New VHF - Standard Horizon HX870E?

[Iron Dials]

Steady on men.

Would a spare battery and standing up to increase antenna height not be enough?

I get the whole external antenna, but in a smaller boat you won't achieve extra antenna height with a pole versus standing.
Would your connection be weatherproof? I understood the external connection facility to be for use in a wheelhouse etc.

You are however introducing more weak points in the system. One of the attractions of a handheld is that it is self-contained, particularly in an outdoors setting.

Just one pessimists view.

[Fenlander]

>>>One of the attractions of a handheld is that it is self-contained

Totally agree. If I was concerned about battery life I think I'd just get a spare OE radio battery so going out with twice the duration.

Re the aerial it was just a thought. Seems you can get these adaptors as per Willk's post that just replace the standard stubby. I carry an alloy extending boat hook which with a couple of pipe clips pre-fitted to the transom could become a mast. That alone would give 1m more height than me standing up if an aerial was cable tied to the top for "the emergency" where range was important... and I may have better things to be doing than standing up in the boat on tip toes to try and gain radio range.

[mikew4]

I have 2 of these radios. They are very good, battery life is amazing, plus they come with mains and car chargers.

Having the GPS is also very useful as if you come across something interesting, you can waypoint it. For example, I was in my SIB and stumbled across a crashed plane at low tide, and wanted to mark it for later. Also useful if you end up in a current / wind and no power, and needing to relay your coords. Can also switch GPS to save power but.

Waterproofing is good. Although I broke one after crashing windsurfing at high speed, and the warranty was excellent - new one within a week. I think that any waterproof radio would have failed with that crash.

I now have a RIB and use the handhelds as backup on the boat, and the other onshore for launch/recovery purposes.

Highly recommended.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by jeffstevens763@g

12 v 240 v inverter to re-charge hand held or an atomic charger think iv'e seen them in go outdoors something like this just for the radio

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12000mAh-C...kparms=aid%3D5

? Seems unnecessarily complex and 240v on an open sib seems like it could be........... Expensive.

Willk, it seems you were paying attention in one of Donegaldan's lectures on coax connectors!

[willk]

Originally Posted by Poly

Willk, it seems you were paying attention in one of Donegaldan's lectures on coax connectors!

So many lectures...

Currently Relevant to my Interests, however.

[Fenlander]

Im assuming if you bought an external aerial and could make a neat job of soldering then the correct connector could be fitted directly to connect the aerial lead to the handheld negating the need for the adaptor??

[donegaldan]

Ideally, yes.
Every connector introduces a loss, with the overall result that less power gets to the actual antenna.

However, in the interests of maintaining sanity - I would strongly suggest anyone from ever trying to solder a SMA connector. Having been there and done that - life is too short.

Buy the adaptor and live with the small amount of loss !
If its that big an issue, consider a 6W handheld or 25W main VHF, but I wouldn't get excited about the loss.
Donegaldan

[willk]

*takes more notes*

[Fenlander]

Ahh found the Standard Horizon adaptor part...

https://seamarknunn.com/acatalog/sta...ptor-8936.html

[willk]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Ahh found the Standard Horizon adaptor part...

https://seamarknunn.com/acatalog/sta...ptor-8936.html

That's not a "standard" VHF antenna connection.

[Fenlander]

Wonder why SH supply that then... is it an acceptable alternative?

[psycho]

I have the SH HX870E, and have had it for over a year now. I bought it to replace my SH handheld, (cant remember model No) which was not DSC, did not float, etc etc.
Size wise, slightly larger, but not really noticeable.
Battery wise, brilliant. I have a couple of days on a single charge. When I first got it, there was a problem with the battery, ie not charging, sent it back to PRS Comms, who I purchased from, and were absolutely fantastic, they got in touch with SH, who very quickly diagnosed a faulty battery and replaced FOC.
Never had a problem with signal / reception around Torbay, River Dart, Plymouth and Cornwall.
As well as the battery tray back up, you also get in the box, a 12v charger, so can be charged from car or boat if you have the socket.
Overall, I am very pleased with it, I did my research before hand, and think I made the right choice. It is always clipped on my LJ when out, and if I forget to switch on, it turns itself on if dunked....!

[Fenlander]

Thanks for the extra owner feedback psycho. Wonder if you or any other user knows...

When plugged into a 12v supply if the battery was low/flat would the external supply immediately bring the radio to life or do you have to wait for it to charge its own battery before using??

[psycho]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Thanks for the extra owner feedback psycho. Wonder if you or any other user knows...

When plugged into a 12v supply if the battery was low/flat would the external supply immediately bring the radio to life or do you have to wait for it to charge its own battery before using??

Sorry, cant answer that, as never had to do it.

[mikew4]

Originally Posted by Fenlander

Thanks for the extra owner feedback psycho. Wonder if you or any other user knows...

When plugged into a 12v supply if the battery was low/flat would the external supply immediately bring the radio to life or do you have to wait for it to charge its own battery before using??

Depends on the voltage of the supply battery, and if it was enough to satisfy the required voltage of the radio.

[jeffstevens763@g]

when i was on site i use to leave the VHF in the charging tray all ok if there's sufficient power in the battery for the set to work suppose its a bit like some chartplotters which have a voltage range 10-14 volts for them to work

[Fenlander]

Well decision made and my new radio is a non-DSC Standard Horizon HX300E. Appreciated the input above and informative PMs received.

The HX870E is a great radio ticking pretty well every gadget-boy box a a reasonable price but when I thought more about my use I was happy to go for the more basic set. Another incentive to "downgrade" from the HX870E was that I'd been thinking about an electronic flare and the HX300E plus an Odeo flare came to the same as just the HX870E.

Ordered from Marine Superstore who had stock of both and keen prices. Delivery was free over £100 and I phoned them to make sure it would be next day. Not seller's fault but FedEx cocked up by showing "out/card left" on the tracking at 11.27am whereas I was in and there was no card through the letterbox. Luckily the local depot is only 15mins away so I went and collected once the van had returned to base.

Radio seems fine and menus are intuitave even without consulting the manual. It's quite small... see in the image the front is only the same size as an iPhone 5S.

Won't get used for a while yet but it's another thing off the list in our gradual SIB/OB/kit upgrades.

[jeffstevens763@g]

wise choice two strings to the bow just bought the Odeo too