I've been pondering VHF radios a bit, and would love to hear from you about features you like/dislike.
I have some thoughts, but also questions.
Waterproof: this seems like a big one. I intend to keep the radio in a PFD pocket. Even if I don't go for a swim, it's gonna get wet. That being said, an IPX7 rating is probably fine when compared to IPX8.
Floating: Less important. Ideally I would tether the VHF to my PFD, which is unlikely to sink. That being said, floating wouldn't be a harm.
High/low settings: I think the option to select between some different watts would be nice. I assume transmitting at lower watts means longer battery life. I did see some that had 3/5 watt as well as some with 1/2.5/5 watt options. What are your thoughts on power levels?
Charging system: I saw some with USB charging, which would be nice as I have a battery bank that I use for a decent amount of other gadgets (phone, camera, etc).
The idea of having a tray that holds regular batteries sounded appealing until I realized nothing I bring on trips has batteries other than my headlamp (1*AAA, fairly useless).
In the future I'd like to get a small solar setup for topping things up on longer trips. USB seems appealing, but are there drawbacks I'm overlooking?
Controls: I'm not a luddite, and I like reading manuals more than most, so I'm sure I can figure out most any radio. That being said, I'd like one that doesn't require mental gymnastics in situations where expediency is critical. In my limited experience with VHF radios there were on/off switches that doubled as volume. I seem to recall a squelch knob as well. Seems most radios I'm seeing online have buttons to adjust, which seems less friendly but perhaps less likely to be accidentally adjusted.
Size: I saw some that were very small, like the Standard Horizon HX40. I've got a decent size pocket in mind, so I don't see much advantage in going smaller. The components are the same as a larger VHF, so I think it's just denser.
Plus, I think a 'ultra compact' radio loses something in ergonomics. I can't imagine it fitting well in the hand.
Voltage: I see some different voltages used in different batteries. What impact does that have?
Price point: I think around $200 CAD is probably about right for a radio that I can trust. Any more seems to be getting a bit more involved than I'd perhaps like. Any less seems a bit dodgy.
One that keeps coming up is the Standard Horizon HX300. Seems to tick the boxes pretty well. Any thoughts on that particular model?
I appreciate any insights you might have.
I have some thoughts, but also questions.
Waterproof: this seems like a big one. I intend to keep the radio in a PFD pocket. Even if I don't go for a swim, it's gonna get wet. That being said, an IPX7 rating is probably fine when compared to IPX8.
Floating: Less important. Ideally I would tether the VHF to my PFD, which is unlikely to sink. That being said, floating wouldn't be a harm.
High/low settings: I think the option to select between some different watts would be nice. I assume transmitting at lower watts means longer battery life. I did see some that had 3/5 watt as well as some with 1/2.5/5 watt options. What are your thoughts on power levels?
Charging system: I saw some with USB charging, which would be nice as I have a battery bank that I use for a decent amount of other gadgets (phone, camera, etc).
The idea of having a tray that holds regular batteries sounded appealing until I realized nothing I bring on trips has batteries other than my headlamp (1*AAA, fairly useless).
In the future I'd like to get a small solar setup for topping things up on longer trips. USB seems appealing, but are there drawbacks I'm overlooking?
Controls: I'm not a luddite, and I like reading manuals more than most, so I'm sure I can figure out most any radio. That being said, I'd like one that doesn't require mental gymnastics in situations where expediency is critical. In my limited experience with VHF radios there were on/off switches that doubled as volume. I seem to recall a squelch knob as well. Seems most radios I'm seeing online have buttons to adjust, which seems less friendly but perhaps less likely to be accidentally adjusted.
Size: I saw some that were very small, like the Standard Horizon HX40. I've got a decent size pocket in mind, so I don't see much advantage in going smaller. The components are the same as a larger VHF, so I think it's just denser.
Plus, I think a 'ultra compact' radio loses something in ergonomics. I can't imagine it fitting well in the hand.
Voltage: I see some different voltages used in different batteries. What impact does that have?
Price point: I think around $200 CAD is probably about right for a radio that I can trust. Any more seems to be getting a bit more involved than I'd perhaps like. Any less seems a bit dodgy.
One that keeps coming up is the Standard Horizon HX300. Seems to tick the boxes pretty well. Any thoughts on that particular model?
I appreciate any insights you might have.