Thread: Good VHF handheld radio?

It doesn't. Gotta step up to the HX851 for that and more $$$. I have GPS on the fishfinder for the kayak and a Garmin handheld I use for GPS in other situations or in the woods. The smartphone in your pocket most likely has a built-in GPS receiver. Put a waterproof case on it and you have communication redundancy without spending a ton of money.

Originally Posted by Dutch

It doesn't. Gotta step up to the HX851 for that and more $$$. I have GPS on the fishfinder for the kayak and a Garmin handheld I use for GPS in other situations or in the woods. The smartphone in your pocket most likely has a built-in GPS receiver. Put a waterproof case on it and you have communication redundancy without spending a ton of money.

Yep have the smart phone with GPS, even the waterproof case. Is smartphone GPS the same as VHF radio GPS? Sorry if this is a dumb question...

Are you looking for a handheld as a backup or an alternative to a fixed mount VHF? While being able to monitor radio chit chat, receive warnings and listen to weather radio broadcast (if equipped) are all nice, being able to broadcast as far as possible when needed is what I look for in a radio. As far as handhelds go marine VHFs seem to work better than others, but compared to its fixed counterpart it's just another walkie-talkie. Another thing to consider is there going to be anyone to hear your broadcast. Is it common for freshwater boaters up north to own and use VHFs? I know you will find none to extremely few recreational freshwater boaters in Dixie using them, making them fairly useless.

DRH, most inland fisherman up here don't use them. But when we go out on Lake Superior pretty much everyone has them. I'm kinda leaning towards a portable since we won't be that far out should something happen.

As DRH said, consider a fixed unit also. If you have the means get both. Keep you a ditch bag onboard and have your CHARGED handheld in it with the rest of your emergency gear. Hopefully it'll never be needed but it's there if the situation ever arises.

I have a Standard Horizon HX370S, I can monitor traffic at Dauphin Island from from my place on Fish River, never tried transmitting.

Thanks PurpleNGold, very good advice!