Built tough to withstand the punishing marine environment, the Icom
IC-M302 fixed-mount VHF radio is a must for safety-minded boaters. The
radio is outfitted with a host of valuable features, including a large
backlit LCD that displays up to 10 characters, an intuitive, easy-to-use
keypad, and a rugged waterproof housing that's submersible in 1 meter of
water for up to 30 minutes. More significantly, the radio works with all
57 U.S., 61 Canadian, and 57 international channels, along with 10
weather channels from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
(NOAA). The VHF channels offer an ideal way to communicate with other
boaters--whether exchanging information on a hot fishing spot or sending
out a distress signal--while the NOAA channels notify you when inclement
weather is approaching. The radio--which mounts conveniently on your boat's dash using the
included bracket kit--employs Icom's Force5Audio technology to boost the
sound pressure levels and deliver crisp, loud reception. The integrated
microphone, meanwhile, is finely tuned to pick up voices while
minimizing ambient background noise, such as a boat engine, wind, or
seagulls. As a result, both casual conversations and urgent distress
calls come through loud and clear.
The IC-M302 offers several scanning modes, including an auto scan
function that starts scanning whenever no signal is detected, a
traditional scan mode that searches through all the tag channels in
sequence, a priority scan mode that does the same but also monitors the
distress channel (number 16), and a weather alert option that
immediately switches the radio to the appropriate weather channel when a
storm warning comes through. Users will also dig the Dual Watch and
Tri-Watch functions. The former lets you communicate on a channel of
your choice while also keeping an eye on emergency channel 16, while the
latter monitors two channels--channel 16 and another channel--while
receiving a third channel. The pair of "watch" modes guarantee that you
won't miss an important emergency call from a distressed boater while
your attention is otherwise engaged.
As with the best fixed-mount VHF radios, the IC-M302 comes with
built-in Digital Selective Calling (DSC), which lets you send a
formatted distress message in an emergency. DSC activates an
instantaneous, continuous "mayday" signal that identifies your vessel,
reports your position, and time stamps the message. Another nice detail
is the IC-M302's GPS compatibility. When connected to a GPS receiver,
the radio can send your GPS position to other boats, or it can poll the
GPS location of another vessel and display it on your LCD screen in
seconds.
Additional features include an output for an external speaker, instant
access to channels 16 and 9, and a microphone lock function. Housed in
an attractive gray case, the IC-M302 measures 6.03 by 2.62 by 5.19
inches (W x H x D) and is backed by a three-year waterproof warranty.
What's in the Box
IC-M302 radio, hand microphone, bracket mounting kit,
power cable, user's manual.
