Re: [Paddlewise] NOAA portable weather radio

From: Dave Kruger <dkruger_at_pacifier.com>
Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 15:02:26 -0800
David Scheckman wrote:

> We are wondering if anyone has a recommendation on a weather resistant
> handheld weather radio (without the VHF communication) that is good to
> take on kayak trips. 

In a word, no.  Have not seen a "weather radio" with the sensitivity and
weatherproofness common to even the low-end $150 marine HH VHF's.

Every one I have checked out has a cheap front end (electronically), which
severely limits its ability to pick up broadcasts.  When I did
comparison-testing on the $20 Radio Shack weather radio I have against an ICOM
10A (about $160), the VHF was vastly superior in reception.  Because the weather
radio has a telescoping antenna and the VHF has a short "rubber ducky" antenna,
it is easy to keep the VHF in a simple, totally waterproof, radio bag while
using it, both for broadcast and reception.  That telescoping antenna is an
entry point for water.

Compounding the inferiority of the weather radio I have is that the units
available in this country for domestic use do not have all the frequencies used
in Canada.  There may be better ones, however.

I'd recommend you save your shekels and spring for a VHF.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
***************************************************************************
PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not
to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission
Submissions:     paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net
Subscriptions:   paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net
Website:         http://www.paddlewise.net/
***************************************************************************
Received on Mon Dec 27 1999 - 15:03:55 PST

This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:30:18 PDT