Handheld VHF's

[AIDY]

Handheld VHF\'s

RIGHT - My mates girlfriend has asked me to purchase a handheld VHF for her to give to my mate for his birthday. Looking to spend round about the 200 pound mark. What would the forum buy and why.

I have read the PBO team test in sept edition and I know what I like. At present I have a Simrad HD52 with the DSC function. but there are lots cheaper and equally as good, and I do have a Bias view.

Contenders at the moment are:-

Icom M31
Ray 101E
Entel HT640
Garmin 725E

The other thought I had was they will need to upgrade to DSC soon, would the forum put that 200 pounds to better use and buy say an icom fixed set with the option of having a second station upstairs. Although more of an expensive route.



TIA

<hr width=100% size=1>/forums/images/icons/wink.gif <font color=blue> Regards Andy </font color=blue>

 

[Uisteach]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

We've got a an ic-m1euro v, which ihas performed well for around three years. But you could look at Yaesu. They have a handheld at around £160.

http://www.yaesu.co.uk/marine/index.htm

http://www.nevadaradio.co.uk/acatalog/marine-handheld.html

Haven't used of of those, but it seems good value - maybe not dealing with marine retailers may make a difference with price.

We find it one of those things that you wonder how/why you did without. If you're waiting for a forecast on C16 then you can take it with you, and has better reception than ours and many others fixed sets.

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[Piers]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

ICOM - no doubt at all. Excellent.

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[Solitaire]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

Entel H640 - good battery life and fully waterproof. Compare with ICOM MV1 Euro on spec and is considerably cheaper. Also has option of remote mic which is very useful.

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[Twister_Ken]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I have the Garmin, which has lots of useful features (waterproof, NiMh batts and can run off alkalines, all the bells and whistles, easy controls), but I'd describe its performance as adequate rather than outstanding when on TX.

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[sailorman]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

Icom M31
has battery probs according to forumites, something to do with the on / off switch always "live"
i have a Navico Axis 200 ( i think) worked well this past 4 years, but its only used intermitantly mainly wnen single handed

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[Twister_Ken]

Note the greengrocer\'s apostrophe! nm

`

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[ShipsWoofy]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I have an ICOM M12. An old 12 channel set, simple as it gets. Rotary channel select on top, only LED is a single red to show you are transmitting,

A couple of weeks ago I needed to take it apart in order to tighten the nut at the base of the antenna as it was a little loose. I was exceptionally impressed with the build quality of this unit. Full metal internal frame, hinged so you can get to the innards to diagnose. non of those crappy ribbon cable connectors between circuit boards etc.

On that evidence alone, if ICOM still make em like they used to, I would buy the ICOM set.

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[tritonofnor]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

Had an Icom for ages too - love it! Always reliable.

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[Oldhand]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

Icom M21 is the best I have tried. Audio is better than the M1, and you get a battery holder for AA cells thrown in which can be kept "loaded" in the grab bag. Don't get the cheaper 31, it doesn't have a proper on/off knob and has to use battery power to recognise if somone has pressed the on button.

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[Ohdrat]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I have a Standard Horizon HX260E which is waterproof and very easy to use.. battery life is good.. Very clear reception and I believe transmition.. can get a 12v (car lighter type charger for it too) so you have the option of either standard or 12v charging.... is solid so far has proven indestructable..

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[Anwen]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I've got an Icom 601 with the command mic which has been installed in the cockpit. This gives the convenience of a handheld with the features, including 25W transmission power of a fixed radio. The downside is that you can't take it with you if you have to abandon ship... The 601 is an excellent radio.

Jon

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[bigmart]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I've got the Standard HX260E too. Fabulous piece of kit & very cheap too. Transmit & receive are as clear as a bell. So good in fact that I bought their VM350E fixed set, all the functionality of the Icom M601 at £175 quid less including a second station Mike with more functionality than the Icom.

Clear as a bell again & the inbuilt speaker is so loud it would make blood run from your ears if you wern't careful.

Standard kit is exceptionally well built. I would say equal to Icom.

Martin



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[Guest]

We use them at work out here in Baltics ...

We have new sets, second-hand sets and all work fine ...... OK not DSC - as we don't need it and to be honest I use 'em on the boat and have not needed DSC yet !

What do we use ?
Swiftech M91 - very good and cheap but mains charger needs replacing with a slower more tolerant unit that does not blow batterys
Icom M11 - BEST we have - excellent bit of kit and still as good as the day we bought it years ago - even still original battery !
Standards .... various - very good as well - but find volume a bit low compared to above

Haven't seen need to replace any yet and so can't report about others ..... buty if we do have to - we are ready to accept all working Swiftech / Icoms you want to replace with a bit more fancy kit - we only need rugged cased jobs that survive rough usage .......



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[Andy_Hampton]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

Just bought an Entel HT640 which feels like a very robust piece of kit. Only one outing so far but reception and functionality seem very good. The lithium ion batteries are much better than what the competitors have got at the price.

Andy

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[marchhare]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I also have the Standard Horizon, one useful feature is that if the rechargeable goes flat the pack can simply be unclipped and a seperate pack of AA's clipped on with no messy wires to the new battery pack as there are with some of the competitors. Claimed to be waterproof to a metre but not tested and no intention to do so, superb reception, easy to use.

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[cgull]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

Yes ENTEL HT640 is excellent. Used mine all season, battery life is very good, and its easy to use and priced right. Did have (still have ) a Star M-Z 298 by Silva,very cheap but not worth buying as battery life is so short and theres no state of charge indication. Entel charges in car at 12 volts also

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[TheBoatman]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

I agree the Icom is the one to buy.

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[bigmart]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

The trouble is that then you read the thread in the YBW forum about the icom 31 & it somewhat shakes your confidence.

Martin

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[Roberto]

Re: Handheld VHF\'s

another vote for the Standard Horizon

I believe it is a brand name of Yaesu, which together with kenwood and icom make the vast majority of amateur radios, all three of comparable quality



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