Radio advice - newbie

I'm a student pilot, and it's about time for me to get a radio. For general soaring purposes, what's a decent handheld? I really know nothing about them. Is the Sporty's SP-200 a good choice?

Thanks in advance.

I have never seen the SP-200 so can't comment. You will never go wrong with a Vertex or Icom, they are the Toyota and Honda of that particular market.

Roger, I did a ton of Research and went with the Icom A5 although not cheap it is a great Handheld. I can't speak for the other models. The only caveat is that it does Not give you a battery level. It flashes a battery sign about a few minutes before it dies.

I would like to second Vaughn's comment. I have an Icom IC20 since 1988 and it works well. They rugged and reliable.

Ulrich Neumann Libelle 'GM'

Shortly after I got my license in 1992 I asked some ham radio operators in my soaring club which brand of hand held radio to buy. They all recommended the Icom brand and very reliable. I purchased an Icom AC21 in 92. I run a commercial glider operation and was in need of a second hand held and purchased an Icom AC-4, 4 years ago. Both are still working flawlessly. If I lost one of them I would not hesitate to purchase another Icom.

I forgot to add that I prefer to buy the smallest radio I can find and then wear it around my neck on a light lanyard. I never have to fumble for my radio and it is never adrift in the cockpit. (nothing more fun than a radio or a drink bottle down around your rudder peddles) For the record, I now use a Vertex Pro V, but I think that Icom makes a comparable unit.

Vaughn

never wear anything around the neck lest you want to be choked by it...

get an ICOM.. then get the 'speaker/mic' combination unit that plugs into the top.. ICOM carried on belt or hip pocket.. or inside windbreaker jacket pocket... speaker/mic clips to shirt collar or glider shoulder seat belt straps (like a traffic cop)

JMHO BT

(sigh) Always someone on the Internet to tell you that what you are doing is mortally dangerous. I did say 'light' lanyard and you could just as easily get wound up and horribly injured in the cord for that speaker mike. (said with a grin)

That said, if you are wearing a chute, extra lanyards, cords, water hoses etc. should be thought out very carefully.

That is a perfectly valid way of doing it, I just don't like carrying that extra hardware around. My entire radio is only about double the size of some speaker mikes I have seen and there is one less thing to break.

Roger, I have a Like New Sportys handheld Com radio that i will make you a really good deal on. It is a very nice and easy to use radio that has only been used a couple of times.

Let me know if you are interested.

Joe Simmers

I bought the original ICOM AC20 back in the late 80's. I instruct and it gets a lot of use and abuse - it's been dropped, among other things. Last year, I replaced the antenna connector (it broke off of the circuit board) and a few years before that, the rechargable battery pack.

I'd like to replace it with the smaller AC22 or the smaller yet AC4 but the damned thing just won't die.

Back when I bought the AC20, the only competing product was the King KX-99. Like JC, I went with the ICOM because of its rock solid reputation in the ham radio community.

You can't go wrong with ICOM.

Tony V.

I have used a Sporty's handheld for several years, and it's always worked fine. I like it because it is simple to use, and it just works.