Handheld VHF - Entel 640 or Icom M-1V Euro

ACPBoating

ACPBoating

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HI

Well we have taken the plunge and bought a Bavaria 37 at SIBS. We take delivery in April 2006.

We are now doing the pleasant but money-eating task of preparing a shopping list for the boat and are looking at HH VHF.

We are looking at both of the above and are aware that there have been a couple of comparison articles in mags in the last year or two, of which we have neither. One rated the Entel as a best buy. I know that these articles may well sometimes have a different slant (e.g. the intended use for which the gear is being tested) and am wondering what, if anything, puts the Entel above the M-1V for HH use on board a boat.

Any comments much appreciated.
 
The Icom has a Lithium ion battery and that is an essential item for me as usage can be so varied. Li 's can take a lot of abuse. Most other sets use other types of batteries and replacement batteries for those cost a bomb. I don't know about the Entel though, maybe it also uses Li. Good luck with the Bav.
 
Just been down that road and agree that Li-ion is essential for optimum battery life.

The two items you have listed are excellent- I too read some reviews and probably the Icom was my best choice but part of enjoyment is getting a good deal so in the end I bought another top review item= the Standard Horizon(Yaesu) waterproof HH SX270E (not 260E as this was Nicad).

I have been pleased with it, reception is clear and easily picks up London VTS cross country about 10 miles away which with the buildings in between I reckon is good.

RRP was £119.50, but I picked up one on ebay- in its wrapper- for £100, and somewhere in PBO or YM current issue a retailer is selling this, ex boat show, for £99.50

Worth considering
 
Not had any direct experience with either model, but like other posts, go for a unit with the lithium ion battery. The theory (and practice backs it up) is that they don't have a 'memory effect'. In essence, in the good old days of NiCad etc, if you didn't fully discharge the battery before recharge, it eventually resulted in a lower A/h capacity of the battery. Apparently not so with the Lithium powered units. As far as I'm aware, they can be recharged at any state - bit like modern 'notebook' or 'laptop' type computers.
 
I've got the Icom,works well,does everything it says on the box.
Reason for Icom.Jon Brooks of that Co.is an active forumite and gives loads of tech support,the Head office is just up the road and if necessary I could flag down their rather smart personalised number plated Audi and make my displeasure known!
 
I might be wrong here because I can't remember the model numbers of the appropriate radio's. I seem to remember that one of the criticisms of the Icom was that I had a software based off system. This means that if you don't remove the battery, when the radio is left off, the battery can discharge.

Just to upset Jon Brookes, have you considered, the Standard (Brand) Offering. I bought an early model that doesn't have a Lithium Battery. It is an excellent product, easily, as good as the Icom. Their new model is being offered, with a Lithium Battery & is very reasonable priced.

I have heard that the Entel is manufactured by Standard.

Martin
 
no, completely different model. I've got the M1VEuro, and it doesn't discharge when not used. In fact, you very rarely have to charge it, as the battery lasts forever, even when used a lot. It's a superb bit of kit, great battery, totally waterproof, and excellent transmit and reception. Probably why the coastguard use it as standard kit
 
Just to throw my few quids worth in, ICOM are now offering the cheaper M31 with Lith Ion battry as well, retailing about the £135 mark makes it a very good deal.
 
And another view...

Whatever you get, it really should have a Li-ion battery for optimum practicality. You can top up the battery at any time without suffering the “memory” problems which affect NiCad and (to some extent) NiMH batteries. Quite why top manufacturers like Simrad, Garmin and Raymarine launch new radios without Li-ion batteries is bewildering.

The Entel HT640 and Icom M1V Euro both have Li-ion batteries. The Entel is basically a rebadged Standard Horizon - which doesn't mean it isn't good, but it now looks rather old. Whilst the Entel was indeed rated “Best Buy” in the YM test (Nov 04), you should note that for some strange reason their test didn’t include the Icom M1V – arguably the one radio which should have been included!

The Icom M31 is now available with a Li-ion battery, but it has a strange off switch which allows the radio to gradually discharge itself whilst turned off. Icom suggest removing the battery pack, but as fixes go I don’t rate this as especially helpful. The M31 also has (in my experience) pretty poor performance. I sold mine quite quickly. However, the M31 does have a battery tray which can take ordinary AA batteries – a useful feature for emergency use, and not available on the HT640 or M1V.

For a hundred quid more, there’s also the tiny Icom M87, with Li-ion battery as standard, and with the important availability of an AA battery tray as an option. This radio is very ruggedly built, extremely compact and rather appealing.

So of these four, I'd go for the Icom M87 for about £265 or, as second choice, the M1V at a hundred quid less.

The Standard Horizon radios sold here don’t have Li-ion batteries. But there’s a brilliant little Standard Horizon Li-ion handheld available in the US. The HX471S is a tiny, rugged, submersible handheld which has a Li-ion battery and the ability to send a DSC distress call complete with your latest position (which it picks up by NMEA via its charging cradle). Thankfully, it doesn’t receive DSC alerts. It can also receive AM, FM and aeronautical radio transmissions. And it incorporates a high intensity strobe light. Doesn’t make tea though. You can get one from the US for about $250 plus shipping, duty, VAT – say about £230. Only snag is it’s not legal to use it here because it doesn’t have that important little CE mark! But that’s the one I’d really like to buy. I currently use my trusty old Navico Axis, now with a rebuilt battery pack with NiMH batteries. It’s a bit like holding a brick, but the thing works extremely well and is absolutely bombproof!

Bet you can’t wait for April…
 
I would suggest either Icom or Standard Horizon, purely on build quality and support quality.

For the average leisure user the differences between Li-Ion and NiMH are not really worth worrying about. Look at the other features and decide on those.

Points to seriously consider are display size, charging times.

No real down sides to the Icom M1 or M31

SH HX-270E, only critisim is it doesn't have a lanyard loop.

As a retailer, of both I can honestly say all the above are reliable and well supported with long warranties.

I really wouldn't recommend the cheaper brands such as Cobra etc.

kev
 
Oh [--word removed--]. I bought the Cobra.

Och well - its so cheap I'll just chuck it away.

No. Wait. It actually does a marvellous job. I'll keep it for a while.

Donald
 
All I can add to this is that I've had the Entel for a couple of years. Battery holds its charge well, lasts a long time and the tx/rx sound quality is good. Also seems quite capable of taking the knocks when dropped and has kept the water out (unlike some supposed waterproof kit I have). /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
The difference between Li and NiMH is quite big, so not sure why you would state otherwise.
If you've used a M1V Euro, you'd understand the difference.

I run club events, where we have to call continually, yet the standby and talk time is exceptional, and I don't have to recharge at all over a 4 day event, and it's still on about 75% even though I've bought all the 12v recharge gear and a second battery I've never used.

Most other handsets need recharging after 1 day, maybe 2.

I then dump it at home and forget to charge it, and it still works every time I pick it up, for days at a time.

NiMH just don't produce that sort of performance
 
Go for the Entel.

I purchased mine on ebay for £ 129 brand new in box.

The battery keeps on going and going.

The quality of reception is so high I leave it on in the cockpit, as it out perfoms my VHF radio down below.

I also like the way it can constantly scan as many channels as you want to pick up big ship and harbour master communication when you are in busy water, and need more than Channel 16 and 80.
 
I seem to recall that the Icom M-1V can also be plugged into a m/h aerial - not sure why you'd want to do that, but the adapter is about 10 quid.
 
Gezzs Claysie - Jon Brooks was in nappies when they made that model /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

But good advert for Icom - don't you think!

Peter.
 
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