Waterproof Hand Held VHF Radios?

Completely Waterproof Radio - I Doubt it!

I just read a comparative test results on the top 7 hand held vhf radios and are they completely waterproof, delivering full power and usability after long term submersions? Well the fact of the matter is that all but one had marked "problems" during and after the testing began. Before moving forward, we must address the question - What is the definition of "waterproof"? There are many standards, developed both in the United States and Europe. The U.S. standard, defines a "waterproof machine" as one that can withstand a stream of water from a 1 inch nozzle at a rate of 65 gallons per minute for 5 minutes duration, from all directions without leaking. The standard doesn't cover immersion.

The test panel did however. Before you head into the "wild blue" armed with your all weather VHF hand-held radio, you might want to look into the inexpensive yet 100% effective waterproof VHF radio cases made by ewa-marine. At a mere 5% hearing loss, you can bank on your VHF radio working flawlessly regardless of the weather. If you drop it in the water, there's a good chance you'll fish it out if you can get close enough to grab it! It can be used again regardless of it's temporarily abandoning ship! Check them out!

When considering this test, it was determined that the only requirements that should be addressed are those usually faced by boaters. One is rain or spray that might damage a radio if you accidentally left it outside in the cockpit or when being used in the open. The other main concern was immersion, which isn't as likely, but could/does occur if the radio is dropped and fully immersed. Several top hand-helds were tested for both simulated rain and immersion.

Out of seven VHF radios tested, only two held up very well and lived up to their ratings. The best of the waterproof vhf radios was the Standard HX350S at a mere $280 and followed by the Uniden HH940P at a frugal $170. Two of the least expensive of the lineup, I might add. The Standard came with a DC charger included but an "option" with the others. I'd call it an essential piece of the ensemble not an option, but they have to make a buck, so it usually comes via "accessories" right?

The radios were tested at the 1' range for a 5 minute period. The survivors were then inspected and put back into the shower for another 5 minutes at 1 foot from the water stream. The remaining radios were then preset to the same channel and submerged in a bucket of water for 30 minutes and then bench tested and the survivors were submersed again for another 30 minutes.

Some After Testing Advice

The Standard HX350S is an excellent VHF radio, it's fully submersible, even when operated with its AA battery pack. This model, your top choice for both performance and value.

The Uniden HH940P is an excellent radio. We recommend it highly for PWC users or when a more powerful radio is not needed. But we would like to see an AA battery holder and a larger 600 mAh battery pack.

The Raytheon 102 and Raytheon 106 are excellent radios but not our top choice. The 102 seems to be a better value. The more expensive 106 with its larger battery is recommended only if extended operation is required.

Failing the submersion test - the Garmin VHF 720 cannot be recommended as a submersible handheld VHF radio.

Well, the Icom M15 is well-built and performed well. However, this model is outdated and needs upgrading in the opinion of the testing panel. The Icom M1+ (previously the top choice) among waterproof handheld VHF radios, but not anymore after its failure during immersion testing.

If your hand held VHF radio failed the test above - no worries - just head over to an Ewa-Marine waterproof accessories section, featuring waterproof cases for VHF radios and pick up some real insurance!

The Ewa-Marine Underwater Housing!

Are These Camera Bags Any Good?

For all of us who love the water and related sports like snorkeling and diving, there usually comes a time for filming our experiences to share with others who have never witnessed the beauty and serenity of our planet that lies submerged beneath the ocean. There is so much to see and so many wild and exotic creatures that inhabit this unexplored frontier, that a diver is often overwhelmed by it all in the beginning. But, for you who have already shared this wilderness and find it fascinating enough to keep coming back, then following closely behind is the discussion of dive equipment. Regulators, tanks, fins, masks, suits, and yes underwater photography and related gear.

Known as the "most discussed, most loved and most hated camera enclosure", would be the Ewa-Marine underwater camera housing - hands down! Ewa-Marine housings have been delivering good photos from the deep for over 35 years. They are made from two-ply PVC film and have an optical grade glass lens in the front port which means a more clear image (better picture), than that which Ewa's copycats can produce, since they use either the transparent side of the housing or a disc of Plexiglas in the lens port. These don't hold up well and scuff & scratch easily, rendering them useless in a fairly short time. Using the clear Vinyl side of a generic housing for the lens to shoot through is another idea that borders on ridiculous. This is a plastic concoction folks - not optical grade glass!

