Uniden Atlantis 250BK 16-Channel VHF Waterproof Two-Way Marine Radio Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Got this for my small boat, it was on sale at West Marine and listed as 'waterproof' (who wants a boat radio that's not waterproof?). Takes multiple power sources, does dual watch, weather band, and the price was right.
After it charged up it worked great. We used it several times for coordinating activites without incident.
Until, while helping trailer the boat, my friend slips on some seaweed and this 'waterproof' radio hits the water. It was in MAYBE a foot of water for half a second, but that was enough. The PTT button was stuck on, the button would physically push and release but the circuit stayed active and the radio kept transmitting- salt water had shorted the PTT switch.
Turning the radio off and on was no help- it refused to power up with the PTT switch held down (just made a beeping noise).
Further research reveals that this unit is rated JIS4. According to [...], JIS4 means 'splash resistant'.
Most of the other marine portables are rated JIS7 (same as IPX7)- can be submerged under 1 meter (3 feet) of water for 30 minutes with no ill effects. Some are rated JIS8 (indefinitely submersible up to mfr. specified depth).
Many of the other units also float, and most aren't that much more expensive than this one.
You might check out the Uniden MHS75, which is actually cheaper, smaller, and is JIS8 rated. It also has SAME weather radio alerts, which this doesn't.
I'm giving this 2/5 stars because I think a boating radio, to be used on the water, should be more than just 'splash proof', especially when nearly all the competition is JIS7. And had me and my friends been stuck on the water instead of on the boat launch, the unexpected failure of this unit would have put us in serious trouble.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Uniden Atlantis 250BK 16-Channel VHF Waterproof Two-Way Marine Radio

Uniden Atlantis 250 VHF Hand Held Radio won't give up no matter how wet it gets. Whitecap splash, gusty spray, tidal wave, whatever, this Radio can take it. The Uniden Atlantis 250 2-way Marine Radio is built rugged to take the rigors of being out on the water, day in and day out with a full JIS4 / CFR46 waterproof rating. Details: Covers all USA, International and Canadian marine channels keeping you up-to-date with all the latest marine activity; All N.O.A... weather channels with weather alert; Memory channel scan function; 1 watt / 5 watt switchable setting lets you change form maximum transmitting power to extended battery life; NiMH and alkaline battery capability means less battery hassles; Instant channel 16 / 9 / triple watch function; Backlit lcd display and keypad for easy use in low-light conditions; Built in speaker / microphone jack (Mic not included); Flexible rubber antenna. It's the marine radio that always comes back for more. Order Today! AVAILABLE SEPARATELY: Uniden Atlantis 250BK VHF Hand Held Radio, Black - word search in our store for 'Uniden'. Uniden Atlantis 250G VHF Hand Held Radio, Gray

Get 52% OFF

Click here for more information about Uniden Atlantis 250BK 16-Channel VHF Waterproof Two-Way Marine Radio

Read More...

Magellan Triton 400 Waterproof Hiking GPS Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I only gave this product one star because zero stars wasn't an option!
Do yourself a favor. Do a quick online search and find all of the bad reviews for this product. They are all accurate.
These are just some of the bugs I have personally experienced:
- frequent lock ups, operating system crashes. See "Fatal error OutdoorNav.exe".
- cannot store more than 100 geocaches/waypoints without seizing up.
- odometer indicates 180% of actual mileage logged.
I can only think of a few pros for this product:
- satellite acquisition is good, even indoors.
- color screens are nice.
- it's inexpensive compared to other brands with similar features (although these advertised features don't actually work).
You are on your own if you buy this product and experience difficulties. Magellan has extremely poor customer support. Telephone support is outsourced and ignorant of the product's features. Online support is vague and slow to respond.
Retailers (including REI) have pulled the Triton line from their shelves.
Save yourself the hassle and check out other GPS units, such as Magellan's eXplorist line or Garmin's units. I did, and exchanged the Triton 400 for a Garmin eTrex Legend HCx. The evidence is overwhelming -- look elsewhere.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Magellan Triton 400 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Magellan Triton reinvents handheld GPS. Amazingly easy to use, Triton 400 is perfect for the first-time GPS user. And the full-color display, SD-card compatibility, enhanced features, fast signal acquisition, reliable signal lock and precision positioning make Triton 400 an excellent choice for the advanced navigator.

SD-card compatibility maximizes your navigation capability. Add an unlimited amount of marine cartography, topographic maps and other content to navigate all your outdoor adventures. Plus, Triton is the first handheld GPS to offer compatibility with National Geographic TOPO! State series and Weekend Explorer 3D maps. These highly detailed nation-wide topographic maps based on USGS 1:24.000 series quads, offer seamless scalability, multi-layer overlays and much more.
The smartly designed interface with simple menus and intuitive button and scroll pad control make navigation fun and effortless. The full-color crystal clear display shows all your maps and navigation information in brilliant, easy-to-view graphics. Instantly see all your maps, locations and saved tracks and waypoints with just a click or two. Unlike other complicated devices that require you to scroll through page after page, Triton 400 gets you to the information you want with a few keystrokes.
Exclusive VantagePoint software enables easy management of maps, user generated content, updates and upgrades on your PC. View saved routes and tracks. Customize them for future trips or create new ones.
Triton is designed for precision navigation, offering the fastest GPS positioning acquisition in the industry with the SiRFstarIII chipset. An integrated high-sensitivity antenna provides reliable signal reception even in heavy cloud cover, canyons or deep woods. Built-in signal augmentation reception (WAAS/EGNOS) provides 3-meter accuracy.
Rugged and waterproof, the Triton 400 is built to withstand intense use, accidental impact and immersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes (IPX-7). It's ready to guide you on any adventure.
The advanced features are also easy to use. View the elevation profile for the trail ahead (or any route). See the precise time of sunrise/sunset any day of the year. Get a calculation of the best hunting and fishing time. And much more.
Triton is built on the experience of GPS users over nearly 20 years of precision positioning technology from Magellan: the first name in navigation.
Magellan Triton 400 Features
Amazing ease-of-use Reinventing handheld GPS, simple menus, instant access buttons, intuitive scroll pad and crystal clear graphics let you navigate without the need for a Ph.D.
Full-color 2.2" display The large display shows maps, simple menus, navigation screens and other data in brilliant color.
SD-card compatibility An invaluable feature enables you to use an unlimited amount of map data for topographic and marine navigation.
Add detailed maps Upload optional marine cartography, topographic maps, and more, including the highly-detailed and feature-packed National Geographic TOPO! State series and Weekend Explorer 3D maps to your own SD cards.
Built-in maps Basemap of the 48 contiguous United States, Alaska, and Canada (major highways, city centers, bodies of water and more) plus worldwide geographic boundaries.
Access exclusive VantagePoint software Lets you easily manage user generated content, updates and upgrades on your PC. View saved routes and tracks. Customize them for future trips or create new ones.
Compass screen See your direction of travel, distance and position of destination, heading, bearing, speed and more on the beautiful graphic compass screen.
3-meter accuracy SiRFstarIII chipset and integrated multidirectional antennae offer superior GPS accuracy using the Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS).
What's in the Box Triton 400 GPS receiver, Quick reference guide, manual on CD-ROM

Get 30% OFF

Click here for more information about Magellan Triton 400 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Read More...