[Paddlewise] UPDATE - RE: Product Warning: Standard Horizon HX460S

Situation Update:
Per Scott's info, I took the radio, along with my original receipt and the
packing slip from the last replacement (late November '03) to my local West
Marine (point of purchase).  The manager said he'd be happy to replace it,
but since the original purchase was 3 years ago, they'd have to get OK from
Standard Horizon.  I gave him the info for my Tech Support contact, but he
wasn't there that day. The West Marine manager was told by whom ever he
spoke with that SH would have to have the radio in hand before they would
authorize a replacement by West Marine.  So the WM manager said they'd send
it in, but it would have to go through their channels, which involved
several hand-offs.  Sounded like a longer process, so I'm just going to
fed-ex the radio to my SH tech support guy, who has promised to hand-walk my
radio over to the repair/replace people with instructions to expedite.  I'll
hopefully have a replacement in a couple weeks.  Meanwhile, I'm without
radio.  Kinda scary in a coastal teaching situation.  I'll have to borrow a
radio for emergency coverage I guess.

On another note, I got a response to my radio case developers.  Apparently,
the holdup has been caused by the fact that the HX460S (and the ICOM M88 as
well) have such short bodies that the PTT button location is interfering
with the clamps used to close the cap on the case.  They'd have to add an
inch or so to the length wise dimension to make it work.  Desperate for a
solution, I authorized them to proceed.  I've been promised a unit within
two weeks.  My intent is to put the case, and the throat mic/ear piece combo
through rigorous field testing for a couple weeks, then I'll publish the
results.  Maybe a product review article in Sea Kayaker Magazine.
Definitely some info on my web site.  So anyone interested in a bomb proof,
compact case for their VHF radios, stand by!

Mitch

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> From: Scott Camlin
> Subject: RE: [Paddlewise] Product Warning: Standard Horizon HX460S -
> Repeated Submersibility Failure
> 
> 
> Our club here in New England has had similar experiences.  In the past two
> years, about 30 trip leaders and other active paddlers have bought HX460S
> units.  Initially, people were very pleased by the features and size; most
> carry them in the PFD pocket like Mitchell or mounted on the shoulder
> strap (so we can hear and talk in high winds and surf).  They started
> going bad due to immersion and most have had one die one or more times.  I
> think the record in the club is nine units returned for replacement.
[snip]
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