2m Handheld Recommendations? (1 Viewer)

[Foreigner]

My parents are looking at getting a couple of 2m handhelds, mostly for emergency SHTF use, I think. They're not tech savvy and have been out of the HAM circle for about 15 years now, although they've maintained their licenses. I've been out of it myself recently and haven't kept up with the tech, so I'm looking for recommendations.

The Yaesu VX-8DR was recommended to them, but it seems way too complicated for what they need and can manage. They like the ruggedness and compactness. After a quick search, I thought maybe the FT-270R would be better suited to them and it's a lot more economical.

I always ran Kenwood when I was active, but I know Yaesu makes good quality stuff too, and they like the submersible feature. That would've saved my TH28A that I drowned in the backseat of my Honda Accord when I was in high school, but that's a story for another day.

I encouraged them to reacquaint themselves with their local club, but thought I'd ask here too. Any recommendations?

 

[Elbert]

Everything I've read noted the FT-270R was a great value for a 2m handheld. I have one. I'm not very active in HAM. I believe there is a web site...eham.net that you can look up reviews for many radios. I think the 270R is a nice clean 2m radio with very functional clean design.

 

[Foreigner]

Thanks, I appreciate the input. I was reading reviews on eham.net as well. Seems like it's pretty solid in public opinion.

 

[woytovich]

Can't beat it for the price... these work great.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Baofeng-Red...0-MHz-FM-Ham-Two-way-Radio-2014-/161474736499

A number of folks in our club have them.... solid built units.

 

[Foreigner]

Hm. . .I've seen some mutterings about those Baofeng units, but wrote them off as too cheap to be worth anything. How long have your people had them?

 

[woytovich]

2 years... solidly built. They work as they should...

 

[Foreigner]

Good to hear

 

[Fast Eddy]

I will say that my uv5r has had the antenna connector come "loose" from a circuit board on the inside. I use a very long (2') Diamond brand antenna. It doesn't affect the performance that I can tell and I could probably put an o-ring in there to tighten it up if I was bothered by it.

It's solid. I've used it for 2+ years with no issues.

 

[woytovich]

We have just used the stock antennas.... And that has worked fine for trail comm within a trail group. Tnat said most of us have mobile 2m radios in our trucks.

 

[Fast Eddy]

I have made a reasonable connection from the center of Henry Coe State Park (rt of map), down in a low spot, to the Loma Prieta Repeater about 22 miles away (left of map) on 440Mhz.

https://www.google.com/maps/@37.1295177,-121.6162803,12z

I'm a uniformed volunteer and on the mountain bike patrol in the park. I can carry a park LEO radio, but they're heavier and not always convenient to get to. A rattlesnake bite or a compound fracture out in the middle of the park would be fatal without communications of some kind.

 

[Foreigner]

I'm a uniformed volunteer and on the mountain bike patrol in the park. I can carry a park LEO radio, but they're heavier and not always convenient to get to. A rattlesnake bite or a compound fracture out in the middle of the park would be fatal without communications of some kind.

So you're trusting your life to a $30 rig? Must be good.

 

[woytovich]

Cost does not always equate to quality...

 

[Foreigner]

I know, I know. But still. . .

In all seriousness, the fact that he is in that kind of an environment for that long with that radio says a lot.

I talked to my mom again today and she said they are going to spring for a couple and try them out.

 

[Fast Eddy]

To be fair I've been riding solo out there for almost 20 years without needing any assistance. If I was expecting trouble I'd always bring the LEO Kenwood that has a nice lady from Sacramento on the other end who has a couple different helicopter crews on standby.

 

[jonheld]

When I first heard about these little Chinacom units I thought they were too good to be true. They were so cheap I bought one anyway. In 2012 a large group of us went out to Moab and there were UV-5Rs on everyone's belt. One guy dropped his and it was run over by at least 2 trucks before we found it. Put the battery back on and he still has it in use today. I bought a second one when the Amazon price dropped to $29 with free shipping.
They were great when the power was down for a week when Sandy rolled in and the battery lasts a loooonnnggg time. IMO, there is no downside to these units. For the price of 1 Yaesu, you can buy 4 Baofengs.

 

[Bax454]

I trust the Baofeng units. It is difficult to explain, but the 'Made in China' thing is a downfall for me with reproduction (directly copied) items to me. A socket set, made to look like SnapOn, is nowhere near the quality. These are not a copy of anything I am aware of, just simply built to work. I have a few HT units and one I try to keep more safe, the others I lend to others on the trail, let my young kiddos play with. Been dropped and abused, rained on and left in the sun or freezing temps; all good. For the price, keep one programmed and in a safe place, with ext 12v supply and I WOULD trust it with my life, if that was what I needed. I just can't pay the Kenwood/ICOM price for something that may get dropped in the mud. I hate Mud. Just my $0.02.