I am thinking about getting a new Dual band VHF/UHF HT.

Fit,finish and durability are important to me.

I tend to be very hard on my Hand held radios.

Any HT I buy must be Mil Sec 810d or E compliant.

Does anybody have any suggestions about what is currently available?

On Jan 9, 6:24�pm, ai8o wrote:
I am thinking about getting a new Dual band VHF/UHF HT.

Fit,finish and durability are important to me.

I tend to be very hard on my Hand held radios.

Any HT I buy must be Mil Sec 810d or E compliant.

Does anybody have any suggestions about what is currently available?

Being rather familiar with MIL-STD-810, I'd say that you have to take a
manufacturer's word on it. Which is not saying much. To really meet
the environmental tests, honestly, would raise the price more than most
folks care to pay for hobby radios. Harris Corporation is presently
producing military radios that might fit your general description but
they also have the environmental facilities for it along with calibrated
test equipment.

For those never working to DoD shake-rattle-and-bake specs, MIL- STD-810
is a comprehensive environmental test document that describes the
accepted methods of temperature testing, vibration and shock testing,
water immersion, altitude testing, etc., etc., etc. all as "Methods."
Last version I was working to was 810F and I undertand that 810G is the
latest. I don't recall if any of them were explicit about testing
finishes of the case, which seems to be one of your points. Finishes are
under another MIL-STD and I don't have any data of all the MIL
Standards. Durability would take in Methods such as a 10g drop test and
possibly low-frequency vibration. Durability is usually dependent on
case design, nowadays done as a single polymer injection molding. ABS
polymer (Acrilonitrile Butadiene Styrene) is a good case material but
mold design and reinforcing ribs in the wrong places can make that
unfit.

A lot of ads make rather extravagant promises, but only implicit
promises. If they are pinned to the wall about exactness of meeting
some specifications, it might be a different story. My suggestion is to
visit an amateur radio store that has "fondleable" radios and do a
personal inspection as far in as you can. If that doesn't work out,
then either look or make some kind of slip covering to partially cover
it while in-use. Good luck on your hunt.

73, Len K6LHA