Recommendations for a vhf handheld

[Cbad Mike]

[Mongo Johnson]

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.

[pbb]

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?

[bubblehide]

Originally Posted by Mongo Johnson

...

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....

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?

[radastaff]

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

[Aznronin]

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

[FlyFishinYakr]

I bought a Standard Horizon 850.
It's waterproof and Floats but I bought a Aquapack waterproof case for insurance and it will help the radio float and keep out any sand (in case of a yard sale)!
FFY