Handheld radios

[Jim Peace]

Want to buy one.  Only want a comm transceiver.

How is the Sportys PJ2?  how long will AA batteries last?  Cant find that answer on the internet anywhere.....

Icom or Yaesu 450L?

Thoughts?  not really for a back up in the plane, more for listening to whats going on at the airport.

TIA

[EricJ]

If you just want something for listening to traffic, I have one of these in my hangar and it's awesome.   It's usually on an FM station, but received air band just fine.   It's not very big at all, runs a long time on its own battery, recharges via USB, etc., and it plenty loud for the hangar and sound decent.   I've been pretty impressed and happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/RADIWOW-Shortwave-Portable-Operated-Memories/dp/B08HCYYW88

Edited May 5, 2021 by EricJ
Added reason for editing.

[Andy95W]

Aviation Consumer magazine recommends both the Sportys PJ2 and the ICOM A16.

They especially liked the fact that the Sportys has USB input for power, but the ICOM A16 is 6 watt transmitter instead of 5.  

They also said the AA battery pack makes more sense as a backup radio power source, and that either one really needs to be connected to an external antenna.  They do not mention battery life, and that depends a lot on how much you transmit.  Li-ion in the ICOM lasts for 5 hours, AA should be at least as long.

Quote from the article:

“We haven’t changed our minds, and have no problem recommending Icom or Sporty’s, but still favor the PJ2 for its direct headset plug-in, the USB-C input, AA battery pack and stone-simple feature set. Its $199 price is fair, and Sporty’s has proved it knows how to support and improve on the product line.”

[RLCarter]

22 minutes ago, EricJ said:

If you just want something for listening to traffic, I have one of these in my hangar and it's awesome.   It's usually on an FM station, but received air band just fine.   It's not very big at all, runs a long time on its own battery, recharges via USB, etc., and it plenty loud for the hangar and sound decent.   I've been pretty impressed and happy with it.

 

Was there supposed to be a link or pic?

[carusoam]

For 0.300 AMU...

Sporty’s’s has an ILS receiver...

A complete electrical loss probably doesn’t happen in modern Mooneys...

Having one of these will probably keep the electrons flowing...

-a-

https://www.sportys.com/sporty-s-sp-400-handheld-nav-com-aviation-radio.html?mrkgadid=1000000&mrkgen=27&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping_Brand&creative={AdId}&device=c&matchtype=&mrkgcl=596&acctid=700000001999345&dskeywordid=92700057486613727&lid=92700057486613727&ds_s_kwgid=58700005427561869&ds_s_inventory_feed_id=97700000007407630&dsproductgroupid=962118341709&product_id=7758&merchid=2857566&prodctry=US&prodlang=en&channel=online&storeid=&device=c&network=g&matchtype=&locationid=9004025&creative=295428070027&targetid=pla-962118341709&campaignid=680114115&adgroupid=34292211826&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4cOEBhDMARIsAA3XDRjeJPZIdzOO62sHfYCz7bbZY466jcnAccdim9m-xfqGBhLP2UieiNkaAkOfEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[EricJ]

 

16 minutes ago, RLCarter said:

Was there supposed to be a link or pic?

Dammit, yes.   I fixored the original post, and here it is again for convenience, thoroughness, redundancy, and annoyance:

https://www.amazon.com/RADIWOW-Shortwave-Portable-Operated-Memories/dp/B08HCYYW88

[SoccerCA]

Got the Icom A16 from Amazon a while back.  It does what it is supposed to do.  Comes with a charger and if I leave it on my desk to listen to local traffic it seems to last 5+ hours.  You're welcome to take a look at it.

[Jim Peace]

8 hours ago, EricJ said:

If you just want something for listening to traffic, I have one of these in my hangar and it's awesome.   It's usually on an FM station, but received air band just fine.   It's not very big at all, runs a long time on its own battery, recharges via USB, etc., and it plenty loud for the hangar and sound decent.   I've been pretty impressed and happy with it.

https://www.amazon.com/RADIWOW-Shortwave-Portable-Operated-Memories/dp/B08HCYYW88

That looks nice but I want to be able to transmit at times.  It is for driving around my airport in my golf cart and sometimes have to talk to friends who fly in to tell them where to park etc....

