VHF handhelds

Bags are a problem
There are several disadvantages to bags. Among them are:


  • Reduced speaker and microphone volume and clarity.


  • Controls are more difficult to operate, especially if the radio uses knobs.


  • It makes the radio bigger, slippery and harder to handle.


  • Moisture in the bag can get driven into the radio on warm days where the bag become pressurized due to thermal expansion of the air inside.


  • It makes it nearly impossible to shoulder-mount the radio, which is the best way to carry one, as it puts the radio close to your ear and mouth, and makes is possible to operate it with one hand. When you really need a radio, you’re also likely to really need to keep a hand on your paddle! Carrying your radio on-deck, in a pocket or worse, in your day hatch or cockpit, makes it much more difficult to use in tough conditions.

Definitely ICOM
Which model you choose is a matter of personal preference and budget, but ICOM radios all seem to be very durable. My preference if for the M88, primarily due to its size and ease of shoulder mounting. I also own an M1V which has proven to be just as waterproof, it’s just a less convenient size, though it does fit the hand nicely. Battery life on both is outstanding and I typically only have to charge them once a month or so.



I’m glad to hear that people like their M72s. I haven’t had the chance to play with one, but the features seem nice. The size/shape is similar to the M1V, which is larger than I like.



Standard Horizon radios are poorly sealed in my experience. My own HX460-S failed five times and is currently sitting in pieces in its box. I know MANY owners of these who have had similar or worse problems. Most of them are now using ICOM radios. I also know a few people with the older HX350s and they seem to hold up pretty well, but their rather bulky.



The Uniden Voyager is a nice little radio. It’s best for people who live in a warm-water areas, as the tiny, closely-spaced buttons can be difficult to operate with gloves on.

Yes, but…
According to the specs the battery drain on recieve is quite a bit higher on the M72 although that is likely due to its higher audio output. As a result, battery life is quite a bit lower. Also it is evident from no mention, that the M72 is not built to MIL specs like the M88 and thus inherently a more fragile radio and likely not as reliable in a hostile environment over the long term. The extra power is meaningless in the real world and the shorter antenna may well compromise performance since all these hand held units have antennas that are poor at best. Otherwise “radio” performance specs are essentialy equal, but then most of these radios, even the cheap ones, have great “radio” performance. Ergonomic features are a matter of personal preference.

Gave Icom a call

– Last Updated: Jul-12-06 1:35 PM EST –

I gave Icom a call to get more information on the differences between the two radios. One of the big differences between the 72 and the 88 is that it can be used for commercial applications on land if you have the proper license. Also if you're a HAM radio operator the dealer can program it with specific frequencies so it can be used for HAM as well. These are not features that interest me.

Other differences which have already been mentioned...

Size - M88 is smaller, may fit better into a paddle jacket pocket. M72 is larger but some people like how it feels in their hands a little better (better ergonomics?)

Output - 5 watts vs. 6 watts (ultimately probably not a big difference

"M88 meets MIL-STD requirement and strict environmental standards for shock (MIL810 C, D, E)
and vibration (MIL810 C, D, E)." In theory this means that the M88 is more rugged but ultimately the M72 is probably fairly robust but since it's new we don't really know.

M72 has "AquaQuake" draining feature for clearing water from the speaker.

M88 rated for 24 hours, M72 rated for 15-16 hours (5/5/90 talk/transmit/standby)

M72 has shorter antenna (115mm vs. about ~165mm (M72's antenna is a little less than 2" shorter than the M88's antenna).

Price - M72 can easily be had for $185. M88 typically sells for $260 although right now it can be had for $210 after mail in rebate (personally I hate mail in rebates)

ETA - M72 rated for 1.5 meters @ 30 minutes, M88 is 1 meter @ 30 minutes

I hope that's a good comparison of feature differences between the two. If there's anything I'm forgetting please let me know.

Now... if one of them would float it would make the decision process much easier. LOL

Cheers, Joe

advantage for the application
50% more depth capability may seem insignificant - any maybe so - but that’s a fair bit more pressure. More pressure resistance also means more resistance to splash/wind/wave driving water against the unit.



I may not submerge deep - but I have submerged hard a few times.

Voyager
Yes, not bad - mine served fine for about 4 years(?). Can’t get it to charge now - bad contact I think.



The twin stalk volume and squelch are small and would be a problem with gloves as you say. Salt also collects in between and makes them stick together. Buttons are also a bit smaller than need be.



If you haven’t seen the M72 in person check one out. It’s not as big as other Icom models. It is a little longer than the 88 but doesn’t really feel bigger the way the others do. Less of a brick/rock/puck shape - more of a handset. Sort of like the Vovager and 88 had a baby that grew up a little taller from better diet.

