The Icom V10MR MURS radio is now available for pre-order

Icom is a well respected brand for quality radio products, and it's no wonder. The company pioneered many developments in amateur radio technology and is well known for its solid and reliable business, airband and marine radios. Now, the company is about to establish itself as a serious player in yet another radio service, with the Icom V10MR license free MURS two way radio!

The Icom V10MR is a 2 watt VHF transceiver built for practically any application or activity requiring short range radio communications. It operates on all five MURS frequencies, which are freely available for use by any business, organization or individual without the need for a license. In other words, this radio can be used by construction crews or campers, hoteliers or hikers, farmers or families, and, well, pretty much everyone, license-free.

The V10MR can be programmed with up to 16 channels, but no programming is required. It can be turned on and used straight out of the package if desired, with no configuration needed. This makes it extremely easy to use by novices or those who are not technically inclined. Yet for those who need more advanced functionality, it can be programmed with optional software, which will appeal to professional users and more seasoned operators as well. This is a radio that's made for everyone to use.

Standard features of the V10MR include channel scan, VOX mode for hands-free operation, companding, two tone and five tone codes and MDC capability for selective calls. It also has a built-in business class speaker that, at 1500mW, is quite loud. This makes it well suited for outdoor use and in noisy environments.

But it doesn't end there. In addition to its core features and hardened shell,  Icom built several advanced safety features into the V10MR. These include a surveillance function and emergency call with open microphone function, programmable Lone Worker and Man Down features, and a built-in motion sensor that can determine the position of the unit and whether or not it's in motion. The radio can even send an emergency signal based on these extreme changes.

As mentioned earlier, the Icom V10MR MURS radio is designed for general purpose use, particularly outdoors. This means it needs to be able to operate in many different types of environments under various operating conditions. Thus, it's a heavy duty radio, built to military 810 G specifications. It is also rated IP67 for dust and water protection, which means it can withstand some pretty harsh weather conditions out in the field.

And if you are still skeptical of its durability, don't be. The V10MR is also backed by a full two year manufacturer warranty from Icom. That alone says a lot about the quality of the radio.

The V10MR is equipped with a waterproof Lithium-ion battery pack to power the radio for up to 16 hours on a single charge under normal operation. This is the same BP-279 battery used by the Icom F1000 and F2000 series radios, on which the V10MR is based.

Although the MURS radio service is limited to a maximum of two watts, it offers several advantages, one of which offsets that power limitation somewhat. This would be the allowance for external antennas. The V10MR features a removable antenna, which allows you to customize your antenna options to your needs, or even connect a remote aerial. This alone can potentially increase the range of the radio considerably, and for a handheld walkie talkie, a lot more than a little higher wattage can accomplish alone.

Overall, the Icom V10MR is a ruggedly built radio designed for almost any type of activity, almost anywhere, by almost anyone, license free. It's priced at $250 MSRP, but we offer it at Buy Two Way Radios for $169 per unit. The V10MR is currently available for pre-order with an expected ship date of December 18, 2020.