Palamedes

Palamedes

Well Known Member
Hey gang,

I'm the market for a good backup nav/com handy talky hand-held radio.

I have my eye on a couple but I want to know what you generally look for in a good HT that is used in this capacity.
 
I just bought an ICOM handheld. I'm happy with it. I wasn't looking for anything other than a backup radio. It does have a VOR function that works as advertised.
 
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ICOM does well, and

you have no trouble finding accessories and spare batteries.

I would stick with the straight comm function, as the VOR, etc., are of little practical use and add some cost to the unit. be certain you have the headset adapter! (and) the spare battery pack.

--- I wish someone would bring back the COMM/GPS models that used to be sold.
 
Can you clarify why the vor functionality is of little use in a handheld? Is it that the range is not good enough or the precision not accurate enough or...?
 
Can't go wrong w/Sporty's models

I have an older Sporty's model A300 radio that I bought off my starving flight instructor nearly 20 years ago. It has performed flawlessly with the only hiccup being the batteries gave out a while ago. I pried open the pack and they were just AA NiCad's so I soldered in new ones from Radio Shack.

The VOR works pretty good too but it's been so long since I used it for that I don't recall the reception range. I used it most often for cross radials when flying practice IFR approaches in my single radio equipped 152.

Assuming your intercom is still operable you can forgo the headset adapter and just hold the speaker up to your mic to hear it over your headset. That always worked well for me.

I most often use it for hangar flying though and listening to center for countless hours on end when I was training for my IFR ticket.
 
An early ICOM saved my bacon many years ago, I would never fly without one. I in fact have THREE now, a Sportys and two different ICOMs. They are wonderful companions, and their range is fantastic. The plane I am building right now has a handheld coupling on the panel, you can plug your handheld into the aircraft antenna system for some really great broadcast or reception power. Although I stick with ICOM or Sportys, I don't think there is any "Best" one over any others.
 
Of the three that I have, the one I like to use the most is the one with the onoff volume rotary switch. And also the squelch as a rotary switch. It works a lot easier in a cockpit environment. The one thing I did not like about my ICOM is holding down the off button till it shut off..... 3 to 4 seconds.

I have one radio that when you remove the battery pack, a small adapter goes in it's place to be powered by the cig 12V plug.Makes the radio really small. The one I grab most of the time......Sporty's A300 powerful if connected to the A/C antenna, and very simple to use.
 
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