High-End VHF Radios: Icom and Standard Horizon Get Top Honors

Strong performance and a long list of features make the Icom M602 our top pick. For $175 less, the Standard Horizon Quantum GX2360S nearly equals the Icom's performance and features, making it a Best Buy.

For over a decade, Icom has dominated in Practical Sailor's VHF radio testing. This time around was no different, with the M602, above, racking up the best numbers yet again.

Our last VHF radio test (July 15, 2005) covered basic fixed-mount units designed to get the job done inexpensively with little in the of way frills. Now, we're moving to the other end of the spectrum. This round of VHF radio testing and evaluation centers on the bigger, feature-rich radios at the pinnacle of each participating manufacturer's product line. Sophisticated DSC features, built-in hailers with automatic foghorn capabilities, alphanumeric keypads to quickly select functions or enter data, and superior transceiver performance are needed to be competitive in this group. …