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You can
write your own review of the Icom IC-746PRO.
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KA4UPI
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 2, 2009 10:08
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So far So Good!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Ok being a ham of limited funds and resources I purchased this RIG about two years ago because of the features and pricing. I was very apprehensive in purchasing it due to the numerous low review ratings but got it anyway. I kept it unopened in the box for a year trying to decide whether to do the mods or just go forward and put it on the air. Well I decided to take the gamble and fire it up. I have had it on the air now for a good year with absolutely no problems or issues as yet. I normally operate it and hour or two each day now and eight to ten hours on the weekends depending on the band conditions. I have worked all bands and frequencies with no problems at all so far. I also like all of the features and funtionality of this Rig and have it interfaced for the digital modes with no problem. I have really enjoyed this Rig to date and hope that it continues to work as it has in the past year.
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KC2IJI
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 25, 2009 20:05
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Solid Basics, no fluff
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had this rig now for about five years. It is post the TX failure fix, and I've had no issues with it. Receive is great, and I have had many unsolicited audio compliments.
The 746Pro tunes a G5RV on all bands but 18 mhz. The antenna is set up almost ideally, fed by 150 feet of coax. I leave the display full up based on other reports of problems.
2 meters uses a discone for repeaters and stacked Par Loops for SSB. 6 Meters uses a par loop and the G5RV. I am quite happy with the receiver-Air Band AM is very clear, and public safety coms are also easy. I am an antenna compulsive, so all antennas are low SWR, even the compromise G5RV.
I've made good contacts both locally and some DX, ionosphere permitting. Overall the radio does what I ask of it. The receiver handles AM SW and BCB extremely well, and the combination of DSP and passbands can pretty much pull any signal out from under QRM.
The only thing that might be better is a full color spectrum display, but I'm not sufficently enamored to buy a new rig for this feature. I would also like to be able to change the size of passbands on AM and FM, but it's not a deal breaker.
There are fancier rigs, and more expensive rigs, but I don't think they'd change my on air impact at all. This does what you'd want in 2010 without bells and whistles. I'd change the mic gain and RF output controls-move them and make the knobs bigger. That's about it.
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K4AXF
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Rating: 4/5
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Jul 25, 2009 14:58
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A good basic DSP TRX
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I recently acquired a nearly-new IC-746PRO in exchange for a Ten-Tec Jupiter/AT which I had used for several years. It's hard not to compare the two rigs, having very similar architecture, up conversion with DSP 3rd IF and offering a similar high level of performance. Both are very good mid-price rigs.
I'm an SWL/BCL and QRP CW op. Pretty much in that order. I operate 100W CW once in a while and SSB less frequently. I listen to SSB stations often. I am extremely pleased with the receive audio quality of the IC-746. It is crisp with good bass and has menu bass/treble adjustments. I thought the Jupiter an excellent-sounding receiver. The IC-746Pro is even better. That goes for both AM and SSB. On CW, there's a difference but I couldn't say one better than the other.
I really like the variable DSP noise reduction level in the 746Pro. Jupiter's NR is fixed at a single, fairly high level; which I often found to be too much. Both have an Auto Notch filter that works well but are for SSB mode only. The Icom also has a manual tuning notch for the CW op. Nice!
My mind maps the frequency spectrum as a linear function; so, the band scope is very important feature for me for SWL/BCLing. The Jupiter's bandscope is larger and has better resolution. I will miss it.
On CW the Icom's QSK is very smooth. The antenna relay is a little bit noisier than the Jupiter's, but not annoyingly so.
DSP filter implimentation in the 746Pro is a bit different than in the Jupiter. Where Jupiter allows choice of any bandwidth in any mode, Icom has pre-made some choices based on mode for the operator allowing a suitable range of filter widths via the concentric-knobbed Twin Bandpass controls. I haven't found that this method limits my choice inappropriately except, perhaps, in the AM mode; where the filter choices are limited to only three fixed widths and you can operate only the bandpass shift control. The choices are 3.0, 6.0 and 9.0 kHz. The 6 and 9 KHz settings are very apt for the SWL/BCL; however, I would rather the tightest filter were set at 4 or 4.8 kHz.
I find Exhalted Carrier SSB detection is a viable substitute for full Synchronous Detection - tuning broadcast stations (amplitude modulated) in SSB mode. That way, you can switch to either USB or LSB and eliminate interference from a nearby station. ECSSB also eliminates most of the selective fading distortion found on SW BC stations. I find that with the IC-746Pro it is necessary to reduce the RF gain when tuning in stations this way - bears further investigation. The Jupiter alowed changing the tuning step from 1 Hz to 100 kHz - allowing very precise zero-beating of an AM station in ECSSB mode. The Icom allows choosing between only two tuning steps: 10 Hz or 1 KHz, not a big problem.
On balance the Jupiter allows more precise control of certain aspects the DSP system however Icom has implemented a better DSP system allowing operator very well thought out control of the system.
