Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
Dave Silva (WL7CMG)
on
September 11, 2004
View comments about this article!
Yesterday I was looking around on RigPix.com and was very surprised to see a listing there for...yes, a 756Pro3. Clicked on the link and sure'nuff up jumps a picture of the thing. All I could tell from that was the scope was different, i.e. looks like half of it is an analyzer.
Well I hadn't heard or read anything about it so I decided to email Icom America. They replied by saying, "This is a rumor, not a fact. When (or if) the home company in Japan says it's real, it's just a dream until then. We don't have any information about this, so if it becomes a reality, we'll post it on our website for all to see...."
After reading that I thought to myself, that's odd when there's a picture of the dang thing right there for all to see. Is it a fake? See for yourself.
In the meantime, while waiting for Icom's response, I emailed Jim at Burghardt's asking him if he had heard anything about it? His prompt reply (like always), "Pricing will be around $3000.00. Available in November/December."
So there you have it. That's all I know. I was real surprised that I never saw any mention about it here on eHam, or heard anything on the bands. Did I miss it? I'll be curious to read about what all of you have heard?
If it is indeed a reality, will this be an Icom "trend?" Will there be a 756Pro...3...4...5...etc??? Hi!!!
73 from Alaska
Dave / WL7CMG
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756PRO...3!!! Rumor or Reality?
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by OLDFART13 on August 29, 2004
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http://www.icomamerica.com/products/amateur/756proIII/
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/3756.html
http://www.qsl.net/kk5dr/PROIII.htm
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W4CBL on September 11, 2004
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Gigaparts reports that ProII's are out of production and supplies are getting scarce. They report that ProIII's coming out soon.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by WIRELESS on September 11, 2004
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Universal Radio has a picture of it along with its list price.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by NX5W on September 11, 2004
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I have heard that there is in fact a 756PROIII in production and waiting approval from the FCC. Hope that it does come true. Also that there is suppose to be a "756PROIV" also out there that will be marketed later in 2005.
73', Darryl, NX5W
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by VU2WE on September 11, 2004
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Well, Icom tells you all about it on their website with a nice photo as well!
http://www.icomamerica.com/products/amateur/756proIII/
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W1BAK on September 11, 2004
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$3000??? Another rig for the wealthy. When are they going to cater to us poor folks?
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by NI0C on September 11, 2004
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W1BAK,
Have you heard of the IC-718? It's reported to be a mighty fine transceiver at one-fourth the projected cost of the PRO3.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K4KAL on September 11, 2004
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The words been out for a while now. Icom Japan had it on there website first, and now its on the US Website. I here it will be available for sale by November this year. About $2800.00 US. Now... Is it worth upgrading from a PROII to a PROIII? Lots of discussion on the 756PRO Yahoo Groups. Just not sure if there is enough there to go to this model, or wait for the PROIV. Word out is they are no longer making the PROII, so what the dealers have is basically it!
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K4IA on September 11, 2004
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So glad I dumped Icom in favor of the Orion.
My updates are free.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W8RCA on September 11, 2004
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K4IA,
I'm so glad you're happy. I'll sleep so much better tonight, knowing you're content and satisfied.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W8JJI on September 11, 2004
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PRO IV ???
Hopefully this will be the 200 watt version.
If so , I'm getting one.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W8KQE on September 11, 2004
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My original IC-756 is still going strong, and I love it! Anyone else still using the original model 756?
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N4ZW on September 11, 2004
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K4IA
Amen, Brother!! Wonder if there is a "Son of Pro" in the works :))
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by WL7CMG on September 11, 2004
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Hi All.......
Just so you know....I wrote this article almost a month ago. I guess there are so many articles submitted that it takes this long for eham to go through them and decide if they want to post them for all to see. Back then I had heard nothing about the Pro3. Since then I, as well as many of you have, as I can see from your posts. If my article would have been posted back then I'm sure all of us would have been wondering. But I guess that's what happens whenever you submit an article here at eham. Not that it matters I guess.
73s.....
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K4JSR on September 11, 2004
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There will be as many Pros as there are "Rocky" flix!
Sigh!
If the economy is as bad as Kerry says it is, who is
buying all of these high dollar toys?
