Marine radio

I'm looking for a marine radio

I know I want one that
1. waterproof
2. floats
3. rechargeable batteries ~12 hour on time


what I don't know
1. some have GPS and can transmit location...is that really useful? feature seems to double the cost from ~$100 to $200
2. additional features
3. accepting replacement batteries might be nice if I got into bad trouble
4. some have bluetooth that you can hook to your phone...though that won't help with taking pictures of the fishies

wrt brands, I'm thinking Cobra, Standard Horizon, or Uniden

from following various threads, seems like most in NCKA are SH or Uniden
wtih the SH HX40 or HX300 being the leaders

anything specific I shoujld watch for?

Thanks,
Brian.

I have the Standard Horizon HX890, and it work fine. Transmitting the location feature is a must have if you get into trouble and need help. If your are quite sure you will not have a mishap then you could skip that and save a few bucks. Or you can carry a transponder which are more reliable since they work out of radio range. I carry both. 

SH +1

This is often a topic of great debate on this forum, and there are so many threads on this topic there are many opinions on what matters most in a VHF.  For me, it's reliability first, if I'm going to trust this device to save my life, I want to make sure it works under any conditions.  I basically only trust Standard Horizion, as I've almost never had a failure on one, and they have lasted me several years of confident service with little care.  I once had an ICOM, and a remote MIC for it, that when I flipped at GS3 the MIC died on me almost immediately.  Removing that MIC let the VHF work again, but I didn't have the jack cover for it, so when I flipped a second time the next day ( ) the jack shorted out and my radio was completely dead.  The VHF150 I have now works really well, and I trust it being fully submerged in sea water.  It's not expensive either, but doesn't have the fancy features.  I dont like to go out alone, unless its somewhere comfortable, and there are usually others around where I launch as well.  But if your going to be going on some solo adventures and want those extra features I say go for it.  I have a GPS on my FF, and carry a handheld Garmin unit as well in my drybag/ditchbag, so hopfully thats enough to be able to give my position in case of emergency. Heck, I've even carried a spare VHF at times just to be sure.

Standard Horizon HX300 here.  It checks all your requirements.  I have a preference for 406 mHz PLB/EPIRBs, which is why I don't have a DSC or GPS-enabled radio.  Having DSC+GPS is still a good idea, just not a minimum requirement for me.  I keep a vacuum sealed and charged spare battery (set a calendar reminder and put a piece of paper with last charge date written on it in the vacuum bag) in my dry bag.  The battery still lasts 12+ hours without issue.  My one complaint is that the speaker is garbage once the radio has gone for a swim.  It takes a bit to dry out and it's just a minor inconvenience (adjust volume if it gets fully submerged).

One other point I'd like to make is that floating may sound like a requirement for kayak fishing, but a leash is the only way I would feel protected.  It's like trusting your lifejacket to save your life, but putting it behind you in your tankwell.

Floating Standard Horizon 6 watts+.  The longer the battery, the better.  Dont forget to attach it to your PFD.  It doesnt help if something happens and your radio is no where to be found.

Floating Standard Horizon 6 watts+.  The longer the battery, the better.  Dont forget to attach it to your PFD.  It doesnt help if something happens and your radio is no where to be found.

One other point I'd like to make is that floating may sound like a requirement for kayak fishing, but a leash is the only way I would feel protected.  It's like trusting your lifejacket to save your life, but putting it behind you in your tankwell.

Couldn't agree more.  If your radio falls off 30 minutes before you need it and you don't notice... it's not much use to you despite it happily floating and blinking 2 miles away.

One other point I'd like to make is that floating may sound like a requirement for kayak fishing, but a leash is the only way I would feel protected.  It's like trusting your lifejacket to save your life, but putting it behind you in your tankwell.

was going to post this exact thing, but Alain beat me to it.
The floating models may also sacrifice battery size for weight in order to achieve the proper buoyancy.
I went with a non-floating model.
I hate having to pull the radio from my jacket, and with the added noise from waves and wind I like to keep my radio attached to my PFD near my head sort of "tactical style". Depending on the models of PFD and radio there are different ways to do this, but I went with a fastex buckle, 1/2 zip tied to my PFD at the shoulder and the other 1/2 zip tied to the belt clip knob on my radio. I also added a loop of bungie through the perfectly attached knife tab just to keep the radio from flopping around.
Been maybe 10 years using this with 2 different radios and never come close to losing one even in a couple of "sporty" landings.
I can post a pic if there's interest.

Thanks Guys, that was very helpful

looks like West Marine on HWY50 have a few of the models in stock - I'll head down there today.
I think I'll pass on GPS and location sending (for now) and later pick up one of the garmin spot or inreach devices

also thinking this could end up being a backup if I later get a nicer model.

I forgot to mention my very first ICOM M32 was a floating model.  I was being lazy at Lake Del Valle, and had left it between my legs and not tethered, which it came with a hand strap I was using as a tether, with a TINY carabiner to attach to my PFD. That little carabiner was enough to counter the buoyancy of the VHF and it slowly sank out of sight when I was trying to net a fish.  I was staring in disbelief as it descended to the depths out of sight, trying with my paddle to swosh it back up to me in vain.

I think I'll pass on GPS and location sending (for now) and later pick up one of the garmin spot or inreach devices

When deciding between service-based locators like the inReach or Spot and 406 PLB/EPIRBs, you might want to check out this other thread where a few of us go into the pros/cons of each offering: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=94527.msg1064618#msg1064618

I think I'll pass on GPS and location sending (for now) and later pick up one of the garmin spot or inreach devices

When deciding between service-based locators like the inReach or Spot and 406 PLB/EPIRBs, you might want to check out this other thread where a few of us go into the pros/cons of each offering: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=94527.msg1064618#msg1064618

Thanks, more good info.  yah, i don't really need the communication aspect of it - more of, here's where to find the body and collect the insurance

I'm known for pushing redundancy - have more than one VHF, and apply that to navigation tools like GPS and compass too.

I am currently running with at least three.

Cobra has been very reliable for me - but I am careful not to get them wet.

One other point I'd like to make is that floating may sound like a requirement for kayak fishing, but a leash is the only way I would feel protected.  It's like trusting your lifejacket to save your life, but putting it behind you in your tankwell.

I seem to remember a thread (can’t find it at the moment, so may only be in my imagination) where somebody was forcefully ejected from their kayak (presumably, a GWS, but they didn’t see what it was). They had a VHF radio tethered to their PFD, but the force was so great that the tether broke.

That may be a freakish situation, but I see no reason not to get a floater. Of course, tether it too—belt and suspenders principle. And I always carry a second radio inside the center hatch, and I have a PLB (belt, suspenders, another belt and another suspenders, and …).