No skipper should be without a ‘mobile’ VHF, but which one is best for you? Fox Morgan put six to the test to help narrow your search
H andheld VHF radios are must-have items on every boat owner’s kit list. Even if your boat has a fixed VHF, you are often away from the helm station or zipping ashore in the tender but still need to know what’s going on around you and be able to communicate with other craft in the area.
In large commercial shipping areas it’s particularly useful to know the intentions of larger ships as they dock or receive pilots. Calling up a marina to get your berth sorted is another hugely beneficial feature. Most modern handhelds have dedicated M1 and M2 channels for this very purpose.
Even more importantly, a handheld VHF is an essential safety tool for communicating with search and rescue services, especially in the event of having to abandon ship. That’s why a handheld VHF should be an essential item in every emergency grab bag.
But which handheld VHF suits you and your boating lifestyle? Do you need a top-of-therange model with built-in AIS, GPS, DSC and CH70 distress alert capability or a more modest option with super long battery life?
We tested six handheld VHFs to see how they performed, including two base models, two mid-range models and two top-ofthe-range models, and weighed up their performance and features to help you decide.
HOW WE TESTED THEM
Most VHF handhelds transmit at a standardised maximum power of 6W, with the user having the option to transmit at a choice of low (1W), medium (3W) or high (6W).
We tested all the radios for both transmitting and receiving volume and clarity over a set distance as well as a host of user functions such as wind noise interference, how easy they are to use single-handed, how long the battery lasts on standby when monitoring a busy channel, whether they float and if they have a burp function that clears the speaker grill of water.
However, testing a VHF handheld for signal range would be misleading and produce unreliable results. This is because VHF radio signals travel in straight lines and the range is directly affected by the antenna’s height above sea level. Standing at the helm of a RIB or sportsboat and transmitting at high power from a handheld VHF should achieve an average range of 10 miles, whilst someone on the top deck of a flybridge might achieve 15 miles with the same handset.
COBRA HH500 £149.99
The Cobra HH500 has been in long-term use with our Tech Editor Fox Morgan for the past six years (hence the used appearance) but remains a current model. It has been used as a backup to the main fixed set on their sail boat. It chargesvia a drop-in cradle, which has two cable options, one for 12V and the other for 240V charging. As the second lightest
