Critical upgrades in many regions lately have seen handheld vhf marine radio go from being a versatile specialist device to something generally more valuable. As innovation slowed, battery life improved, and screens became clearer, handheld VHFs can now offer a multitude of safety features that used to be accessible only on fixed marine radios. It now includes frequently incorporating recurrence examination; climate projections; GPS Reconciliation; and an ability to convey trouble messages accordingly.
Waterproofing
Waterproofing has also expanded with many of the best portable marine radios now ready to drift for supported deadlines with virtually no damage to internal electrical. A significant number of these drifting portable VHFs also offer a natural strobe form to help you think you’re uninformed, assuming you’ve fallen into the water.
Of course, as with any portable, portable, and battery-powered device, there are trade-offs to consider. The more component-rich the portable marine radio, the larger it will be, the more land on the screen it should show options, and consequently the more inclined it will be towards the expanded battery channel. More modest units may offer fewer highlights but can combat this through expanded battery life – even with a more modest battery – or better comfort or value.
Icom IC-M93D
The Icom IC-M93D is packed with highlights – two main ones being the implicit GPS and DSC. The VHF is lightweight and has a built-in strobe that will light up to show you where you are when you’re on the water. The M93D boasts a waterproof rating of IPX7 (1 meter for 30 minutes) and offers a backup battery life of 9 hours (2-hour charge). Equally significant is the sizeable display, making it simpler to read than some more modest contributions, even with more information displayed.
Portable VHF
A portable VHF for years has been a specialist gadget: primarily a way to bring help, get to a marina, or even catch a water taxi. DSC extended the utility by making a VHF even more of a wellness device that helped prevent and find rescue solutions for the customer’s situation. The M93D makes this an additional contributing area via DSC and can be configured to trigger a MOB alert accordingly. Without a doubt, this is an unmistakable reward for anyone traveling alone or understaffed. The slim plan implies that it is perhaps the lightest unit available at a mere 220g. The radio also has a clean USB connector for the useful charging of a variety of electronic devices.