73, Cal K4JSR
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N1ZZZ on September 11, 2004
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If you were "rich" you would bypass the Pro series altogether and get a 7800.
As for me, I do well enough with my meager antennas and my 746.
73
Jeremy N1ZZZ
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KY1V on September 11, 2004
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>>>W1BAK
>>>$3000??? Another rig for the wealthy. When are they going to cater to us poor folks?
They already do...
http://www.texastowers.com/ic746pro.htm
IC-746PRO $1289
http://www.texastowers.com/ic706g.htm
IC-706MK2G $749
http://www.texastowers.com/ic703.htm
IC-703 $409
Sorry, I couldn't pass that one up...<grin>
David ~ KY1V
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K6KDK on September 11, 2004
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Icom is just "churning the market" by making minor mods and then it becomes a "new radio". This is very unfair to the customer. Not only are you denied the imporvements of the new rig, you are suffering a loss of value as each rigs resale price is depressed further on the used market. Consider an updateable radio like the Orion or Elecraft before jumping on the marketing bandwagon at Icom. Also look closely at the Icom Specs as revieved an impartial lab. You will find that there are many current and used rigs that outperform the PRO3-4-5-? by a wide margin. One of the most amazing examples is Icoms own 751A (a radio that has not been produced since 1993!) has better MDS than the PRO III,.. I think Icom is mostly under the internal corperate control of some very clever marketing types, and the technical crew is just forced to "go along with it"
-Dan K6KDK
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N2NFG on September 11, 2004
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Typical answer from ICOM America. Back in the early 90's I was agonizing over either a new ICOM 751A or the newly released KENWOOD 850. I had heard rumors that the 751A was going to be discontinued, so I called ICOM AMERICA to confirm this. They said "ICOM has no plans in the near future to discontinue the 751A". So I bought one. Less than a month later the 751A was discontinued. I figured that they flat out lied to me. I don't regret at all getting the 751A, but if they had told me the truth, I could have waited a bit longer and saved about $200.00 by getting a closeout price. Oh well, lesson learned. ICOM America is apparantly still a useless source of information.
73, Bob
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KD5OWO on September 11, 2004
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Tho I cannot afford a new Icom rig other then my IC-718, I really like the Pro3. Icom is my first choice for HF rigs, they are quality radios, and tho they might be pricy, its well worth it..
+Steve/KD5OWO
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I am a marketing guy, by profession
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by KZ1X on September 11, 2004
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The PRO III is similar to the PRO II with the addition of the tracking front end, more filter controls, a more flexible voice keyer, and a few other odds and ends improvements.
I went from an original 756 to a PRO II -- but will stop there. I have an Elecraft K2 which competes well with / beats even the PRO III, and the features and so forth in the PRO II are all I need for my general station use. The 'PRO missed certain functionality, which was the impetus for the PRO II; actually, the 'II was an "interim radio" that ended up being on the market longer than I suspect was originally intended.
It was necessary for Icom to move the 756 upmarket, to "give room" to the 746PRO. The top-end contester's rig is the 7800, so, for this first time in a while, Icom has a full lineup of HF rigs at the traditional pricepoints (adjusted for inflation, anyway).
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by NN6EE on September 11, 2004
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Gentlemen,
I purchased my IC-756PRO about 3yrs ago and it has worked FLAWLESSLY since. But what really ticked me off was about 4mo. later they brought out the PRO2. If you wanna keep up with the "JONESes" you can't be a day-late and a dollar short!!! :-))) Though as I remember when the PRO2 came out it was a coupla $$$ less than my PRO.
You just can't win! But if either ICOM or YAESU think that I or anyone else, of moderate means, is going to part with between $10,599.99 to $13,000 for a super rig? NOT!!! :-)))
Jim/ee
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N4ARI on September 11, 2004
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With margins being so tight, ICOM, Yaesu, Kenwood must market the products right. They need to refresh the models (like cars) every couple years. You will have to buy what you want, when you want KNOWING full well it will be gone in a couple years.
The only exception is a firmware upgradable radio such as the Orion.
