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write your own review of the ICOM IC-756PRO2.
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K4FX
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 6, 2008 22:15
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Nice Radio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The DSP is outstanding, works great on digital modes, the color display is useful as well as nice to look at, lot's of bells and whistles, digital voice recorder is very nice.
As one poster mentioned, it is hard to justify the bucks for the features a Pro 3 has,
Bottom line, this is one nice radio! If you can find a nice used one, go for it!
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KK8ZZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 23, 2008 21:25
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An amazing HF radio
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I've played with the TS-2000, the FT-920 (great DX rig!) and many others, but this amazing radio offers the best audio of all the rigs that are out there on the used market.. the audio is just spectacular, with easy-to-adjust controls and easy to understand menu options.... trust me on this, I've tried most of the others, and this is the rig I've chosen for my "retirement rig"... Cheers... Bob KK8ZZ
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N6QL
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 5, 2008 17:17
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99.9% of a Pro3 for 1/3 the price
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The ProII doesn't get much play these days now that the ProIII is out. Heck, even the yahoo ProII group converted to ProIII and there is hardly any ProII discussion there. Don't let all of this fool you. Look closely at the specs (look on the Elecraft website - they have a nice table you can compare) and you'll find that the ProII receiver performance is essentially identical to the ProIII. For example:
- MDS figures are identical
- BDR figurs are only 1 dB down from the ProIII
- IMD DR3 numbers for 5khz spacing are only 1 db different!
- IMD DR3 numbers for 20khz spacing are only 5-6 db down
- IP3 for 5khz spacing are 0-3 down
- IP3 for 20khz spacing are 4-5 db down except Pre-amp 2 numbers which are 11 db (that is a nod to the ProIII - the second pre-amp is pretty good
- IP2 - the Pro II is actually better than the ProII with the pre-amps turned off. It's equal with Pre-amp 1 on but it is down about 11 db with Pre-amp 2 on.
- Phase Noise - the ProII is actually 4 db better than the ProIII
The second pre-amp is definitely better on the ProIII but otherwise all other measurements are in within the margin of error. Don't let the guys who plunked down nearly $3k for a ProIII tell you otherwise. A ProII at $1600-$1700 (seems to be the going price) is 99.9% of a ProIII (and actually better in some ways as a result of the Phase noise number) for $1000 less.
I've looked at the numbers and have spent hours at HRO using their ProIII trying to convince myself to buy one and just cannot find an area where the ProIII is discernibly better than the ProII except for those few unique situations where you can use the second pre-amp. Reality is the ProIII is really just the ProII with a better pre-amp2.
So, my point is, the ProII is one of the best high-end transceivers out there - the numbers tell the story. Pick one up for around $1600 and you've saved a ton of dough over buying a ProIII and you won't be able to tell the difference except for the badge and the very minor changes in the menu.
If you are looking to spend a bit less. Take a look at the IC-746Pro (much better radio than the IC-756Pro). The radio has great specs - in fact equal or better than the ProII in some areas - for about $600 less.
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W5VK
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 16, 2007 06:31
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Good for contesting
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is the most complicated radio I've owned and I'll probably never figgure out how to use all the features BUT it is easy to get started with basic functions. I have especially appreciated the voice keyer for contest use. I appreciate the ease of use and dependability of the Icom Radios I've owned.
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IZ1FKS
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Rating: 4/5
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Nov 12, 2007 00:28
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good rx but pwr too low
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The receiver is vy good and the transceiver is also really easy to operate.The power out on ssb is a real problem: the average power is too low also because the ssb-peak never reach 100%.putting a wattmeter at the output of transceiver i could monitor how less power i have in comparison to my ic-745.I decided to bring the peak power (CW) to 120W measured with professional meter:after this i have 120W max in CW and digi-modes (but i use no more than 100W for not overheat) and a bit more power on ssb but thinghs are not very different as i expected.I tried icom mic hm-36 and hm-12:i use the late one because it reproduce my voice more accurately and report are always very fine about the modulation.The problem don't change also using a expensive sm-20, a friend of mine gave me for testing.Anyone have better solution?
