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From: Richard Cohen <docpresh_at_gmail.com>
subject: [Paddlewise] VHF radios
Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 23:43:01 -0400
Thanks for the advice on the M88. I looked at the M72 and also thought it
was great, except it does not come with a AA battery back up tray, which
with my limited knowledge I am thinking is a good idea to have. Do you
agree? Anyone have any experience with the West Marine VHF150?
     Thanks again
     Richard
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From: Dave Kruger <kdruger_at_pacifier.com>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] VHF radios
Date: Sun, 08 Oct 2006 17:29:07 -0700
Richard Cohen wrote:
> Thanks for the advice on the M88. I looked at the M72 and also thought it
> was great, except it does not come with a AA battery back up tray, which
> with my limited knowledge I am thinking is a good idea to have. 

Good for backup, but those AA trays are not usually submersible.  On 
multiday trips, the AA tray is good for listening to weather and other 
in-camp use, but be careful to check on the tray's submersible rating.

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
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From: <cholst_at_bitstream.net>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] VHF radios
Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:09:21 -0500 (CDT)
> Richard Cohen wrote:
>> Thanks for the advice on the M88. I looked at the M72 and also thought
>> it
>> was great, except it does not come with a AA battery back up tray, which
>> with my limited knowledge I am thinking is a good idea to have.

I bought a second battery for my M72 and carry it where I have quick
access to it. So far, I haven't been on any trips long enough to require
it. The M72's lithium-ion battery packs have a couple of advantages over
the NiCd battery packs in my old M1: (1) Longer time between charges and
(2) No self-discharge, so you can count on that spare battery having a
full charge when you need it.

Note: I replaced my M1 because both NiCd battery packs died, probably from
lack of regular use, and replacements are no longer available, except for
a third-party AA pack that probably is not waterproof. This is one
disadvantage of Icom batteries: they are not interchangeable, and when
Icom replaces a model they stop supporting it. On the other hand, they are
solid, reliable units (aside from the battery problem I had). So I am
going to keep on eye on what Icom is doing with the M72, and when they
replace it, I am immediately going to buy extra batteries while they are
still available.

Chuck Holst
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From: Michael Daly <mikedaly_at_magma.ca>
subject: Re: [Paddlewise] VHF radios
Date: Sun, 08 Oct 2006 23:48:50 -0400
Richard Cohen wrote:

> it does not come with a AA battery back up tray, which
> with my limited knowledge I am thinking is a good idea to have.

In the days of NiCd and NiMH batteries, a backup was necessary on longer trips. 
  However, with a Li Ion battery, the need is not so great.  The lithium 
batteries do not self discharge at an appreciable rate.  The M72 also has a 2AH 
battery and that will work full time for quite a while.  As long as you don't 
intend on monitoring channels continuously on a trip, you should be fine.  I 
used my M1V for several minutes a day checking weather on an almost two week 
trip and barely drained the battery.  The M72 has about 25% more battery 
capacity than the M1V.

I also figure that if I will be in a situation where I will definitely need a 
backup, I can use an SLA + charger or charge off my pump battery.  A solar PV 
panel is also a long-term option, though a second VHF battery is cheaper.  The 
PV panel allows charging camera and other gadgets too.

Mike
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From: PeterO <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] VHF radios
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 17:22:52 +1000
Mark wrote:
>Thanks for the advice on the M88. I looked at the M72
>and also thought it was great, except it does not come
>with a AA battery back up tray, which with my limited
>knowledge I am thinking is a good idea to have. Do you
>agree?

G'Day Mark,

I'd agree. It can't hurt to have the battery backup as well as the
rechargeable. I use an ancient Garmin 725 VHF and bought a battery charge
cable and AA tray for back up. This was because of an incident a few years
ago on a long trip when our group split up between islands and then got
caught by winds for a couple of days before we could rejoin. My rechargeale
was down to its last few milliamp minutes:~) Anyway there was no excessive
chat on that nights radio schedule!

Also just to support Dave's comment that the tray may not be waterproof.

All the best, PeterO
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From: PeterO <rebyl_kayak_at_iprimus.com.au>
subject: RE: [Paddlewise] VHF radios
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 19:15:18 +1000
PeterO wrote
>I use an ancient Garmin 725 VHF and bought a
>battery charge cable and AA tray for back up.

G'Day,

The battery charge cable was one of those units that plug into a cigarette
lighter on a car dash-board. Handy because they can be adapted for use with
solar panels or a 12V pump battery.

All the best, PeterO
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From: Jens Viggo Moesmand <jensviggo_at_moesmand.dk>
subject: [Paddlewise] SV: VHF radios
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 13:57:09 +0200
I have M87's (European M88) with the battery case BP-226 as supplement.
The case is specified "meets JIS waterproof specification grade 4. I
have tried to emerse it into a basin, and the inside of the case and the
contacts were dry afterwards. That was no JPX7 test but it did
demonstrate that the case can be use - without warranty - in a humid
environment. The battery case is a bit bulkier than the Li-Ion battery.
The case takes 5 alkaline cells. Ni-Cd and Ni-NH are forbidden according
to ICOM.

Jens Viggo Moesmand
Denmark


"Also just to support Dave's comment that the tray may not be
waterproof."
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