Standard Horizon HX850S VHF/DSC/GPS

Standard Horizon HX850S Floating Marine VHF Transceiver with GPS - Review  2010-09-12

Fishesfromtupperware has a great review of the Lowrance LHR-80 vhf/gps/dsc here:
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,3809.0.html

It seems the LHR-80 and the HX850S are very similar units.

I do not have any experience with marine radios, though I do have a lot of experience with aviation radios, and one interesting thing I have noticed in listening to this marine unit is how similar marine radio procedure is to aviation radio procedure.  

After 3 trips onto the salt water with the unit, I am glad I bought it.  First, I no longer carry my Blackberry on the kayak.  The BB was in a micro-drybag in my PFD, but I never really expected it to survive a true emergency situation in which I was in the water and needed to call.

Overview of the Standard Horizon HX850S - overall size and rechargeable LiIon battery.  The battery slides into a tunnel and has a gasket on the bottom, the battery snaps in and a coin-turned lock on the bottom of the unit secures the battery.  I've not found any water in the battery compartment.




Some general features of the HX850S from the manual:
Submersible, floating, back light, transmission power easily selectable (for battery life extension), 12 channel internal GPS, all allocated US Canadian and International channels.  Dedicated channel 16 key, 10 NOAA weather channels, memory scanning, priority scanning, weather alert, digital selective calling with GPS.

Package includes, radio, antenna, belt clip, wall charger with snap in holder, and cigarette lighter charger.  

The belt clip attaches conveniently to a cross strap on my PFD shoulder strap.  The unit does float.  It might be better if it was bright orange rather than black and I may consider painting mine.  Seems solidly built.  I've been rinsing it with abandon with tap water to no ill-effects.  

The screen is large and readabilty is good, even for old, age-related presbyopian eyes.  The buttons are good-sized, though operation with bulky neoprene gloves may be an issue.  I thought I would miss a dedicated knob for volume and squelch, but the dedicated VOL and SQL buttons with the UP and DOWN buttons makes adjustments easy.  Hit VOL or SQL then UP or DOWN to adjust volume.  Dedicated channel 16 button.  WX button to take you to the weather channels, then UP/DOWN select the WX channel.  H/L key changes transmission power Hi (6w), M2 (5w), M1 (2.5w), Lo (1w).

The display can be setup to show your GPS coordinates as well as your speed and course.  I have mine set this way, figuring that my speed and course may be useful for recovery.  GPS locks are fast - much faster than my Humminbird.

The unit takes about as long to charge as it was turned on.  If you used it for 4 hours expect it to take 3-4 hours to charge back to full.

The unit is complex and requires an hour of setup.  The documentation is excellent and complete.  Take the time to carefully work through the entire setup.  It could save your life or someone else's.

I decided early in my VHF search to require Digital Selective Calling functionality.  This allows one to use a free, unique identifier (MMSI) registered to you and input into the radio to make one-to-one and conference calls to other DSC radios and groups of radios.  All fixed mount marine VHF radios have been required to have this feature since 1999.  To date there is no similar requirement for handhelds.  I also decided that GPS was a requirement, so that any distress call would include my GPS coordinates.

This radio will store up to 24 individual MMSI numbers and 8 group MMSI numbers in a selectable call directory.  Group MMSI numbers are "invented" by the group according to a convention.  I have proposed group call numbers for NWKA-US and and NWKA-BC here:
http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,5146.0.html

Most DSC/GPS handhelds, the LHR-80 and this one included, has a single dedicated distress call button.  Protected by a soft, red plastic safety cover, in the event of an emergency one flips up the safety cover, presses and holds the button down for a few seconds, and a distress signal with your GPS coordinates is transmitted.   The radio listens for an acknowledgement of your distress signal then switches to channel 16.  Your distress and GPS coordinates are displayed on any DSC unit within range.  



Like many other fisherman and kayak anglers I fish much more often alone than with others.  The DSC distress feature gives myself and TLW comfort, though she does miss my on-water reports from the cell phone.

Thankfullly, I have not tested the distress feature.  I have used the priority scanning feature.  With a single button the radio will scan all channels or selected channels for activity.  It will simultaneously monitor your "priority channel" and switch to that when activity is detected.  Obviously I have set channel 16 to the priority channel.  

Also, I have not tested the DSC feature since I have not fished with another DSC radio.  I assume it works as well as that on the LHR-80 Fishesfromtupperware describes.

There are many more details to this unit that are covered in the owner's manual.  However, the basic communications and emergency operation is intuitive.  

Here is a link to the manufacturer's page and a link to the Owner's Manual:
http://www.standardhorizon.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=85&encProdID=DB09EE62D98A27B5C8942B922E30709C&DivisionID=3&isArchived=0
http://www.standardhorizon.com/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=4660&FileCatID=87&FileName=HX850S%20Owner%27s%20Manual.pdf&FileContentType=application/pdf

I would spend the $173 for this unit again.

Great info Demonick. I'm actually in the market for a new radio, so thanks for the full report. If anyone see's a great deal on these types of VHF radios, could you please share with the group. I also re-read your post on DSC and MMSI #'s and its very helpful in making the decision based on "what's new" in the VHF radio world.  Seems extremely helpful in the event of injury or for whatever reason we can't transmit an audible distress. Nice report!

Great info Demonick. I'm actually in the market for a new radio, so thanks for the full report. If anyone see's a great deal on these types of VHF radios, could you please share with the group. I also re-read your post on DSC and MMSI #'s and its very helpful in making the decision based on "what's new" in the VHF radio world.  Seems extremely helpful in the event of injury or for whatever reason we can't transmit an audible distress. Nice report!

Thanx for the report D.
these look like a pretty good prices
http://www.hodgesmarine.com/Standard-Hx850s-Handheld-Vhf-W-Gps-p/stahx850s.htm
http://www.shopepal.com/p-282-standard-hx850s-handheld-vhf-with-gps.aspx

I bought my VHF from hodges. Great shipping time and I really like the product. I bought the Standard Horizon as well.

Oh, great.  A month after I buy from ePal the prices drop $30!   

Here's the best price I've found so far: $135.04 + $12.35 USPS shipping, "limited time"
http://www.iboats.com/VHF-HAND-HELD-STANDARD-Horizon-HX850S-DSC-WITH-GPS-Standard-Horizon/dm/cart_id.622506313--session_id.607463007--view_id.472375
think I'll order today. want to be ready for next year's ORC (i vote for Depoe Bay).

PNW, Thanks for the heads up on the current price. I will be buying mine this weekend. Cheers!

nice helpful post, guys!!

I'm looking to get a back up VHF (without GPS/DSC) for my HX850s (HX851s), and in the process I gleaned a little info nugget from Standard Horizon customer service I thought I would share.

If you don't want to pack around an additional charger cradle, then the HX751 is your only option that has the same size battery/charging cradle.

I think you can get an optional AA battery case for the HX851.


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Any updates on the quality of this radio?  I'm considering ordering one before my next  salt adventure.

Here is the HX851. Nice price.

http://www.thegpsstore.com/Standard-Horizon-HX851-Handheld-VHF-Radio-with-GPS-P2312.aspx

Mine died after like 2 years.

Good unit, but a little bulky. If your radio stays tethered to your PFD then the added bulk of getting a floating radio is unnecessary.