New Radio

[robbo1]

Hi everyone.
I am new to this forum, so please be gentle with me.
I have just passed my SRC VHF course and I am now looking to buy a radio. I want one that will interface with my GPS sonar unit which is a Lowrance LMS 520C The unit that I want will have to be a surface mounted one. Fully waterproof, because it will be open to the elements all the time, and also be a smallish unit. The unit I trained on was a Simrad RD68 and this unit would be to deep in the body for where it will have to be located on the boat so the smaller the better. A quick look on the Internet on the Lowrance site and I found their LVR-880. Do any of you lads and lassies use this model or know of anyone that has one. Is it any good? This unit has extra functions on the handset as just opposed to the PTT button. Do these tend to fail easily and if so will I be better off looking for a unit with a hand mic with just a PTT button? Do multi function hand mic’s in general tend to be more fragile due to their being more water ingress points? I don’t want to spend mega money, as the unit will not be used that often because of where I use the boat. I will be going to the Southampton Boat Show, as I think there will be a few suppliers there to have a chat to. Any help would be much appreciated from you regular radio users as it’s all new to me.

[jyasaki]

I'm running an LMS-520C and a Standard Horizon PS-2000 (no longer made.)

Works fine for what it's supposed to do. The GPS sends position data to the radio, and if you're not scanning channels, it's displayed on the mic display.

I doubt that the extra buttons are much of a leak issue; they're all simple membrane switches for the most part, I think.

The advantage of going with like-brands is that you may be able to do things like send a position request and have the reply plotted on the GPS automagically (something I can't do, as the units don't talk to each other well enough.)

jky

[Brian]

Robbo1, have you considered a handheld?
No leak problems-but you dont describe your boat-are you going offshore?

[Brian]

Robbo1, have you considered a handheld?
No leak problems-but you dont describe your boat-are you going offshore?

[Brian]

Robbo1, have you considered a handheld?
No leak problems-but you dont describe your boat-are you going offshore?

[BruceB]

The Icom 421 is shallow in depth and is waterproof, can be flush mounted with the flush kit or by cutting the supplied mount carefully.
Had one and was very impressed, does all you ask for and isn't too expensive. Personally I wouldn't use anything bar Icom now as a VHF having had several others fail very quickly after fitting.
Only problem I had with a 421 was cracking the rear case but this was more due to the clearance between it and the battery inside the console being too small and the battery battered the casing to death
I am now on my second M505 (different boats) and would buy the same again if ever needed.
Ps I am not in the pay of Icom, just happy with their kit and having a bit of reliable electronics on a RIB

[willk]

I've just replaced a Simrad RD68 () with a very cheap* Navman 7100. The casing was substantially smaller (so was the hole in the console ) so may suit your purpose. The kit works well (linked for DSC to a Raymarine plotter), although the internal speaker seems a bit quieter. A couple of friends have this unit on open consoles and they are holding up well. This is the west of Ireland remember, so lots of water!
I think it is fair to say that prices of sub £90 herald the arrival of the Disposible DSC VHF Era. If it lasts three years.....

Note: This radio "comes with" a flush mount fitting!!! Another £20 saved.


* Very cheap