Standard Horizon VHF Problems

I've got a Standard Horizon HX850S handheld VHF radio that is supposedly waterproof, floatable, and submersible. I went for a paddle last Friday that got a little more sporting than I had expected, and I ended up swimming a couple of times in the Prince William Sound (yay drysuit!)
I lost the radio off of my PFD, and it took a couple of minutes to float back into range, so it was in the water for a little while. On the way back to shore it started making noises like it was picking up interference, and now it won't make any noise at all. Everything works, but no sound. The battery bay was dry, so no water got in.

Anybody else had problems with these radios? Any sure-fire suggestions for getting the company to fix it?
Call me silly, but I'm not entirely comfortable with a piece of survival gear that I can't rely on. 

I've found that the speakers and microphones are next to useless when wet. Have you tested it since drying it out? Eventhough my radio is waterproof, I still keep it in a small, mostly dry bag to maintain some sound integrity. The buttons and knobs work just fine like this.

Jay

edit: my radio is a west marine brand 150. I believe these are also made by standard horizon.

I've not owned a Standard Horizon, but have heard similar problems with other versions.  I have owned the WM VHF50's and was happy with them.  When it came time to get a new one, I went with the VHF55's and was disappointed.  When wet I had problems with the MICs not working (no one could hear me).  They worked again when dried out.  I threw them out because I don't want to use a VHF that doesn't work in all situations.  They were past warantee by the time I figured this out.  D'oh!!!

-Allen

I've found that the speakers and microphones are next to useless when wet.

Then they are not using appropriate speakers and mics.  Should be piezo.

I've found that the speakers and microphones are next to useless when wet.

Then they are not using appropriate speakers and mics.  Should be piezo.

Piezo is still an electric response to a mechanical stimulus.  If the water impedes the mechanical action ... it still won't work.

-Allen

jim
i'm kind of like allen on the wet performance of the vhf55s.. lost total function on mine after huli'ing the very 1st time at PC last year.. have replaced it with another brand that is supposed to be much more reliable but i've also bought a radio dry bag for it to give me that extra bit of protection.. call me a belt and suspenders man, but when it's electronic, i've learned the hard way.. add a water barrier..or two, as Scott told me after the PC incident.

probably like many here, i'm learning by experience.. expensive to do it that way, but sure.

sorry to hear about it not working.. hopefullly yours will dry out and you might can still use it.. my 1st one, it's going to end up in the  E-trash/ recycle because it was a total rust out 3 days after the immersion incident..

btw, you're paddling a zoar sport angler, right?

I've found that the speakers and microphones are next to useless when wet.

Then they are not using appropriate speakers and mics.  Should be piezo.

Piezo is still an electric response to a mechanical stimulus.  If the water impedes the mechanical action ... it still won't work.

I would not expect it to work submerged, but once out of the water the piezo units should immediately drain through their air holes.  I would expect them to work once out of the water for a few seconds.  

This illustrates the need for testing.  As soon as I got my Olympus Stylus I dropped it into the bathtub.  

I've found that the speakers and microphones are next to useless when wet.

Then they are not using appropriate speakers and mics.  Should be piezo.

Piezo is still an electric response to a mechanical stimulus.  If the water impedes the mechanical action ... it still won't work.

I would not expect it to work submerged, but once out of the water the piezo units should immediately drain through their air holes.  I would expect them to work once out of the water for a few seconds.  

This illustrates the need for testing.  As soon as I got my Olympus Stylus I dropped it into the bathtub.  

Sure ... if the piezos didn't have a mechanical enclosure to try to prevent water from getting to them in the first place.  Often times in conjunction with a waterproof membrane.  My theory is that the membrane leaks and water gets between it and the mic.  This water does not easily drain off and presents itself as a mechanical blockage.

BTW ... ask me what I do for a living?     I design audio/voice processor systems for handheld applications.

