Handheld VHF with GPS

[s/v Faith]

I passed on my WM VHF 100 to another cruiser in need the other day.  I looked into replacements, and wanted to get one of the new ones with the GPS chip built in.

Looked at three:

  ICOM-92
  SH HX-851
  Uniden
  Lowrence LHR-80

The Uniden has been discontinued.

The Icom was $400, and had no additional features.

There was very little info on the Lowrence that I could find.

The standard Horizon HX-851 was the winner.  I found one for $229, they have a great reputation (3 years, no questions warrantee) and smaller then my old WM vhf.  DSC folks will like the all in one nature of the unit, I am not much of a fan of DSC but like the built in GPS.

  Anyone have / use any of these (or others?)?

I will post a review once I get it and start using it.

[Auspicious]

I have a SH HX-850, the predecessor to the 851. I'm quite happy with it. The battery life is significantly less than my Icom M1 (M3? I forget). Still, it lasts a day and I can use it plugged in to 12VDC in the charger if I need to keep it topped up longer than that.

I haven't dropped it overboard (yet) but it has sloshed around the bottom of the dinghy a number of times.

I do like DSC and we find the SH to be an outstanding dinghy radio. If I run ashore for something we can leave the fixed radio on aboard the boat with the volume turned down. Either Janet or I can call the other without having to listen to idle chatter on whatever channel we pick.

A bit off topic: I use DSC this way all the time. Most people who share an anchorage with me soon learn that I'm happy to share my MMSI but don't want to listen to whatever cruiser's channel is in use.