Choose your path.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W0SCB on September 11, 2004
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Well, I have no doubt it's going to pass FCC and become reality, but after a DOA 746pro, the replacement has been good, I ventured into a 756proII. To make a long story short after many months, returns and being told by the IA repair supervisor that I was nutz, a call to IA's Presidents office and a second Icom authorized facility agreed it was defective and I got my money back after 7 months. I can't blame Icom for the dealer's 'We just sell em' attitude, but can blame them for a) A DOA radio b) not fixing it multiple times c) Not offering a new replacement (offered me a refurb) after 5 months and d) Being hard to get ahold of until you ask for the presidents office. Sicko me I've been considering a ProIII and forgiving them; being neither Y or K have a realtime scope in a current realworld product; but I'm leaning towards the Ten-tec ($1k more; ouch). I don't mind paying if it works, and can even deal with the occaisional defect if it's handled professionally and promptly. Is that too much to ask?
73's
Sean
W0SCB
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W7TDC on September 11, 2004
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Okay...I don't understand this "id get one if it was a 200watt version. Why dont you people understand that another 100 watts is not going to make much of a difference. Instead of paying a lot more for another 100 watts, why dont you just go buy a 600w, 1kw, or 1.5kw amplifier???? They are very reliable, and work great! And nobody can say that a K2 or an Orian is better than a PROIII, what I mean by that is look at the features...the K2 doesnt have everything the PROIII has...does it have a big LCD screen with one hell of a scope? That circutry and LCD is very expensive, that is what makes radios expensive. I'm a visual person, I would spend more money to get a PROIII that "SHOWS" me what is going on in the bands, than a k2 or orian that I have to listen to see what is going on. Im not saying there is anything wrong with listening, but I just prefer to see things as they are happening. Besides..a PROIII is just a sexy rig..i mean, look at the thing, you have to admit :). The reason IA deny's things is because of the same reason every other company that makes products does. They have release dates, untill that date nobody says a word. Cars are like that, boats are like that...why is everyone so surprised at this? Think about computers..you go spend 1000 on one and a week later Intel comes out with a chip that is 1.5 times as fast. This should be a surprise to everying..the amateur market is simply like every other market out there...i agree sometimes it sucks, but thats how every other market is. The reason for not having a 200watt version is because not a lot of people want it. It improves your signal a very small amount, and makes the radio case quite a bit larger, so they figure, if they want the same size as a proII, then they would have to take out the antenna tuner filtering circuits..key bells and whistles like that to make room for another PA board. You need to think from a companies point of view...they ask a lot of hams about improvments, spend a lot of time in R&D to get a radio taylored to the rag-chewer and contesters needs...its a bigger and more in depth process than you may think. Anyway, just thought I would get my 2 cents in. 73's. Trevor, W7TDC
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K9KJM on September 12, 2004
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The Icom 756PRO and PRO II are indeed great radios.
And as mentioned, The new Icom 718 is also a really great value/performance rig for the money!
I have owned and enjoyed lots of fine Icom radios over the years, But want to send a warning: I waited well over a YEAR for the "new" Icom 2720H to come to market
After it was announced.
(Thinking it would simply be an upgraded version of the good old Icom 2710, But with digital squelch.....)
WRONG! I got one of the first of these piles of crap
and was never happier than when I finally got rid of it! So much for being a one brand person. I got the
New Yaesu FT8800 to replace the junk IC 2720. The Yaesu FT8800 does all the things the 2720 was supposed to........
Just a warning, Be careful before you plunk down the dollars thinking the "new" one will be just like the old one only better................
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KA4KOE on September 12, 2004
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The PRO has bad intermod problems on the upper bands. For that reason I will probably trade up to a PRO2.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by WIRELESS on September 12, 2004
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Icom should fix their current radios before coming out with new ones. I used to think Icom produced excellent quality products. Now, I am not so sure. Their 756 and 746 lines had more than acceptable problems for too many buyers. Icom is going to have to prove themselves before I buy another Icom rig.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W7TDC on September 12, 2004
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Im curious what your problem with the 2720 was. I have had one for over a year and absolutly love it.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KG4RGN on September 12, 2004
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IC 2720, I am on my 3 transceiver......finals keeped blowing...and my swr was < 1.3. I have had the replacement now for over a year...so far so good.......
If I had to spend money on a new HF rig, Kenwood would get my vote only because of service....less then 7 day turn around on a broken HT. Icom over 40 days.....what does that tell you?
