Battery Life
Of course, the main source of power for a handheld radio is the battery. The whole reason that a handheld radio is a redundancy for the cockpit is the fact that it can operate without power. Battery life is an important factor in choosing a handheld radio. Make sure to do your due diligence to find out how long the manufacture measured the battery life to last on a hand-held radio.
On average most last around 12 hours but you can find more robust options that will last even longer. Keep in mind that handheld radios don’t use as much power as other external devices. Even though it may seem like 12 hours is short they can extend for much longer periods of time depending on usage.
In addition, depending on your preference you may also aim for a handheld radio that uses traditional double A batteries. This ensures that you can always have spares on hand or utilize the same power source from your aviation headset. Traditional lithium batteries may not be the most ideal when it comes to durability, but they are always available in a pinch before or after a flight.
COM/NAV Capability
There are two types of Handheld Aviation Radios, Communication only, and Communication and Navigation or most commonly referred to as COM/NAV.
As you can probably tell, COM/NAV systems come with the additional redundancy of having navigational aids in addition to communication. This can be seen as a plus for many aviators as this serves a dual purpose. If left stranded you can communicate and navigate to a safe location. It may not seem like much, but when stuck in a situation like this you can quickly realize the benefits.
The NAV feature is able to track VOR’s, and at times ILS broadcasts. Some of the more expensive models can be equipped with GPS if you want that added layer of redundancy.