I had some misgivings about the internal antenna tuner in the Icom. It's stated tuning range is quite a bit smaller than that of the Jupiter. I have two coax-fed doublets (136' dipoles with a 1:4 balun at the center, with 50 ohm coax down to the shack). These antennas present SWRs ranging from 3:1 to 7:1 depending upon band. Well, the IC746Pro's antenna tuner matched them on all bands, even on 160m (which the Jupiter's tuner could not match).
Overall, I appreciate the more finished quality of the IC-746Pro. It's clearly a quality piece of equipment that I'm going to enjoy operating.
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PD1JP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 23, 2009 01:35
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So good, it was stolen...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is probably not the place to put this, but anyone who reads these reviews and is buying an IC-746Pro with serial number 014034, this radio with the HM36 handmike was stolen on July 19th 2009 near Barcelona in Spain. If you track this radio, please inform me, so I can alert the authorities.
I have saved money for years to buy this great radio.
73
Jean-Paul
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K3WVU
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 18, 2009 10:47
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Update of last review
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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As I said below, I love the rig but my transmit died after about 16 months. Sent it in to Mat Adrian, the ICOM authorized rep in Michigan. He fixed the bad final and applied an ICOM factory mod and also did a factory mod to prevent backlight failure...without any cost to me. Great rig, great service.
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KK8ZZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 28, 2009 11:02
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Field Day shows it's Quality
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I used both the IC-7200 (which I really respect) and the IC-746PRO at home on Field Day 2009, as I'm selling one or the other. While both were very satisfactory, at my age the large display and intuitive controls on the 746PRO were hard to beat. The one I have has been carefully modified for the IC151 problem and heat sink issues and works fine. This is the one I'll be keeping !
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KB9NPH
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 21, 2009 18:39
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Great Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Ive had mine in use since the spring of 06. It's never failed and I had made the purchase even after reading the many negative reviews. Should it fail, I'll send it in for repair. I get very good audio and signal reports. I'm aware of the heat failure issue but for the money it can't be beat. Great receiver and many ask if I've got an amp, which I do not. If needed I buy another with out hesitation. 73's KB9NPH
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W0WLS
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 20, 2009 17:00
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Mixed Feelings
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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When I purchased my 746 I was aware that it had design flaws but had not researched the matter in depth. After receiving the radio I found it very easy to set up and operate. Most menu settings were set and forget so buried menu functions weren't a big deal for me. I found the receive to be very sensitive almost to sensitive. PSK31 is a dream on this rig. On a crowded band you can narrow the filter to just about a trace width. I racked up a lot of DX with PSK. I never used anything but a stock mic on this radio and always got good audio reports. When I bought my radio the incentives were just to good to pass up. Free PS, $200 off and $50 factory rebate. The 746 is a 756 without the band scope. Now heres the catch 22. The IC151 over heating issue. ICOM has danced all around this to prevent bad PR if you ask me. They claim that the IC151 issue was static related which may have been true but research shows that recent IC151 failures are heat related because the VCC stays energized at all times. This is a very small IC with very little heat sink ability which in my opinion leads to premature failure. The IC151 is basically the same circuit as the 756 but in the 756 the VCC is only hot during transmit. ICOM pulled a short cut on the board design and it came back to bite them on the butt. ICOM claims that the design flaw was fixed with protection diodes. Diodes do nothing for heat related failure. I had my 746 for over 12 months and never had an issue but I always kept a backup rig because I knew one that it would crap out on me. My nerves finally got the best of me and I traded the radio for a 9 year old Yaesu Mk V. IMHO I think the 746Pro is the best radio for the dollar, if you're a gambler.
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K7DZW
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 11, 2009 23:36
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Abused
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have committed evry sin you can imagine against this radio including leaving it in transmit at 75w for over 4 hours. When you plug in phones be carefull not to hit the transmit button and then get involved in another project. It is easy to do. Transmit audio is better than my 757 GX but don't kid yourself that the 746 Pro is superior in overall performance. Had I known how good my 757 gx was I might not have bought the 746 pro. Both are excellent radios.Face it. The physucs of radio have not changed. A good radio design is a good design. Icom 746 Pro is a keeper that is priced right.
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W5JET
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 11, 2009 19:51
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Great radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is my second 746 Pro.. I sold the first one and visited the dark side for a while but quickly wised up. When I got my second 746 pro (November 2005) I think I finally realized just how sensitive and this receiver is. To see for yourself how good this receiver is, you should visit one of the vendors that sells several different brands of radios. It's the only way to do meaningful A/B comparisons. I used AES in Las Vegas. btw, it has a great noise blanker and the notch filter is superb.
As for the audio, I frequently get comments on my great audio. I tried one of the Heil mics for a while but found the stock mic seems to give me the best reports.
Btw, getting to use this radio on 2 mtrs is just a bonus. It's the reason I picked the 746 in the first place.
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