eastcoastbernie
New member
My handheld VHF has bitten the dust and I need a replacement. Any forumites have any views, opinions, recommendations I could take into account before buying a new one?
Handheld VHF
- Thread starter eastcoastbernie
- Start date
ShipsWoofy
New member
icom
Sandyman
Well-known member
See YBM Juno 07 page 94 to 98
Sailfree
Well-known member
After Ouzo decided handheld should be submersible and always in pocket of watchkeeper/helm.
Looked at YM and bought the Entel HT120 they recommended.
No complaints so far looks a good unit.
Looked at YM and bought the Entel HT120 they recommended.
No complaints so far looks a good unit.
pvb
Well-known member
Ideally, Li-ion...
Get one which is fully waterproof.
Ideally, get one with a Li-ion battery. Fast to charge. Can be kept topped-up. Better long-term performance.
Icom M71 at £149 is very very good (but it wasn't included in the YM test in June 07). It has a big (2000mAh) Li-ion battery and powerful 6W output.
If you want a sub-£100 radio, consider the Standard Horizon HX270E at about £85. Good little radio but only has a NiMH battery.
Get one which is fully waterproof.
Ideally, get one with a Li-ion battery. Fast to charge. Can be kept topped-up. Better long-term performance.
Icom M71 at £149 is very very good (but it wasn't included in the YM test in June 07). It has a big (2000mAh) Li-ion battery and powerful 6W output.
If you want a sub-£100 radio, consider the Standard Horizon HX270E at about £85. Good little radio but only has a NiMH battery.
jgm
New member
Re: Ideally, Li-ion...
Watch out for units with "soft" on-off switches that discharge the battery slowly while switched off. The Icom MC31 is one such, otherwise an excellent radio.
Watch out for units with "soft" on-off switches that discharge the battery slowly while switched off. The Icom MC31 is one such, otherwise an excellent radio.
srp
Well-known member
Re: Ideally, Li-ion...
I've got an Icom MC31 - I just pop the battery pack off when I'm ashore. It actually lasts for 2-3 months if I leave it in, so the battery drain is very small - it wasn't a deciding factor for me when I bought it.
I've got an Icom MC31 - I just pop the battery pack off when I'm ashore. It actually lasts for 2-3 months if I leave it in, so the battery drain is very small - it wasn't a deciding factor for me when I bought it.
Nick_Pam
Member
Re: Ideally, Li-ion...
Entel HT-120...had it 5 years......awesome!
Waterproof; Li-Ion battery; Good volume; Crisp transmit audio (I'm told)
Came out tops in Yachting Monthly test last year...need I say more?
Nick
Entel HT-120...had it 5 years......awesome!
Waterproof; Li-Ion battery; Good volume; Crisp transmit audio (I'm told)
Came out tops in Yachting Monthly test last year...need I say more?
Nick
firstmatewendy
New member
Re: Ideally, Li-ion...
We've had ours over two years - thoroughly recommend it.
We've had ours over two years - thoroughly recommend it.
KeithH
Member
I have a Silva s12 - and dont recommend it! Works ok, waterproof, but battery life is poor.
ThereAndBack
New member
Entel HT-120
DaveNTL
Well-known member
Got an Icom IC-M1V, it's great. Came out tops on the reviews a few years back when I got it. Don't know if they still make the same model - saw a smaller nifty looking version of the same thing recently that I was trying to justify as 'it could be handy to have 2', but I've got to stop spending money. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Csail
N/A
Icom without a doubt. Great.
JoeQ
Member
I got an Icom M71 last year and charged it overnight, have used it plenty since but not had to recharge it yet.
pvb
Well-known member
Just to avoid confusion...
Just to avoid confusing the original poster, it's worth pointing out that all the people extolling the virtues of their Entel HT120s may in fact be talking about the Entel HT640.
Entel started off selling rebadged Standard Horizon radios, although I think the HT640 was designed for them and is Japanese-made. It's a sound radio, but I've always thought it looked a bit clunky, and it's a little long in the tooth now. The nearest competitor in its price bracket is probably the recently launched Icom M71. As you'd expect from a newer product, the Icom has lots of extra features, making it a better buy. Compared with the Entel HT640, the Icom M71 has:-
<ul type="square"> * Bigger capacity battery
* More powerful, 6W output
* Dual Watch
* Tri Watch
* Priority Scanning (as well as ordinary scan like the Entel)
* Auto scan
* Channel naming
* AquaQuake water-draining to clear speaker
[/list] A few years ago, the Entel might have been the best choice; today, it's surely the Icom M71.
Just to avoid confusing the original poster, it's worth pointing out that all the people extolling the virtues of their Entel HT120s may in fact be talking about the Entel HT640.
Entel started off selling rebadged Standard Horizon radios, although I think the HT640 was designed for them and is Japanese-made. It's a sound radio, but I've always thought it looked a bit clunky, and it's a little long in the tooth now. The nearest competitor in its price bracket is probably the recently launched Icom M71. As you'd expect from a newer product, the Icom has lots of extra features, making it a better buy. Compared with the Entel HT640, the Icom M71 has:-
<ul type="square"> * Bigger capacity battery
* More powerful, 6W output
* Dual Watch
* Tri Watch
* Priority Scanning (as well as ordinary scan like the Entel)
* Auto scan
* Channel naming
* AquaQuake water-draining to clear speaker
[/list] A few years ago, the Entel might have been the best choice; today, it's surely the Icom M71.
Haven't-a-Clue
New member
Go to www.malthouse-marine re Standard Horizon HX270E, no connection, just a very nice man and very good service.
Dave99
Member
Standard Horizon HX170 E any day. Best and Value for money -Boat Care sell them by the box load. Unbreakable, waterproof (with 3 year warrantee)
jwilson
Well-known member
I have two handhelds - one is a Cobra HH300 - cheap, works well, appears waterproof and uses NiMh AA cells which in my view are better than proprietary Li-ion as you can replace them very cheaply, and also use throwaway alkalines if you ever need to.
The other is an even cheaper Silva Star M298 which is pretty rubbishy in every respect. I particularly dislike the way you adjust squelch via up-down keys instead of a knob. Speech clarity also poor, and not waterproof at all.
The other is an even cheaper Silva Star M298 which is pretty rubbishy in every respect. I particularly dislike the way you adjust squelch via up-down keys instead of a knob. Speech clarity also poor, and not waterproof at all.
Birdseye
Well-known member
Well I've had an SX90 now for 16 years, still the same original battery and still works well.
what do I want prioroty scan etc for? its gadgetitis.
what do I want prioroty scan etc for? its gadgetitis.
ShipsWoofy
New member
Mine is only 12 channel, altered by crystals.
hah
I win!
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
hah
I win!
/forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
