VHF HANDHELD RADIOS
Handheld VHF radios are must-have items on every boat owner’s kit list. Even if your boat has a fixed VHF, you are often away from the helm station or zipping ashore in the tender but still need to know what’s going on around you and be able to communicate with other craft in the area. In large commercial shipping areas it’s particularly useful to know the intentions of larger ships as they dock or receive pilots.
Calling up a marina to get your berth sorted is another hugely beneficial feature. Most modern handhelds have dedicated M1 and M2 channels for this very purpose. Even more importantly, a handheld VHF is an essential safety tool for communicating with search and rescue services, especially in the event of having to abandon ship. That’s why a handheld VHF should be an essential item in every emergency grab bag.
But which handheld VHF suits you and your boating lifestyle? Do you need a top-of-the-range model with built-in AIS, GPS, DSC and CH70 distress alert capability or a more modest option with super long battery life?
We tested six handheld VHFs to see how they performed, including two base models, two mid-range models and two top-of-the-range models, and weighed up their performance and features to help you decide.
HOW WE TESTED THEM
Most VHF handhelds transmit at a standardised maximum power of 6W, with the user having the option to transmit at a choice of low (1W), medium (3W) or high (6W).
We tested all the radios for both transmitting and receiving volume and clarity over a set
