Vertex / Standard Horizon HX460S marine handheld - programming/alignment?

[g8tzl2004]

I have a Standard Horizon HX460S marine band handheld which was manufactured in 2003..so its over 20 years old.

The radio uses the same accessories (battery/charger etc) as a Yaesu VX-7R ham radio handheld. The HX460S looks like a forerunner of the VX-7R design. The later HX471 marine handheld looks just like a VX-7R.

The HX-460S is very well made using an all aluminium chassis but I am getting an annoying low level birdie on CH12 which is the local VTS channel.

Presumably its possible to change the clock frequency to remove birdies. Its a feature with all my other Vertex/Yaesu/Standard software? However, I can find no mention anywhere of any programming software for the HX460S.

Does anybody know the CExx number of the HX460S programming software? I also can't locate a HX460S service manual which presumably will have programming/alignment details?

Hope someone can help.

Thanks

 

[radiotweester]

I don't believe there's a CE like there is for the HX-370S (CE68) because it's Marine only without LMR. Even the CE68 does not align through the software. The HX-471S even with MURS, FRS and Broadcast FM doesn't seem to. There is an alignment menu accessible by holding [down arrow] and [Mem] while powering on. Use [up] or [down] arrows to navigate. [Preset] enters and exits the selected parameter. Other keys besides [up] [down] or [Preset] will cause the alignment menu to exit. I was not able to locate the actual service manual, but using the HX-471S service manual should give you direction if the menu names don't make sense. This menu entry also works on others.

 

[radiotweester]

I got curious and it appears Ham and the Air versions the clock is shiftable, but not the Marine. I remembered the HX-370 was limited on splinter freqs, but as you can see below it's quite basic.

 

[g8tzl2004]

Its a pity that the HX460S marine clock is not shiftable..how did you get confirmation?

OK on the alignment info - thanks.

Its hard to believe that the HX460S, HX471S, VX-7R etc are all over 20 years old!!! Its interesting that the 20 year old lithium batteries also still seem to charge OK. Its the same with my Icom IC-M87/88 (rival to the HX460S?) which is also 20 years old but the lithium batteries charge OK.

I usually need the programming/alignment software in order to lower the squelch threshold on my marine radios. I find that many marine radios have the SQL threshold set too high even at the lowest user adjustable level so weak signals are missed. I guess this is done so that marine radios only hear what they can work, especially if RXing a high powered shore based station. But a high SQL threshold is no use if you like monitoring weak marine DX signals!! However, the HX460S has a great manual SQL control where its possible to set the SQL threshold at the lowest level

Do you think there is Factory/Depot programming software for the HX460S so that coastguard and lifeboat frequencies can be added if required? The UK marina M1 (CH37 157.850) and M2 (161.425) frequencies are also missing from the HX460S.

 

[radiotweester]

I am not 100% sure with the 460 software. I'm guessing there is some sort of repair software that never had a name? You might try contacting Yaesu/Standard Horizon directly. If there is they probably will pull the "contact a dealer". I think I asked about the 470 when they were new and they said no. That's been decades ago though. Marine was not a market that was dealt with where I was. Even aviation was something of a rarity, but it was part of the franchise/sales deal. I wish I'd have gotten a VXA-700 and an HX-470, but I only got a VX7. A great radio still and has only needed a new DC jack and I changed the IFs while I had it apart. I had to buy a couple new batteries, but the originals still powered enough for rx. I have a HX-370 of my own, but the 470 was from memory and a service manual.
You should be able to select USA, Canada or International settings and pick what channels you want active in that band. Although it's a LOT easier to do in a software. I was thinking lifeboats had specifications on floating and other stuff the 460/470 didn't have?

 

[g8tzl2004]

The ceramic filters have failed on my VX-7..its a big problem with many Yaesu and Kenwood radios manufactured between 2006 and 2009 due to "contaminated" ceramic filters. I also have several LMR and marine radios with the ceramic filter issue..VX2200, VX2500, GX1500 etc.

Maybe the 460 was not designed to add extra marine channels used by lifeboats etc. A number of Icom marine radio, such as the IC-M1V are widely used by lifeboat crew and extra marine channels can be enabled.

Its a real pity that the 460 has a low level birdie on CH12. There is a weak marine VTS station that I like to monitor on CH12 so the heterodyne created by the birdie is annoying. If the VTS station was stronger it might not be as big a pain!!

 

[radiotweester]

I have a Standard Horizon HX460S marine band handheld which was manufactured in 2003..so its over 20 years old.

The radio uses the same accessories (battery/charger etc) as a Yaesu VX-7R ham radio handheld. The HX460S looks like a forerunner of the VX-7R design. The later HX471 marine handheld looks just like a VX-7R.

The HX-460S is very well made using an all aluminium chassis but I am getting an annoying low level birdie on CH12 which is the local VTS channel.

Presumably its possible to change the clock frequency to remove birdies. Its a feature with all my other Vertex/Yaesu/Standard software? However, I can find no mention anywhere of any programming software for the HX460S.

Does anybody know the CExx number of the HX460S programming software? I also can't locate a HX460S service manual which presumably will have programming/alignment details?

Hope someone can help.

Thanks

I should have remembered this source, but better late than never.

tuning procedure K66HX460S Parts List/Tune Up Info

fcc.report