCd battery pack at its life end (+the alkaline emergency box was totally oxidized), I gently opened the battery box and found they were 3x2 AA batteries, so bought a generic 3x2 NiMH battery pack +NiMH usb charger, capacity went from 700mAh to 3000 (Chinese 3000, more realistically 2000-2500mAh). These voltages/battery packs are often found in model cars, they are made with single AA cells soldered together in various configurations. Cost maybe 20-30euro total, keep this old vhf (together with the new dsc one), better than throw everything away.
View attachment 187751

I have an ancient ICOM M1 ... its battery packs - I had two - failed and I put the radio aside ...

Couple years ago - I decided to revamp it ... took one of my old bench 3S LiPo's ... no good for flying but fine for low ampage stuff ... I wired in the LiPo to the 12v imput of the radio - now I have a radio that runs for over 24hrs ... is loud .. clear ... and works as well as it ever did ...
The LiPo is held by Velcro strap to the rear of the radio ...
I did not remove the gubbins of the battery pack - as it has a BMS to correct the 12v input .....

The M1 was always regarded a Classic in the ICOM radios and was used by many Comnercial / Shipping Co's ...

AND it does not need any draw on battery when switched off !!

 

[Laysula]

I have a SH HX320e it's six or seven years old now and still runs faultlessly. It would be nice though if I could upgrade the charging port to USBc for compatability with other electronics.