Recommendations for a vhf handheld
 

I'm looking into getting a vhf. Does anyone have a certain preference on what has worked well for them? Thanks for the help!

Standard Horizon and Icom both make awesome units. I have always like the Standard Horizon stuff. OEX Currently carries the HX300- it floats, has an emergency strobe, and is waterproof. All for 165.00

Whatever you buy, get it from West Marine, that way you can take it back and get a replacement if it has a problem. Waterproof and floating if you can afford it. Maybe 6 watt transmit. Remembet with their short antenna it is effectively line of sight, so if you cant see them they might not hear you.

http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14...63cdc43761.jpg

For the money this one has everything you need I just picked one up...check out the specs

Never lose your radio. Floating design and orange core makes retrieving radio easy if dropped overboard.

6 Watt VHF
Select between 1, 3 and 6 Watts for short and long range communication.

Ultra-Compact Design
Ergonomic and compact design is easy to hold and intuitive to operate.

All NOAA Weather Channels
Instant access to national All Hazards and weather information, 24 hours a day.

Noise-Canceling Microphone
Block background noise for clearer conversations.

BURP
Vibrates water out of the speaker grill and improves speaker performance.

Features:
Floats
Noise canceling microphone
6W VHF
USA, Canada and International Channels
All NOAA Weather Channels
Weather Alert
BURP
Rated Submersible
External speaker/microphone jack
Instant Channel 16
Unlimited memory channels
Tri-Watch
Scan
Memory scan
Signal Strength Meter
Button/Key Lock
Battery with Charge Contacts
Large, illuminated LCD display
3-Year Warranty (on radio)


I was able to pick it up for 88 bucks and free shipping

The best ones are the ones that work

I bought one from amazon all was great until I yard saled at LJ now it won't work at all it was supposed to be waterproof maybe they meant water resistant

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I use a Standard Horizon HX 300 and like it.
Good price.
Floats. (supposedly)
Strobe when it gets wet.
Not too heavy.
Not too big.
GREAT warranty from West Marine.

Check out a couple that meet the basic criteria - floats, waterproof, budget. Then go with the one that is most intuitive to use

I just saw a radio that's on sale at west marine....it's the vhf85...would that be a good radio?

Go with standard horizon.

:iagree:

Find West Marine videos on features to get a baseline for what's available. Read their reviews. See what's said on Amazon for user input.

Consider getting DSC as it's on less expensive units these days. It will kick up the price a tier since it requires the unit to have GPS to pinpoint your location primarily. As an emergency features it's valuable.

Lots of threads discuss its value.

Then consider practical things like battery life, size, floatable... Standard Horizon, Uniden, and Icom seem to lead in popularity.

So I know everyone recommends West Marine for warranty support.

Their website listing for the HX150 lists "Warranty: Three-year waterproof, $65 flat rate"

Any experience dealing with them on this? The HX150 owners manual describes a "flat rate" limited lifetime warranty. So one possible interpretation is that there is a three-year waterproof warranty, and then the limited lifetime $65 flat rate warranty.

I would be hesitant to buy something that had a waterproof warranty that would cost me $65 (or about 65% of the list price) for service.

Can anyone confirm that West Marine would replace a unit (at no additional cost) within 3 years with water damage?

(I am just making sure I understand the warranty before I plunk down any money, or make any choices about which radio and where to buy)

BTW, anybody put their radio in a waterproof case to be double protected?

Several of the new radios come with DSC or what ever the particular manufacture decides to call it. It is a feature that when you press a specific button intended for emergency situations (when you have or witness an emergency), it transmits your exact GPS location, and allows you to transmit verbally. Anyone with a radio that has this feature receives your location, instantly. This allows for anyone with this feature, to almost instantly know where you are in respect to their location, shortening the time it takes for others, boaters, Coastguard... to respond and provide assistance. And, often times, time is of the essence. How much is your life worth?

west marine
standard horizon
mines been goin strong for 10 years or so
just needed a new battery few years back

Yep. Standard horizon is the way to go. Floats to.