Quote:
Originally Posted by Dave M
Also is 5W the max in a handheld.
Weekend, in your post it seems you connected a external antenna to a handheld. If so, can this be done with any handheld.
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WP mentioned it in an earlier post,
not all handhelds have the ability to connect to an external antenna. Many do but many do not. 3-5 watts is the general output power of those walkie-talkies (mine puts out 7 watts but, alas, it is not FCC approved for Marine VHF use).
The 5 watts connected to a Big Radio antenna will act like more than 5 watts.
The rubber antennas that come with most of those radios are not efficient. Your radio may put out 5 watts but the rubber antenna attenuates that signal so you are actually radiating LESS than 5 watts.
Not all handhelds are equal. In addition to features (like types of scan, type of battery, running from boat power, water proofing, loudness of the speaker...) there are other specifications that may differ. Probably won;t make much difference to the average user. Some radios get "deaf" when a nearby VHF is transmitting on another channel - to what extent depends on the radio.
By the way WP (I think Airwaves already knows this), I've been playing with radio stuff since 1957 (as a mere child) - a FCC licensed HAM since 1958. A walkie-talkie back then was almost as big as a house 
. You probably also had the old FCC commercial license, First Class Radiotelephone (or telegraph) w/wo Radar endorsement. I earned the Radar endorsement on mine - it's still on my General Class Radiotelephone license. Sorry to see that commercial license structure change...
73