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W7TDC on September 12, 2004
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You must have caught Icom during a bad time when a few service guys were on vacation or something because I have sent one radio back to icom for a problem I created myself and I had it back the same week. They had to resolder some new components. One thing Icom is known for is a fast service department. I have a few friends that over the years have sent a rig back to Icom and also got it back in about one week. I had a yaesu FT-8100 that I had to send back 3 times and it still wasnt fixed..was gone 30 days each time.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N4VOX on September 12, 2004
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Only a real sucker that wants to be taken sets out to buy a ford or chevrolet or a Kenwood or Icom. I own one of almost all brands of hf radios. When I bought each one, I figured out in advance what I wanted that radio to do, and then searched all brands to find which ones would perform the task and then which was the best bargain. Then I buy it. I have never sold an hf, as they all perform the task that i wanted. And each brand has to be competitive to ever get my money. Gill, N4VOX
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N8FVJ on September 12, 2004
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Of course a new PROIII is coming. Ten Tec outgunned Icom with their new high-end transceiver.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by WB2WIK on September 12, 2004
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The Pro-II has a well deserved excellent reputation for performance:cost and is hugely popular. I hope its successor is indeed real, and couldn't care less what it costs -- the more, the better.
Reason is, I probably wouldn't buy one "new," anyway. If the Pro-III clobbers the II in performance, the resale value of the II will drop like a rock, and then I can probably buy two of them used for what one would cost today.
Makes me happy!
"On the trailing edge of ham gear technology," WB2WIK/6
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K3KZ on September 12, 2004
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...and when are they going to make a nice 65 foot ocean-going yacht that the average man (like me) can afford ? Doesn't seem right that the people who have more money than I do get to spend it on things that cost more than I can afford ........hmmmmmm....maybe I should give this issue a little more thought !
73 to most
Malcolm, K3KZ
St. Michaels, MD
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KT0DD on September 12, 2004
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W7TDC Wrote:>
And nobody can say that a K2 or an Orian is better than a PROIII, what I mean by that is look at the features...the K2 doesnt have everything the PROIII has...does it have a big LCD screen with one hell of a scope? That circutry and LCD is very expensive, that is what makes radios expensive. I'm a visual person, I would spend more money to get a PROIII that "SHOWS" me what is going on in the bands, than a k2 or orian that I have to listen to see what is going on.
Try looking the Pro II & Ten Tec Orion up at:
www.sherweng.com/presentation.html.
Sorry, But dynamic range wise, the Ten Tec Orion is MUCH better than the Pro II is. Slot machine type features won't help you much if you can't hear em in the first place. 73.
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by KT0DD on September 12, 2004
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OOPS... I forgot to add that the Orion is beating even the $10 Kilobuck IC-7800 at signal spacings of 2khz or less. (You got crowded conditions or strong ham neighbors?) When I pay big money, It's the performance that counts to me. 73.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K0RFD on September 12, 2004
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W7TDC Wrote:
>And nobody can say that a K2 or an Orian is better
>than a PROIII
That's true, because the ProIII only exists in the form of a brochure on Icom's web site. When a real radio ships, it can be compared to others.
The best part about Icom coming out with new "model so-and-so" radios every year is that they drive down the price of the old models in the used market. They're good radios, better so at a bargain price. But Icom sure doesn't help its own resale value with the radio-of-the-year approach. Oh well, I guess as long as they make money, they don't care.
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by N0FQN on September 12, 2004
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Glad I sold my 756Pro. I'll stick with my 765. It still stands up well and the review figures tell the story. Icom seems to becoming the microsoft of ham radio. Build another rendition and add few goodies but, don't fix the problems. The way there going I'd wait. In a couple of years will see the Pro LCXVII!!!
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by OBSERVER on September 13, 2004
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Lets see is Ten-Tec's top end radio the Orien, Orian, Oriun or Orion. Get it straight folks its called the ORION.
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PROIII???
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by KB3KAQ on September 13, 2004
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i have used the Orion and K2. the Orion has a cheap construction feel when compared to the Japanese boxes. the K2 is woefully small for my large fingers.
when i was in the market for an HF rig, i debated the topic for a few months. it came down to either the PROII or the FT-1000MP (not the new Mark V). the PROII won with the DSP filters, the scope, and the easy of use considering i already have a 746PRO.