Check Battery?
Might want to have shop check battery. If heavily used it might just be worn out. They can only take so many charge/discharge cycles before they give up. Might be an easy fix if just a contact is loose or has a film of corrosion that creates a high resistence path for the charging current.



Uniden makes some tough radios.


Still has some charge
from a few months ago. Good battery. Suspect it’s either the rear contact or the charger.



I am OK with 4 year life on a small electronic device that’s regularly doused in salt water and generally neglected otherwise. I won’t put effort/$ into repairs to limp stuff like this along if out of warranty and look at stuff like this, and the loss of the downloaded in my GPS (which I’s sure I can reload if I could just find that CD!), as advance warnings of impending failure and a good excuse to upgrade.

I’m no radio weenie but…
My understanding is that higher power won’t make much difference to your radio’s range-- that’s much more strongly affected by the antenna. Between the dinky antenna on a hand-held and the low position of a kayak in the water, your VHF will have limited range. An increase from 5 to 6 watts is probably no big deal except that the higher power will suck the battery quicker. I don’t know if the longer antenna on the 88 is significant or not but I doubt that shorter is better.



I have an M-88 and like it a lot. I think I’ve actually transmitted on it once - to a CG Aux boat that was about 200 ft away (it worked:-) So the battery lasts me forever. Don’t forget that transmitting is the real drain.

Radio bratwurst
Another happy M-88 owner here. Very happy with it. The 72 must not have been out when I bought it or I would have looked at it. However, I too like the smaller size and longer battery life. These radios are mainly line of sight as far as range. Even with the choice now, I’d make the same decision for the reasons above. On long trips, that battery capacity might save you where the extra watt will not. Either one is better than no one. My experience included a rebate, but I found the lowest price on the net, and West Marine matched it at their retail store.

Different antenna - not just shorter
Specs/info mentions this specifically.

Power and Antenna
Without getting too techie about it, You have to double the power to make a discernable difference which means from a 5W base you would neeed to up the power to 10W to make a difference. All handhelds have very compromised antennas which are poor radiators for transmiting which is the critical issue. It is possible the shorter antenna is a better radiator, but we are talking about less poor.

Spare back
We’ve never used the spare back (w/batteries) on our now three years old submersible ICOM - I think it’s an SC200 - but it is a great comfort having it. Definately a valuable feature. Haven’t ever confirmed if it is submersible w/ the sapre back, but I think yes. We left the rechargeable back home the first year we brought it on vacation (I messed up on that one) and spent three weeks swapping out batteries, had it out while paddling and never an issue.

i second the uniden voyager
mine is on it’s 3rd year of criminal abuse by it’s owner.



did a wet exit with it in my pfd a few weeks ago and forgot to rinse it and then went away for two weeks.



when i got back the squelch ring was siezed and it appeared to be fried.



brought it home dried it out and rinsed it in fresh water–now it works fine.



just be careful of the unfortunately loose external mic plug–i glued mine shut.


Voyageur batteries?
What type? After four years of discharge/recharge they may be past their life cycles. I’d look into a new battery pack before chucking a trusted radio.



Jim

Lithium
Another battery pack is a good idea. Then if OK (should be as the contact is on the battery) it can be a backup/loaner.

Icom M32LI
I’ve been pleased with an Icom M32LI (lithium ion battery) that I got from West Marine.



I prefer to use a handheld VHF in a waterproof bag for flotation and another line of defense from the water.



This radio has the advantage that the power on/off, volume and squelch are controlled with push buttons, not rotary switches on the top, so it’s much easier to operate in a waterproof bag than the other designs I tried, including those discussed on this thread.



It provides fewer bells and whistles than some other radios I tried, but does give the capabilities I actually use at an affordable price.

Icom M32LI
So far so good on mine. I don’t use a bag and carry it in my underdeck bag but sometimes it ends up in the bottom of the cockpit covered with fish slime. I just rinse it off in the saltwater and in a few minutes its good to go again.

If your spare back is for AA batteries…
…it’s not submersible. That’s one of the problems with using AA batteries, there’s not a single radio on the market that’s submersible when using AA batteries. While they’re better than nothing in an emergency, a spare rechargeable battery is better.

Icom M32
The Icom M32 is surprisingly large and heavy. I ordered it, then exchanged it for a uniden voyageur–much smaller and lighter. The icom is probably tougher, but knowing myself, I knew that I’d leave it off my pfd much of the time since it’s big and bulky and I hate having heavy stuff on me. I figured a slightly less tough vhf that I actually have with me on the water is safer than a slightly better vhf that’s sitting on the kitchen counter.