Handheld VHF

[Ecosse120]

Now I do mostly day sailing but am planning a weekend sail in August and think that a handheld VHF (already have fixed on boat) would be a good idea. Money is a little tight but there is also the safety element. I had decided on a Silva S12 but I then came across an XM2000 for £36. I know that they are not waterproof but to be honest I am not sure how much use it will get. Am I just being mean ???

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Pretty much the conclusion I came to... I bought the Cobra one, and its been fine.....

I will upgrade it to a better one (probably an Icom) when I can afford it, but in the mean time it'll do.....

 

[Talbot]

done a fair amount of weekend sailing over the years. Never felt the need for a h/h vhf, but have modified the installed version so that I can hear it and respond from the helm.

 

[Guest]

We've used all sorts in our work ... and they have had a tough time all of them ......

Swiftech
Icom
Standard

just to name a few .... and conclusion we came to - save money and buy cheapest ... cause they all survived and did the job.There are two areas that we would check when buying .....

a) Standby life and shelf life before re-charge .... new Icoms are bad for this - so they are off list - we stick with older M-1's etc. (If anyone has some old ones in working order they want to get rid of ?)
b) Wattage ... as some are 4W, some are 5W etc. - we stay away from lower than 4W ... as they are "farting into wind".

Yep - we even buy up second-hand ones ... but that is fast becoming a historical pastime as new sets are getting cheaper all the time...... at basic level of course.

For a yottie - a plus factor is physical size and that is where more modern sets gain advantage ...

Now over to others who will quote model x, y and z ....

 

[Lee_Shaw]

They're really handy so for £36 you can't go wrong. I use my h/h more than I use the fixed.

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

I find handhelds of all persuasions a pain in the arse in the cockpit.... anything above about 15kts, and its difficult to hear what people are saying..... I too have fitted a cockpit speaker to my fixed unit... it does mean having to go below to grab the handset, but its only just inside the companionway, so hardly a problem....

 

[Guest]

Re: Handheld VHF ... I agree ....

I use mine a lot ... as it is very handy. If you have a mic / ear job as well - you can stick it in oilie pocket and hear it no matter what is happening ....

I have used mine for calling marina for guest slot ... at meetings when others are arriving - calling in for berths etc. Much better than trying to lug a fixed set and car battery around !!

 

[Lee_Shaw]

Sorry I meant I use it to listen in to what's going on when I'm away from the boat, say around the marina, I can sit on the quay and listen to when the locks ready and arrange fuel, locks listen the ch12 to hear about seastate and traffic. When I'm out in the fairway to moniter channels when the engine is on which is really noisy on my little boat.

When the weather gets to above 15 knots as your example I use the little earplug to moniter channels and I always keep it in my pocket ionm case I fall over. . Like I say it gets way more use than the fixed which is a safety thing but not terribly useful for day to day stuff especially on a titchy boat.

 

[Aja]

We use a Cobra. So far so good

Donald

 

[ROSSCO]

I had a silva s12 it was totally useless - dont waste your money - Bought an Icom - more expensive but works a treat

 

[Malcb]

[ QUOTE ]
I had a silva s12 it was totally useless - dont waste your money - Bought an Icom - more expensive but works a treat


[/ QUOTE ]

Same here, bought an icom M1euro, great bit of kit.

 

[BAtoo]

Hi! Where did you find an XM for £36?? Was it new from a dealer?

 

[Martin_J]

I've got both the XM2000 and the Cobra. I bought them for comparison but the Cobra did sound very tinny - it must have a poorer loudspeaker. I gave it away in the end (the cobra that is).
The XM2000 has lasted me four years now and gets used all the time on it's original rechargeable battery. Also you get an empty battery clip that takes normal batteries - so useful if other ever gets flat.
For that price, saves you going down below to use fixed.

 

[m1taylor]

You get what you pay for.

Recently I slipped while getting into my tender with the result that I badly bruised my ribs and ended up in the water. I did have a h/h attached to me - but it was a Midland cheapo one, not water proof. So in the water, in pain, and a h/h that didn't work any more. Fortunately I could swim ashore using the upturned tender as a float, as in the water with bruising and wet clothes (and yes, I was wearing a life jacket), I found myself unable to climb back aboard my small yacht, or right the tender again. The Midland is in the bin, and I now have a fully water proof h/h vhf.

 

[wiggy]

Cobra also do waterproof with 5W output for about £85. I bought one its great, very long standby ( Ive had 15 hours and stil 3/4 charge left) and if battery dies can put in AA cells. It also comes with 12/mains charger. Works well and overall good bit of kit

 

[reeac]

[ QUOTE ]
I had a silva s12 it was totally useless - dont waste your money - Bought an Icom - more expensive but works a treat

[/ QUOTE ] . I was thinking of buying an S12 - what's wrong with them?

 

[fireball]

Batteries don't last, can't leave them on charge and they are not user servicable items (unless you want to break the seal) - so you can't even just buy replacement batteries and away you go...

 

[Phoenix of Hamble]

Charged my Cobra last April (2005), used it twice since, and its still showing full charge on the on screen battery monitor

 

[William_H]

I would like to make a comment on battery state indicators. I would really appreciate feedback. (like bollocks) From an electronics background I know that Nicad Nimh batteries have a voltage that holds at near 1.2 untill near totally discharged. So a simple voltmeter is useless as a battery charge indicator. (better for non rechargeable alkaline cells which do decline gradually.) Although I suspect that is how they work anyway.
Some chip manufacturers have designed chips for "fuel guage" use which measures current and time in (charge) versus current and time out (discharge). it is possible (but I would be surprised) if hand helds had this technology.( it is an equivalent of hindreds of pounds worth of battery monitor system in your boat although the chips are much cheaper) Even with this style it does not take into account natural cell power loss over long time.

So we have 2 posters wiggy and Magnacarter quoting their battery charge indicator. My gut feeling is that they are not worth much except to tell you battery is OK right now but not to tell you how long it will go for.(voltmeter style) any comments from experience please.
PS sorry to burst your optimistic bubble for those who have great faith in their battery level indicator. olewill

 

[BrendanS]

I have the Icom IC-M1euroV with lithium.

All I can say is that it holds it's charge well, keeps going for ages between charges, and the spare battery I've never used charges to max in minutes despite being left in spare room for years on end.

The battery indicator seems to work well, and gives a satisfactory indication of useful battery life left. Using it on club outings where it is used extensively, it never failed to tell me how much I have left. Then again, it's survived 4 days use (extensive) of calling as well as being on receive 24 hrs, and never got anywhere near failure, on many occasions, so never really found out if it would run out when battery indicator said it was on last dregs.