If you really want to be bored, see a recent paper we had published ...http://www.computer.org/portal/cms_docs_micro/micro/micro_29-2_watts.pdf

-Allen

I've not owned a Standard Horizon, but have heard similar problems with other versions.  I have owned the WM VHF50's and was happy with them.  When it came time to get a new one, I went with the VHF55's and was disappointed.  When wet I had problems with the MICs not working (no one could hear me).  They worked again when dried out.  I threw them out because I don't want to use a VHF that doesn't work in all situations.  They were past warantee by the time I figured this out.  D'oh!!!

-Allen

So Allen, if you were to buy a new VHF today, what would you get?

I know i'm not allen but I can tell you that both standard horizon and icom are 2 of the best quality radios in the business...they have both been doing this a long time...I own a standard horizon and the speaker will not work for a few seconds after you dunk it or spray it with water...a quick shake eleviates this problem...as far as I know all radios do this...there are a few radios that have a option that vibrates water off but i don't know if it is activated manually or automaically...it essentially just shakes the speaker though...I haven't had any problems so far with my standard horizon and the price tags on most standard horizons are alot more bearable than any of the icoms...

which one is better? hard to say alot of the reviews rate them pretty close to each other depending on the model

I've not owned a Standard Horizon, but have heard similar problems with other versions.  I have owned the WM VHF50's and was happy with them.  When it came time to get a new one, I went with the VHF55's and was disappointed.  When wet I had problems with the MICs not working (no one could hear me).  They worked again when dried out.  I threw them out because I don't want to use a VHF that doesn't work in all situations.  They were past warantee by the time I figured this out.  D'oh!!!

-Allen

So Allen, if you were to buy a new VHF today, what would you get?

I did buy a VHF recently ... an ICOM M72.

-Allen

Standard Horizon tech support e-mailed me back, and they were going down the water on speaker route too. I tried tapping the water out, but no joy.

And yeah, Rich, I'm still paddling the Necky, plus I've got a P15 for those sit on top days.

Weird thing, I started to get a little bit of static on Wx channel one a minute ago, really quite though the radio is turned all the way up. As soon as I started fiddling with the radio it went away. I'm starting to think bad wiring.

This is not the performance I expected from a radio that cost me the better part of three bills, and if I get it fixed, yer dern tootin' It'll be in a dry bag from now on. I just have to wonder what the point is of selling a waterproof radio that isn't.
I think collectively we're getting hosed. 

This is not the performance I expected from a radio that cost me the better part of three bills, and if I get it fixed, yer dern tootin' It'll be in a dry bag from now on. I just have to wonder what the point is of selling a waterproof radio that isn't.
I think collectively we're getting hosed. 

I was in a West Marine a number of years ago when I was first purchasing a VHF.  It turned out that the WM product tester for handheld VHF's was in the store that day.  I had a nice chat with him.  He said that all the radios he tested eventually had waterproof performance problems and that he would recommend to bag them.  The reason he gave was that the designs allowed them to pass the JIS waterproof rating (typicallay 1m for 30 minutes).  Hmm .. think about that.  One meter for 30 minutes is not very rigorous.

-Allen

I've not owned a Standard Horizon, but have heard similar problems with other versions.  I have owned the WM VHF50's and was happy with them.  When it came time to get a new one, I went with the VHF55's and was disappointed.  When wet I had problems with the MICs not working (no one could hear me).  They worked again when dried out.  I threw them out because I don't want to use a VHF that doesn't work in all situations.  They were past warantee by the time I figured this out.  D'oh!!!

-Allen

So Allen, if you were to buy a new VHF today, what would you get?

better yet, Allen, what features would you design into a handheld marine vhf if you were designing it? honestly curious, not being a joker this time

[WR]

I did buy a VHF recently ... an ICOM M72.

what features would you design into a handheld marine vhf if you were designing it? honestly curious, not being a joker this time

I'm currently in the market myself having seen the AbKing video (Shelter Cove) and knowing I go out by myself quite a bit.  Being on a budget I demand quality.  I've been reviewing and researching all the radios others have listed in the thread http://www.northwestkayakanglers.com/index.php/topic,2589.0.html but I want the best I can afford.  For something like this (above all other items) price may not be an issue.

I hope to buy this in June so any other recommendations including other threads on other boards would be very helpful.  I'm also looking to buy a reliable FishFinder/GPS.