New handheld radio?

Dana

Dana

Final Approach
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Dana
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I searched for existing threads on this but things changed as new models come out...

I'm debating buying a new handheld radio, which will be my sole com radio (no electrical system in my plane). I'm currently using an Icom A24, which I used as the primary com radio for about 10 years in two airplanes before buying a plane that had an installed radio 6 years ago. Now I'm back to a no-electric airplane, I pulled out the old Icom again. The battery is getting weak and the headset plug has always been flaky, it needs a rubber band pulling the plug sideways to make reliable contact. I considered buying a new battery and the 12V adapter to run it from an external battery, but the radio is somewhat dated by now... newer radios have bigger screens and flip-flop frequency, which the A24 doesn't.

Anyway, my first inclination was another Icom, like their A25C, but offerings from Yaesu and Sporty's are less than half the price. Sporty's PJ2+ looks OK, but even though the aircraft headset plugs directly into it without an adapter (I like that), it appears I'd still need an adapter to use an external PTT button, and if I want a rechargeable battery it's $100 extra.

The Yaesu FTA-450L costs more than the PJ2, but comes with both rechargeable and alkaline battery packs, needs a headset adapter but it's included,, as is the DC power adapter. Their similar FTA-550L costs the same as the PJ2 and has added VOR, which I don't need.

So, opinions or personal experience?
 
I've been shopping also, so I'm curious but more specifically I used my "first" Yaesu mobile 2m recently and felt it (just how it "felt") had a slightly less robust build than my Kenwood.
Does anyone have any specific experience with the Yaesu and another unit to make a similar comparison of the HTs?
 
I’m considering the FTA-450L for all the same reasons although I don’t believe the PTT is an included accessory.

I’ve compared the PJ2+ and ICOM offerings and just don’t see anything more practical or better value.
 
TCABM said:
I’m considering the FTA-450L for all the same reasons although I don’t believe the PTT is an included accessory.
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It's not, but the PTT is already in my plane, and the included headset adapter has a place to plug it in.
 
My ham shack is all Yaesu. :D

ICOM makes good radios. I had a marine ICOM in my sail boat.

For handhelds, I picked up a used Yaesu that is nice, but since my needs are more as an emergency backup, I got a Sporty's to not have to deal with the adapter.
 
I have an Yaesu aviation handheld (FTA710 back when it also had the 2m ham band). The thing is kind of unusable without the headset adapter. Years ago someone on the forum game an an ancient sporty's radio that was missing the antenna. I grabbed a spare rubber duck (2m/440 dual band of all things lying around). I was able to contact Dulles Clearance Delivery from my house about five miles away. It's the one that sits on the kitchen counter for clicking up the runway lights or calling in visitors.
 
I'm leaning towards the Yaesu. I like the ergonomics of the PJ2 better, charging is via USB, the ergonomics are better and the menus are simpler, but it doesn't have the ability to give alpha names to stored frequencies, and the Yaesu includes all the accessories that cost extra with the PJ2.

Now I'm debating between the tiny FTA 250 or the 450. I gotta visualize it again when sitting in the plane; the Parrakeet's cockpit is very tight.
 
frfly172 said:
I had the sportys pj2+ as a backup liked the headset plug in feature had an external antenna mounted on the belly
Click to expand...
Great radio for the convenience. Yaesu's are smaller and lighter and a great radio. In fact I own a Yaesu 250L and the Sporty's PJ2.

Big plus for the Sporty's:
* No accessories adapters needed for regular pilot headsets
* Easier to use. Much simpler user interface with a swap button like a plane radio
* Good price and on sale a few times throughout the year
* Cost is better

Downsides:
* Battery cover latch is cheesy
* 35% larger
 
NordicDave said:
Great radio for the convenience. Yaesu's are smaller and lighter and a great radio. In fact I own a Yaesu 250L and the Sporty's PJ2.

Big plus for the Sporty's:
* No accessories adapters needed for regular pilot headsets
* Easier to use. Much simpler user interface with a swap button like a plane radio
* Good price and on sale a few times throughout the year
* Cost is better

Downsides:
* Battery cover latch is cheesy
* 35% larger
Click to expand...
With the Sporty's, how do you handle the PTT with a headset? There seems to be no place to plug one in unless you add another adapter between the radio and the mike cord.

With the Yaesu being so much smaller, do you find the buttons too small? I'm concerned about pushing them with gloves on.

The Sporty's has the flip-flop which I like, but the Yaesu has the up/down buttons on the side, which seems to be almost as good or maybe better?