[Marauder]

41 minutes ago, Jim Peace said:

That looks nice but I want to be able to transmit at times.  It is for driving around my airport in my golf cart and sometimes have to talk to friends who fly in to tell them where to park etc....

I have the Icom. Still have a Vertex as well. One issue with some of these units is being affected by electronic interference. My Vertex will break squelch when my hangar LED lights are on, the Icom doesn't. Same for driving around in my Jeep.

I put lithium batteries in the Icom and it looks like the battery life is more than double than alkalines.

[EricJ]

I have a Yaesu and it's been great.   I've had to use it once in the airplane after an electrical failure, and once in a while as a ground handheld.   Tough unit, nicely built.

 

[Jim Peace]

1 hour ago, Marauder said:

some of these units is being affected by electronic interference. My Vertex will break squelch when my hangar LED lights are on, the Icom doesn't.

Question:  I am having new garage door openers installed and the installer says I should use standard incandescent bulbs because LEDs interfere with the frequency. I put LEDs in my moms openers years ago and no issue.....

Do you guys run LEDs in your garage door openers?  any issues?

We need a section on here for non aviation stuff....I find the opinions from people here are way more trusting than other forums and review sites.

[EricJ]

8 minutes ago, Jim Peace said:

Question:  I am having new garage door openers installed and the installer says I should use standard incandescent bulbs because LEDs interfere with the frequency. I put LEDs in my moms openers years ago and no issue.....

Do you guys run LEDs in your garage door openers?  any issues?

We need a section on here for non aviation stuff....I find the opinions from people here are way more trusting than other forums and review sites.

If the LEDs interfere with your garage door opener it means you need to get a different garage door opener.

Edit for less snark:   It is possible that a seriously crappy/defective LED might cause an issue, but just swap out that LED.   Any modern garage door opener (which is a security device)  should not be susceptible to that or it is not a very good unit.

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by EricJ

[steingar]

I think I have a Yaesu.  Bought it 20 years ago and have used it sporadically through the years.  It lives in the airplane and comes out when I have comm problems.

[Jim Peace]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

If the LEDs interfere with your garage door opener it means you need to get a different garage door opener.

No its a thing,,,this is why they make these: 

https://www.overheaddoorco.com/blog/led-light-bulbs-for-garage-door-openers

[EricJ]

47 minutes ago, Jim Peace said:

No its a thing,,,this is why they make these: 

https://www.overheaddoorco.com/blog/led-light-bulbs-for-garage-door-openers

I know it's a thing, I spent 35 years as a wireless comm engineer.   A garage door opener is a security device, and if the link can't handle a typical LED (that isn't defectively emitting), then imho it's a failure as a secure portal and should be replaced.   Just my dos centavos.

 

[Greg Ellis]

3 hours ago, EricJ said:

I have a Yaesu and it's been great.   I've had to use it once in the airplane after an electrical failure, and once in a while as a ground handheld.   Tough unit, nicely built.

 

So, it is mentioned that in order for these handhelds to be useful in the air, they should be connected to an external antenna.  Is your Yaesu connected to an external antenna and if not how was the transmission and reception during the electrical failure?  I have an Icom that I have had for 15 years now and I have never had to use it in the air but I think I need to get the ability to connect it to an external antenna.

[EricJ]

Just now, Greg Ellis said:

So, it is mentioned that in order for these handhelds to be useful in the air, they should be connected to an external antenna.  Is your Yaesu connected to an external antenna and if not how was the transmission and reception during the electrical failure?  I have an Icom that I have had for 15 years now and I have never had to use it in the air but I think I need to get the ability to connect it to an external antenna.

I do have a switch under the panel where I can connect it to the #2 Com antenna, but haven't actually tried it because I don't have a ton of confidence that the switch works properly (it's old), and the handheld can potentially damage the com 2 receiver input if the switch doesn't disengage properly.   The other way to do it is to make it easy to disconnect the antenna cable under the panel and connect directly.

