Icom Bleh
No, the point is I do not use Icom Products in my kayak because some of the products they make are crap. Another example was the general purpose ICOM PCR1000 receiver with defective software that ran on my PC.
?
What makes you think features affect water resistance. If anything, a more expensive radio will probably have a better seal.
VERY weak logic
– Last Updated: Jul-29-11 3:54 PM EST –
That's weak logic particularly when safety is at stake. I wouldn't trade my ICOM for a SH right now, not after my ICOM has served me for three years with plenty of dunkings, no failures, great reception, a much more intuitive interface, and exceptional battery lifetime. And it doesn't need any stinkin' PC software - I don't rely on my PC when I'm on the water.
But then, I don't skip the restaurant that makes the best steak in town simply because their vegan dish is lousy, because I'm not a vegan. You're rationalizing and you know it.
yeah, I’m gonna buy your biased view
not.
A basis?
– Last Updated: Jul-29-11 4:54 PM EST –
I have no direct knowledge of the issues with Icom he is referring to and this is not to say anything negative about Icoms because these facts are true of every brand now. All of these radios are SDRs or software defined radios. This means the quality of the embedded software determines how well the radio performs. So if he believes Icom has a problem with the software it develops for its radios, then he has a basis for not liking Icom radios even handheld VHF marine radios. Whether it is a valid basis or not is another matter. I have never heard of the software in VHF marine radios causing them to perform badly let alone turn to bricks so it would not be an issue for me, but I see why he has the opinion.
Sounds as if he was burned by an Icom radio like some were burned by a S-H radio with the same results.
it’s not a valid basis
– Last Updated: Jul-29-11 5:49 PM EST –
All software is not the same. To use another analogy that would be like comparing windows vista to windows 7.
This is really a silly discussion with one guy going out on a limb to justify not buying any product from a company, specifically a handheld, because of the flaws of other distantly related products (if he was burned by a competing ICOM handheld I'd have thought he would have played that card by now). Which is his right. But to use it as a basis to tear down the product he has little or no direct experience with in order to justify that is nonsense. So I'm calling BS.
The key is the bungee
That prevents the radio from twisting, so it cannot come out of the bracket. I still use a lanyard, just in case, but I’ve never needed it. It’s been tested in surf, rock gardens, rescues, etc. and it’s very secure.
No direct correlation
What I meant was that while S-H radios have nice feature sets, their durability is suspect. ICOMs have fewer features, but outstanding durability. Given the choice, I would take the latter. There’s no reason that you couldn’t have both, other than that ICOM hasn’t added more features and S-H hasn’t improved their durability.
Icom M72 shoulder mount?
I’m looking at your pictures and looking at my M72 and not seeing how to attach this. Looks to me like a completely different kind of belt clip on this unit than your pictures show. The M72’s clip is screwed into the unit’s back, whereas it looks like your vhf slips on/off of the clip easily. I realize at least one of your picture is a Standard Horizon clip though.
Both of the radios shown…
…have a plastic stud that screws to the back of the radio. The clip is just a slotted plastic piece with a spring latch. You slide the radio in until it snaps in place. To remove it, you invert the radio and slide it out. That’s why I have the bungee on the radio, to prevent it from inverting.
Looking at the ICOM M72 brochure, it appears to accept the the same MB-86 belt clip system as the M88, but it apparently comes with something different (MB-103 “Alligator” clip). You’d need to buy the MB-86 to shoulder mount the radio as shown.
you’re right
I now see the swivel clip option at the back of the manual. Its on order now…