If you are out on the water or supporting from shore, a good quality VHF radio that can withstand the elements is a necessity. It’s an important safety tool to keep in touch with others, be it for your work or hobby. With the good build- quality and clear display, the Icom tradition continues, with the introduction of the new IC-M37E VHF Marine Handheld. The radio is buoyant; it strobes a red light, should it accidentally be dropped into the water. The new IC-M37E VHF has large keys and easy-to-grip design. Mariners will appreciate the big LCD that quickly shows channel numbers and status icons. This radio is rugged enough for commercial use, yet it is suited to leisure users too, making it an ideal choice for clubs, individuals and commercial users alike. With its powerful 6W of transmit output power, it is ideal for long-distance communication. The powerful 700mW audio output provides clear communication, even in noisy environments. The supplied Li-ion battery can provide more than 12 hours of operating time. The radio is supplied with a drop-in charger with a neat little clip to keep the radio in place in moving environments. The drop-in charger can be powered by a mains PSU (supplied), as well as on 12V onboard, via a USB adapter socket. A battery case is also supplied as standard, which provides a useful back-up to the radio’s Li-ion battery and can be kept in your grab-bag for peace of mind. The IC-M37E features a useful Channel History Function. This feature stores the last five channels used, for easy recall at the press of a single key. The IC-M37E is built to IP57 dust and waterproof protection rating (1m for 30 mins). The radio features an AquaQuake draining function to clear water away from the speaker grill, preventing the speaker from becoming waterlogged. Moreover, it offers Icom’s very own Float’n Flash, which allows the radio to fl oat and be located with a fl ashing red LED light and LCD/key backlight. Ian Lockyer, Marketing Manager of Icom UK Ltd., said, “You have the best of all worlds with this new model. It’s an excellent, reliable, and robust radio with the benefits of having a larger, tactile, PTT button and keypad. It provides superior quality, loud audio, and it is a buoyant 6W VHF device with Float’n Flash”. [email protected] https://www.icomuk.co.uk

This article was featured in the November 2019 issue of RadioUser