HX270E poor range

[BogMonster]

Got my new handheld HX270E yesterday morning, had it on charge all day and then it had an early trial, got a call at about 5pm to assist in a search and rescue, ten crewmembers had "jumped ship" off jiggers (fishing boats) in the harbour and two were missing....

Talking to other people in the search I noticed that many seemed to have problems hearing me and talking to the other half who was back in the office she said she could hardly hear me most of the time. This was only about 2 miles away (her on a base set with an aerial on a high mast) which seemed to be very poor - I have used 2-metre band handhelds for years (not much lower frequency - about 145MHz - and the same power output of 5 watts) and would expect much better results from those.

What sort of results does anybody else with an HX270E get?

Seems like a well made radio but if it doesn't work across the harbour then I can't see it being much use anywhere else ... I am going to do some more scientific tests next time I am out in the boat.

Any thoughts please?

Thanks

Stephen

[seafariskye]

Stephen

I bought 2 of these and used them twice - they were nothing but pish if you ask my honest opinion - sorry -

poor range as you say - one time we could actually see each other in a straight line and was poor - charged for a good time, and went flat in about 30 mins.

Bought 2 icom's M-71's are really good, pricey but would not buy anything else again.
Couple of radios i have the uniden voyager
http://www.uniden.com/products/produ...ilter=Handheld

Has been really good - had and abused for 3 years now and still ok - got them off ebay - not specifically for use in uk, but still good none the less.

yours
Pete F

[BogMonster]

interesting - most comments about them seem to be quite positive but.... maybe most people are using them for close contact.

I know that in general, marine band range is not as good as 2m amateur band due to the slightly higher frequency, but usually there isn't a lot in it, I am quite disappointed by this compared to the performance of my handheld 2m radios (I now have nine VHF radios between amateur and marine band and have been using the 2m amateur band for twenty years so have a very good idea of what is "good" performance from VHF in that frequency range).

I still have my Icom handheld VHF which does all bands including the marine band but I bought the 270 as a way to get a waterproof set I can keep clipped to my lifejacket. Guess the Icom and its aquapac will still be living under the jockey seat then, just in case

Guess the real answer though, is to get off my butt and rig up some sort of aerial mount for the Icom base set mounted on the RIB ... had to lose the A frame (and the aerial fitted on top of it) when I fitted an aux engine.

thanks for the comments

[Jimbo]

Hmmm - I've got 3 of these radios, and I've never had any problems. We had them out on a corporate charter yesterday, and were getting ranges of 4 miles from the rib to the sailing yacht with them, no problem.

I've also found them more rugged than their nearest (price wise) contender, the Icom M31.

[yoyo]

Jon Brooks will be along shortly

[BogMonster]

It does seem exceptionally well made and the knobs and buttons have a good solid feel to them, I also like the drop-in charger supplied. Range seems to be the only issue.

Early days yet, the reason I mentioned it was as much as anything to try and establish whether there was a problem with this particular set or whether it is typical performance from the HX270. Answers so far would indicate either is possible...!

Any more please?

[codprawn]

Some radios with software driven everything can drop back down to low power without you even realising it. Also check the aerial but then again you will know that already!!!

[ian parkes]

I have one and not noticed any problems . It seems about the same as other similar radios I used . battery seems to last forever and its certainly very solid . Pbo did a test on a load of handhelds at the time I got mine and had no problems .

[Nick Hearne]

Have you put the black long wobbly bit in the top?

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by Nick Hearne

Have you put the black long wobbly bit in the top?

Er ... yes

Unfortunately I don't have a combination of fittings that will allow me to check the long black wobbly bit with one of my SWR meters, because it uses a little screw-on fitting rather than the more usual BNC or PL259 type connection.

[Nick Hearne]

Just checking!

[NautiAndNice]

Have only had mine since Christmas, but so far so good. Definitely better than my RAY101E which now refuses to charge

[Stoo]

Originally Posted by BogMonster

Unfortunately I don't have a combination of fittings that will allow me to check the long black wobbly bit...

Perhaps this could be used...

[DM]

Originally Posted by yoyo

Jon Brooks will be along shortly

Maybe not. He's probably nursing a hangover after being in Dublin for a week.

I must write to Standard Horizon about the range of my HX270. It's terrible.

Mainly because its lying at the bottom of the Menai Strait.

[yoyo]

Originally Posted by davidmanning

Maybe not. He's probably nursing a hangover after being in Dublin for a week.

I must write to Standard Horizon about the range of my HX270. It's terrible.

Mainly because its lying at the bottom of the Menai Strait.

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by davidmanning

Maybe not. He's probably nursing a hangover after being in Dublin for a week.

I must write to Standard Horizon about the range of my HX270. It's terrible.

Mainly because its lying at the bottom of the Menai Strait.

Tis ok, I am all recovered now!

We had one in a bowl of water for the entire show in Dublin and no problem.
I suggest you get a rubber suit on and go find it David...you might find its still working

With regard to your radio Steve, very odd.
Hand on heart never heard of this.
You may find that the battery needs a couple of cycles to bring to max strength.
Other than that I am at a loss.

I have found the HX-270 to perform as well as any other set I have ever used.

Please give a good work out then come back to me.

Whilst you are on the other side of the world we will sort it for you!!

Best regards

[BogMonster]

Will do Jon, thanks

The battery had about six hours charge in it when I flew into the office grabbed it and took off on the search, so it hadn't had a full charge from new - it says ten hours in the book. I have now fully charged it so I will discharge it completely and recharge it and see what happens.

Didn't find the poor buggers anyway, and they still haven't turned up

[jyasaki]

That unit has a Lithium ion battery, no? Shouldn't take much to break it in (nothing, actually.)

If it is a NiMH battery, allowing it to discharge about halfway and a recharge should get it up to just about full capacity.

Make sure that your antenna contacts are good and solid: pull the antenna, and clean all the mating surfaces (screw threads with a bit of solvent and a Q-tip or such; flat surfaces with a pencil eraser.)

Other than that, well, I don't know. Not much you can do in the way of tweaking a handheld, as far as I know.

jky

[Jon Brooks]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

That unit has a Lithium ion battery, no? Shouldn't take much to break it in (nothing, actually.)

If it is a NiMH battery, allowing it to discharge about halfway and a recharge should get it up to just about full capacity.

Make sure that your antenna contacts are good and solid: pull the antenna, and clean all the mating surfaces (screw threads with a bit of solvent and a Q-tip or such; flat surfaces with a pencil eraser.)

Other than that, well, I don't know. Not much you can do in the way of tweaking a handheld, as far as I know.

jky

All the range, at this time, is NiMH.

All the best

[BogMonster]

Originally Posted by jyasaki

That unit has a Lithium ion battery, no? Shouldn't take much to break it in (nothing, actually.)

If it is a NiMH battery, allowing it to discharge about halfway and a recharge should get it up to just about full capacity.

Make sure that your antenna contacts are good and solid: pull the antenna, and clean all the mating surfaces (screw threads with a bit of solvent and a Q-tip or such; flat surfaces with a pencil eraser.)

Other than that, well, I don't know. Not much you can do in the way of tweaking a handheld, as far as I know.

jky

As Jon said, it is a NiMH battery.

I have had the antenna off and put it back on and I did notice the receive seemed better so I will clean the antenna contacts with electrical contact cleaner before I go out, maybe it is just some crud on the connector. Hopefully tomorrow will be a decent day for ribbing as there is an attempt to gather almost all the FI-registered fishing vessels in the harbour at once which should make for a decent photo