73 and good DX to everyone
de Phil
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W3GJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 9, 2007 08:44
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Nice Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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An outstanding HF rig. Have owned a number of other hf rigs. For me, this radio is a keeper. An enjoyable radio to operate, I plan on keeping mine for many years to come. Have never had a bit of trouble with any of the Pro series radios. The Pro2 is an excellent transceiver worth considering, and I highly recommend it.
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VK4HAM
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 1, 2007 22:15
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LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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The best HF rig I have ever owned. I use the Heil PR780 mic with this rig and my reports are awesome. I am now electronics guru, thats why I love this radio - simple to use and you do not need a degree to read the manual.
Excellent Radio - love the start up screen with my callsign.
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N6QL
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 21, 2007 14:10
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Best radio I've ever owned
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is the second ProII I've owned. The first I sold thinking the TS-2000 would be a better choice for me. I was wrong. I sold the TS-2000 and bought another ProII. The ProII is without a doubt the best HF rig I've ever owned which includes old stuff like TS-120S, and newer radios like aforementioned TS-2000, TS-870, IC-706MkIIG, FT-100, FT-857, FT-897, plus a number of others. I rate it highly for these reasons:
1. Flawless operation and no failures
2. Outstanding filters and receiver
3. Ease of use - excellent user interface
4. Quality feel
The radio is so good I'd find it hard to justify upgrading to a ProIII or other more expensive radio unless I was an extremely hard core contester.
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N0UA
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 10, 2007 14:02
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Amazing Technology for $$
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned all versions of the 756Pro line since they first came out. Currently have a III at my Denver location and a II in my KC shack.
At the current price of the II they are a great value. I would not go back to the original Pro due to improved features and performance. Example: digital mode work on the II is much better than on the original.
The III definitely improves on the II but at a cost.
As a comparison to another rig, I have used a FT 1000MP MKV in a situation with local BC stations where the 1000 front-end overloaded and the Pro II did not. The 1000 was unusable without an external BC band filter.
On the Pro series the scope is a fabulous piece of BUILT IN FUNCTIONALITY. Among other things it makes finding stations on "dead" bands very easy. Finding "holes" is also a joy.
Selectivity is outstanding. The digital filters can be tightened down to 50 hz for superb digital (PSK) mode operation.
For cw ops - QSK is great - better on the III (by a slight margin). I drive an Alpha 78 (with the III) on CW and it is a joy.
Service has been great (did have one issue where a
near miss lightning strike took out some diodes - ICOM service was outstanding).
Having 50+ years as a Ham and having owned lots of equipment my personal summary is that ICOM has done a great job with this equipment and the price/performance ratio is great. Your mileage may vary.
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M0IOD
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Rating: 3/5
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Aug 10, 2007 13:31
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Pretty but average
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I owned a IC 756PRO for over 2 yrs and thought that the upgrade!! to a PRO2 would be a good step up the ladder. I have also owned other radios of this class such as the TS 870,FT 1000MP MKV and the IC 775DSP.
To be honest the reported and hyped improvements by ICOM over and above the IC 756 PRO were just that to me "HYPE". For the difference in money I would recomend a used IC 756 PRO over and above a PRO 2 on any day of the week. The PRO2 is outpaced on audio by the TS 870,FT 1000MP MKV and FT 2000. it is beaten on rx sensitivity and low noise floor in my book by the FT 2000 and IC 775DSP.
I was very disapointed all round by the performance of the PRO2, so much so that I traded the radio and invested in a YAESU FT 1000MP MKV, much better build quality,and performance all round.
Maybe if I could have afforded a PRO3 I may have seen the reported improvements "according to ICOM" over and above the PRO but with the PRO2 I felt as though I had been cheated and wasted my extra cash.
Ian M0IOD
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