Handheld VHF

[FirstinLastout]

Any recommendations for a hand held VHF with GPS?
Going to be used in our 22foot daysailer so don't want fixed.
GPS enabled would be great, other than that the usual features I guess.
Preferences seem to consistently be for Icom & Standard Horizon, for good reason I'm guessing?

 

[Bru]

Standard Horizon or Icon

If it's going to be your only VHF I'd suggest a DSC 6W unit

There's not a lot to choose between the two makes technically or quality wise. Try before you buy and pick the one you find easiest to use (my own preference is Standard Horizon, I find the display and menus more intuitive, but that's a personal preference)

 

[skipmac]

I have several Standard Horizons, one almost 40 years old and it still works like new. Excellent sound quality so easy to understand in a windy boat.

 

[ashtead]

Standard horizon might be cheaper and I have found mine reliable after a couple of years in retaining charge but I have read of concerns over the screen having water/moisture issues . Searching this forum might reveal more details but I think a forumite returned one SH due to screen obscuring and posted photos.

 

[xyachtdave]

I’ve had Entel and Raymarine until they died and my current Icom is on its second battery, the exposed terminals on the battery have unsurprisingly corroded again and it won’t charge in the cradle.

I thought about replacing it with the entry level M25 that has USB charging that would solve this problem.

I’ve read a review of a sailor who fell over board with this unit, they make a big sales play of it floating and flashing so you can find it.

He reckoned in the water with his radio in flashing mode you couldn’t receive, transmit or change channel, if that’s correct that’s a serious design issue.

So I’m looking for another decent handheld, I’ve discounted the Icom’s with a charging cradle and the one that flashes/stops working if it get wet.

There’s little choice in manufacturer at present, icom or Standard Horizon seem to be about it, I’m going to try a Standard Horizon this time I think.

To be fair, I did do a fair bit of safety cover in a rib, so these radios have had their share of splashing about on the floor of the boat.

The thing I’d say to the op is check is the standby times, once you add GPS and DSC etc it falls dramatically.

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

The Standard Horizon HX890E has problems with condensation on the screen. I bought one and I had to send it back because the condensation was so bad that it was impossible to read the channel number on the screen. it was replaced with another one and it had similar problems. I opted for an Icom M94DE but it developed charging problems and finally it was replaced with another M94DE and it works well. The quality of products has dropped in the last couple of years, perhaps due covid disruption of production and manufacturing.

 

[R.Ems]

Standard Horizon I recommend.
NB if you leave the GPS/DSC switched on, SH or Icom, the battery life is rather short. I personally don't like the bulky and over-complicated DSC handhelds..but I have a fixed set as well.

 

[Bilgediver]

Standard Horizon or Icon

If it's going to be your only VHF I'd suggest a DSC 6W unit

There's not a lot to choose between the two makes technically or quality wise. Try before you buy and pick the one you find easiest to use (my own preference is Standard Horizon, I find the display and menus more intuitive, but that's a personal preference)

I have handles=d the ICOM and Yaesu models fitted with DSC . Model numbers change so quickly that it can be difficult keeping up however there was a Yaesu DSC hand held available a few years ago that was being mentioned here rather frequently here and I was shown one by a club member as it seemed to have a badly fitting battery cover so possibly not water tight. The vendor exchanged this for an Icom and it was certainly easy to work through the menus etc. No doubt the battery cover problem with the Yaesu has been sorted by now or a new model now supplied. Definitely try and test drive and find the one you prefer as some facilities might be accessed more easily on one than the other..

 

[[3889]]

Have had 3 Standard Horizon handhelds, one used for sea kayaking. None have failed unlike a 'weatherproof' Icom fixed set installed below deck.

 

[scottie]

As range can limited if you can get one that will accept a remote Ariel might be worth looking at if it exists

 

[MADRIGAL]

I know that many people use Standard Horizon without any bother, but I could never get mine to charge after taking it out of the box for the first time. I presume it was shipped with a defective battery.

To the OP, your 22-foot day sailer sounds spacious for that sort of vessel. I have a 25W fixed set running off a sealed electric wheelchair battery and a 30-amp solar panel on my 16-foot dinghy. I have one connector on the antenna cable that lets me disconnect when taking the mast down for road transport. I wonder if that sort of system would suit your vessel. The range of the VHF signal is very good with the antenna at the top of the 23-foot mast. It gives the added benefit of running LED navigation lights, which draw very little from the battery.

 

[KompetentKrew]

The Standard Horizon HX890E has problems with condensation on the screen.

For balance, I have the same model without this problem,

 

[Bilgediver]

For balance, I have the same model without this problem,

Does your battery box cover fit well or not quite right at each side?

 

[KompetentKrew]

Does your battery box cover fit well or not quite right at each side?

It fits perfectly.

 

[FirstinLastout]

Thanks everyone for your help and valuable advice. As I thought, Standard Horizon & Icom, so it's just a case of choosing one or the other which will likely depend on local availability.
I had been aware of there being done issues with condensation issues with some from a previous thread.

Even though there is the room for a fixed unit I doubt that I'd really use it as it'd just for racing round the cans, the occasional trip across the bay, listening in on the weather and just in case.
Boat comes out of the lake for a rudimentary electric refit before being put in the sea for June so that's my timeline for ordering, fitting etc

 

[FirstinLastout]

Just to follow up on this, received a Standard Horizon HX890E so hopefully it'll remain free of the above issues.
At this stage I can't say anymore than it feels well built, user-interface is far from the worst that I've had to use and it's grand for listening to the radio on whilst sinking a few beers and bbq'ing in the garden.

Thanks again for the advice folks!!

 

[CAPTAIN FANTASTIC]

Just to follow up on this, received a Standard Horizon HX890E so hopefully it'll remain free of the above issues.
At this stage I can't say anymore than it feels well built, user-interface is far from the worst that I've had to use and it's grand for listening to the radio on whilst sinking a few beers and bbq'ing in the garden.

Thanks again for the advice folks!!

Hope it works well, however, I suggest that you use it in the cockpit to be exposed in the sun so if there is any moisture that has been trapped inside during manufacturing, it will condensate on the screen and therefore can be taken back within 30 days of purchase.

 

[FirstinLastout]

Sun? In Donegal??

Yeah, good idea to force any moisture, if it's present to make itself visible sooner rather than later.