Icom Fixed VHFs

What sets fixed VHF sets apart

Beyond basic voice communication, the features that differentiate fixed VHF sets are largely about how they handle DSC distress calling and how they integrate with the rest of the boat. All modern sets support DSC on channel 70, but the ease of entering an MMSI, the number of stored contacts, and whether the set includes AIS receive or a full transceiver built in all vary between models and price points.

Loudhailer and intercom functions, useful for a boat with a flybridge or a separate cockpit station, need a dedicated speaker wired to the radio and are worth checking for before assuming a set has them. Waterproofing to an IPX7 or similar rating matters more on an open helm than a wheelhouse, where the set is exposed to spray and occasional immersion rather than just damp air.

Icom sets generally output NMEA 0183 data and increasingly NMEA 2000 on newer models, so check which your chartplotter expects if you want DSC alerts and position data to show up on the plotter screen rather than only on the radio itself.