Do you want top of range waterproof with possibility of hand held mic which clips onto collar with superb lithium rechargeable baterry, or budget, or somewhere in between?
Advice given depends on requirements and budget
Icom is personal preference, for very good reasons
Just for a clean sweap .... I'd go for Icom too ...
M1- euroV is excellent (and a little more expensive) but has lasted several seasons of abuse on 22' yacht and 4m RIB as well as a soaking in Croatia and still transmitted 5Nm over the islands hill ...
I've got a Garmin 752 lasted 3 seasons with no probs so far. The thing that attracted me to the Garmin was that I could use the rechargable battery or 6 x AAs.
we have the icom icm iv. It's great. It transmits as far from the cockpit as the main set with the masthead antenna. Reception is worse than the main set but still seems good. Hardly bother with the main set these days.
Me too - I bought Garmin 'cos it takes AAs like all my other stuff. But it won't run on Rechargeable AAs! Still it recharges OK still and receives well. Doesn't seem to have the range on transmit as I would have expected - even on 5w. Maybe I need to shinny up the mast to transmit.
Just before you make the final decision also look at at the Entel HT 640 - same battery as M1V Euro. Fully waterproof and £110 less expensive than M1V and has bigger screen. I use it for more than just the grab bag.!
Don't try to save a few quid by buying a handheld with a NiCad or NiMH battery; get a proper one with a Li-Ion battery. It'll last longer and avoid any recharging problems. Entel HT640 is good value at about £150, Icom M1V is also good at about £170.
Yachtbits are listing the M1EuroV at £170. Also, MES are listing the M1V at £170. Looking again at the description, MES don't actually say "Euro" - although the spec looks the same.
JG Technologies have the M1EuroV at £169, and their prices include free shipping, so that's probably the best price around. Tell John I recommended him!
Alternatively, Marine SuperStore have the M1EuroV at £180 (inc free shipping).
Be interesting to see if those prices hold after the boat show. What really makes me pissed off here is that the price has dropped by £80, so what margin where they putting on in the first place? Marine Super Store were selling the units at the best price available before Christmas at £260 with free lapel mike.