Hi,
I’m looking for a basic handheld VHF radio for kayaking. I plan to use it within couple of miles distance, e.g. passing through Mississippi River locks & Dams, kayaking on Lake Michigan (no more than two miles from the shore), etc. Any recommendations for which one to buy?
Besides, I’m not sure if being pair-able with my iPhone would be beneficial. Any suggestions if I should get this feature as well?
Thanks,
Jie
I have had a West Marine VHF-155 for a long time. It is reliable and gets the job done, It has decent clarity, reception, works on a rechargeable battery (charger included) or AA battery pack (included). It can get wet, too. We like to use the weather alert function when at our home. Unable to say if this is too bulky for being on the water (I don’t wear a VHF radio when paddling) It would fit in a pack or dry bag.
Mark L.
Hi Mark,
Thanks for your comments. I looked at the spec. The functionality is good. Of course, it would be nice to have a lighter and smaller one. I will wear it while kayaking on the water.
Best regards,
Jie
My ICOM ICM24 has treated me very well for a few years now. It floats and is waterproof, has big buttons and a simple interface. The battery has lots of standby time, especially if you can leave it turned off most of the time. It fits well in the Kokatat OutFit PFD but I do get the antenna up the nose occasionally.
Thanks Sparky961. I’ll check it out.
ICOM M88 = Palm sized, non-aa battery with super long stand by time. Fits in the front pouch of my Astral Sea Wolf without poking the antenna up a nostril.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
Store: www.the-river-connection.us
Facebook: fb.me/theriverconnection
I use this http://marine-electronics-reviews.com/standard-horizon-hx851.html down side is I wish it was smaller. Has good battery options also, You can get a AA battery tray if you like. I have had two of them for few years or more and an 850 previously.
new model is http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&DivisionID=3&ProdCatID=85&ProdID=1791
never saw a radio pair with an cell phone.
@PaddleDog52 said:
never saw a radio pair with an cell phone.
Ditto. Its hard enough trying to maintain balance and control while in waves to use the radio. I can only imagine what it would be like fumbling with two devices at the same time.
… And I have yet to learn of a decent smart phone that floats.
@Marshall said:
ICOM M88 = Palm sized, non-aa battery with super long stand by time. Fits in the front pouch of my Astral Sea Wolf without poking the antenna up a nostril.
Looks like a nice compact radio similar to the ICM24, but when I went for more info I found nothing saying it floats. This was an important feature for me when I was looking to purchase.
I will say that I’d prefer a knob for power and volume rather than the buttons the ICM24 has. It would be much easier to use on the water.
@Jie
For your iPhone: https://www.uscg.mil/mobile/
I never leave shore without having this app open. It contains my personal info, ICE contacts, and the make, model, serial number, color, length, and even a photo of my kayak. Just make sure you have location services enabled for the app so if you need help and hit the “emergency” button, it can locate you and call the nearest USCG station.
Reading both “Deep Trouble” books seared into my mind the mantra “if you don’t have it on you, you don’t have it.” The drowning and paddling accident reports on the Great Lakes just reinforce that mantra.
Sparky, Inever claimed it floated. If it did it would be bigger to accommodate some foam in the body.
Never an issue with me as I have it attached to a T-Reign tether anchored inside the radio pocket of the Sea Wolf pfd.
Compact size is of more importance to me, probably because of the rest of the do dads that seem to be must haves in my pfd pockets.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
Main: www.the-river-connection.com
Store: www.the-river-connection.us
Facebook: fb.me/theriverconnection
I went through this earlier in the year. To state the obvious, it’s all about what compromises you are prepared to make.
DSC seems like a very useful feature but it doubles the price of the unit. Knobs are preferable to buttons but they add to the size and the cost. Larger units typically have more battery power but they are bulkier and heavier. Etc., etc.
Anyway I ended up buying a Standard Horizon HX300 ($100 and change on amazon.com). It is compact enough to fit in the front pocket of my Kokatat PFD, it’s submersible, floats, and flashes a strobe light if it is dropped in the water, It gets about 13 hours on a charge and recharges quickly via a USB cable. It comes with a charger, but any USB charger will work with it. It has dual watch, tri-watch, weather alert, etc. and is switchable to Canadian or International channels. It doesn’t have knobs for volume or squelch but the buttons are large and really very easy to use.
So far I’m happy with my purchase.
knob probably harder to waterproof
@Marshall said:
Sparky, Inever claimed it floated. If it did it would be bigger to accommodate some foam in the body.Never an issue with me as I have it attached to a T-Reign tether anchored inside the radio pocket of the Sea Wolf pfd.
My apologies if that’s what it seemed like. I wasn’t accusing you of anything. I was merely pointing out the less-than-obvious fact that waterproof radios sink like rocks unless they float or are tethered. Same goes for just about anything else: your knife, phone, glasses, etc.
Even with the floating radio, I still attach it using the wrist strap and the D-ring inside the PFD pocket. I simply put the wrist strap through the D-ring, pull through, stick radio through wrist strap, and cinch up. Probably even easier to do with a smaller radio.
I have a pair of new Uniden Voyagers that I’ve had sitting around for a number of years. They’re similar in size to the ICOM M88s I use, but perhaps a bit thinner. Here’s the Craigslist posting for them (http://nh.craigslist.org/ele/5889045965.html). If anyone is interested, let me know and we’ll work out shipping arrangements if necessary. I just dropped the price on them, too.
Regardless of what radio you buy, I strongly recommend shoulder mounting it, so you can operate it with one hand. Otherwise, it may be useless to you when you need it the most, such as in rough conditions where you can’t take both hands off of the paddle or if you’re in the water and hanging onto your boat. I have pics and instructions for this at: http://briannystrom.com/?page_id=173