From my experience, there is no better radio made than Icom. It is the ultimate in quality although pricey. I agree on the lithium battery. That is the only way to go. I use lithium AA's in my iFinder Hunt Lowrance GPS and they last for MONTHS.
They cost about two bucks each but they are worth it. Getting where you can't get them at Wally World without undergoing a security check due to the meth cooks. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />