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Date: Fri, 25 Sep 1998 09:18:15 -0500
From: Snowbird <snbird@ibm.net>
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Subject: Handheld: necessity? was: And so it begins
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Pocat wrote:
 
> while sitting around the airport the other day we were discussing  
> radios and elts. We came to a conclusion that a hand held is almost a > necessity

Had any of the people in this discussion much experience actually
USING a handheld radio, both in flight and on the ground at a
non-towered airport?

We had a discussion on this not too long ago and other opinions
differ, all I can say is make sure your opinion is based on what
the equipment in question can actually do in your hands.  Don't
count, in an emergency, on your ideas of what equipment can do
for you unless you've tested it.

I consider a handheld GPS essential.  Having gone through the need
to shut off the electrical system while flying IFR in actual, I
can't explain how comforting it was to know that we could continue
to accurately fly our clearance without the electrical system if
need be, and even (as an emergency procedure) shoot a decent non-
precision approach at the end if necessary (this takes practice).

Having used a handheld radio a fair bit, my experience suggests that:
1) a handheld radio is good for short range communications --
   ie talking to the tower, talking to approach when you're close
   to the transmitter for that region. it could take you into
   controlled airspace with less fuss during an elec. failure.
2) a handheld radio without an external (ie mounted outside
plane)         antenna is next to useless for talking to anyone through
an RCO 
   more than 20 or so miles away unless the ground is flatter than 
   a pancake and there is absolutely no atmospheric or precip. static.
   I do not count on it for being able to communicate enroute.  I 
   would not count on it for communication if I crashed enroute,
   unless I came down on top of a radio transmitter.
3) a handheld radio is difficult to navigate with.  I can shoot a 
   reasonable NDB or VOR approac with my handheld GPS as an emergency
   procedure (after practice--it's not quite like the real thing).  
   I can NOT shoot a reasonable off-field VOR approach with my 
   handheld nav, even when the VOR is <10 miles away.  Perhaps if I 
   had an external antenna it would be better.  When the VOR is right 
   on the field, I can do it, but that's more the exception than the   
rule around here.

> Suppose you make a forced landing. And were injured or had a post 
> incident fire or loss of electrical power? With a hand held in tow  
> you could help someone find you. 

I would not bet the ranch on this.  You might be able to communicate
with a plane flying within line of sight and not too far away, but
remember that enroute communications take place via RCOs on the ground
(often associated with VORs it seems).

If you're worried about communicating on the ground, a cellular phone
for populated areas or a satellite phone for the remote would IMO
be a better bet.  And exactly where are you?  A GPS can pinpoint your
position, which you can then transmit over the phone.  A handheld
com can not, unless the searchers have DF equipment AND can hear
your transmissions clearly.

Don't get me wrong, I have a handheld nav-com and I find it useful
for all sorts of things but it's far from necessity in my mind.  On
the other hand, I won't fly actual IMC without a handheld GPS as
backup nav equipment.

A GPS/com might be a good thing.  I would want to know how easily
it mounts in the cockpit for ordinary use, and whether the GPS
and com can be used independently.

Snowbird

