Icom Handheld Alternative...

[Guest OzChris]

I was after a transceiver to use in my Thruster that was powerful enough, had all the features that I need and is light and portable...I looked at all of the Icom range - and no doubt they are a GREAT radio, its just that I couldnt afford the price tag of an Icom!! Especially when I started to add up all the accessories that I need to purchase with it - such as charger and battery pack.

 

I did a bit more research and comparisons on different radios and found this one - The Vertex VXA-220:

 

 

It seemed to have all of the features of the Icom I was looking at, incuding the power. The main difference was the price! It ended up being hundreds of dollars cheaper!

 

The Vertex came with all of the accessories, I didnt have to purchase additional eqipment...that to me was the deal closer!

 

It came with the charger unit, battery pack, even the connectors to plug my headset into!

 

I paid $350 for the Vertex with everything included in the pack, whereas the Icom starts at around $400 - then its extra for the charger ($170), & extra for the battery pack ($79), making it around $650 all up for pretty much the same radio as the Vertex that only cost me $350!

 

Im not knocking the Icom - obviously they have a name for themselves and if you can afford it go for it! But if you are like me and need a good quality handheld radio that seems to have all of the features you will need and more without the price tag to match...have a look at the vertex as an alternative, they actually have a huge range.

 

I am MORE than happy with mine...and now that I use the Mirical whip antenna system (and with some help from Michael Coats) on the Thruster it works a TREAT!!

 

 

[Guest Michael Coates]

I have both handhelds... Vertex and ICOM and they both work really well. I would however say that a lot of the new handhelds are not shielded for interfearance from GPS systems.... If i put my 296 ANYWHERE near the latest Vertex and Icoms they go crazy but interestingly my really old ICOM (about 10 years old) works a treat.... I guess they have a lot more features but they dont make em like they used to..