Handhelds are generally a backup to a fixed mount radio or carried in a ditch-bag for off-shore boaters. If you shop around you'll find Cabela's, BassPro and several others carry fixed-mount units with an antenna discount for what you are budgetting for a hand-held. Their are a lot of people who only carry a hand-held because it's convenient and there's no installtion hassle.
Here's a product review I put on "The Hull Truth" forum last spring. This product is still available at the source listed.
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I bought a Midland Nautico this year (already have a fixed mount). I had a few extra bucks and it was $60 from Sportsmans Guide.
It's described as "splash proof." Accessories included headset, mounting bracket, recharger and battery, DC adaptor and... A water proof sleeve that will help it float.
The removable battery has to charge 24 hours before first use then 12 hours for recharge. You can only recharge the battery while it is in the unit. You can substitute 3 AA size batteries instead if you need to.
The rotating switch on top is for on/off and volume. I havent figurred all the functions yet because I havent practiced with it much. There is an instant '16' button but all other channels and features are worked through a 'Menu' button, incuding setting up the 'Scan' button. It seems a little tricky like a digital watch but over time I'm sure this would become second nature.
Since it's not waterproof outside the bag, I dont consider this a serious radio. More toy than tool. A reasonable choice for someone who wants to monitor their local traffic during a day at the park or from their house.
There was a significant delay in delivery due to back-order. Probably a popular item because of the very low price.
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