Not sure offhand as far as reviews. Amazon and google might turn up something, but I would bet most boaters don't "live" radio as much as some of us do. In other words, they see a marine band rig like a CB, turn it on and turn a knob.


One radio that would probably work well is the Standard Horizon HX370S. It's the marine band version of the Vaesu VX170, so it's waterproof, tough, etc.... It's a marine band HT out of the box, but with software can also work on VHF business and/or ham freqs. It would also "work" on MURS, but I do believe they might require a different type-accepance and the power setting of 5watts would be over the 2watt limit on MURS.

I'll quote a post I made a few minutes ago on another forum....

Originally Posted By Grog: One radio that would be cheap and pretty sturdy is the Standard Horizon HX370S. It's a marine band HT that can be programmed with up to 40 LMR freqs (including the hamband) and is the commerical equivilent of the 170 :ham: radio. They come with the AA case, the LiIon battery, house and car charger and the drop in base. This is the 1st place (that I've heard of) in a google search that has them, at $129.99. I've seen them cheaper on ebay by some dealers. 12 digit alpha tags instead of the 6 on the VX170, and full DCS/CTCSS too. The software seems easy enough to use, a lot like /\/\ just without the anal-retentive /\/\ standing over your shoulder....

www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_-1_10001_58950?cm_mmc=froogle-_-200-1-5-_--1-_-38-524-414-00&hvarAID=froogle&mr:trackingCode=14146FB4-C549-DC11-8E88-001422107090&mr:referralID=NA

Originally Posted By Grog: One radio that would be cheap and pretty sturdy is the Standard Horizon HX370S.

That's exactly the model I was looking at, and for the same reasons you mentioned (the LMR programmability)

The software seems easy enough to use, a lot like /\/\ just without the anal-retentive /\/\ standing over your shoulder....

Interesting -- so you've seen the software? My main question now is how do I (can I?) get the software etc. for programming? I googled myself silly trying to find any hits on LMR programming or mods etc. FWIW I have a prog cable that fits the funky screw-in 4-conductor plug on the VX-6/7 -- wonder if it fits this one? Terminates in a normal serial plug.

I was interested in the MURS aspect too, but I thought about the power situation you mentioned. At least could program 146.520 and some other stuff. Wonder if it'll accept a repeater shift?

look around herelink


and here

link 2

Pretty much okay with anything from Standard Horizon or Icom.

Well duh, that's why I included the link to show what comes with it


Who did you but it from?

Grog, bought it from www.marine-radio-store.com.

Originally Posted By ThePrepared_com: Is there any law that would prevent using a modified VX-170 for Marine use? --Scott

Yep, can't do that. Most FCC services require type acceptance for that service, and the VX-170 (as well as most Ham radios) doesn't hold such a certification.

You can go the other way though -- i.e. operate type accepted radios on the ham bands (which is what I'll be doing with the HX-370S). People often do that with the commercial /\/\ gear -- have them programmed for ham freqs.

Update:

So my HX370S arrived Friday. I took it out of town this weekend and charged it. Kept showing low batt every time I thought it should be full (manual says 10 hrs), so charged some more. Kept popping the batt into my VX-170 to get an actual voltage readout, and yep it was low. So today I put it in my VX-170 and ran the poop out of it so I could cycle it all the way down and back up. We'll see tomorrow if it charges to full capacity and is happy. Otherwise I might have to send the puppy back on account of a dud FNB-83, which would be a shame because...

I programmed the thing tonight and it works! So my Marine VHF radio also has all my fav 2m repeaters and simplex freqs in it! A simple antenna swap and I'm hamming. I chatted w/ my friend on 2m simplex til the battery dropped out tonight.

So I hope the batt works out. I know what it's capable of because I've been using my new VX-170 (which takes the batt part number -- FNB-83) on its original charge since Wednesday and finally killed it tonight too. Lots of RX and scanning plus good bit of TX'ing through the week and over the weekend.

Ok, the battery is officially kaput. Charged it for 10 hours last night, brung to work, tried it this morning. Won't even power up (the screen starts spazzing out). Put it in the VX-170 and it reads like 5 volts! So I've got a call in to marine-radio-store.com about my bum FNB-83.

Stinks, cause I just got the HX370S set up the way I like it. Good news is the programming is just one zap away since I saved the config on my computer. So getting a new one up to speed won't be hard.

Grog, I just used a VX-6 cable that came with the ADMS programming package. A friend bought that for me a while back and it works for every HT I own -- VX-6, VX-2, VX-170, and HX370. Now we just need Jim Mitchell to write the free commander software for the VX-170 (currently you have to buy the ADMS package for it -- no freebies to my knowledge).

Originally Posted By Grog: there is another software package that AR-Jedi uses

Perhaps FTB2070?

Update: Marine-radio-store has shipped me a whole new radio (to arrive tomorrow) and issued a UPS call tag to p/u the first one from my front door. So far so good on the service from this retailer.

I've got my programming cable primed and ready to personalize the new one. I realized over the weekend that I overlooked the fact that the 370 doesn't do DSC, but honestly I'd rather have all this LMR capability than DSC anyway. If I'm in a vessel, I hope it's properly equipped with a DSC radio/GPS anyway. I think the 370 will do just fine lashed to my PFD in a sea kayak

BTW, I'm on the Yahoo VX-170 Group, and someone was looking for recommendations on a commercial radio to use on the licensed hang glider commercial VHF freqs -- someone already told him about the HX370S . That's certainly what I'd recommend too -- where else can you get a tough-as-nails submersible commercial radio for under $120 shipped? I think you can actually use the software to disable Marine VHF altogether and only use LMR channels -- dummy proof!

Originally Posted By JaxShooter: Originally Posted By Grog: there is another software package that AR-Jedi uses Perhaps FTB2070?

yes, and +1.

ar-jedi

Sure 'nuff. And for $10 more you can have the HX370S that I got with the programmable LMR channels .

My replacement one should come on the brown truck today.

Originally Posted By ar-jedi: Standard Horizon HX270S --> Sale price: $107.89 www.marine-radio-store.com/sthohxvhfham1.html fuggin-A, that's worth it just for the spare batt, charger base, AA holder, and two trickle chargers!!! like posted above, "FREE RADIO INCLUDED!" ar-jedi

Looks like I have you thinking about a backup to your 170

As a true SHTF radio, I think the 170 wins because of being able to change the freqs on the fly.



As a radio to use 95% of the time, I think the 370 would work well for me and lots of other hams involved in various amateur radio groups (RACES/ARES/etc). As long as 440/220 is not needed, the ability to have a cache of HTs that are programmed with both ham and other freqs could prove useful.


Say you have a bike-a-thon that you are helping to provide comms for, but you have extra people that are not hams (yet ). Hand them a 370 with several MURS (or other authorized freqs) and communicate.


In RACES/ARES/etc our job is to communicate, but it does not always have to be via amateur radio. Anything that is legal, and gets the job done is a good thing.


P.S. If I were still involved in emergency services (former volly fire fighter/medical responder), I'd love to use one radio for everything. I know, that's why I have /\/ sabers, but even they have their weak points