We have a resource for you, if you're weekend warrior or a just a vacationer who'll use the Ewa-Marine housing once or maybe twice a year and don't want to bring home those ugly, disposable waterproof camera shots that I've seen passed around once too often. Once is enough really, to make anyone spring for a housing that allows them the use of a decent digital camera or camcorder to do their underwater filming. I have heard a few people rave about how great their waterproof disposable performed but I've seen the results and can only say - some people are much easier to please than others!

There are a couple of good and informative articles regarding Ewa-Marine products at the link that I've provided and if you look along the bottom of the left navigation bar, you'll find several other helpful pages on Ewa-Marine history, Frequently Asked Questions, also Tips and Tricks. They all have worthwhile information for most new underwater photographers. The Ewa-Marine flexible housing may be the best kept secret value in underwater photography. Enjoy!

Keep Your Photography Gear In Style!

Billingham Camera Bags - Built For A Lifetime

The vision of Billingham is to always gain maximum effectiveness through the use of the highest or best suited materials available for the construction of their camera bags. Billingham Camera Bags have solid brass fittings, top grain, quality leather and the best quality canvas, thread and linings in their products. The thread is sewn into the tiny holes using a tight stitch of thread that swells at the first sign of moisture and effectively seals all stitches. There is a two ply canvas outer layer with a waterproofing sandwiched between the layers to further prevent the weather - moisture and UV light from entering your bag. All bags are offered in a variety of colors such as: Tan with brown leather trim, Black with either brown or black leather trim and Sage a (pale green) trimmed in brown leather. All fasteners are made from brass or nickel. The inner liners are very soft and have anti-fray properties to keep your gear from snagging against something inside. This protective inner layer also repels moisture so that there is no wicking encouraged by it's properties.

Billingham Bags use a soft protective layer of closed cell foam to protect your gear when the bag is jostled around a bit. They are 100% closed cells and won't allow any moisture to enter the foam inserts and remain hidden in your Billingham bag. For maximum comfort Billingham uses the webbing manufactured by the company that makes parachute straps and web gear for the Space Shuttle. The straps stay flat and won't allow water retention - and won't rot or wear out!

If you are serious about your photography then you probably know as much or more about Billingham Bags than I do, but for those who don't, why not treat yourself to a rugged but very classy Billingham for your next camera bag replacement. You'll save money just in replacement costs over a long period of time and get to sport this elegant photography bag. You won't be sorry - promise!

Water Skiing For Everyone!

One of the Oldest of Watersports

As a young boy we always spent our weekends and summers at our summer place which is right on one of the Great Lakes. About 15yrs. old most of our Dad's let us take out our "small boats" as opposed to the larger family boat who no one could touch but Dad. It worked for us though - no complaints!

My buddy had a 16' Lyman with a 25 hp Johnson motor and was very gutsy in the short haul. More horses but a lot of weight. We had a small 15' Crestliner aluminum boat with an 18 hp Johnson motor. Now Dave (my friend from above) would gun his throttle and lose me for about 20 yds as my lighter boat kept rising, nose first, into the air. At that point, the nose would slam down into the water as the perfectly balanced boat and motor planed out perfectly smooth, with only the prop in the water. It would only take a minute or so and it was bye bye David! I had often had larger boats clock me at full throttle - doing 25mph - which is scorching hot in a 15 ft aluminum row boat. I can still see it some 40 yrs later as if it were yesterday. So we took turns driving and usually ended up in gas docks where the attendants would sell anyone beer and smokes, who had a boat to pull up with and tie off. At 15 yrs old we were living large. We then filled up and cruised the deep water row of buoys, where all the teens bobbed up and down - with toes just touching enough to keep their mouths above water. We waved to the girls and usually scored a date for the night at our local Club's dancehall. There was a section closed off where you could buy brews if you were 18 but that never stopped us from slowly getting into the good graces of the bouncer "Frog" who sat outside the chain link fence beer section. I guess after a few years Frog just assumed we were old enough and allowed us free and safe passage into "The Cage". To be in Frog's company nightly and obviously his little buddies - we were bulletproof against anyone 18 and over. That came in handy on many occasions since "The Cage" erupted into full scale brawls on a nightly basis. Touch the little smart a** punks - unthinkable, they're with Frog.

