Which handheld transceiver?

Michael Henry wrote:
Hi all,

My local radio shop only sells Icom for about AU$550.

So, a few questions:

What of the other brands? Vertex Standard? Sportys SP-200?
I imagine they're all pretty decent brands for them to have been around
as long as they have. Is any one brand easier to use? Better made?

Does anyone actually use the vor/cdi function or is this just a gimmick?
The price doesn't seem to be too much different so I might go for a nav
model anyway, but just wondering...

That price doesn't seem to be very competitive given that these sell for
around half that amount in the US and, since the AU$ and US$ are almost
at parity, I would only expect them to be marginally more expensive due
to shipping costs.

Thanks,

Michael

I have a Vertex Standard and its given immaculate service over many
years. Only niggle is it would be good to have a battery indicator like
most mobile phones. it does tell you that the battery is low but you may
not be near 240v at the time. Either you charge it before its low and
reduce battery life or you need to buy a 2nd battery.

Michael Henry wrote:
Hi all,

My local radio shop only sells Icom for about AU$550.

So, a few questions:

What of the other brands? Vertex Standard? Sportys SP-200?
I imagine they're all pretty decent brands for them to have been around
as long as they have. Is any one brand easier to use? Better made?

Does anyone actually use the vor/cdi function or is this just a gimmick?
The price doesn't seem to be too much different so I might go for a nav
model anyway, but just wondering...

I have an ICOM A24.

I've never used the NAV functions, but have been happy with the radio
overall. I don't have extensive experience with lots of different
radios. I find the ICOM easy to use and dependable and would buy it again.

If I ever have a total electrical failure, I would imagine my battery
powered Garmin 196 GPS would get preference over the A24 CDI, but I
guess it's there if I need it.

On Jul 13, 4:41*pm, B A R R Y wrote:

I've never used the NAV functions, but have been happy with the radio
overall. *I don't have extensive experience with lots of different
radios. *I find the ICOM easy to use and dependable and would buy it again.

Yea, I wouldn't recommend anyone pay for the nav functions. I've never
found them to have much of any range and nowadays we all have battery
backup GPSs on the yoke which are a million times better than the 2
mile range VOR receivers that came with the transceivers.

-Robert

"Michael Henry" wrote in message
node...

What of the other brands? Vertex Standard?

Vertex and Icom are the "Honda & Toyota" of the aviation portable radio
world. For your own reasons you may prefer one brand or the other, but you
won't go wrong with either.

For the record, I have a Vertex and love it.

Vaughn

On 2008-07-14, Vaughn Simon wrote:
Vertex and Icom are the "Honda & Toyota" of the aviation portable radio
world. For your own reasons you may prefer one brand or the other, but
you
won't go wrong with either.
For the record, I have a Vertex and love it.

Vaughn's got it exactly right. I'm sitting next to a big stack of Icom ham
gear, and have an A-24 in my flight bag. Even so, if it weren't for reasons
not having anything to do with aviation, I'd have looked long and hard at
the Vertex radio that does both the air band and the 2-meter ham band.
Either way, you'll get a good, solid radio.
--
Jay Maynard, K5ZC http://www.conmicro.com
http://jmaynard.livejournal.com http://www.tronguy.net
Fairmont, MN (FRM) (Yes, that's me!)
AMD Zodiac CH601XLi N55ZC (got it!)

Jay,

I'd have looked long and hard at
the Vertex radio that does both the air band and the 2-meter ham band


That radio doesn't exist anymore. The FCC...

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Yeah. The story I got from HRO in Denver about a year ago was that pilots
were using the 2m band -- or was it the amateurs were using the aviation
band. Either way, how is that the radio's fault? Anyone can buy a 2m HT and
anyone can buy an aviation band HT. I wonder what the real story is.

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
Jay,

I'd have looked long and hard at
the Vertex radio that does both the air band and the 2-meter ham band


That radio doesn't exist anymore. The FCC...

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

The story I got was that to do both the aircraft AM modulation and the 2m FM
modulation, they were using some cockamamie modulation circuit that wasn't
quite up to specification. That was just a story I heard; I've never put my
Vertex on the spectrum analyzer to see if they are inside the envelope or
not.

Jim

--
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought
without accepting it."
--Aristotle


"Jon Woellhaf" wrote in message
...
Yeah. The story I got from HRO in Denver about a year ago was that pilots
were using the 2m band -- or was it the amateurs were using the aviation
band. Either way, how is that the radio's fault? Anyone can buy a 2m HT
and anyone can buy an aviation band HT. I wonder what the real story is.

Yeah. The story I got from HRO in Denver about a year ago was that pilots
were using the 2m band -- or was it the amateurs were using the aviation
band. Either way, how is that the radio's fault? Anyone can buy a 2m HT and
anyone can buy an aviation band HT. I wonder what the real story is.

"Thomas Borchert" wrote in message
...
Jay,

I'd have looked long and hard at
the Vertex radio that does both the air band and the 2-meter ham band


That radio doesn't exist anymore. The FCC...

--
Thomas Borchert (EDDH)

Hi Michael,
Both Icom and Vertex Standard are excellent radios. Save your money
and get the Comm only version. You will probably never use the Nav
feature.

The VXA-220 is the Comm version from Vertex. I sell it for $199. The
220V charger sells for $29.
http://www.airportpilotshop.com/inde...ROD&ProdID=410
The Icom A6 is selling for $248. The 220V charger is $40.
http://www.airportpilotshop.com/inde...PROD&ProdID=21
Both are in stock.
Shipping to Australia will cost $45 via US Postal Express Mail Intl.
Let me know if you are interested in placing an order.
Thanks
David Rochin
Airport Pilot Shop
239-263-9121
www.airportpilotshop.com