What's your everyday-carry two way radio?

[Danny37]

Mines is the vertex vx-824 UHF R2, this little baby really packs a punch is loaded with features besides being submersible and I've drop it so many times that I lost count but really a gem in build and user quality. Despite owning a xts5000 M3 radio, I can't help but carry my vertex everyday. Lightweight, build like a tank and works very very well. Small enough to be concealed and does not feel like you're carrying a brick in your back pocket. Oh yeah, also not top heavy so it doesn't tumble over when set on a desk.

Feel free to post pics of your radio babies, since we all here have a liking to them ham and commercial gear welcomed.

 

[kayn1n32008]

For VHF, my Kenwood NX200.

For UHF it’s a toss up between my Kenwood TK390 or Connect Systems CS700 depending if I want analogue it DMR/analogue.

At work, where I want something a bit lighter, I use a VHF VX231.


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[Danny37]

For VHF, my Kenwood NX200.

For UHF it’s a toss up between my Kenwood TK390 or Connect Systems CS700 depending if I want analogue it DMR/analogue.

At work, where I want something a bit lighter, I use a VHF VX231.


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Nice, I had a VHF vx-231 years ago for rail fanning, my god what a solid radio. I noticed with the newer vertex radios they went downhill with the build quality. Like the 230 series, 350 series were built like tanks the newer 260 series and 450 series feel like toys and don't sound very good.

 

[buddrousa]

800 EF JOHNSON SL51
460 KENWOOD NX5300
150 KENWOOD NX5200

 

[kayn1n32008]

Nice, I had a VHF vx-231 years ago for rail fanning, my god what a solid radio. I noticed with the newer vertex radios they went downhill with the build quality. Like the 230 series, 350 series were built like tanks the newer 260 series and 450 series feel like toys and don't sound very good.

Yea, I was introduced to the VX231 at my previous employer. Once I used it in -25c for 10-12hrs a day, all iced up and full of snow, needles and leaves and never got a low battery alert with the small 1050mAh batteries, I was sold. Even with the stock antenna, I was able to access a LMR repeater I was required to use for work, from about 56km away(It is at an amazing site that has quite a HAAT advantage, plus the antenna is about 100m AGL).

Liked it so much I acquired my own. I managed to also get 2 hi-cap 2300maH batteries. Over all very impressed for a vanilla plain 16ch radio.

I have heard that they tend to lose the PTT pad, but have not experienced that with mine, or my previous employers radios. I actually never saw one have that failure at my previous employer, even after spending a year in the office before being laid off.

I was briefly exposed to the VX261 just before I was laid off, and was quite impressed with them. Simple like the VX231, seemed solid, but I never got to use them in the field.

I am a Kenwood guy through and through, but I would definitely recommend the VX231 if someone needs a simple 16 channel, solid and reliable portable. They are also pretty inexpensive.


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[Danny37]

Yea, I was introduced to the VX231 at my previous employer. Once I used it in -25c for 10-12hrs a day, all iced up and full of snow, needles and leaves and never got a low battery alert with the small 1050mAh batteries, I was sold. Even with the stock antenna, I was able to access a LMR repeater I was required to use for work, from about 56km away(It is at an amazing site that has quite a HAAT advantage, plus the antenna is about 100m AGL).

Liked it so much I acquired my own. I managed to also get 2 hi-cap 2300maH batteries. Over all very impressed for a vanilla plain 16ch radio.

I have heard that they tend to lose the PTT pad, but have not experienced that with mine, or my previous employers radios. I actually never saw one have that failure at my previous employer, even after spending a year in the office before being laid off.

I was briefly exposed to the VX261 just before I was laid off, and was quite impressed with them. Simple like the VX231, seemed solid, but I never got to use them in the field.

I am a Kenwood guy through and through, but I would definitely recommend the VX231 if someone needs a simple 16 channel, solid and reliable portable. They are also pretty inexpensive.


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The only problem I had with my vx-231 was the spring battery contacts on the back of the radio sinking into the radio and not making contact with the lead contacts on the battery. Easy fix was to pry the springs downward and all was well.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Mines is the vertex vx-824 UHF R2, this little baby really packs a punch is loaded with features besides being submersible and I've drop it so many times that I lost count but really a gem in build and user quality.

I used a VX924 VHF provided by a client from my previous employer, it was OK. Not overly impressed, but would give it a chance if I had a programming cable for it.

Never held or played with the VX8xx series though.


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[kayn1n32008]

The only problem I had with my vx-231 was the spring battery contacts on the back of the radio sinking into the radio and not making contact with the lead contacts on the battery. Easy fix was to pry the springs downward and all was well.

I don’t remove the battery very often and have never encountered that particular problem. Good to know though.


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[Danny37]

I used a VX924 VHF provided by a client from my previous employer, it was OK. Not overly impressed, but would give it a chance if I had a programming cable for it.

Never held or played with the VX8xx series though.


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I love both my vx929 and vx824, one of the things that bugs me is that the TX/RX indicator light is on the front of the radio rather then the top which makes it useless when it's on your belt. Also the radio gets a little buggy when the option board is installed.

 

[Danny37]

I don’t remove the battery very often and have never encountered that particular problem. Good to know though.


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lol I was one of those broke kids who bought a radio with 2 end of life batteries as a package on eBay and constantly switch them around. As I got older, I bought an oem battery for it and felt such a relief when it would last me 2-3 day after every charge rather then 6 hours.

 

[ME801]

depends what I'm doing, it's either my 8Kxe or my 6K

 

[6079smithw]

A rather sad-looking Radius GP350 that works like new. Company freqs, a couple ham/GMRS. Ht600 for backup. Old school, but they're virtually indestructible.

 

[Danny37]

depends what I'm doing, it's either my 8Kxe or my 6K

Such beast of radios, if I could ever afford it'll definitely be a purchase for me.

 

[Danny37]

A rather sad-looking Radius GP350 that works like new. Company freqs, a couple ham/GMRS. Ht600 for backup. Old school, but they're virtually indestructible.

One of my first radios was a saber. talk about a 2 way radio and a useful weapon. That bad boy was indestructible.

 

[Project25_MASTR]

Depends on where I'm going...either a VHF XTS5000 or a 7/800 XTS5000. I have kydex holster that functions similarly to that of the OEM APX holster.

 

[Danny37]

Depends on where I'm going...either a VHF XTS5000 or a 7/800 XTS5000. I have kydex holster that functions similarly to that of the OEM APX holster.

Does it swivel or is it fixed on a belt loop?

 

[62Truck]

Depends on where I'm going and what I am doing. My Unication G1 is always on me. Two Way wise its usually the XTS5000 or the XPR3500. Last couple of days I've been lugging around the Astro Saber.

 

[nvanw27]

Not really a 2-way, but I like to monitor a fire dispatch and a transit frequency, so I usually travel around the county (and have managed to get both from 2 counties over) with my Baofeng UV-5R and the 14-inch 'Whip' I recently purchased. I'll also visit counties to check functionality of outdoor warning sirens, which I usually like to have the scanner along with me to get activation tones.

 

[KK4JUG]

Yaesu VX-6R. It's small but powerful.

 

[KK4JUG]

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