One last thought about the Frog. He was about 6' tall and weighed in at about 300lbs and sported the longest, greasiest DA haircut you've ever seen. His hair would put Elvis or the Fonz to shame. He was also impervious to pain, or so it seemed. He routinely cleared The Cage, carrying out skinny 19 yr olds - one in each hand and toss them into the gravel outside the entrance to the dance hall. But I digress....

Half the day was spent using our precious funds for water skiing gasoline. We would do both skis, one ski - it didn't matter so long as we were jumping the wake and slamming into the water eventually from exhaustion or a bad move. We skied off the piers from our butts, laying in the water and being pulled out with two skis and dropping one, or just start solo which is mostly what we did - saved time locating the kicked off ski. Worst injuries were usually incurred by "not" letting go of the tow rope and almost drowning, followed by a trailing ski smashing into our skulls at about 20 mph - just as we would surface with a gasp for air and big smiles on our faces! OHWWWW! That really hurts! Yes, we took our share of stitches, lumps and black eyes. Now, I always carry a first aid kit and put it into a waterproof case for protection.

My most vivid memory of some serious water skiing came when a loud rumble was heard one morning from down at our docks. Here one of my pal's Dad was a factory authorized Mercury outboard dealer and put together a very - VERY hot boat for us to play in. It was a twin v-hull two seater with small jump seat area for gear and gas, then two large 140 hp Mercs on the back for power. It was not a choppy water boat but we used it largely in the bays and inlets where we could really open it up. The speedometer buried at 60mph+ as the theme from Twilight Zone plays. So what did we do first day? Right - we put on a full body skiing jacket, I jumped in the water first and we decided to take it up to the limit using hand gestures. I noticed that when I gave him the "let's go" signal and he floored it, there was no dragging, I just popped upright immediately (that takes a lot of weight or power). I kept motioning him "faster" and he held up 5 fingers to let me know we were approaching, or at 50mph. All being well, I gave him one more hand forward gesture for speed and the freakiest accident happened. The prop wash trail lengthened - being so powerful that it didn't smooth out until a few feet before my ski tips! And in the blink of an eye I saw the prop wash cover the left ski tip and all of a sudden I had been hit a crushing blow by Mike Tyson or been hit by a semi-truck! I hit the water so hard that it didn't even feel like water but concrete that I was rolling and tumbling across. Suddenly it softened and there I bobbed, feeling elated at the monster ride but a little worse for wear if I may say so!

So if you have a rowboat with a motor that will get you over 20 mph or a Funny Car version like I wiped out behind. There's plenty of fun to be had with one of the oldest and most practiced water sports. Get out those water skis and have a go at it - you'll be glad you did!

Parasailing Anyone?

Two Sports in One!

"The first Parasails were developed by Pierre-Marcel Lemoigne in 1961. Lemoigne is a well known developer of ParaCommander-type of parachutes known as 'ParaCommander' or PC-canopies. The first towing of a parasail is not known, but one of the first mentions is a flight by Colonel Michel Tournier from France flying behind a tractor in the same year - 1961."

Wow, boating is great fun and I would bet my last dollar that the parachuting part of this cool sport would appeal to those who're too smart to jump out of a perfectly good aircraft. I have always wanted to parachute from an airplane and have not done so thusfar. I think this nice, gentle lift-off, from the land or sea and a limited altitude would strike a great balance and would also appeal to a wider range of people.

In such a rig one could look out over the waters of Hawaii. There are many companies that cater to tourists seeking water sports in the islands of the Aloha state. I even found one as low as $59 per trip (per person), where they shuttle you to the parasail boat and "experienced captains will fly you 300 ft over the clear Pacific Ocean. For added fun you can be dunked in the cool refreshing water. The ride will leave you breathless and a guarantee to return again and repeat the experience at your earliest possible convenience."

At least that's what they claim. One great thing is that you can easily spot large sharks and try to avoid the premature ending of a trip by giving the old water-skiing "faster signal" which is done by a forward moving, straight armed gesture. No reason to have your ride end with you gently splashing down like a human fishing lure and right in front of a 14 ft Tiger shark - but I digress.

If you're heading out on a vacation or even find yourself with free time on a business trip to a location that offers this relatively new, cool sport, I'd highly recommend giving it a whirl. Don't forget to seal your personal stuff in an all purpose waterproof pouch and leave it with the family or the Captain. You can even tie it off, or wear it around your neck by using the included lanyard. Here's a vote for getting out of your hotel suite and trying out flying - high and safely!