"Jim Meade" wrote in message
...
Looking for opinions on a portable, handheld aviation radio for ground
support operations. No special features needed beyond the basic
transciever functions, as far as I know.

Vertex & Icom are the "Honda & Toyota" of that market. You will find folks
that are passionately in love with either brand, but the fact is you are not
likely to go wrong with either. (That said, I love my little Vertex)

For glider training you want the smallest, lightest unit you can find. For
soaring, I wear mine around my neck on a breakaway lanyard. (I know you
specified ground operations, but in the cockpit you really don't want something
the size of an HT rolling around loose where it could jam your controls.) For
power flying, mine lives in my flight bag for backup use. In my experience, you
need no special accessories for soaring use. I don't even have an extra battery
pack, because the thing lasts me an entire day on a fresh charge.

For power flying, a headset adapter is a necessary item.

Vaughn