Need to replace Marine Radio

[pnwrick]

My radio has failed and I need to replace it. I have a Raymarine E120 system and will be replacing it next year. I am looking at a ICOM M605. I like that the radio is a standalone unit with GPS, AIS. With this unit I do not have to hook up to the old NEMA 0183 but is comparable with NEMA 2000.
Is this overkill or is the expense worth it.

Thanks
Rick

 

[Pau Hana]

The Icom 605 is definitely a great radio- but will you use all the functionality it can offer?

2nd bit- looking forward, the E120 is legacy equipment that has marginal N2K abilities. You may want to consider upgrading the nav equipment.

NMEA 0183 is more that adequate for the AIS data.

[CA11] E120 Seatalk1 to NMEA 2000 conversion requirements

 

[pnwrick]

I will be upgrading my electronics next year. In the mean time I need a new radio. I know the unit is pricey but considering the total cost of an upgraded it is small.
I like the idea that if you had a MFD failure the radio can still give you GPS/AIS data in an emergency.

 

[Codger2]

Since you say that you are replacing the E120 next year, most likely you will get something like the Raymarine Axiom that has everything you say you want. A radio like the Icom 506-11 is a great radio without all the bells and whistles of the iCom 605. (Less money too!) It has an auto foghorn program, hailer, etc and ties in with your new Nav equipment. It does not have AIS however but a stand alone AIS transceiver is really the way to go.

BTW, the 506-11 has great sound too!

https://www.google.com/search?q=iCO...UIDygC&biw=1680&bih=901#imgrc=Yhn0jNpoxGGJnM:

 

[tiltrider1]

I’m thinking about buying the M605. I bought a high end Icom in 1995 for my last boat. Never had a radio issue in 18 years. When I sold that boat I thought about taking the radio with me. I didn’t like the radio’s on the new boat. I got a S/H GX2150 for $50 on a close out. I’m really not happy with the radio. One of my issues is the desire to have two independent navigation systems for safety(GX2150 is AIS only), the other issue is to move to nmea 2000(GX2200 is not nmea 2000). A third benefit is one radio but up to 3 mic stations.

 

[ranger58sb]

We've got two M605s, relatively new to us; replaced two M604s that each seemed to have taken an electrical hit with different results. The M605s each included a GPS puck, but we also already had other corrected GPS sources, so only one puck is actually mounted in the boat and it's not actually connected to its radio; just there in case the other GPS source craps out. Seemed to work well enough when we tested with it, but I wasn't able to determine whether it accesses the WAAS correction signal or not...

We don't have the AIS option (already had it, separately) so can't comment on that.

Otherwise, we like the 605s well enough. I'm still learning the different menuing system, for faster switching between hailer and radio and so forth... but it's not difficult, just different from the 604s...

-Chris

 

[DDW]

GPS receivers are nearly a dime a dozen - you can have 10 backups for the price of a month of lattes. But I'd go with a standalone AIS tranceiver - especially if the Oak Harbor you are from is the one in the PNW. Lots of traffic there, lots of fog. Let others know you are there.

 

[Codger2]

But I'd go with a standalone AIS tranceiver -

They cost a little more but are well worth it!

 

[bowball]

Has anyone looked at the new Icom M510? Looks like a good feature set except for needing a separate box for connecting to NMEA 2000 and the hailer. Not sure why they didn't build a connection in.