We last reported on handheld VHF radios in an October 2006 review of eight units priced under $175. The Uniden MHS350 ($150) took top honors, while the Standard Horizon HX270S ($100) was selected as the Practical Sailor Budget Buy. Two Icom radios—the IC-M32 and the IC-M2A—were also tested, but their short battery lives kept them out of the winner’s circle.

Since that review, Icom has replaced the IC-M32 with a totally redesigned handheld that floats: the IC-M34. We put it through the same tests as the handhelds reviewed in 2006, following the required 14-hour charge with the supplied AC charger. …