2 months after i bought the PROII, here comes the PROIII. maybe i can pickup a second PROII for SO2R! that's about the only thing i see good about the new rig, cheaper used PROII's.
-steve
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N0IU on September 13, 2004
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George W8KQE,
My first Icom rig was a 756 "Classic" (as Icom called it) to which I added the two 500 Hz CW filters. This combination cost me somewhere close to $2,500.00 and worked very well.
The the PRO came out and then the PRO2. When the price of the PRO dropped to less than $2,000.00 I couldn't stand it any more. I ended up selling my "Classic" to a member of the U.S. Diplomatic Corps in Kirgestan!
73,
de Scott NØIU
http://www.qsl.net/n0iu
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W7TDC on September 13, 2004
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It tells me that kenwood is not selling radios, if there service department can
turn a radio around in 7 days. You can see the proof at every hamfest
as the booth is usually empty, especially on the east coast. Heck, the
Kenwood rep doesn't even stay in his booth.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by NF6V on September 13, 2004
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What's up with the screen saver feature on the Pro3?
Is there a "burn-in" problem with the screen on the Pro2? I leave my rig on almost all day and night. Am I going to have a screen burn-in problem?
Steve NF6V
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by NI0C on September 13, 2004
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""On the trailing edge of ham gear technology," WB2WIK/6"
Me too, Steve. I purchased my TS-850S when Kenwood came out with the 870. My next move will probably
be to look for a Ten-Tec OMNI-VI+.
73 de Chuck NI0C
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by K7PEH on September 13, 2004
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Some of the comments "pooh-pooh" this new PRO III by saying it is new dressing for an old rig or just some kind of marketing ploy.
Yes, that is probably right. And, I hope ICOM continues these smart marketing and sales gimmicks as the means of staying in this business.
ICOM could probably survive without the amateur radio business. Maybe their bottom line would be better. I think that there is more than just plain business reasons that keep ICOM plugging away and turning out products even if they are just model enhancements. Actually, they just came out with the 7800 which is more than an enhancement -- you can't do this every year.
However, the amateur marketplace is probably saturatated. That means that staying in business means selling the same thing over again to the same customers. Everyone knows that the software business has been doing this for years and even the cell phone business has gotten onto the same band wagon.
But, I say whatever works to stay in this business. New equipment like the 756 PRO III will cause a trickle down type disturbance. People will buy it because they are ready to buy something, not because they absolutely need it. And, those people will sell their existing rigs that others will buy. My own "classic" 756 is second-hand and I am planning to buy a new rig this next year and it may be the PRO III. Who knows, maybe it will be the 7800. I have not made up my mind and don't intend to for awhile.
So, let's not bad mouth ICOM for doing the smart business thing. You can bad mouth them for other reasons but here I think they are doing something right in order to stay in this business.
phil
K7PEH
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KE4ZHN on September 14, 2004
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Lets hope Icom continues to improve its product line. The better quality radios they market, the more it benefits the entire amateur community. Even if you cant afford one of these rigs new, several years down the road you may be able to find one used for a good price. Im not loyal to any one brand, I pick radios that fit my operating needs. The brand name isnt really important as long as the quality is there. ALL of the big 3 have made lemons at one time or another. You have to pick your rig by its track record. Some were just plain junk from the beginning. Others have stood the test of time and have excellent reputations for reliablity and performance.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K7FD on September 15, 2004
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Save your money; get a K2 and experience the ultimate rig.
73 John K7FD
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by WM7A on September 15, 2004
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HRO in Phoenix says the pro3 may be available next month. Cost $2995.
BTW it just passed FCC testing the end of last week.
John DeRuiter, WM7A
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W9WHE-II on September 15, 2004
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One poster writes:
"This is very unfair to the customer. Not only are you denied the imporvements of the new rig, you are suffering a loss of value as each rigs resale price is depressed further on the used market"
Yep....we should put an end to all technological advancements because its "unfair" to those stuck in the past. Its so unfair when new technology comes along. Just consider all those UNFAIR developments that should have been blocked in the name of "fairness":
1) SSB
2) FM
3) Repeaters
4) Digital filters
5) Auto notch
6) Auto tuners
Yep, we surely do need to block these technological advances......they are SO UNFAIR!