The Sporty's is cheaper, but the Yaesu comes with all the accessories (including the lithium battery, which costs another $100 to add to the Sporty's).
 
For those using the PJ2, how are you connecting the PTT if you're using one?
 
Dana said:
For those using the PJ2, how are you connecting the PTT if you're using one?
Click to expand...

I just have the radio hanging up front in a molle pouch, squeeze the side to talk

I’m in the back and the places I fly with students if they don’t jabber on the radio it’s still all good

Safety wise my by and large biggest issue isn’t students not talking, they default to doing that in spades, it’s them not listening and looking
 
Many, many years ago, I bought an Icom A22 and still use it today. I lost the alkaline battery base in a move some time ago, but the nicad rechargeable battery works fine - I've had it rebuilt a couple of times. I once lost the ability to transmit with my panel radios and was able to use the Icom from 10,000 feet to communicate with ATC, using the rubber antenna.
 
Dana said:
With the Sporty's, how do you handle the PTT with a headset? There seems to be no place to plug one in unless you add another adapter between the radio and the mike cord.

With the Yaesu being so much smaller, do you find the buttons too small? I'm concerned about pushing them with gloves on.

The Sporty's has the flip-flop which I like, but the Yaesu has the up/down buttons on the side, which seems to be almost as good or maybe better?

The Sporty's is cheaper, but the Yaesu comes with all the accessories (including the lithium battery, which costs another $100 to add to the Sporty's).
Click to expand...
If you want an emergency radio that you can plug into if your plane's equipment goes unexpectedly NORDO, then the PJ2+ is the way to go. If your plane is ordinarily NORDO and you want to fix that, then the Yaesu and a PTT switch is probably a better investment.
 
I use the PJ2 with a power bank and USB power source, a push to talk cable (easy, in line connection with mic plug) and it’s my only radio. Works great with an external antenna. Recommended.
 
AvNavCom said:
If you want an emergency radio that you can plug into if your plane's equipment goes unexpectedly NORDO, then the PJ2+ is the way to go. If your plane is ordinarily NORDO and you want to fix that, then the Yaesu and a PTT switch is probably a better investment.
Click to expand...
The handheld is the my only radio in a no-electric airplane and it's not stable like a Cessna so the PTT needs to be where my hands are... on the stick or as I currently have it, a button next to the throttle.
skyking3286 said:
I use the PJ2 with a power bank and USB power source, a push to talk cable (easy, in line connection with mic plug) and it’s my only radio. Works great with an external antenna. Recommended.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I can easily make such an adapter, it's just not as clean.

The other advantage of the Yaesu over the PJ2 for me is the way I fly... open cockpit, no paper, just buzzing around and spur of the moment "I think I'll land here", having the alpha memory label makes it easy to find the correct frequency.
 
Dana said:
The handheld is the my only radio in a no-electric airplane and it's not stable like a Cessna so the PTT needs to be where my hands are... on the stick or as I currently have it, a button next to the throttle.
Click to expand...
Sounds like the Yaesu is the winner then, if it's easier to integrate with your current PTT and will be a reasonably fixed installation.

I have the Yaesu FTA-750 and it's a decent radio. Not terribly intuitive to use but I imagine that if it was my primary radio, I'd become proficient fairly quickly. My purchase was made with the fantasy that I'd also have a last-ditch resort to shoot an ILS if all else failed, but that's probably not the reality.

I vastly preferred the PJ2+ I later ordered, because it was falling-down-easy to use, and switching between the headset and speaker function was as simple as plugging in. That made it ideal for my purposes of using it on speaker mode for ATIS and/or traffic monitoring while I was preflighting and then stowing it for use if needed. In contrast, the Yaesu requires screwing around with an adapter to make that switch, which lowers its utility for me. I guess the ultimate proof is that I still have the Yaesu while I lost the PJ2+ recently, and I'm planning to order another PJ2+ in preference to the Yaesu.
 
I have the Yaesu FTA-850 and it's got such a beautiful display, but you have to use it frequently or you'll forget the menu. It is NOT dead simple. Anything but dead simple, but it's a very nice multifunction radio. I do like that the Sporty's radio has GA headset jacks built-in. That's a really nice touch.
 
Since I started this thread a new radio has been back burnered as I have lots of other projects and have spent a good bit of cash on other things... so I just keep flying with the Icom, which is still working. I just added a battery system to power the fuel pump which can also power the radio, so I'm still debating between a new radio vs. buying a new battery and the 12V adapter for the Icom... the ergonomics of the Icom are just better with where it's mounted in my plane. Gonna fly some more before deciding.
 
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