Keeping water out of M71

[Graham T]

Does anyone with an I-com M71 radio smear di-electric grease between the radio body and battery edges where they mate together ? or try to seal this compartment in other ways.

[andyE]

NO, have had a second hand M71 for 3 years, with no problems.

[Skerryvore]

Hi also had same for 4 years and after every use I remove battery & do find small droplets in back of radio however after drying and letting air into have not had any problems.

[Fast Pat]

Have had eight of them at work (run a marina and watersports centre) for the last 4+ years, used daily. Have never applied any grease or similar, the battery contacts do corrode but we just buy new batteries.

After replacing VHF's on an annual basis the ICOMs are ones I really rate.

[Graham T]

Thanks for the replies are these radios naked or kept in Aquapacs ? I have read of pros and cons of sweating bags but am leaning towards using a bag against my previous judgment

[MikeB]

A bag is quite likely to kill it. Well documented stories of this. The seal between the battery terminals (not the charging ones, the battery to radio body interface) deals with any water. Mike.

[Graham T]

as with water proof breathable clothing I realise water proof does not mean vapour proof which is the risk/downside of a bag, but if this is overcome then keeping the radio in a bag has the potential advantages of keeping the radio afloat. Avoiding corrosion which I have heard of to the aerial connection, the battery terminals however small on this radio, and the corrosion I have read of with the one/off knob. Reduced back ground noise from wind, and no need to expel water from the mic before use.
If the radio and perhaps bag are kept in a warm dry place like the airing cuboard then condensation should not occur

[MikeB]

as with water proof breathable clothing I realise water proof does not mean vapour proof which is the risk/downside of a bag, but if this is overcome then keeping the radio in a bag has the potential advantages of keeping the radio afloat.

Lanyard - -

Avoiding corrosion which I have heard of to the aerial connection, the battery terminals however small on this radio, and the corrosion I have read of with the one/off knob.

Never had any probs in the 4(?) years I've had mine, and it lives in the external pocket on my BA. The terminals dont corrode although they will, over time, oxidise a little - easily removed with an eraser. No probs with the rotary switch on this model, although yes, there is minimal corrosion evident on the aerial to radio interface which is easily dealt with by using switch lube.

Reduced back ground noise from wind, and no need to expel water from the mic before use.

There's no need to expel water before use - its from the speaker anyway, not the mic. The bag will muffle the mic and the speaker somewhat anyway.

If the radio and perhaps bag are kept in a warm dry place like the airing cuboard then condensation should not occur

But the air in the bag will still expand / contract when it's exposed to the temp extremes of normal use. Thats the problem. I use an Ortleib map case, which is packed at home, so it's dry, as is the map. All the air possible is expelled with a sheet of thick plastic. It still expands in use in the sunshine.

But I'm no expert on such things, merely quoting the stories others have told "here", and my own experience. Hope this helps.

[Graham T]

Thanks Mike I will look up "switch lube" for the aerial connection.
I am less than happy with my experiences of the M33 and having now got the M71 plan to take those precautions that may help any chance of further grief, despite the good reports on this model.
I am surprised though that the instructions are to charge the radio for 11 hours or what ever yet the battery on mine arrived with a full charge, hardly the right situation in my opinion. If this is because the battery chemistry has changed ie from nicad or Nimh to Lion then they might not have updated the instructions.

Mike are you saying that the problem with the bags is not that the vapour enters where a droplet will not but the changing pressure appears to pump vapour around the bag and into the electronics ?
Bit of a concern for me as I have also bought my first GPS unit and although water proof the IPX7 rating as others have said is unlikely to cope with a surf arrival or similar.

[Grahamd]

I have had a M71 for 18 months and generally have no problems with it. However, the rotary on/off switch does get stiff every now and then, which I think must be down to corrosion. I free it up with a drop of WD40 and put a little silican grease around it.