Our techie finds fault with popular FunRadios

By Tom Snyder
In a recent letter to the editor of this magazine, a reader offered his congratulations, saying that he hoped he would never find herein one of those articles that told readers ‘what radio to buy.’ Exactly! Which is why I hope that the following article about what radio to buy is the last of its kind in Points East.

I shall now compare two leading radios so that you might make an informed purchasing decision should you need to buy a radio. Both belong to the exciting new category of the portable marine FunRadio, to be used for entertainment purposes while boating. In alphabetical order the radios are the Aqex Devastator 450 and the Huffy Intruder ZX. Although these are the two best-selling FunRadios currently available, sadly I can recommend neither. Let’s start with the Devastator 450.

Devastator 450: Score D-

The Aqex Company gets points for trying but that’s about all. The Devastator 450 passed with flying colors on all conventional tests of a good radio. It had excellent reception, low battery consumption, clear sound quality, and the price at $4,299 USD is comfortably in line with marine products. But a boating environment is not conventional, nor are the tests to which a FunRadio must be subjected.

All FunRadios must include a Velcro belt strap. This is one of the many new requirements established by the MFSG (Marine FunRadio Standards Group). I subjected the Devastator’s Velcro strap to 25,000 stick-unstick cycles over a 5-day period, after which the Velcro surface had lost 15 percent of its original 22-ounce adhesion. Obviously this is not acceptable. (A substitute Velcro strap designed to secure extra-vehicular nitrogen feeder lines to space shuttle microwave dishes can be ordered from the NASA consumer division, but for the price of a good FunRadio, full Velcro confidence should be assumed.)

Next in my evaluation but of no less importance is the unfortunate placement of the on/off switch. On the Devastator 450 the plunger-style toggle switch is located next to a raised plastic nub that is meant to protect the switch from inadvertent engagement. However, in an extreme low-light situation one might easily press the plastic nub rather than the switch proper. It is not hard to imagine a boating situation where light is in short supply while time is of the essence. Pressing a nub instead of a power switch is the last thing a serious mariner wants to worry about.

I asked my sister, an accredited registered nurse, to repeatedly attempt to turn on this radio in a darkened room. Out of 20 attempts, she admittedly succeeded 19 times, but on her first attempt, as expected, she pressed the errant plastic nub. I don’t have to remind any sailor that it is always the first time that counts the most. (See my article Points East July 1963: “I Remember the First Time Because I Kept the Receipt.”)

Let’s focus for a few unsettling moments on the disturbing prospect of an ‘abandon ship’ situation. (Note to reader: the next sentence is very long.) The MFSG now requires a sticker to be affixed to all FunRadios recommending in raised lettering that the device be included in your abandon ship bag for entertainment purposes and as an additional sitting surface in extended-stay life raft conditions.

My family helped to test this aspect of the Devastator 450 by joining me in a 6-day stay on a Winslow life raft with the full cooperation of the YMCA. Two problems with this FunRadio emerged. The first was that when sat upon the unit’s speakers suffered some attenuation of midrange warmth – fine if you’re listening to Sting, but a problem with more exacting artists like early Neil Diamond. Second problem: On the final day aboard the raft, I found the FunRadio to be an uncomfortable seat, this due to a protuberance on that part of a seat which should display concavity. The protuberance, as you have already guessed… again the plastic nub.

The INTRUDER DX: Score NA

At press time the Huffy Company had failed to send me a third free evaluation unit. (The first unit I lost, I think, and the second unit I also lost.) Consequently, I cannot in good conscience recommend a product from a company that does not, in the spirit of glasnost, welcome my constructive criticism.

Conclusions

1. Don’t buy a FunRadio this year.

2. Whatever FunRadio you end up purchasing next year, please remember that it is always better when outfitting your vessel to ignore your instincts in favor of advice from Points East.