handheld marine radio

what do you guys think is the best or best for the money or best range ect.

Thanks

I know you asked about Marine Radio. Is that your only option? Lately I’ve been using a Boafeng radio, 8 watts, and around $30. They are programmable so you would be able to run marine frequencies as needed. My other go to is an Uniden, not sure of model but it came with an upright 12v charger cup, great feature, have it mounted to dash always ready to go.

Uniden is good. I have a Hummingbird handheld that has been great. The rechargeable battery has lasted over 10 yrs and still going strong. Just used it up in Canada. Only downside for most of them is about a 2 mile range. I’ve gotten a little further on occasion with perfect conditions.

Hey Steve,

I’ve been running Standard-Horizon ever since the covered a bad mic AFTER the 3 year warranty had expired.

This one can be found on line for around $89.00. I have the next model up @ $199.00. Next time it will be this model. It sits in the stand up charger 24/7 for the last 4 years and still has excellent battery performance.

Keep in mind, these are only line of site radios.

Standard-Horizon Floater

PS All the big names are good now a days.

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Hey Steve,

I’ve been running Standard-Horizon ever since the covered a bad mic AFTER the 3 year warranty had expired.

This one can be found on line for around $89.00. I have the next model up @ $199.00. Next time it will be this model. It sits in the stand up charger 24/7 for the last 4 years and still has excellent battery performance.
Keep in mind, these are only line of site radios.

Standard-Horizon Floater

PS All the big names are good now a days.

Brian is right. If you’re new to marine band,it’s important to know this. It determines the length of antenna and quality of radio you need. On Mille Lacs I had great luck with a 4 foot antenna and a $150 radio. On LOW or large Canadian lakes an 8 ft antenna and a good radio are very important. If you don’t need an 8 ft mast they can be in the way all the time, even folded down. Handhelds can be worthless in the wrong situation.

27eyeguy wrote:

I know you asked about Marine Radio. Is that your only option? Lately I’ve been using a Boafeng radio, 8 watts, and around $30. They are programmable so you would be able to run marine frequencies as needed. My other go to is an Uniden, not sure of model but it came with an upright 12v charger cup, great feature, have it mounted to dash always ready to go.

Same combo I have for up in mountains and on water. Only limitations is the curve of the earth

27eyeguy wrote:

I know you asked about Marine Radio. Is that your only option? Lately I’ve been using a Boafeng radio, 8 watts, and around $30. They are programmable so you would be able to run marine frequencies as needed. My other go to is an Uniden, not sure of model but it came with an upright 12v charger cup, great feature, have it mounted to dash always ready to go.

Randy Wieland wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>27eyeguy wrote:</div>
I know you asked about Marine Radio. Is that your only option? Lately I’ve been using a Boafeng radio, 8 watts, and around $30. They are programmable so you would be able to run marine frequencies as needed. My other go to is an Uniden, not sure of model but it came with an upright 12v charger cup, great feature, have it mounted to dash always ready to go.

Same combo I have for up in mountains and on water. Only limitations is the curve of the earth

x3 on the Baofeng. Got it after we had a derecho in Iowa and couldn’t call anybody for a month. It’s a good setup.

The 8 watt Boafeng does really well and is a great value. As mentioned all the name brands are good. Most are 2-5 watts, typically a significant price jump to get more watts. How are you planning to use radio?

The little Boafeng radios are pretty good for listening. If you know what frequencies your local EMS, weather spotters etc use, you can program those in and have it continuously scan them. Unfortunately the dedicated weather channels do not have a dedicated button.

HAM radio people hate these Boafengs. They make it a game to track down people transmitting on HAM bands that don’t follow HAM rules. In an emergency or zombie apocalypses nobody will care about not having a HAM license.

i have 3 baofeng radios. there excellent for the money. the new uv-5r models come locked from the factory so you cant transmit on them. its a very simple procedure to unlock them. you can print off your local channels and gmrs channels and program them to the radio

HAM radio people hate these Boafengs. They make it a game to track down people transmitting on HAM bands that don’t follow HAM rules. In an emergency or zombie apocalypses nobody will care about not having a HAM license.
[/quote]

ham people are weird and they think they own the airwaves. ill push my little transmitter button all i want

jwellsy wrote:

The little Boafeng radios are pretty good for listening. If you know what frequencies your local EMS, weather spotters etc use, you can program those in and have it continuously scan them. Unfortunately the dedicated weather channels do not have a dedicated button.

HAM radio people hate these Boafengs. They make it a game to track down people transmitting on HAM bands that don’t follow HAM rules. In an emergency or zombie apocalypses nobody will care about not having a HAM license.

I don’t know a thing about radios.

That said, would a guy be able to purchase one and hear local PD, FD, EMS and weather?

Someone told me that’s all “encrypted” now? …which also means nothing to me

Some public safety transmissions may have gone digital and those cheap handheld radios only do analog.

So is there any way left to hear the FD PD EMS radios?

buckybadger wrote:

So is there any way left to hear the FD PD EMS radios?

Maybe a digital trunking scanner but you can check what is being used at https://www.radioreference.com/db/browse/ then select state and county
If the people you want to listen to are using P25 phase II, the scanners get expensive and if they use encryption, you probably can’t listen anyhow

Thanks to all