Re: [Paddlewise] Icom Revises Rating

Patrick Maun wrote:
> 
> But, according to Icoms website and other information the M1 and M15
> have the same rating. This is really annoying because how else am I 
> supposed to find this information out. To me,something is either
> waterproof or it isn't. 

It isn't quite this simple.  The fact that two designs meet the same
minimum standard does not imply that they are equally well built. All
designs have some probability of failure. One would certainly expect
that the probability of failure differs across designs (even among those
designs that meet the same minimum standard).

> Icom can't go on calling the M1 waterproof if
> the thing is going to fail with a minor dunking. 

Sure they can--particularly if they are willing to provide a warranty
against failure due to water penetration.  I'm sure that Icom will
repair or replace your unit under warranty.  Of course a warranty
doesn't do you much good if you need it in an emergency and the thing
doesn't work.  This is why it is important to do a bit of research into
the experiences of others regarding reliability.  Max's experiences are
a good example of the sort of thing to which I am referring.  Of course
it would be nice to find some hard data, but even anecdotes can be of
some use.  As a colleague of mine likes to point out, the plural of
"anecdote" is "data". :-)  

> The reason I got a waterproof handheld was so that I wouldn't have
> to keep it in a dry bag.

If you want to avoid the use of a baggie, I recommend that you consider
an M15 or a Navico Axis.  FWIW, my personal opinion is that an M15, a
couple of batteries (say, a 900mAh and a 1200mAh), and a rapid charger
make a combination that is hard to beat.  I would also add a telescoping
antenna, as a longer antenna will dramatically increase your range of
transmission. (Adapters are available to attach a TNC or BNC antenna to
an SMA mount.)   

Dan Hagen
Bellingham, Washington
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