Today’s handheld radios can save time searching for boating friends, ease communications in port, and keep you apprised of threatening weather conditions. Most important, in the case of an emergency, some can continuously broadcast an SOS complete with your GPS coordinates beginning at the touch of a button. Though some older radios still function without digital selective calling (DSC), this functionality is required by federal law on new fixed-mount radios, and a number of high-end handhelds now also have this feature. DSC has an important convenience in addition to its safety advantage of auto-hailing in an emergency. By using DSC technology along with a radio registered (at no cost) with the FCC via boatus.com and other sources, you can directly hail a single vessel via its maritime mobile service identity (MMSI) number, or hail a group of MMSI numbers programmed into the radio’s memory. All but one of the handhelds we tested has DSC capabilities. – Shop for more VHF Radios here
How We Tested
How do these radios stack up? First, we could not test the radios’ SOS capabilities—that is illegal because it could initiate a search-and-rescue mission. We didn’t want US Coast Guard swimmers dropping out of choppers at our launch ramp. So, we have to trust the government agencies that regulate this element of VHF communication devices. We also didn’t test the DSC capabilities because the radios are permanently assigned to vessels and ours would be returned to the manufacturers.
Transmission Clarity
We posted a team of experienced boaters on two vessels about 2 miles apart, each with two of the test radios. Each made a call at the highest output setting to the other, and we subjectively noted the clarity on each radio. Then we swapped radios to repeat.
Reception and transmission clarity were scored on a scale of 1 to 5.
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Icom M94D
$300; amazon.com
Warranty: 3 years
Professional-grade and powerful, this DSC-equipped handheld VHF was first to boast an internal GPS, and is now the first to include an AIS receiver to keep boaters informed of surrounding vessels’ AIS signals regarding destination, course, and speed and collision alerts. (It was interesting to note several neighbors broadcast AIS in their backyard moorings.) Select a favorite channel to scan or scan them all. Dual Watch scans your selected normal call channel, plus Channel 16. Tri Watch covers Channel 16, a call channel and one more.
Likes
- AIS reception gives a wealth of information about surrounding vessels transmitting AIS.
- An LED flashes automatically when the floating radio falls into the water.
- Adding MMSI numbers for direct hailing is easy via DSC for up to 75 individual MMSIs and 25 groups of MMSIs.
- A 2,400 mAh battery.
- Flash-and-float feature automatically turns on a flashing strobe if dropped overboard.
- Aqua Quake, a speaker vibration tone, can be activated to shake water from the speaker after submersion and is handy in stormy weather as well.
Improvements
- LCD screen is legible, but doesn’t meet the high- clarity resolution of the Uniden.
- This unit is more feature- filled, but the radio is bulkier than the other candidates.
- AA battery pack is optional.
In the Box
- Antenna, FA-SC59V
- AC adapter, BC-123SA
- Battery charger, BC-251
- Battery pack, BP-306
- Cigarette lighter cable, CP-25H
- Belt clip, MB-133
- Hand strap
Test Results
Transmission Clarity: 5
Reception Clarity: 5
The Icom’s clarity of transmission and reception made this model most important in testing because it helped determine the clarity scores of the other radios.
Specifications
| Output Power: | 6 watts (high), 1 watt (low) |
| Battery Life: | Up to 10 hours |
| Battery: | 2,400 mAh |
| Waterproof Rating: | IPX7 |
| GPS: | Built-in |
| Floats: | Yes |
| Usable Channel Groups: | INT, USA, CAN, WX channels |
| DSC: | Yes |
| Dimensions (W×H×D): | 2.4-by-5.7-by-1.7 in. |
| Weight (approx.): | 12.6 oz. |
Cobra MR HH600W FLT GPS BT
$210; basspro.com
Warranty: 3 years
“Breaker one-nine!” is what pops into the brain when most think of this popular citizens band radio manufacturer, but Cobra’s experience in VHF marine radios is extensive. It shows in this marine white-and-international-orange-colored, fully featured DSC- and GPS-equipped model. Like Icom, Cobra has a rewind function that allows message playback, and adds recording and saving capability too. Ten weather channels and a dedicated MOB hard key add convenience and safety.
Likes
- Bluetooth connectivity enables mobile-phone use through the waterproof radio, keeping the phone safely stowed.
- Included extra AA battery pack and charger-stand adapter enable continued use while charging the lithium battery pack.
- Hard keys are provided for the MOB and play-again functions.
- Power-save mode for GPS extends battery life.
- Flash-and-float feature automatically turns on a flashing strobe if dropped overboard.
