Handheld Transciever opinions?

[NWade]

Hi all,

A non-canard-specific question for ya; but I respect the experience and knowledge of the folks here - so I hope no one minds...   :roll:

I'm closing in on beginning my pilot training...  While I'm trying to keep my supplies limited and expenses low, I've heard that listening in on Comms, learning to work a radio, and learning local frequencies can be beneficial.  To that end, I'm thinking about picking up a handheld scanner or transciever.  A scanner might be cheaper - but I think a transciever might be a better long-term investment since I'd be able to use it in the cockpit as an emergency backup.

While I messed with CBs a bit (and HAMs a very tiny bit) in my youth, I admit to being clueless when it comes to quality, brands, or features for aircraft comms.  I'm not looking for anything fancy - basic and inexpensive is the name of the game (ideally something under $250)... as long as the unit will last 3 to 5 years and cover the major frequency band.  

Any thoughts or suggestions on brands, models, buying new vs. used?

Thanks!  Take care,

--Noel

[David]

Buy a Yaesu VXA-700 and you have air band, 2 meter ham band, FM broadcast band and NOAA weather all rolled in one.

David

[Alan Laudani]

Congrats on the decision to learn to fly.
My 2 cents: Spend your money first on noise cancelling headsets. To hear your instructor and the tower and other airplanes is paramount to anything else.
Second on learning to fly. I cannot remember needing a personal transceiver. Most training planes have good radios, usually 2. A receiver while on the ground to listen to pattern traffic is helpful to learn the communication: "who am I, where am I, what I will do" like "Cessna 123AB, right crosswind for 27, cleared to land". Flight sim programs do this too. If you are feeling like a transceiver is necessary, ICOM have been good to me, with the provision that they do not fit universally into intercom systems. I fly with an ICOM 22 bracket mounted into my Varieze with a intercom that won't interact with the upgraded ICOM 23A. The new ICOM Sport is nice, too. Save your money until your ticket is in hand.

[Dave in Eugene]

I have an older hand held from Sportys. The new one has a " Last Channel" Button. And decent Nav function as well.

Don't buy a scanner when you could by a transceiver that will be a great lost electrical back-up for many many years of your flying. Buy the adapter so that you can plug straight into your headset. I used mine 2 days ago when I found that I left my master switch on in my c-140 and could not get a charge going even after flying for a while. Great to have. Also used mine once when my push-to-talk button crapped flying across the Canada - US boarder.... a good time to have comm.

I say buy one. If you are renting a plane that charges by hobbs and the hobbs runs off the master...then you will be charged for listening to Atis. This can save you some $'s by listening in prior to starting your $ siphon.

As far as a head set the best inexpensive one that I know if is made by lightspeed. I have the qfr it was about $135 on sale. It think it has the highest passive noise reduction out there. I don't have a burning desire for noise cancellation... someday it will probably happen.

Have fun and get in the air as soon as possible.

Dave

[easyrider]

I f you want to practice radio protocol buy Comm1.
It is a computer program that takes you thru. all aspects of radio communication.
I still use it today to practice going into class C airspace.
Easyrider

[NWade]

I've wondered about those software programs... Without being truly "interactive" (using a Mic and talking to another live person), I was concerned that they wouldn't be worth the money.

I do use MS Flight Sim as well as X-Plane, and both implement radio calls - but while they're handy to see and hear, they don't give you the practical experience of composing the radio call yourself; or critiquing a less-than-textbook call (like you could listening in on the real frequency).

I'm certainly open to more thoughts and opinions on software solutions, though.

Thanks, take care,

--Noel
(Actually, if I weren't so busy with school and work it would be interesting to try to write a plug-in for Microsoft Office; since it has built-in speech-to-text stuff now that's pretty good and would allow you to practice comm calls with a microphone and then have the computer parse your sentence for the appropriate information)