UHF Handhelds

You'd get better advice and experiences if you mentioned the function that these units are expected to perform, and what your constraints are.

As I have said on a few other posts now, I work with many different Truckies and other Pilots and find that every time I hear a radio that sounds distorted and scratchy it is a Uniden , all GMEs and Icoms are crystel Clear and easy to read, the problem is they can't hear them selves ,

Site Link

www.icom.net.au/2000_web/index2.html

Doug

Hi there,

The main question is what will you be using the hand held units for. Hand held UHF units come in handy for a wide range of applications such as assisting when reversing bigger trailers/vans etc... We have a GME 1 watt unit and it works well around 2 - 3 km. I usually use it when I am off bushing walking by myself and can call the other half at camp. The will also work well between vehicles, but only over very short distances with smaller hand held units. The main problem is that the antenna is small and in the front of the vehicle. The actual vehicle blocks the signal going back and signals coming forward there for restricting the range.

If you go hand held and want to use them for vehicle comms, you can buy more expensive units around the 5 watt level with a vehicle mounted antenna. They can be set up to work as a standard UHF radio (CB type) and cost around $400. I wouldn't really bother as my father did this when he first started touring Australia and went back to a car based unit after 3 months.

I would opt for a GME 3200/3400 or equivalent with a smaller hand held unit. That way you get the best of both worlds.

Hopefully this helps, good luck

Dave

Hi Nomads

Reccomend Uniden UH075 as probably one of the best hand helds (Icom is also up there). around $350 though.

It has the range , 5watts, and can have both seperate aerial connection and seperate mic.

They are not so easy though to charge in a car , and if this is your main use I would get an in car unit.

As well as above its a well packaged unit , and essentially waterproof.

Keep one in a mobile phone holder as second unit in the car.

We have several handhelds, and this is one that has survived much of the knocking around that they get when used on enduro bikes.

Robin Miller

I bought a GME 6200 for $400 on a show special in SA - included fast and slow chargers - seemed the best at the time re features - NiMH (not Nicad) battery - the Icom 5 watter ran a close second for me - the Uniden extra compact 5 watter looked so small I assumed the battery would have reduced life compared to these others. The 6200 has scan and duplex, plus selcall and CTCSS capability (selective mute - I have it teamed with the in car unit for selcall and mutes etc). Stumpy antenna only used so far but range is very good (can get a longer antenna for it) - when in convoy, others tell us it is as clear as our in-car Icom 400 pro and it reaches way out on gently undulating terrain - seriously compromised over decent hills though (like most UHF). The selcall function bites right through low hills though, when voice struggles ! Good battery life. Very sensitive on incoming - picks up a lot of regional traffic on scan mode.

As other shave stated, it depends on what use you want to use them for. Are they in addition to a vehicle mounted base unit.

How much are you prepared to pay?
How do you intend charging them?

A good compromise is a 2 watt handheld which cost in the order of $170 and are powered by AA batteries. These will give a reasonable range if communicating back to a vehicle mounted unit.
I use rechargable AA's in most of my portable 12 volt radios, cameras, etc. and I can easily recharge the flat batteries from the vehicle.

All 5 watt handhelds to my knowledge use an internal rechargable battery which requires a unique charging base.

I have a 2 watt and a 5 watt handhelds bought from DSE a few years back. I use them on building sites when I am blowing strings through conduits. Or give them to the labourors to use. These things as you could iagine have been through hell and back. They both still work perfect, they have been dropped, rained upon and misused by labourers because they did not purchase them themselves. I cannot see the writing for the buttons anymore but they work fine.
I took them out to the simpson a few years ago and whilst on a dune gave a quick call. Got a reply, had a brief chat and found out the person on the other end was at poepell corner. i checked my speedo, By the time I got to Poepell it registered 25kms. I was reading them clear and they were reading me fine to. By memory the 5 watt cost $298.
I also have one in the vehicle and have really not used it.

Hows it going Nomads ,

If you get a radio and it comes with an antenna , putting on a bigger one wont make it transmit further, effectively ( actually it will because line of sight between visable horisons will change with ant height, will probably only be effective if you have an ant that is at 35000 ft ) for uhf.

Glenn.

We use them on our car cruises.
When I had my car I had an in-car Uniden UH013, coupled with a GME 6db aerial.
Now that I sold the car I use my Uniden UH075 hand held coupled with the same aerial when in a mates car. Same great results as the in-car unit.