ICOM M506 price drop

willk · 23 February 2015, 17:24

ICOM have finally seen sense on the price of their VHF/AIS/NMEA2000 kit:

Fixed VHF: Icom IC-M506 Fixed VHF / DSC Radio with Built in AIS and NMEA 2000 (M506)

Wibs · 23 February 2015, 17:46

Noooooooooooo

I've just shelled out on a M423, considered the 506, but the price put me off.

Maybe something to do with the new model coming out in March with the built in GPS.?

Daniel · 24 February 2015, 15:07

There is also a lesser known 506 without ais but with nmea 2000 at under 300 plus vat

willk · 24 February 2015, 16:24

Just an extra observation: The M506 supports NMEA0183 and 2000 - however, the AIS data is only exported to plotters over NMEA2000. That said, it is shown on the dot matrix display on the unit itself.

There is a flush mount kit included in the box.

Ovey · 24 February 2015, 16:32

It's still way more expensive than the Lowrance Link 8 which also has AIS and NMEA2000. Just saying.......

willk · 24 February 2015, 16:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ovey

It's still way more expensive than the Lowrance Link 8 which also has AIS and NMEA2000. Just saying.......

Yeah, for sure. I'm not selling them, just spreading the love

There are a couple of things though. First off is build quality. I've had my mitts on both and there is a noticeable tactile difference - the Icom just feels sturdier. It also has a higher IP rating than either the Lowrance or the Standard Horizon. The "playback" feature also appeals to me - I often miss a call and would love to hear it again. So a few extra benefits for the few extra quid.

willk · 24 February 2015, 16:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Yeah, for sure. I'm not selling them,...

Hey, I wonder if I keep this up would they comp me one?

Poly · 24 February 2015, 17:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

Hey, I wonder if I keep this up would they comp me one?

All your Redbay tarting never got you a free Redbay - and you really work at that - so I doubt it ;-)

But you might get a loan of one for a weekend if you try hard enough and promise not to break it off the side of Gigha!

kerny · 24 February 2015, 18:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

All your Redbay tarting never got you a free Redbay - and you really work at that - so I doubt it ;-)

willk · 24 February 2015, 18:20

The Airmiles were pretty impressive though!

Ovey · 24 February 2015, 20:07

Quote:

Originally Posted by willk

There are a couple of things though. First off is build quality. I've had my mitts on both and there is a noticeable tactile difference - the Icom just feels sturdier. It also has a higher IP rating than either the Lowrance or the Standard Horizon. The "playback" feature also appeals to me - I often miss a call and would love to hear it again. So a few extra benefits for the few extra quid.

I fitted my Lowrance a couple of months back so have yet to test it at sea and I've not seen the Icom in the flesh so I can't argue.

Hopefully the course of the season will prove it one way or the other!

Sent from my iPhone using RIB Net

Pikey Dave · 24 February 2015, 20:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daniel

There is also a lesser known 506 without ais but with nmea 2000 at under 300 plus vat

Interesting!!! I had a long discussion with the Icom bods at the boat show. I want to fit a 506 to my boat, along with a digital yacht ait2000 class b transponder, they (icom) were worried that the 506 might see the transponder & assume we were on a collision course with ourselves, a sort of AIS feed back loop. They went away to run some tests, they never mentioned a 506 without the ais receiver

.....sh1t happens.......

ShinyShoe · 24 February 2015, 21:02

I seem to recall that if the MMSI is set correctly in both as the same it will ignore... ...part of the spec. Bear in mind big boys may well have redundant kit

Pikey Dave · 24 February 2015, 21:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

I seem to recall that if the MMSI is set correctly in both as the same it will ignore... ...part of the spec. Bear in mind big boys may well have redundant kit

Sounds reasonable

.....sh1t happens.......

Erin · 01 March 2015, 19:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Interesting!!! I had a long discussion with the Icom bods at the boat show. I want to fit a 506 to my boat, along with a digital yacht ait2000 class b transponder, they (icom) were worried that the 506 might see the transponder & assume we were on a collision course with ourselves, a sort of AIS feed back loop. They went away to run some tests, they never mentioned a 506 without the ais receiver

.....sh1t happens.......

'Twas a problem with some early Garmin AIS units setting their own plotter collision alarms off. Resolved with a software update tho.

Daniel · 11 March 2015, 17:28

The 506 price reductions have filtered down to the smaller dealers like me now.

The basic isn't infact that much cheaper but if you've already got ais or have a transponder is a small saving.

Personally - on my own rib - am fitting the model with ais and keeping the transponder as a separate stand alone system.

506 basic (nmea 2000; no AIS) £325 delivered

506 std (nmea 2000 and AIS) £350 delivered

These prices incl. VAT for any commercial customers

Captain Crash · 24 June 2015, 20:45

Just got my M506 and am a bit puzzled how to flush-mount it.

When you slot it into the specified 157 x 93.4mm hole, it sits proud of the console leaving about a 4mm gap between the console and the radio's rubber surround. Am I doing something stupid? (Probably)

willk · 24 June 2015, 21:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captain Crash

Just got my M506 and am a bit puzzled how to flush-mount it.

When you slot it into the specified 157 x 93.4mm hole, it sits proud of the console leaving about a 4mm gap between the console and the radio's rubber surround. Am I doing something stupid? (Probably)

I seem to recall that there is a flange on the rubber surround, so the sealing surfaces are indeed, out of sight behind the fascia. I put a good bead of sika down and neatly cleaned off the excess. Odd design I thought, but maybe the thinking is that it doesn't even need sealing?? I'm a belt and braces kinda guy....

Captain Crash · 24 June 2015, 21:51

Thanks, you recall correctly.

Guess I'm used to the Raymarine set-up which doesn't need any sika. That makes it very quick to get the radio out when it needs to go back for repair, which is frequent with Raymarine!

Pikey Dave · 24 June 2015, 22:02

If you use the "proper" flush mounting kit, instead of the free bits of plastic supplied, the radio is pulled down onto the rubber gasket. Saying that, I used the proper kit & still ran a very thin bead of Sika around the hole.