Hand-Held VHF Radios

My website statistics show me that for the last week, the post on Uniden's Mystic was the most read page. So here is an article by Chuck Husick on hand-held VHF radios that might be interesting to you. It has some tips and tricks on the workings of these devices and how to use them.

"As with all marine VHF transceivers, hand-helds must provide a 1 watt transmit power selection in addition to whatever higher power may be available (usually 3-6 watts). The general considerations that govern the choice of a fixed mount VHF set apply to a hand-held radio. The receiver is the most costly part of the radio and its ability to separate the signal you need to hear from interfering signals may determine the radio's worth. Transmit power is a secondary consideration. Remember, communication on the marine VHF band is essentially line of sight. Unless the radio is connected to a fixed antenna, mounted at some height above the water, the one watt low power setting will usually be all you need for clear communication. Further, unless the radio is connected to an external power source it will be drawing energy from its internal battery. Battery life is greatly extended by using the low power setting."