ICOM hand held VHF designed to run batteries down??

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Over a year ago I remember reading about ICOM VHF handhelds being designed to slowly run the batteries down when they are switched off. This had put me off buying an ICOM in the past. I have now asked ICOM if this is still the case with their latest models, even those with the lithium batteries and they say yes.
If the handheld is only used as an occasional backup to a fixed set I can see this being a problem in that the battery might be flat when you want it in a hurry.
Does anyone have experience of the recent model ICOM handhelds with lithium batteries - does this battery run-down "feature" cause a problem in reality?

thanks.
 
I have one. Not sure which. Quite expensive - possibly M71? The one the RNLI use (at least thats what the rep said:-)

When I last returned to the boat after several months, it was still fully charged.

Though i now wish I'd bought one than ran on std AA batteries!
 
Yes, my M31 eventually runs down but there are 2 easy "cures".
Either loosen the lithium battery so it is not fully home or else keep a normal battery pack on hand. In either circumstance it just involves a push on the battery and twist on a knob and away you go.

Has never actually been a problem - thankfully. In fact I had to use it for a PAN PAN last year and it worked perfectly even though it had been in "ready for use" mode for a couple of months.
 
Mine a EuroM1 seems to stay up for long periods of up to several months. However, one of the first tasks when going aboard is to connect up the cradle to 12volts to top it up. Even if we kept it in the grab bag (NOT IMO a good idea anyway) I would still adopt this practice.

Steve Cronin
 
Totally agree with Whisper - M31 is the model with this idiosyncracy- I have had one for 2 seasons- used regularly- when at home, in grab bag, just keep lithium pack in but unconnected. No problems. Used HH on on boat for over a week without taking out the battery- still no probs, but like Whisper I also keep the AA battery pack as back up in the grab bag jic. Fine HH IMO, tho I like the idea of the new Icom floating one!
 
Did you sell it because the battery drain "feature" was a problem in reality, or did you just think it might be? So far none of the other posters have said that they have had an actual problem with flat batteries.
 
My M31 works fine, and I've arranged a little procedure to get around the 'feature'. The up-side is that it provides very good battery performance, if you can take care of it.
 
I sold it because I was generally disappointed by it. The self-discharging battery feature is fairly silly, and Icom's advice to remove the battery when you're not using the radio isn't particularly helpful. I also found that the sound quality was very poor. I basically only bought it to use whilst I was rebuilding the battery pack in my Navico Axis, which although the size of a brick is a superb radio. If the M31 had been better I would have kept it for its convenient size. I'm thinking of getting a Standard Horizon HX471 now.
 
Interested in your rebuilding a battery pack for the Navico axis - I've got one in the garage with a knackered battery (it was put in the charger covered in salt water!!) that I really should get around to fixing ...
 
Axis battery...

I bought tagged NiMH AA cells and wired them up in place of the old NiCd cells. Works fine and greater capacity too.
 
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