First, let me say that "yes, hand held radios are fun". Thus I have owned quit a few.
The "shack on your hip" syndrome abounds and is worthless to Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). Thus I recommend that you get a good quality radio to operate from home that requires either a 8+ amp power supply or 110 volts to power it (NOT a handheld) and that you run a good external antenna. In doing this you will learn a lot about the hobby, your radio and antennas.
Unfortunately I do not get paid for any of this so you will get my opinion with out the sugar coat so prevalent in most reviews.
Since the ARRL does such a good job of reviewing radios at the
micro-volt level I will only put in here what a casual
user might want to know.
Very convienient size! Just enough radio that you know where it is
but not so much that it is a burden. Comes with a belt clip that is
like the one on the VX-7 but is not as usable.
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software
kit to do the programming, reconsider. This turkey has 1,000 memories!
Without the software it is prohibitive. It does have ten "banks" for
scanning and a given memory location can appear in multiple banks.
Comes with a "wall wart" charger that handles the 1400 mil pack
in ten hours. Drop-in charger is another $35 but seems worth it.
The ADMS software sucks! Use the FTB2070 from the UK.
Excellent monoband HT. Excellent value!
Best price for what you get on today's market!
Currently Available Radios
Yaesu VX-170
Very convienient size! Just enough radio that you know where it is but not so much that it is a burden. Comes with an excellent belt clip.
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software kit to do the programming, reconsider. This turkey has 1,000 memories! Without the software it is prohibitive. It does have ten "banks" for scanning and a given memory location can appear in multiple banks.
Comes with a "wall wart" charger that handles the 1400 mil pack in ten hours. HOWEVER, a MAHA 777 or 777 Plus will easily give you rapid charge capability for just over half the cost of the Yaesu unit.
The ADMS software sucks! They obviously use total newbies to do the software for Yaesu and thus we suffer.
Does everything but cross band so it is an excellent choice for ARES! Get one of these and one Icom W32 and the pair would do EVERYTHING that anyone could need for ARES.
SMALL!! This is a very small radio. That may be one of its great features (small enough that you will have the radio with you, should you need one. Still hard to use with other than small hands.
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software kit to do the programming, plan on spending several hours to program the radio. Days to fully program it. Good part, do a Google search on VX2 and COMMANDER. You will find software that is free for the download. The author requests a contribution if you like (read that use) it.
The display is quite small but better that the VX-1. Controls are more intuitive than the VX-1. There is no provision for a drop in charger but a rapid charge wall wart is provided (2.5 hours).
Fixed almost every gritch I had about the VX-1.
The COMMANDER software is not as sophisticated as some but that makes it MUCH easier to use and with 999 memories, you NEED that.
This is one that you can easily take with you, so you probably will.
Yaesu/Vertex has fixed the "too small" VX-5R and added more memories and another band. Unfortunately they also went stupid and added a strobe light. I guess I'll never understand that type of thinking.
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software kit to do the programming, plan on spending several hours to fully program the radio. It is one step more complex than the VX-5.
The display is quite good and is user configurable (older eyes will love the large frequency display). This radio allows you to have so much information in that display that it is almost cluttered.
Many have a problem with low transmit audio. One fix is to turn up the "MAX DEV" setting - DON'T! That will also turn up the deviation on access tones to a level that is very disturbing. The two options that are best 1) Return it to Yaesu and have them fix it! 2) Remove the diaphram that maintains the water seal over the microphone (which eliminates the water proof feature).
Like the VX-2 there is COMMANDER software available to ease the programming of 450 memories.
Compact. About 2/3 the size of the olde IC2-ATs. Comes with 600 mil. battery (7.2V), DROP IN CHARGER (no provision to power with any source but the battery) rubber duck (see below) and plastic belt clip. Runs 5 watts on high power.
Relatively easy to program (key in the frequency and it recognizes standard off-sets). Sub Aud. tone takes a few seconds more and 5 char. alpha is adequate but slow to enter (requires you to change a setting in the defaults).
The display is adequate and frequency selection (from memory) borders on being a pain in the fingers (two small "arrows" do the up/down). This function and the volume can be switched from one of the menus.
I am VERY impressed with what you get for the money you pay!
SMALL! The first time I held one of these radios I was quite surprised at how small it was/is. This is a radio that will require some adjustment to, on the part of people with large hands.
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software kit to do the programming, plan on spending several hours to fully program the radio.
The display is quite good and is user configurable (older eyes will love the large frequency display). The first radio that tells you what it is doing when you charge it (that I have had). You do not have to rely on LEDs and a guess.
I purchased a carry case from HRO that takes the problem out of the marginal belt clip. In addition, there is an OEM belt clip (ala motorola) for $15 that makes it a LOT better.