In my case, my charging system had failed and I was anticipating that the radios might go dark.   I had called the tower on the phone and let them know, and when I showed up they said they heard somebody calling but it was unintelligible and if it was N201TS key the mic twice.   This was without the external antenna, just the handheld.   They got me in fine just by acknowledging clearances with double clicks, so it worked as intended.

 

[gsxrpilot]

Hi @Jim Peace I have the PJ2. I also wanted a hand held radio that didn't have a nav function. It's wasted capability and not something I wanted to pay for. I've been using the PJ2 for about 6 months and are still on the first set of batteries. This is probably because, when I'm in the car, or just listening in the hangar, I have the radio plugged into power. When I'm talking on the radio, which is pretty limited, I'm usually on battery power. I'm just using regular Duracell batteries.

[A64Pilot]

I have both an ICOM and the Sporty’s the ICOM is smaller and lighter, and the Sporty’s works better and costs less.

‘For awhile during test flights on new aircraft I would use the handheld with an external antenna, with the ICOM I had to call tower on the telephone, they could hear the Sporty’s

For emergency comms, you might be better off with the telephone

[A64Pilot]

Oh, and on the LED’s it’s the power supply that’s noisy, the USCG has a Notam out warning boaters about cheap LED lights, they are so noisy they make it so you can’t use the radio. Beware the cheap Ebay LED’s etc. a quality LED will state or supply on request it’s EMI output.

AIS is ADSB for boats 

Edited May 5, 2021 by A64Pilot

[Jim Peace]

2 hours ago, gsxrpilot said:

Hi @Jim Peace I have the PJ2. I also wanted a hand held radio that didn't have a nav function. It's wasted capability and not something I wanted to pay for. I've been using the PJ2 for about 6 months and are still on the first set of batteries. This is probably because, when I'm in the car, or just listening in the hangar, I have the radio plugged into power. When I'm talking on the radio, which is pretty limited, I'm usually on battery power. I'm just using regular Duracell batteries.

I received the following email today from a sporty's rep re the PJ2

<<<<<Dear Jim,

I usually see between 20-30 hours if not transmitting.

Eric Carnahan,
Commercial Pilot CFI-I, MEI
Sporty’s Customer Service
Sportsman’s Market Inc
2001 Sportys Drive
Batavia, Ohio 45103
513-735-9100 ext 316
support@sportys.com>>>>>>

[4cornerflyer]

Based on personal history, you don't absolutely need an external antenna with a handheld, although it will of course improve your range.

I experienced an alternator failure at night flying through the New York TCA (now known as Class B, but this was in the last century) Long Island to NJ. I shut down all the electrical stuff to save the battery for landing. This was in a Cherokee, so at least I didn't have to worry about getting the gear down. I was able to communicate with NY Approach using an Icom handheld for quite a while and landed uneventfully. Would have been at 4500 or 6500 crossing over JFK. That radio lasted me more than 20 years. I replaced it with a smaller and lighter Yaesu when the battery wouldn't hold a charge anymore. No other emergencies, but the radios are useful for listening to Atis, calling for clearance etc before starting the engine.

If your primary use is just listening on the ground, you can get a good scanner for about a third of the price of a transceiver.

Jon

 

 

[Jim Peace]

12 hours ago, 4cornerflyer said:

If your primary use is just listening on the ground, you can get a good scanner for about a third of the price of a transceiver.

It is nice to be able to transmit.  For example, the other night there was a big turtle on the runway during the Friday night show and many communicated that to the pilots.

We dont want dead turtles. or turtle brains on airplanes.

[Ibra]

I have Yeasu 750L, it does COM RX/TX, I use it for ATIS & startup and maybe one day as comms failure backup, I tend to plug it to my Bose A20 headsets for use in the air while flying in experimental wood & fabric types, it works neat with both aircraft external and radio own antenna 

Also comes with NAV functions like ILS/LOC/VOR and an ugly GPS (unless you add some way points), the NAV seems to work for navigation over cloud banks & extended water in vintage types (but not keen on trying an approach in clouds with it, if I get stuck I will skip 750L, an iPad & GPS are 100% way better)

Edited May 7, 2021 by Ibra

[HIghpockets]

I Own a PJ2 that I can connect to an external antenna I have in my J. Very happy with it, Owned for about a year. Still using the original batteries.