Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
Another vote for the Standard Horizon HX870E. Had mine since beginning of last year, great radio. As above, if used on alkaline cells the power is reduced but may be a useful backup eg in grab bag.
Handheld VHF
- Thread starter solent clown
- Start date
Cactus Sailing
Well-Known Member
it is just splash-proof, although i tend to keep mine dry alot of the reviews state it broke in rain, looking at mine i would suggest its as splash proof as my non splash-proof iPhone
ashtead
Well-Known Member
Keeping my eyes on the price of these and they don't seem to have any direct competitors ?
pvb
Well-Known Member
The Icom M93D is virtually identical in specification, but more expensive.
ashtead
Well-Known Member
Thanks pvb - need a few more entrants with these specs I think .
pvb
Well-Known Member
Sorry, I forgot the Lowrance Link-2, again virtually identical spec, but without the sound heritage of Standard Horizon or Icom.
And there's the Cobra HH600GPSBT, but again, no heritage.
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ashtead
Well-Known Member
Thanks pvb as I have been holding off replacing my old Icom but seems more choice now out there than I had thought.
pvb
Well-Known Member
The HX870E is very hard to beat.
Edit: I bought mine from Charity & Taylor, who usually offer keen prices, although they don't list some prices on their website - https://www.precisionnavigation.co.uk/standard-horizon-hx870e-c2x16585733
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elton
Well-Known Member
How? Ordinary alkaline batteries are 1.5V each, whereas rechargeables are only 1.2v. So with four alkaline the supply voltage is 6V compared to 4.8V with rechargeables.
pvb
Well-Known Member
With most radios, you need to use a plastic battery tray to fit ordinary alkaline batteries in. The radio senses this and reduces the max power. With the Cobra HH125, which uses 5xAAA rechargeable batteries as standard, using alkalines doesn't reduce the max power (although it's only 3W to start with) but the manual warns that battery life will be reduced.
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
Same with the SH. I assume it's the capacity (mAH) of the cells, not the voltage, that is the deciding factor.
bedouin
Well-Known Member
Not so much the capacity as the internal resistance. Small Alkaline cells simply can't deliver the current to provide 5W of transmit power. LiPo in particular can deliver much higher current for the same mAH capacity
Sticky Fingers
Well-Known Member
Ah OK I stand corrected.
Just looked at my instruction manual, the SH radio is limited to 1W using alkalines.
Just looked at my instruction manual, the SH radio is limited to 1W using alkalines.
solent clown
RIP
I didn't open the box today when it arrived, and I did not spend several frustrating hours working out how to reprogramme before realising the software was flawed - I also did not download some other software and retune it in miutes to the marine freq's.
Had I done so I would have been able to report that reception is good, it has dual watch, feels very well built, is plenty loud enough for a cheapie, but does not look very waterproof.
If ever you choose not to buy one, and not to reprogramme, then do not download the free CHIRP software available online to make the job simple.
Had I done so I would have been able to report that reception is good, it has dual watch, feels very well built, is plenty loud enough for a cheapie, but does not look very waterproof.
If ever you choose not to buy one, and not to reprogramme, then do not download the free CHIRP software available online to make the job simple.
Prasutigus
Well-Known Member
Greetings,
why do people want a h/h which can take torch batteries? Maybe it was a useful backup 20 yrs ago, but now the built-in batteries are so good, and charge quickly off the mains or a 12v cig lighter, why bother?
You will inevitably have design compromises to the waterproofing etc, for no gain.
Totally pointless, in what likely situation would it be of any practical use? Your SH or Icom will keep working for days, if you ration your transmissions. (Not if you use GPS of course)
why do people want a h/h which can take torch batteries? Maybe it was a useful backup 20 yrs ago, but now the built-in batteries are so good, and charge quickly off the mains or a 12v cig lighter, why bother?
You will inevitably have design compromises to the waterproofing etc, for no gain.
Totally pointless, in what likely situation would it be of any practical use? Your SH or Icom will keep working for days, if you ration your transmissions. (Not if you use GPS of course)
pvb
Well-Known Member
In the olden days of MABs with dodgy electrics and 1-2-Both switches, it was the done thing to have a "grab bag" full of Kendal Mint Cake and AAA batteries, just in case the incredibly sturdy and heavily-built vessel decided to defy Archimedes and sink.
elton
Well-Known Member
The batteries are not an issue; it can be used just the same as a radio with an inbuilt rechargeable battery, except that they're easier and cheaper to replace when they inevitably wear out.
There are no design compromises regarding waterproofing; it simply isn't waterproof. Better that it's regarded as such, than taken as a specified waterproof that leaks.
It's a surprisingly capable radio, when used as such. I have mine programmed with the marine duplex stations reversed, so it behaves as a shore station, receiving signals from vessels broadcasting on the duplex channels. For the benefit of the uninformed, that means you hear the side of a duplex channel that would otherwise be silent. With the Baofeng turned on on the boat with the ship VHF on, both sides of a duplex call can be heard. I've also programmed the radio with the PMR channels, which is handy around the marina.
pvb
Well-Known Member
I do the same thing with a regular handheld, by selecting the USA channel, eg by selecting channel 80A you can hear boats calling the marina on channel 80.
bedouin
Well-Known Member
If you regard a HH VHF as an important piece of emergency equipment (as I do) then you need to guarantee that it works when you need it. If you have been using it as a radio - maybe listening to race control in the cockpit (as I do) then the batteries could be flat just when you need them most.
Being able to use dry cells means I can carry a sealed set of batteries just in case. Never needed them yet, but then I've never used my liferaft either.
lw395
Well-Known Member
I have an old Icom, the rechargeable battery has died. I carry it now and then with a set of AA alkalines in it. Mostly occasions where all the club's handhelds will be in use and it's good to have a spare afloat. I lend it to people now and then. I reckon I put about £5 worth of batteries through it last year, so hardly worth buying a new rechargeable pack, which would die of neglect in a few years. If I start getting through silly numbers of AAs, I'll buy a whole new handheld.