Nice size. Enough radio to know you have a radio in your hand but not to excess. It is reasonably small, almost light weight and full featured. The standard "high power" pack is HEAVY.
Reasonably easy to program. 100 memories VHF and 100 memories UHF and you can pay a bit more and get software to program it with (I don't plan on changing it enough to make it worth the cost). If this is your first radio or if you are not sure what memory layout you want, I would spring for the software.
Excellent radio. If you settle for 2.5 watt output power (BP-180 battery) it is a comfortable radio to carry and with a spare pack or two will last for a full major ARES event.
The RS Scanner Headphones (plus their "motorcycle" microphone) turn this into a gem of a rig for ARES events where you need to listen to the PD plus your own freq's at the same time. EVEN in high noise areas!
This radio was discontinued and then brought back. If you take an "alkaline battery" pack and add a power cord you can use the R.S. 1600 Mil. radio control car battery packs. This does then have an umbilical cord to contend with but replacement batteries are $24.95 for 1600 Mil rechargeable! (uses the Maha 777 or 777-Plus for rapid charge)
I now use this as my primary ARES Event radio.
While many people will not call this a "hand held" it can be used as such. With the shoulder strap it can be much easier to carry than many "hand helds".
Large for a hand held but still usable as one. The first ALL BAND (except 220 Mhz.) ALL Mode that you can conveniently carry with you.
You can buy a Yaesu rechargable battery pack or cut the "green wire" on the removable pack and use NiCads or Nims.
Manual is not the easiest to read but not a problem. But watch out for all of the features! I advise spending an hour or two just reading before you attempt to play with this gem.
I got fed up with looking for amplifiers to back up this radio and sold it to a guy that sold it to another guy a few months later. I believe the 897 cures all of that.
About like holding a small baseball. Factory batteries have a lousy belt clip and the older versions have a real problem with the power switch being too sensitive (turns on when you don't want it to).
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software kit to do the programming, plan on spending several hours to fully program the radio.
The display is quite small but usable. Controls are not intuitive. The alpha display is limited to four characters.
Not at all bad. At one hundred dollars less than the VX-5R the 100 memories are not as much an issue. HOWEVER with the release of the FT-60 I would not even consider this radio. The FT-60 has more features, larger battery capacity, ten times the memories, easier to hold on to AND costs less.
SMALL!! The first time I held one of these radios I was appalled at how small it was/is. This is a radio that will require constant attention to keep track of. Very easy to drop (I managed not to with mine, but only because I used the lanyard).
VERY complex to program! If you have not purchased the software kit to do the programming, plan on spending several hours to fully program the radio.
The display is quite small and difficult to read. Controls are not intuitive. There is no provision for a drop in charger (that I know of).
It's "cute", if you like cute radios.
I was so mad at mine I got rid of it in less than two weeks.
Very comfortable size! Just enough radio to know you have a radio in your hand but no more. It is small, comparitively light weight, full featured.
Complex to program. You will not have this one completely programmed in ten or twenty minutes. But with 199 memories, do you care? I don't.
The display is angled down at about 30 degrees, controls are intuitive, transmit AND receive audio are good. The frequency display is as small as these old eyes will tolerate.
Neat radio. The most significant problem is the volume changing when you have it on your belt. Good choice for a single band radio.
Convenient size. One of the best dual band antennas on the market (until they came out with the much larger gain antennas).
Easy to program. Takes a little getting used to the push vs push and hold for the second function on a given key.
The display is adequate. A tad small for older eyes.
Typical ICOM and that's good.
My only regret is that they don't have an alpha display option. Alpha display and 250 memories - you couldn't find a nicer radio.
Slightly large for todays radios. ONLY comes with a battery case to run AA Alkaline batteries. But what do you want for a radio that only costs $75.00 on sale from RS.
Tedious to program. Takes a lot of getting used to to use the multi button push to get it programmed.
The display is large enough to see easily but has NO alpha capability.
Good "loaner" and not much else.
Large size (by todays standards). One of the best dual band antennas on the market (until they came out with the much larger gain antennas).
Easy to program.
The display is adequate. No alphameric.
Typical older ICOM and that's very good.
Great olde brick. I'm glad I still have mine.
As a P.S. - This is the radio I used for most public service
events for almost a decade. I have now switched over to the Icom W32
with a 1600 Mil pack (see above).
Large size (by todays standards). One of the earliest synthesized HTs on the market.
Easy to program. Spin the dials.
Typical older ICOM and that's very good.
Good olde brick. You must remember the frequencies and the offsets but that should not be a problem for anyone that understands what they are doing.
Large size (by todays standards). Ten memories (without offset) and I don't remember about CTCSS tones.
Easy to program.
The display is adequate. No alphameric.
Typical older ICOM and that's very good.
Good olde brick.