# Best Handheld VHF Radio



## Riverduck11 (Jul 11, 2013)

I am looking for a good handheld VHF Radio before I head up to Lake Erie in Late June. Looking for some recommendations. Can anyone point me to a good choice? 

Thanks,

Brandon


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## PatSea (Oct 10, 2004)

Check out Standard Horizon at GPS Store.com SH also has a rebate program going. As an alternate I have a used fixed mount VHF radio for sale on this site Marketplace.


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## Riverduck11 (Jul 11, 2013)

PatSea...I looked through the classified for a few pages and do not see it. Can you tell me the specifics...cost, brand, antenna height?

I am already learning the handheld is a little more limited in distance than I first thought. Any other recommendations are great.


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

a hand held is good around the docks or to boats close by but not enough distance for talking out on erie. I would go with a fixed mount and get a good antenna. the better the antenna the better your radio is going to work. something like the Shakespeare 5225 xt or xp makes a great antenna. the 5225xt is around 110.00 and the xp is 177.00 on ebay. but the xt will serve you well. the xp just has a little better connections.

I just have a cheap radio and was using a cheap antenna. I didn't know how important the antenna was. then I kept reading its the most important part of the system. so I did some research and bought a good antenna and found I was talking to guys from miles away. and with the cheap antenna I was using I just wasn't able to hold a conversation very far.
sherman


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## Shortdrift (Apr 5, 2004)

Per Sherm, Ditto


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## Riverduck11 (Jul 11, 2013)

Do all of these antennas have to be permanently mounted to the boat? Is there any type of quick disconnect?


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## PatSea (Oct 10, 2004)

Riverduck11 said:


> PatSea...I looked through the classified for a few pages and do not see it. Can you tell me the specifics...cost, brand, antenna height?
> 
> I am already learning the handheld is a little more limited in distance than I first thought. Any other recommendations are great.


River duck, it's a Motorola fixed mount radio. No antenna. $45. Do a search on "VHF radio" and look for it posted on the Marketplace onApril 21. You'll find the add with photos. As was said buy a good antenna with this radio and you will have a good quality VHF system. I had this radio with a Shakespeare 6' antenna on my boat and could transmit 6 miles or more. I would take this radio out on Lake Erie any day over any handheld radio.


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## Gottagofishn (Nov 18, 2009)

also.... what Sherm said. Save the cash on the handheld and go with the fixed mount. In an emergency you probably won't want to be fumbling around looking for it and then as stated above the range is limited. It is a an investment in your safety.
I have the XT (because you can get it in black) it works very nicely. 

No quick disconnect that I am aware of. You will get used to it though, it will just become part of the boat.
Al



sherman51 said:


> a hand held is good around the docks or to boats close by but not enough distance for talking out on erie. I would go with a fixed mount and get a good antenna. the better the antenna the better your radio is going to work. something like the Shakespeare 5225 xt or xp makes a great antenna. the 5225xt is around 110.00 and the xp is 177.00 on ebay. but the xt will serve you well. the xp just has a little better connections.
> 
> I just have a cheap radio and was using a cheap antenna. I didn't know how important the antenna was. then I kept reading its the most important part of the system. so I did some research and bought a good antenna and found I was talking to guys from miles away. and with the cheap antenna I was using I just wasn't able to hold a conversation very far.
> sherman


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## sherman51 (Apr 12, 2011)

you just want to mount the antenna towards the front of the windshield so when you lay the antenna down it doesn't stick out the back of your boat.

I have a 9'6" antenna on my boat and when I lay it down I put a pool noodle over the end of the antenna and tie it off to the side of my boat. I did forget to put it down once coming back from conny and it hit a bridge and busted the top part of my 2 piece antenna and I had to buy a new tip, LOL.
sherman


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