Via one its dealerships, Entel has supplied HT640 radios to the Southbourne/ Bournemouth Surf Life Saving Unit, a registered charity located on the south coast.  The unit’s trained life savers purchased their rescue boat with the aid of a Lottery grant in 1998 but needed a reliable and fully submersible VHF marine radio to co-ordinate rescue missions.

Describing the HT640 as the “Volvo” of marine radios, the Life Saving Unit’s Richard Stepien told Entel: “I personally like the size and the robust construction, not to mention the ease of attaching the various accessories”, adding “The life of the battery and charging time are very good indeed.”  These were the deciding factors when comparing the Entel HT640 with the other main contender, the ICOM IC-M31.

Richard and his team were sceptical at first whether Entel’s CMP640 remote speaker microphone would be heard above the roar of the surf, but were surprised at the clarity and volume of messages transmitted and received.  The CMP640, like the HT640 transceiver, is fully submersible – essential in rough seas.