Handheld VHF

b_arrington

b_arrington

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Feb 21, 2007
3,485
Setauket, NY
Boat Info
Back Cove 37
AB Ventus 9VL
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Cummins QSC 8.3 600
Anyone have a handheld VHF that they particularly like?

My 16 year old Icom M1V gave up the ghost over the weekend. The battery has been getting weak and a replacement is $90-$100. Icom lists the unit as limited parts / service availability so I don't think a new battery + possible repair on a 16 year old unit is a viable option.

I use the handheld as a backup to my fixed unit (which is a new Icom M400BB that replaced the NS100), and when I take the kids out in the dingy. I like the concept of a handheld with DSC for emergency calls and calling the big boat, but have the idea that the GPS drains the batteries pretty quickly (vs. a non GPS unit).
 
I also have a Standard Horizon, one of the floating models. I don't know the model number but it works well.
 
Boat Guy said:
I don't know of one better than this :
Standard Horizon HX870 Floating 6W Handheld VHF with Internal GPS

I have the older ver and it works well... I would upgrade to this if I needed to.
Click to expand...

This would be top of my list. GPS and DSC make it a winning package.
 
We carry the Standard Horizon HX870 Floating 6W Handheld VHF with Internal GPS on our boat- good reception, good battery life and ease of use. the guarded emergency switch is a nice feature- showed my wife what to push in an emergency, so now she feels comfortable that if something happens to me to where I can't, she can easily summon help.
 
Last edited:
geo737 said:
We carry the Standard Horizon HX870 Floating 6W Handheld VHF with Internal GPS on our boat- good reception, good battery life and ease of use. the guarded emergency switch is a nice feature- showed my wife what to push in an emergency, so now she feels comfortable that if something happens to me to where I can't, she can easily summon help.
Click to expand...

I like this idea too, which is why I made sure my replacement fixed mount had DSC (I think it's a standard feature now anyway?)

But for the handheld was thinking it might be overkill and cost a lot in the battery life. Glad to hear that the battery life is good.

What's your opinion on the size of the HX870? Big? Heavy? I usually clip the M1V to the belt of my inflatable PFD, and it's small and light enough that I don't notice it.

Icom's forthcoming M93D DSC radio looks interesting because it's claiming to be the smallest DSC-capable radio, but it's not yet released and has battery life rated less than the Standard Horizon.
 
I'm still using an old iCom that works like a champ. It is maybe 16 years old and shows no signs of giving up. It is an IC-M32. Also waterproof. Not sure it is still made or whether iCom still has the great reputation for handhelds as when I bought it. I do know my almost new iCom mounted in the boat almost two years ago is a good product so the company is doing some things well.
 
A few weeks ago I had to send in the "black box" from my Raymarine RAY240 VHF for repairs, so as a backup I bought a West Marine VHF460 when it was on sale for $199. It has GPS and DSC features, similar to the Standard Horizon HX870. It works really well so far, although I've only used it a few times and haven't even had to charge the battery yet. Using the 6-watt transmit setting I was able to reach the automated Sea Tow radio check site about 12 miles away in Annapolis, although I don't know how tall that antenna is. Anyway, it seems like a nice radio and I would buy it again.
 
I weighed the HX870 this morning and it weighed at 11.6 oz, so it may be a little heavy for attaching to a PFD, but good for a belt or pants. When we're out, I keep it in a cup holder next to the helm so its close at hand and everyone on board knows where it is and kind find it quickly if needed. The range is good, I've picked up transmissions from Lake Union in Seattle and we're 20-25 miles north by the water ways. I don't know if the transmissions were going thru a repeater station.
 
geo737 said:
I weighed the HX870 this morning and it weighed at 11.6 oz, so it may be a little heavy for attaching to a PFD, but good for a belt or pants. When we're out, I keep it in a cup holder next to the helm so its close at hand and everyone on board knows where it is and kind find it quickly if needed. The range is good, I've picked up transmissions from Lake Union in Seattle and we're 20-25 miles north by the water ways. I don't know if the transmissions were going thru a repeater station.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. My current radio is 9.9 oz, so I think 11.6 isn't too big a jump. I mostly use the hand held in my RIB so there's no no cup holder, etc. in which to keep it.
 
I have the Standard Horizon HX870 also, and like the built in GPS and DSC capability, it also has a conventional battery tray in case your Li-Ion battery isn't charged when you need it. If you drop it, it floats, and starts flashing so you can find it, even if it's turned off. Nice feature you don't want to need... I keep it in the floating ditch bag with a PLB and a bunch of other stuff for that really bad moment we hope will never happen...
 
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