Handy marine communication with the rugged Cobra MR HH400 XVP
VHF radio (continued)
Range
and Power:
Two key
elements determine the range of communications with every VHF radio. These are
antenna height and output power. Because VHF is a line-of-sight system, which
means the signals generated from the VHF radio won't bend to follow the
curvature of the earth, a tall antenna is needed to gain distance. Portable
handheld radios usually come with a short antenna that limits the range. To
compensate for this shortcoming, handhelds must rely on substantial power
output. The Cobra VHF radio we tested had an output power of 1 (Low) or 5 (High)
Watts. When we were in relatively close range (within a mile or two) to a harbor
or other boats, we set the radio to 1 Watt and found our MR HH400 XVP had very
good clarity. Next, we tested the unit at full power and we were able to achieve
a communication range of nearly five miles on the ocean during a calm day with
little swells. Clarity and volume was great at 5 Watts given the standard short
antenna length.
Battery
life on the Cobra is excellent. The ability to set the power output to low or
high saves a lot of battery power, especially when five Watts is not needed
under normal operating conditions. The NiMH batteries are rated at a high
capacity of 2100 mAh. This is enough energy for several outings before
requiring a recharge. If you do use the handheld radio often, we recommend that
you charge the unit up before each trip so you’re running on a full battery
charge just in case.
Included are four high capacity
rechargeable NiMH batteries for many hours of radio usage
Display:
A wealth
of information can be seen on the LCD display of the Cobra MR HH400 XVP radio.
Large numbers for the channel are clearly shown and can be easily seen with a
quick glance. Surrounding those large numbers are icons with your current
settings such as high or low output, scanning mode, Tri-watch, weather channels,
transmit, weather alerts, memory feature and number, battery meter, signal
strength, and more. When we used the unit, cloudy overcast or bright shinny days
we had no trouble reading the display at all. During our early morning salmon
runs before grey-light we were able to hit the easy to access backlight button
which lights up the display brightly in low light conditions.
A large TALK button makes it easy
to press especially on rough waters
Features:
You won't
be disappointed with the Cobra VHF handheld because it's loaded with useful
features. Because there are so many features we can't cover them all but here
are a few that stood out:
Tri-Watch:
The
Tri-Watch feature is very handy especially if you have fishing buddies that like
to communicate via different channels. With the Tri-Watch mode you can easily
and quickly monitor 3 different channels. When you activate the feature via the
TRI W button on the front of the Cobra radio you are scanning the 3 channels
that are most important to you. Though it scans three channels, one of them will
be fixed to channel 16, the emergency channel. The other two slots are
programmed by you and can be changed at any time. We found this feature very
handy as during our trips out on the ocean we have different buddies that like
to talk on different channels, even in the same general, reachable areas.
Memory
Locations:
With the MR HH400 VHF handheld radio you have the ability to preset ten memory
locations. Instead of shuffling through all the VHF channels to reach the one
you want, you can quickly hit the memory button and then scroll up or down your
most widely used channels. In addition you can also quickly scan those same
channels using the memory location scan. A feature we found very helpful when
trying to locate different parties on the water.
The case is well protected with
gaskets all around to prevent water from entering
Waterproof:
For many anglers, a handheld VHF radio will probably be used as a backup unit
incase their fixed unit goes bad or in case of emergency or disaster. Having a
unit that offers some degree of waterproofing is a must and should always be one
of the requirements when purchasing a handheld unit. Cobra's VHF radio has the
second highest JIS standard of water and dust resistance. Submersible up to one
meter for 30 minutes, the radio meets the JIS7 standards. We conducted lab tests
dunking the VHF radio into water for 20 minutes at one meter depth without any
problems. We didn't notice any fogging inside the display nor was there any
presence of water inside the radio when the chassis was later removed for
inspection.
The belt clip allows the radio to
come off only when turned upside down
Belt
Clip:
The belt clip is such that the radio can only come out one way after the
handheld has been inserted. This is a great securing feature. If you're hiking
or bouncing around, there's no way the Cobra HH400 can accidentally slip out of
the clip. The only way to remove the radio is by turning the radio upside-down
and sliding it out.
