Handheld VHF radio recommendations

[stevenk2]

Looking to purchase a decent basic VHF handheld radio to have on my AR195 - we're heading down to Lake Powell for a vacation here in a couple of weeks, and thought it would be a good idea to have one onboard in addition to my cellphone just in case. I see where Overton's has a 30% off sale going on through the end of July, thinking about taking advantage of that with their in-stock radios. Looks like they have Uniden, Cobra and Standard Horizon - any suggestions for one of those brands?

I know many of the units have multiple features, but my main goal in purchasing one was for emergency communications (i.e. calling for help) in the event I'm out of cell range. My head unit on the boat already has weather band built in, so that isn't necessarily a requirement for any handheld radio I purchase, though I suspect most of them have that built in regardless.

We don't boat offshore at all, just inland waters/lakes, and most bodies of water we visit are relatively small compared to Powell. However, it's never a bad idea to be prepared and have emergency equipment like this on board at all times, since you never know what's going to happen and when you may need it. Maybe overkill for most of the lakes we visit on a regular basis here at home though?

 

[Dean P]

Don't know what you price point is but I went with the Standard Horizon. Like the looks to all the features, simple to operate and it floats. Good luck!

 

[dzeppos]

Don't know what you price point is but I went with the Standard Horizon. Like the looks to all the features, simple to operate and it floats. Good luck!

View attachment 99107

 

[dzeppos]

Standard Horizon Handheld VHF - 6W - Black - HX890. I’ve had it for 2 years and although haven’t had to use it much, is very good. Like having built in gps and emergency locator registration and waterproof and floats.

 

[Compatico]

Looking to purchase a decent basic VHF handheld radio

You get what you pay for with radios, so if you want reliable communications, go for the well known brands. Look for waterproof floating models because if you're in imminent danger you're probably going to get wet. Get a 6 watt model as signal propagation drops the lower you are in the water and you'll need the greatest range in an emergency. If it's going to be for emergency use only, look for models that take AA cells so you can put it on the boat and not worry about the battery getting low when it's not in use. Check and replace the batteries if needed once a year to ensure you have reliable power. Rechargeable models will need to be charged up from time to time and if you forget to keep it charged, Murphy's Law says it'll be dead when you really need it. If you will be using it for calling to marinas/docks for slip or fuel needs, or to bridges for swings, then rechargeable is great as you'll be using and recharging it regularly. If it's in your budget, look for extra features like GPS, water activated beacon, locator, etc.

Most important thing, once you have the radio, do a radio check regularly to confirm the unit is working properly. You don't want a dud when you're sinking.

 

[GTBRMC]

Ditto the Standard Horizon handheld recommendation. I have had one for approx. 9 years. It was high in their lineup (maybe top of the line) when I bought it. Reasonable price for the feature set. Stood up to years of weather and wear & tear, still looks and performs as if new (except for a couple of dings on its exterior). Dropped in Lake Michigan and on a concrete pier, and it has never blinked. I found it so useful, i kept it after i sold my boat.

Highly recommended for inland boating. Highly useful for near-shore coastal boating or as a backup and/or mobile compliment to a permanent mounted unit with tall antenna(e) for coastal boating.

 

[Joatmon]

I have the West Marine brand hand held floater. Works great and tough. Very long battery life. It is no longer available but it was replaced with the Standard Horizon HX210 at West Marine. Looks identical to their obsolete radio brand.

 

[stevenk2]

What about this one? With the coupon code on Overton's, it brings it down to under $100 bucks:

Standard Horizon HX380 Handheld VHF Radio

Standard Horizon HX380 receives all USA, Canadian, International, and NOAA Weather channels, plus it can be programmed to receive up to 40 Land Mobile Radio (137-174MHz) channels

www.overtons.com

 

[Joatmon]

What about this one? With the coupon code on Overton's, it brings it down to under $100 bucks:

Standard Horizon HX380 Handheld VHF Radio

Standard Horizon HX380 receives all USA, Canadian, International, and NOAA Weather channels, plus it can be programmed to receive up to 40 Land Mobile Radio (137-174MHz) channels

www.overtons.com

Looks good to me. Can’t go wrong with any of the Standard Horizon handhelds.

 

[stevenk2]

Granted, it's not the standard battery type, but that won't be an issue for me per se, since I keep stuff on the charger between trips with my boat.

 

[Joatmon]

I’ve had my radio for a year and although I don’t turn on every trip I do check the battery charge. I have not had to charge the radio yet.

 

[Dean P]

Granted, it's not the standard battery type, but that won't be an issue for me per se, since I keep stuff on the charger between trips with my boat.

I believe you can order a holder for it which can also charge. Mount the holder on the boat and keep it in there. That way it'll be readily available and fully charged.

 

[Rumbo]

Don’t rely too much on a handheld at Powell. With all the canyons the range will be reduced a lot. This also means that cell service is very hit and miss. A handheld is better than no radio though.

I rescued people off a sinking boat on Powell in May and my cell signal was only good enough to let the dispatcher know where we were before the call dropped. I planned to wait with the sinking boat until Park Rangers arrived to let the know we had the boat’s occupants safely on my boat but the storm was too bad for us to stay safely. I wished I had at least a handheld but didn’t.

 

[stevenk2]

Of course - I mean, they're all just radio signals after all. But having both at least give us some options in different situations. Hopefully we don't need to use it, but I'd rather have one onboard to be on the safe side.