UHF / VHF Bluetooth Headsets for the Mariner

Panbo, our favorite marine electronics blog, brings us Standard Horizon’s new Bluetooth Enabled Headset for marine VHF radios (amazon link). They tell us;

Standard Horizon plans to introduce this Bluetooth wireless VHF headset some time this winter (plus a VHF/GPS handheld). There isn’t a brochure or web link yet but these are the specs I recall: waterproof, 150 foot range, can be used either voice-activated (VOX) or push-to-talk (PTT), will sell for around $150, and will fit many S.H. radios. Read More…

This comes on the heals of Motorola’s similarly priced HHLN4125 bluetooth remote speaker for their line of industrial UHF radios. While I’m envious of anyone who may have this accessory I will not be adding it to the order list anytime soon. First I need to know it’s reliable and won’t drop the signal during shipboard emergencies. Second I will be using the entire 2008 communications budget on another Motorola gem, the EX500 Portable UHF Radi, successor to the industry workhorse HT750. With it’s lithium ion battery, diminutive battery and half the weight of its predecessors this purchase is a “no-brainer”.