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Small and rugged HT

B

bagde

Member
Jan 16, 2012
2
0
11
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Hi!


I'm looking for a small and rugged (water resistant) vhf or dual band handheld radio, all ideas and questions are welcomed.

That's all I've got so far. I'm sure my criterias will evolve, and that I'll end up with more than one radio, but for a start this is what I'm looking for.


Please note that I'm new to the amateur radio scene and may not get all the radio-jargon.

Though I'm new to radios in this sense, I have used several different vhf radios for the last 15 years in EMS and rescue work in all kinds of environments (urban, marine, mountain blizzards etc).

Also, I'm in Norway, if that has anything to say, so don't worry about laws and regulations and such. ;)


Go!
 

Not on a budget yet, meaning I don't know what is appropriate to spend or what a $300 radio brings that a $100 doesn't.

I have friends using cheap wouxun radios for ski-patrol and hunting, others who swear to icom and motorola. Nobody dissatisfied with their choice.

So I'm open to both low- mid- and high budget suggestions. Also reasons or features that usually regulate the price to help me choose. If it's cheap I'll be more inclined to buy just to try one (or a few) out.

The Yaesu VX-6R looks nice, I have to look into it a bit more. Guessing it's in the mid- to high budget range? And why the vx-6r, among all the Yaesu models?
 
All the guys around here are doing back-flips for the very affordable Chinese Wouxun. They seem to work real well and have been dropped enough to deserve the reputation of rugged and reliable.
 
Is your criteria "water resistant" or "water proof"? If you want water proof, that narrows down your choices quite a bit.
 
I think Yaesu's magnesium die-cast is going to be the most rugged (I like my Standard Horizon marine VHF). Kenwood isn't very rugged. I'm curious about Icom, as I'm considering the ID-31A. But I'm guessing the ID-31A isn't as rugged because it also "light".

I think any radio in a carrying case is going to be rugged enough. Especially the neoprene cases. And use an external microphone.
 
vx-8dr would fall into your high price range. Believe me when I say I have a very tight budget and not for a moment do I regret purchasing the vx-8dr. It is my first radio for amateur radio.

The reasoning for my purchase is I can use all of the available frequencies it has to offer. Don't expect it to last all day, especially in the cold. Durability haven't tested it and don't want to.

In my opinion you get what you pay for.
 
Yaesu is about to release a new HT using a new for ham radio digital signal ( to go againt Icom's DStar ) and it is already the standard country wide for police/fire..

Likely worth looking into..Seems likely to be released within a month or so..

As far as how well it holds up...My Icom T-90a (is old though ) is like a Tank... My 91AD also holds up very well..
 

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