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write your own review of the ICOM IC-2800H.
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KB7GJY
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 5, 2009 07:42
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I cant say this radio is just good.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Granted mine has died, it is a great radio, so I am getting it repaired. This thing has been a trooper. It has been in 3 cars and two over the road trucks. I moved it in the the shack, and it still worked great. One day I walked into the shack, and it was off and tried to turn it on, no go. After several tries, still no go. So I bought two radios (minus control heads, due to theft) and powered up no problem.
Now the control head, I think, has gone down hill. I found a service that thinks they can repair it. I am sending in the other radios in to be repaired too, so I have them as spares.
I love the radio and all it does. I have owned this radio for close to 7 years.
ICOM!!!! Bring back the 2800H make it a Mk2 or something.
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K8SV
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 27, 2008 15:26
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Best dual band I've owned
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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As of this writing, I still own this rig. I just installed it in its 3rd vehicle after sitting in a box for 8 months. Bolted everything in, connected cables and power and it plays perfectly. Hands down the best dual band mobile I've owned. I'll be hanging on to it for another 10 years.
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KD5SPJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 6, 2007 12:01
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All around the best dual bander I have seen
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have an IC-2800H and love it. I have had it for about 5 years with absolutely no problems. I Have used it as both a mobile, in three different vehicles, all off roaders, and at home on the bench as a base. In all conditions save for very very cold temps under freezing, to the desert heat here in New Mexico, it always came on immediately and ran great. The very few times it had a slight delay of about 5 seconds to pop the display on was either because the cable was not plugged all the way in on it ir it was very very cold, probably about 0 degrees.
I love the audio, ease of programming, display, and the power. I can't think of anything I don;t like about the radio. I usually use it on mid high power because even on that setting I can hit all the repeaters I ever try to hit. Only once in a while to I turn it up to high to get full quieting on out at the fringe areas.
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N1FCJ
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 31, 2006 17:12
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Great radio but a bit bright at night.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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First, for all those who have display problems (slow to come on or doesn't come on), there is a fix. Replace C38 (47uF) on the controller board and your problems will dissappear. It is at the bottom right hand corner of the board. I am betting a larger value cap would be a better fix but I haven't tried it. I am thinking maybe 100uF will do nicely. I've had my radio for about 6 years with no problems other than the display being slow to come on in cold weather (see above). I have not had the intermod that others complain of. This radio has one of the better receivers of the radios I've used, although the Icom 2400 with its varacter tuned front end is the best ever. If you want an intermod-free radio, try to find one of those (sorry, I'll never sell mine). My only complaints are that the display is too bright at night and the mic cord is too short considering it plugs into the chassis, not the head. The latter can be easily remedied with an extender made from a CAT5 cable and a double female RJ-45 adapter. If you could dim the display more it would have gotten a 5.
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K8APS
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 9, 2006 15:16
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5 years and still going
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I must say that I've had this Icom for at least five years now and I use it regularly and I've had no problems. Yes, in the winter here in Michigan it gets cold and the display does take a few moments to come on... not a problem if you let everything warm up a tad first. The display is a bit bright for driving at night though (now my display is mounted lower, but this was a problem when it was high on the dash). I really like the rig and it has been working well. Lots of great features. I did change the original mic out for the wireless one (although it is being used as wired).
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VA3MKS
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 20, 2005 04:37
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Awesome.. Awesome.. I want another one
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Alright.. here goes...
You get what you pay for.. this radio is awesome. Audio is amazing. Features are great. I bought the programming cable for it off ebay and it's pretty easy to program..
100 channels + on both VFO's for programming! I couldnt fill them all.. over 200 channels total memory.
The only thing that scares me... I live in Toronto, canada... Weather goes down to -20C and more.... Ive been reading posts about the remote head acting up in cold weather... Im thinking I'll take my radio out of the car from NOV to End of march. this baby doesnt deserve to suffer in -20 or -30 deg. weather.. (not only that, the manual says you should keep out of -10C weather.
MANUAL
*** AVIOD using or placing the transeiver in direct sunlight or areas with temperatures below -10C (+14F) or above +60C (140F)****
I use to put a baseball cap over my remote head in the summer.. it makes a great ball cap hanger too!!! (not only that, it prevents people from getting sticky fingers.. I was always worried about people breaking into my car...(but maybe thats just me)-- the remote head is awesome.
Otherwise.. I've been using it with a SB-15 comet and a diamond SG7900 (two of the best high gain mobile antennas) and let me tell you.. This thing gets out.... I can hit repeaters that I never thought I was able to hit... and I'm planning on adding a UHF/VHF amplifier for the 2800h too.. anyway.. It's a great radio..
I would buy again in a second...
Read the manaul.. it makes the radio that much better to use.
73's and dont think twide about the 2800h.. .. just buy it! :P
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AD8BC
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Rating: 2/5
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Jul 15, 2005 06:02
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Liked it very much until display died.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought mine used about 3 years ago and liked it very much. There was one downside -- the display. The most exciting feature of this radio was also it's Achilles heel. In the winter, the backlight would take up to a minute to come on. In the summer, the backlight (and possibly the inverter) makes the radio very hot.
Yesterday I used it on my lunch hour and left it on all afternoon. It overheated. No more backlight.
I took the control head apart and found the LCD still worked if there was a light source behind it. But there was no voltage going to the cold cathode. Plus, the guides that guide the buttons to their switches on the PCB (that surround the display) warped in the heat so the buttons became very sticky.
I intend to replace it with probably a Kenwood V708A, since it uses modular connectors as well and I have already got my car wired with two runs of Cat-5 cable for the Icom's mic and control head... plus Kenwood seems to be the only manufacturer making displays that show more than frequency, memory number, and idiot indicators :-)
All is not lost, I intend on converting my IC-2800 to a base unit, putting in my own cold cathode lamp and a cooling fan.
If you run across one of these radios for sale, I recommend not buying one no matter how cool it looks and functions. You would definitely enjoy using it, for sure, but sooner or later that display is going to crap out on you.
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IZ8FMW
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 6, 2005 00:11
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Very good
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Transceiver,design optimum innovative,very functional thanks to the wide Display to Colori.Unico problem according to me the noisy cooling fan!
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W3NRL
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 10, 2005 08:33
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wished i didnt sell mine
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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i had one and like an idiot i sold it for something else that i thought was better,,, that was not the case (well new one is better but not by much).
So if you have them keep them and if you plan on selling them make darn sure the one that will replace it is by far a much better radio.
just me .02 cents
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M0MRR
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 10, 2005 02:49
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Recently bought one!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have been looking for a dual band radio without breaking the bank, I came across an IC-2800. I have been really pleased with this radio and love the display. I am getting reports that my audio is good. What dissapoints me is that my multimode FT-897 is proved now not to be so good. I can hear vhf/uhf stations with the Icom but not the Yaesu - I do wonder why Icom discontinued this model?
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