Tom Tieman

You cannot easily down load the Maptech maps into the Garmin, but it can be done if you are very determined. http://www.gpsinformation.org/adamnewham/a...1/gpsmapper.htm Note: I am not recommending this site, it is just a link to show what is posible. I think this is too much work and too risky to try.

Wow! Thanks!! Very easy to set up, I wonder what else I've been missing!

I like this idea for another reasond too: the M72 does not have weather alerts. The backup radio could be stored in back of the seat, within ear shot and on, leaving the more powerfull M72 on the pfd and at full charge at all times.

Thanks for all the advice. Is there a AA battery tray for the M72? I found one for the M88 on the internet, (BP-226 - Battery Case for 5 AA Batteries - M88) but not for the M72. I'd get one for backup because my GPS, lights and cell phone all use AA.

I agree, and I do test all of the other equipment I have except the radio transmit. I don't know how to properly test it. Perhaps you can make some suggestions. The people I paddle with do not have radios, although I'm trying to change that. The test would ideally involve asking random strangers to help. (and how close to you mouth you need to hold the radio) I've used handheld radios on construction sites and thought the technique would be the same. I think I have some sense of coverage because I have a cell phone and it fails all the time! In an emergency situation, what else can you do but get into "line of sight"? Do you test for coverage or have you learned from everyday use? Do you keep your radio on or off most of the time when you are in a kayak? The concensus from the people I've talked to is to keep it off to conserve batteries. This summer, I had the chance to go up the Bold Coast to Lubec (from Cross Island) and decided against it. There were two main factors in that decision: 1. The tides are ~10ft at Cross and ~20+ feet at Lubec, and it was a full moon! 2. I was not sure if I would be able to raise another radio, either on shore or a lobster boat. My intuition told me that I'd ride the current and have a fun, easy day! But, I had no basis to know how much impact the following seas (even on a calm day) would have on my boat. I knew that I'd have to do the 20+ miles on the incoming tide. I also was not sure if there is enough boat traffic to depend on the radio. The Bold Coast is so named because it is one long cliff, with only a few places to hide. There are a lot of ways to block a signal!

Last year, I bought an Icom M72 because of the advice on this board. I took it on Maine Island Trail this summer, 66 days on the water! The radio has worked flawlessly, although I rarely used it. I only used it once to transmit, but the other party forgot to turn their radio on, so I don't know how well it worked. A friend of mine wants to buy a radio and asked for advice. I was inclined to simply recommend this radio, but wondered if anyone here had any advice. Thanks in advance!