Mark Arnold wrote: > After looking at lots of info I have tentatively decided to order a > Standard Horizon HX270S VHF. Slightly lower price than the ICOMS and > it comes with an alkaline battery tray that is listed as being > submersible are the 2 deciding factors in my choice. Anyone have any > experience good or bad with the HX270S or HX370S especially in relation > to the waterproof rating when using the alkaline battery tray. HX270S > is a NiMH battery. My understanding is that the major disadvantage of > the Ni-MH vs the Li in the IComs is shelf-life of the charge. Should I > expect this to be a significant difference on a 1-2 week trip. Mark, I'm kinda getting apples and oranges off the above. I gather you are concerned about loss of battery charge in the Standard (NI-MH) vs the ICOM (Li-ion). I suspect you might better be concerned with how you use the radio on an extended trip. Been there, done that. And, if you leave the radio tuned to 16 while paddling, to serve as a safety net for others, none of these options will hack it for two weeks. That mandates either an alkaline tray or at least one backup battery ... a big expense. That makes the ICOM a noncandidate. Too bad, because ICOM's rock, for sensitivity and performance, in my experience (on my 4th one, over 15 years). You also might look very closely at how ICOM protects the radio from moisture, vs. how Standard does. On my M-88, there are NO "rubber gasketed" ports; It is sealed down tight, tight, tight. To add in a microphone or an ear bud, you have to unscrew a seriously gasketed plate. Look closely at how Standard does this before you buy. OTOH, if you only use the radio for emergencies or the odd communication with another paddler to establish a direction of campsite choice, and for a once-daily weather update, the Li-ion battery is good for two weeks, in my experience (been there, done that). This is my second M-88 (dropped the first one in the drink). I really like the radio. -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************Received on Wed May 16 2007 - 18:12:37 PDT
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