Thread: HANDHELD Communication

Well I punched a HandHeld unit if i find i need a Car mounted unit well i'll get one but time will tell if i need it, Thanks all for your info/advice http://www.aulro.com/afvb/showthread...61#post2090661

Would be great of you could post your thoughts on the unit after using for a couple of weeks or whatever. I still haven't got one and am about a month off pulling the trigger.

Originally Posted by Crimdog

Would be great of you could post your thoughts on the unit after using for a couple of weeks or whatever. I still haven't got one and am about a month off pulling the trigger.

I'm not sure my thoughts on it would be of much value due to a number of reasons ->
->(Don't have any other unit to compare against + have't used a CB in many many years so lack of experience, i'm sure it'll take time to know what or if there is things I might be missing out on)
I'm sure others here with the experience in using both HandHelds & Fixed Mounted units & comparing theres to there mates units will offer there views soon i'm sure.
I'll be watching, reading & learning too.

I got in too late I see!

I have two different hand-held 5w two ways and a fixed Uniden.

The hand-held two ways have 18km of range on open country touring and my fixed has 14km (with a standard gain antenna).

I used the hand-held units prior to getting a fixed one and found them to be perfect, but as mentioned above, you need a good spot to mount it while driving as they can be hard to find at times!

One was an Icom and the other was a tait. The Icom had about 48hrs battery life if left on overnight as well as being used in convoy, the Tait was about 30hrs.

Cheers
Keithy

As we found out on the Range Rover Club trip to Geehi over Christmas, you need 2 handhelds.
Someone who shall remain nameless forgot to turn his 5W off and the battery was flat the next day. AFAIR it would not work while charging or maybe the charger location was poor. In any case the person had to use a 0.5 watt one as the 5W one charged which took several hours.
I prefer a disposable battery operated 0.5 w like my old Uniden along with a vehicle based one.
So the message is that with a handheld you have to remember to turn it off, which is harder than you may think when you get older.LOL

All I can say is that the poster who had better range with a handhled than a vehicle mount with a any gain antenna is that there must have been something wrong. At the very least the elevation of the antenna would give better performance. Although I just thought that if it was mounted on the bullbar , most of the signal goes to the back. If he was testing to the front maybe.
I expect my new Uniden to work superbly with a 2Db shorty or 6Db stainless on a ground plane independent base mounted in the gutter just above the B pillar.
Regards Philip A