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N2ZN on September 15, 2004
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For the money they want for these rigs, I hope they fix the receiver-the PRO2's hollow DSP swishing sound is godawful. Never heard it in any other radio, IF-DSP or not.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K9ZF on September 15, 2004
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I'm with Steve,
This is great news! Now I may just be able to pick up a proII on the used market someday:-)
Until then, I'm still pretty happy with my old reliable 746 "non-pro".... Going on 5 years service, not a minutes trouble.
73
Dan
K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269
Check out the Rover Resource Page at: http://www.qsl.net/n9rla
List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by K4CMD on September 16, 2004
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How nice they updated a rig that didn't need it.
My question is, when are they going to dump the 746PRO and come out with something more reliable? Isn't that where their upgrading minds should be focusing?
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N8DXR on September 16, 2004
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One of my Elmers made a very interesting observation about Icom when I was in the market for my first "new" (read: modernized enough for contesting) rig.
"Icom makes you feel like a beta tester, what with all the changes they make to their rigs" during their lifetimes, he noted, pointing out the 706 as his example at the time. You spend the $$ for the unit and then out comes another version - and they don't give you the opportunity to send your rig in for the improvements.
PS: ended up buying a Yaesu FT-920 that I am now getting all the accessories for, as part of a promise I made to myself (own at least ONE rig that has all of the available goodies from the mfr).
Next rig - can you say ORION?
I knew you could.
(sweater and tennis shoes mode off)
Thom N8DXR
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W6YNS on September 16, 2004
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Why update something that already works and sells?
Another way of looking at it is the fact that it keeps people at ICOM employed and if a person can afford to purchase the latest and greatest more to them.
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by OLDFART13 on September 16, 2004
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I don't own any Icom gear. All Yeasu and Collins except for cheap little items.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by W7KPQ on September 16, 2004
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Since the new Icom 756 Pro III is going to have a ROOFING FILTER like the Icom 7800 and Ten Tec Orion that is justification in and of itself to purchase one. Plus there are other new goodies to explore. Check this at Icom web site - http://www.icomamerica.com/products/amateur/756proIII/
Improved Third Order Intercept point of +30dBm IC-756PROII IP3 was about +22dBm
5MHz band standard* on all versions Note: USA 5MHz band (5Ch. setting) is open by default. 5MHz band can be enabled for operation in all other versions with a modification.
Same ‘Mini-scope’ function adopted from the IC-7800
SSB Tx bandwidth can be adjusted for both high and low band, not just WIDE/MID/NAR
Improved BPF and 1st filter for reduced distortion
Pre-amp changed to a noiseless feedback type to reduce 2nd order distortion Saturation characteristics of mixer and surrounding circuits improved
Clock function has been added. Displays local time, UTC time etc.
Screensaver function for prolonging LCD life and reducing ‘burn in’ effect.
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by HERTZ on September 17, 2004
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NF6V wrote: "What's up with the screen saver feature on the Pro3? Is there a "burn-in" problem with the screen on the Pro2? I leave my rig on almost all day and night. Am I going to have a screen burn-in problem?"
Steve, chances are you will, especially if you leave the rig on day and night. It will be a few years from now, but it will happen... Same thing with projection TVs and similar devices. Nothing wrong with PROII (or PROIII?) itself.
73s,
Hertz
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RE: Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by N4ARI on September 19, 2004
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W7KPQ wrote:
Since the new Icom 756 Pro III is going to have a ROOFING FILTER like the Icom 7800 and Ten Tec Orion that is justification in and of itself to purchase one. Plus there are other new goodies to explore. Check this at Icom web site - http://www.icomamerica.com/products/amateur/756proIII/
Improved Third Order Intercept point of +30dBm IC-756PROII IP3 was about +22dBm
5MHz band standard* on all versions Note: USA 5MHz band (5Ch. setting) is open by default. 5MHz band can be enabled for operation in all other versions with a modification.
