Re: [Paddlewise] VHF radios: What is everyone using & opinions?

I've been using the SH HX460S for three years, since it first appeared.  I
am perfectly happy with it, other than the fact that I'm on my third unit.
The unit lives in a pocket on the front of my PFD.  The first unit survived
all sorts of nasty stuff, but succumbed to corrosion induced by a materials
flaw in the original battery pack.  Electrolytic corrosion of the metal body
eventually rendered the seal worthless, and high pressure impacts from 6+
foot breakers finally killed the electronics.  Replacement took quite a
while, despite all my begging and whining.  Second unit (complete with a
newly formulated battery that resolved the corrosion problem, supposedly)
died the first time I ate a wave face.  That replacement occurred much
quicker.  This new unit doesn't go get to do all the things the first two
did.  I'm protecting it until a new special housing I've ordered arrives.

My research has revealed that "submersible" is a very relative term.
Submersible specs (JIS-7), which is as far as "submersible" radios go, is 3
meters for 30 minutes. But that's in flaccid water, like a bucket.  Take a
vertical wave face, even just 3 feet high, moving at 7-10 miles an hour, add
your opposing speed of say 3 miles per hour, and you have an instantaneous
pressure equal to 100+ feet.  JIS-7 doesn't go there.  Period.  I'm not sure
if I was lucky with my first unit, or the second one just sucked.  But it's
made me reticent to trust the third to a watery fate.  So I researched and
snooped and nosed around, and finally found a truly waterproof solution,
that will let me continue to keep my radio in my PFD front pocket where it's
instantly available for emergency and group communications.  In fact, these
guys are using me as a test case to create a truly waterproof throat mic and
ear piece specifically for rough water kayaking.  An aquatic Guinea Pig, so
to speak.

All this is no real concern if you don't spend time in surf zones or rock
gardens, or other wave impact areas.  In a lot of cases, one of those vinyl
bags is just fine protection, if you leave it in your hatch.  I arrived home
more than once back when I used a Apelco 510 (big and heavy) "waterproof"
radio in a vinyl bag, stored on a retrieval line in a pack pouch on my PFD,
with the radio floating in a bag full of water, like those tropical fish you
see people carrying in plastic bags, on their way home from the pet store.
Those pouches aren't JIS-7 waterproof, for sure.  And I can't fit one in my
PFD pocket.

The Icom M88 is highly rated.  It's all the rage in the radio "media" at the
moment.  But it's more expensive.  Meets the same spec, but it's supposed to
be military rugged.  Can't say if it's really any  more rugged than the
HX460.  I haven't had a chance to beat one up.  They look cool!

I'm going to put some photos and field test info for these waterproof cases
on my web site when mine arrives (the project involves custom manufacturing
from a dead radio housing I had Standard Horizon send them).  For the mic
gear as well, although that's just a pet project of mine (I've had mixed
success with a "submersible" lapel mic for the HX460S).  I expect it soon,
although I've been doing that for a while, as my order was preempted by a
military top priority job. But I would expect to have some review info up
in April.  The bad news, of course, is that this approach will add buck$ to
your radio purchase.  But the good news is, if you could find a
non-waterproof cheapo radio that met all your other requirements, one of
these cases would render it even more waterproof and submersible and
water-impact proof than the most expensive marine handheld on the market.
But I have no idea what the final price tag is actually going to be.  I may
get a freebee, or maybe a big discount for being the AGP (aforementioned
Aquatic Guinea Pig).

I'll post test impressions/results when I get the case, and have a chance to
beat it up.  At that time I'll post my URL to the photos/data, if it
wouldn't be considered a commercial post or endorsement sort of thing.

Anyway, that's my long-winded two cents worth.

Mitch McKinnon
Vancouver Washington

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert A. Glantz, Jr." <r_glantz_at_bellsouth.net>
To: <PaddleWise_at_paddlewise.net>
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 8:12 AM
Subject: [Paddlewise] VHF radios: What is everyone using & opinions?


> I'm looking to get a Standard Horizon HX460S that is on sale at
> www.sailnet-inc.com for $229.95 plus a $50.00 rebate. It seems to be an
> excellent radio but expensive...
>
> What is everyone else out there using? Any opinions? Anything just as
> good (5w transmit) but CHEAPER?
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