Radio signals may be the basis of communications nowadays but not all radios are made the same. The ones in our homes or cars are definitely not the same as the ones used by the aviation industry. Although the exchange of signals is the same, it's not done in the same frequency range and channel band.
An airband or aviation radio uses what are known as VHF frequencies and channels found between 108 and 137 MHz. Airband radios use strictly allotted channels that are only used for aviation purposes. This means no civilian devices can use these channels which are divided into two categories, but more on that latter.
Benefits of Handheld Airband Radios
Portability
The main benefit of handheld airband radios is that they can be anywhere you are. Their level of portability lets you use them outside the cabin which makes an airband handheld radio a must-have no matter the type of flights you take.
Versatility
Being able to fit in your means that a handheld aviation radio is also able to fit in your pocket. You can also have it clipped to your belt if that feels more adequate for you. The versatility a handheld radio unit offers is unmatched by any other type of airband receiver.
Ease of Use
Being so small has other perks too and with airband receivers, it comes in the form of a user-friendly interface. You can easily navigate through its various menus and select the correct channel and frequency as handheld radios have a simple tried and true design that even people with no experience in aviation can use.
Cost-Effective
Since this is a smaller device we're talking about, it's a more affordable one too. You get a compact yet powerful unit that doesn't sacrifice any capabilities for its form factor, but that doesn't mean you should go for just about any aviation radio.
What Matters in an Airband Radio
Channels
Channel selection and memory settings are crucial for every aviation receiver. With a numeric keypad like that of an old telephone, you can easily set your radio to a certain channel by storing certain frequencies on the numbers you want. It's kind of like speed dial just for radios. Using memory channels will also depend on the size of the screen the radio has. If it's a large display then you can set your most used channels more easily and sort through them too. An airband handheld radio with a small display won't be as easy to use when it comes to memorising channels.
Range
The unit's output power or range is what will tell you the range of frequencies you'll be able to communicate with it. A radio with a higher power output usually has a broader range but that's not always the case as you can find units with a lower wattage that have the same range.
COM vs NAV/ COM
There are two options you can choose from when looking for an airband receiver. You can either get one that is only a COM radio or a NAV/ COM. The difference here is that a COM-only radio is able to make use of a limited number of channels that are used only for communications. NAV/ COM radios are able to provide you with both COM and NAV channels with the latter being used for navigation. This is what makes them more versatile as you can receive VOR signals too.
Bluetooth or Adapter
When it comes to a handheld radio's connectivity with external devices such as a headset. This is because in a cockpit you need hands-free use and an adapter or Bluetooth connectivity allows for it. If you go for a radio that requires an adapter in order to be used with a headset you'll have a more complex yet reliable setup
If you go with a newer radio with Bluetooth, you'll only have to connect the radio to the headset once and then whenever you enter the cockpit the two devices will automatically pair with each other.
Battery
As with any portable electronic device, handheld aviation radios come with batteries, lithium ones to be exact. The battery capacity of radios varies quite a bit and it depends on their size and how many features they come with. The larger the radio is the larger its battery capacity, meaning you can use them for a lot longer without the need to charge them. But that capacity can be drained rather quickly if the radio has Bluetooth connectivity, a large and bright LCD display and both NAV and COM capabilities.
GPS
What the majority of today's airband radios have is a built-in GPS receiver. This is a helpful addition to radio with VOR navigation as it allows you to continue navigating even if you're out of range of the ground-based towers around the world. But even if your radio doesn't have VOR, having GPS is still a welcomed feature.
