Standard Horizon HX890NB Floating 6 Watt Class H DSC Handheld VHF/GPS - Navy Blue

Standard Horizon makes vey reliable products and this VHF is no exception. If you need a handheld VHF that has MMSI and can float, this is a great choice. Set up is straight. Only complaint is that the radio can only charge in the included dock. It would be nice if you could plug it in directly with a USB C cable with no dock as an alternative.

This is something I hope I never NEED but I'm glad I have it and it works well. There are a lot of features on this radio so there is a learning curve but it is pretty logically organized.

I bought it to use at our boat when we are lifting the anchor. No need to scream to each other giving directions while maneuvering the boat on the water. I’m also using it when I’m driving my topless Jeep to communicate with the pax while driving with the heavy traffic noises. Worth the money. Reception is excellent and the battery is perfect for the time been driving or by water.

Great to combine GPS position with a hand held VHF radio for safety, convenience and even FM radio reception. It also adheres to the usual high quality, reliability of Standard marine products. However, it is NOT a user friendly device. It takes some real serious study time to even use the primary function of two-way communication. A person unfamiliar with operating this radio would be hard pressed, particularly in an emergency or stressful condition, to actually transmit any info.The product could use a zoom feature, allowing the user to increase the size of the data displayed. Pretty difficult to read the gps lat/long numbers on the very small screen as is.Excellent value for the money, great "all in one" vital bit of gear.

Rugged, Well Built! Still learning all of the features.

I would buy this again.

Best waterproof handheld VHF radio out there. I've owned an earlier version (HX851) of this HH Marine VHF radio for 13 years. It's absolutely bulletproof, and still works perfectly to this day. I wear in on my my belt when sailing, and it went with me on a 1,000 nautical mile cruise in a 20' engineless sailboat (Pacific Seacraft Flicka) down the Baja California coast and up into the Sea of Cortez back in 2012. After that, I used it for for several years in my 14' Laser while chasing and photographing the local beer-can races. I lashed it to floor of the Laser's footwell during these forays. Anyone who's ever sailed a Laser knows what WET boats they are. That little VHF sat there floating in saltwater in the footwell getting kicked and banged around for hours every week over the course of two summers, and it still works perfectly.As a lifelong sailor, I'll tell you - truly exceptional, durable products are hard to find. The ocean is a harsh enviromnet that's murderous to electrical devices.I had another HH VHF I bought from West Marine for a couple of years - an ICOM or West Marine brand that wasn't waterproof that I kept aboard my Catalina 30, always below, and babied for a couple years, only using it ocassionally in the absolutely DRY cockpit out at Catalina Island to call Harbor Patrol for moorings because it was half the size of the HX851, and it's mission was non-critical.The last time I used it, I called, Harbor Patrol heard my transmission, but the cheaper radio failed to recieve their transmissions. It was a nightmare that took a bit of time to figure out on a busy weekend out at Two Harbors. I trashed that POS, and I'll never buy any other brand of VHF than Standard Horizon - waterproof Standard Horizon. Yes, they cost a little more, but VHF radios are critical safety / survival tools. I sail solo, and carry one on my person at all times at sea, along with a Personal Locator Beacon in case I go overboard. Gives me at a good chance of survival inshore.I've used my Standard Horizon's GPS / DSC Mayday function twice to summon the Coast Gaurd and to coordinate the rescue of two people in the water during two seperate incidents. No need to know your exact coodinates with GPS enabled DSC distress calling. Just turn on the radio, uncover and press the red button, and say MAYDAY! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! followed by the name of your vessel and the nature of your emergency. Your exact position will be broadcast and recieved by every DSC equipped VHF station within range.In both cases, the Coast Gaurd responded IMMEDIATELY, and coodinated rescue assistance with Santa Monica Baywatch lifeguards, who dispatched boats and pulled the victims out of the water.Even though the Coast Station recieving the calls was over 20 miles away from the low-power (by law) unit.It's a lifesaver. Only criticism is that it lacks an easily accessible battery state indicator (just keep it charged up at all times) and it's menu system is complex and frustrating to use due to it's complex features. You can actually set waypoints and use it to navigate like a traditional hand-held GPS unit - but it's clearly not designed for that.

The older HX 851 is built a bit better with a louder speaker and more durable case. The new one transmits a slightly louder signal and has a better screen with FM radio. The older model has taken 13 years of abuse and still works present day but this new model is definitely not as rugged. The price was a lot cheaper on this new model compared to the old one. Paid 330 ish back in 2011 dollars for the old one compared to 190 ish in 2023 for the new model. I guess you get what you pay for. If durability is required I would look elsewhere.