Actually you can find a refurb Eton E1 for less than USD500 - I would keep an eye on the retailers, such as Universal, that sell them new. They often have a used list, and I know last week they had one used (may not have been a refurb) for around USD350.
This is one time taking a refurb is a good thing. When they go back to Drake for any reason, they seem to take the time to tweak its performance as well. You actually get back a radio that works somewhat better than when you sent it.
73s Mike