Which VHF: Navman, Icom or Cobra?

Im looking for a new VHF radio at the mo.
I'm torn over the following models. Im sure most people will tell me to buy the Icom, but it's the most expensive, and doesn't have DSC...
-Navman 7100 DSC VHF Radio - £165 (is this one waterproof????)
-Icom IC-M401Euro Compact Waterproof VHF - £199.95
-Cobra Marine Waterproof DSC VHF Radio F55 - £114.95

Price and waterproofness are my two key concerns.

I'm also looking for an ariel for it; what sort is best for a RIB?

:)

Im sure most people will tell me to buy the Icom, but it's the most expensive, and doesn't have DSC...


How about this one: http://www.yachtinguniverse.com/shop/page13.htm

And no, I'm not on commission! :D

Tim

Have a look at www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7056&highlight=cobra (http://www.rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=7056&highlight=cobra) for viwes on the cobra set.

I believe the navman is as waterproof as they get. i.e. 1/2 hour in a deep puddle. Even Jon brooks rates it!

What about the Raymarine - believe it is the same inside as the Navman but looks much nicer!!!

I have totally ruled out the Cobra but choice is between the Navman/Raymarine and the Icom - decisions decisions!!!!

I really like the look of the Navman. The price too is very attrative.

Louise: that's a very nice Icom - I hadnt seen that one before. However, it's got the same features as the Navman and is £40 more expensive (the price of an ariel!!) and doesn't look as nice IMHO.

Does anyone has any experiance of the Navman?

Tim,

The prices on that site are EXCLUDING VAT! Watch out!

I haven't really looked at VHFs before but when i get a hand held one I think i'll probably go for Icom.

Cheers

Tim

:p Thanks Tim. The doesn't really matter, as I've decided to go for the Navman.

I just relised there is a recent thread on the 7100 on here, and it all sounds good!

£165 including VAT seems quite a good price as well.

Just need an aeriel now!

:cool:

IMVHO ICOM win every time, on quality and service. We run 2 and just doing adeal on our third.

By the way we are not and never have been connected with ICOM !!! (Free baseball cap Jon? ;) )

Brian

:hi:

I would never buy another Icom product as i have had a couple of failures with the ones I have had and I don't want to use em anymore. To this end we have fitted a new Navman 7100 and our repaired Icom 503 euro on the same boat and we will see which one fails first.

What usually happens now is Jon Brooks gives me a good slagging !

tim go to the boat show in jan sure you will find a good deal to be had
go on thursday night get in cheap

dan

tim go to the boat show in jan sure you will find a good deal to be had
go on thursday night get in cheap dan

Yep and most dealers are pi**ed!! :]

Mike

Eventually anything that goes near the sea or in it fails, its a fact of life so deal with it, Navman, Icom buy whatever you like they will all eventually fail......what you really need to consider is the level of after care service with each set you buy !!!

What usually happens now is Jon Brooks gives me a good slagging !

Stuart

I think it is past that now. :D
All I was doing was giving the full facts rather than just "Icom are crap"
Would look a bit one sided and I would be neglegent in my job if I did not.
If I felt it was a true failing of the kit I would back you 100%.
Those that have had gen problems and gen failing of the kit I have bent over backwards to help.

I am sorry you had a bad experience with out kit.
I am sorry that it will stop you buying Icom again.
All our customers are valued by us.

Navman is good kit to, I can't fault it.

If someone say's "Stuart breaks everything he touches" =) =) =)
You will defend your corner too.

Regards

In support of Jon, I am very hapy with my 2 Icom Radios and will definatly buy another.

.......can someone give me a pointer as to what might be causing my vhf to power up ok (all lights lit etc) however it's not transmitting or receiving. It's a fixed Icom M401 with external antenna. All connections look good (ariel - power - earth) etc

I am just reading you reply Me Me which was posted at 1503 but the time now is only 1428? Am I loosing the plot or are we in a different time zone on ribnet??

..........a different time zone as the time now is 14:36 by my watch.

Ah - figured it out, my time zone was set incorrectly.

..........a different time zone as the time now is 14:36 by my watch.

Ah - figured it out, my time zone was set incorrectly.

Must be a Northern thing :D

i have the icom IC-M1EURO V i got second hand from a ribnet member
sorry jon could not aford a new one :D

it works with out fault its a credit to some thing that has been used all its life
and then can be passed on to us poor lot for more use and the serial end in 95 so is it a 1995 unit

by icom you won,t regret it

i think cobra make that nice beer you get down the local curry house :D
its very nice

dan

The Navman came today. I've just finished putting it in. It looks like a nice piece of kit. Only thing I can find wrong with it so far is the "dust cover". This just seems to slip off when I try and put it on. There's no clip or ridge to hold it in place, and with a very smooth surface theres not enough friction to hold it.

Oh well, I will see how it fars when I take it out to sea!

Tim

I have a Navman 7100. It too hada aslippery Cover. What I did was stick a couple of layers of Ducktape on the inside and it sticks very nicely and tightly.

As for build quality. It has got very wet with sea water and still works. It comes with all the extras you could want, Diferent cables and stands etc.

Basically it does the job at a good price.

The only thing i have noticed is that the little spring on the DSC Emergency flap has rusted slightly.So what i have done to this is cover it in Petroleum Jelly.

It works well with the Garmin GPS although the last couple of digits on the Lon/Lat are different. I don't know what this equates to in actual distance but I shoul imagine its only metres.

Let me know how you get on.

The next thing I am going to get for it is a remote speaker because I am getting old and have become partially deaf. Or is it because I've got a Merc 2 stroke !!"!

Great tip that; works a treat!
:)