Handheld Radio Suggestions?

[AL087]

I am looking to buy a handheld radio for CAP use.  Obviously, I want want thats on the approved list, but I would like to find one that could be used as a backup transceiver while I am flying.  Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations on one that would fit the bill?

[SarDragon]

CAP operates on HF, and VHF-FM. Airplanes operate on VHF-AM. There are, to the best of my knowledge, no compliant handhelds that operate both on VHF-FM and -AM.

[Buzz]

No such animal.

More than just the AM aviation / FM CAP issue is that new CAP radios have to meet compliance standards, which means you're pretty much going to have a CAP-only radio, without bells, whistles and extended-frequency options.

I'm pretty sure that the EFJ will let you program the NOAA WX channels, I know the Astro Saber does, but this is about as much "aviation" functionality as you're going to get in any compliant radio.

[arajca]

Yes, the EFJs will do the WX channels. They'll cover up to 172 or 176, forget which at the moment.

[wuzafuzz]

...but if you want it as a backup FM transceiver any of the legal radios will work.  I've used my portable in aircraft, I just ran an ear-bud from the speaker mic into my headset.