Same ‘Mini-scope’ function adopted from the IC-7800
SSB Tx bandwidth can be adjusted for both high and low band, not just WIDE/MID/NAR
Improved BPF and 1st filter for reduced distortion
Pre-amp changed to a noiseless feedback type to reduce 2nd order distortion Saturation characteristics of mixer and surrounding circuits improved
Clock function has been added. Displays local time, UTC time etc.
Screensaver function for prolonging LCD life and reducing ‘burn in’ effect.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hmmmm, these new PRO3 features (not necessarily benefits) sound like the TenTec Orion and simple firmware updates.
I'll stick with my Orion's proven performance and its regular updates/enhancements.
(My other rigs are the 746PRO and Drake twins)
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by WA2JJH on September 24, 2004
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A DSP rig with out a mininum 4 pole XTAL roofing filter is asking for problems.
There is just so much fancy cpu A/D D/A IF DSP mumbo jumbo can do for the front end.
Drake had it right with a 4KC wide pre-ampless front end. Kenwood had it right with dual selectable XTAL filters.
So I hope the pro-3 uses a roofing filter as good as rigs 10 years younger!
IMO, This over 3K for as rig business is a giant rip off. Look inside a mil spec rig that sells used for 3K.
The difference in construction, along with self diagnostic software makes it worth the money.
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Facts about ICOM or IC-7800
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by HB9DDS on September 29, 2004
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Hello to all IC-7800 and big "$$$" owner.
I tested a little bit the "famous" IC-7800 Transceiver. Here it is:
Fact is:
1. We had a bad 50Hz (from our 220V powerline) tone in the
Headphones/Lautspeaker
2. With the NB OFF we had some very bad noise from a Cow fence.
3. With the NB ON, the noise is limited, but not eliminated
4. With A-B-C comparison with a TS-2000 and a TS-870 we had NO significant RX-
differences between the 3 TRX. Not on 20m, 40M and 80M!
5. On 40M, with a strong BC Station on 7105Khz, all TRX are fighting with nearly
the same
problems.
6. On the Audio side, the IC-7800 has a very good sound, very smooth and warm.
But the
TS-870 is very close, sometimes better, sometimes not.
7. The Filter handling is not very intuitive. It is like the IC-7400/746Pro
8. The Display is sharp, but there are to many infos on the screen. Perhaps we
are not
used to handle this. Perhaps the longer we use it, the better!
9. For me, the digital working, analog looking S-Meter ist NOT my favorite. It
has a bad
dark background.
10. The ANT switch handling ist not user friendly. To push 4 times the button
ist out of
date (not state of the art). It would be better, to have 4 small switches.
11. The hole front panel has, for me, to many knobs and is a little bit
cluttered, means not
so clearly. But NOT bad or so, absolutely NOT!
12. For me, there is NO reason to buy such a high end transceiver. For me, it
has NOT a
good price/value (is this the right word?) relationship (??)
13. In my mind, the TS-870 is really a good transceiver. I would say, in 99%
equal the IC
-7800
14. I think, when you are a CW-MAN, in the other 1% the IC-7800 is really better
in a
contest, when the band is overcrowded. But not on SSB.
To point 2/3:
The TS-2000 has absolutely NO problem with our very bad noise from a Cow fence.
No
noise with NB OFF. The TS-870 has e very little noise noise from a Cow fence
with NB OFF.
With the NB ON, absolutely no noise.
I was very surprised, that the IC-7800 can not handle this. It is/was NOT a NB
problem,
because the noise from a Cow fence was with NB OFF.
So, this is my mind. If you replay to this posting, be objective and not
personally (to me).
Some people can not handle this!!
Resumee: I love my Kenwood TS-870 very much. It is worth every $$.
Daniel, HB9DDS
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Icom 756PRO3! Rumor or Reality?
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by KJ7YL on May 17, 2006
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I think the issue with having a 200 watts version may have to do with the 7800. The 7800 is 200 watts. True the extra 100 watts may not make diffrence.
Truth of the matter is the most important part of any station is the antenna system. I have used 100 watts with my 746 origianl to talk to europe,russia, and the south pacific. The antenna is a ground mounted verticle that is tuning with a very low swr.
The 756pro III is a radio with bells and whistles for sure. Truth be known any radio running 100 watts into a good anntenna system will get just as well as the 756proIII.
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