Icom IC-M25 EVO Floating Handheld VHF Radio, Black
- Brand:
- Icom
- Part no:
- ICM25EVOK
Image: Wholesale Marine
Where to buy
Specifications
- Mounting
- Handheld
- Transmit power
- 5 W
- Waterproof
- IPX7
- Floats
- Yes
- Battery life
- 14 h
- NOAA weather alerts
- Yes
- Charging
- USB-C
The Icom IC-M25 EVO is a compact floating handheld VHF with Float'n Flash, which floats the radio, flashes and sounds an alarm if it goes into the water. It is rated IPX7 for 1 m of water for 30 minutes, and AquaQuake vibrates the speaker cone to clear water from the grill. It weighs 228 g and is 31.2 mm deep. Eco Mode cuts transmit power from 5 W to 2.5 W for about 14 hours of operation. It charges over USB Type-C in roughly three hours, and includes a weather channel with weather alert.
Our take
The Float'n Flash system is the practical feature here: a radio that floats, flashes and alarms is far easier to recover if it leaves your hand. The 14 hour runtime comes with Eco Mode at 2.5 W, so full 5 W transmitting will give less.
From our buying guide
Standard Horizon says range depends far more on the antenna than on transmit power, and that a handheld on its stock antenna at sea level may only reach a mile or two. It has its own battery and antenna, so it keeps working if the boat's power fails.
Check before you buy:
- It has DSC and GPS if you want a distress button that sends your position, since handhelds are not required to have DSC.
- The waterproof rating comes with the maker's depth and time, since IPX8 has no fixed depth or time.
- The maker says it floats on its own, since some float only in an optional case.