Improvements
- It was audible to all ears, but Cobra’s radio wasn’t as crisp and clear while listening or calling.
- Screen resolution was legible but not as sharp as the Uniden.
In the Box
- Antenna
- AC adapter
- Battery charger
- Battery pack
- AA battery pack
- Charger adapter for extra battery pack
- Cigarette lighter cable
- Belt clip
- Hand strap
Test Results
Transmission Clarity: 3
Reception Clarity: 3
Cobra’s features, such as Bluetooth connectivity and its play-again feature, balanced what we thought was disappointing (when compared to the others) but functional audio clarity.
Specifications
| Output Power: | 1, 3, 6 watts |
| Battery Life: | 10 hours at 6 watts |
| Waterproof Rating: | IPX7 |
| GPS: | Built-in |
| Floats: | Yes |
| Usable Channel Groups: | INT, USA, CAN, WX channels |
| DSC: | Yes |
| Dimensions (W×H×D): | 2.83-by-5.71-by-1.87 in. |
| Weight (approx.): | 11.6 oz. |
Uniden Atlantis 275
$125; amazon.com
Warranty: 3 years
Uniden has a long history in radio communications. We’ve tested its work before in both Uniden-branded radios and a West Marine private-label radio, and clarity in transmission and reception was tough to beat. It is compact in the hand and light in weight. The floating, waterproof radio has a strobe/LED that illuminates when immersed.
Likes
- This VHF features an extremely clear, crisp LCD screen.
- Screen’s backlight is dimmable and changes from red to white.
- Most-used functions, like watts output, backlight, weather and dual scan, have hard keys.
- Squelch and volume conveniently share the same toggle button.
- Unit rotates to remove from the belt clip.
- A transmit boost key raises output to 6 watts for calling when radio is set to low watts.
Improvements
- Channel numbers are not accompanied by channel use designations.
- Transmission wattage is adjusted with channel selection.
- Operating menu is not intuitive, requiring memorization of multiple simultaneous keystrokes.
- Lithium battery is permanent, limiting operation to one cycle between charges, and is not designed for quick removal and changing.
In the Box
- Antenna
- AC adapter—space-saving design
- Battery charger
- Cigarette lighter cable, CP-25H
- Lithium battery pack
- Spare AA battery pack
- Belt clip, MB-133
- Hand strap
- Data cable
Test Results
Transmission Clarity: 5
Reception Clarity: 5
The Uniden is modestly priced but lacks DSC. Still, one of our testers is an electrical engineer with a long history in radio equipment and immediately took a shine to this radio.
Specifications
| Output Power: | 6 watts (high), 1 watt (low) |
| Battery Life: | 10 hours |
| Waterproof Rating: | IPX8 |
| GPS: | Built-in |
| Floats: | Yes |
| Usable Channel Groups: | INT, USA, CAN, WX channels |
| DSC: | No |
| Dimensions (W×H×D): | 6-by-2.5-by-1.7 in. |
| Weight (approx.): | 8.46 oz. |
Standard Horizon HX890
$249.99; amazon.com
Warranty: 3 years
Like Icom, Standard Horizon’s VHF is professional-quality, and the HX890 has most of the top safety features, save for the AIS receiver sported by Icom’s M94D. The built-in FM receiver allows for casual listening. Two scrambler systems allow private communications between Standard Horizon radios similarly equipped. The case is slim and comfortable in the hand.
Likes
- AA spare battery pack allows emergency use without external power.
- Menus are easy to navigate.
- Soft keys are programmable for specific functions.
- High-power output improves transmission strength.
- A 1,800 mAh battery.
Improvements
- Man overboard (MOB) is soft-key accessible and could be hidden, hindering quick access.
- Screen resolution is legible but lower than the Uniden.
In the Box
- Antenna
- AC adapter—space-saving design
- Battery charger
- Cigarette lighter cable, CP-25H
- Lithium battery pack
- Spare AA battery pack
- Belt clip, MB-133
- Hand strap
- Data cable
- European power adapter
Test Results
Transmission Clarity: 4
Reception Clarity: 4
We tested two of these radios because the first one was defective. The second one, acquired at West Marine, fully functioned up to expectations.
Specifications
| Output Power: | 6 watts (high), 1 watt (low) |
| Battery Life: | 11 hours |
| Waterproof Rating: | IPX8/Mil-STD-810F |
| GPS: | Built-in |
| Floats: | Yes |
| Usable Channel Groups: | INT, USA, CAN, WX channels |
| DSC: | Yes |
| Dimensions (W×H×D): | 2.6-by-5.43-by-1.5 in. |
| Weight (approx.): | 10.94 oz. |
