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| Reviews Summary for ICOM IC-7800 |
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Reviews: 90
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Average rating: 4.7/5
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MSRP: $10,000 US
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Description: The ICOM 7800 HF/6M was first introduced at the Dayton Hamvention 2003. ICOM believes it is the most advanced amateur radio ever developed. It utilizes four separate 32-bit floating point TI DSP chips, has a 7-inch wide TFT display, built in RTTY/PSK31 receive and transmit using a USB Keyboard interface, plus compact flash technology. The radio features an IP3 of +40dBm and 110db dynamic range. It features two identical, fully independent, receiver circuits. There is even a separate preamp and mixer for the 6 meter band. More information, brochures, U.S. dealers, and pricing should be available soon.
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More info: http://www.icom.co.jp/world/products/amateur/7800/index.htm
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M0DSK
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 12, 2008 14:35
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Progress So Far
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I have tried not to rush in to writing this review, as first impressions are not the complete story. I have owned the radio since December 2007.
As everyone seems to report, the radio came very well packaged from ICOM. I collected the radio from the dealer myself, rather than have another carrier handling the goods. The outer box is very big, however we did manage to load it into my car with the rear seat folded down.
I unpacked the radio once at home and set it up in place of the ICOM IC756 Pro3. Physical size of the IC7800 is quite a lot bigger than the 756 but the desk had plenty of room to accomodate.
Anyone familiar with ICOM 756 will have no trouble setting up the 7800 out of the box, without the manual. I would not recommend transmitting until the manual had been consulted - Would you?
When the antennas were connected my first impression was, where has all the band noise gone? Really the difference is outstanding. Signals that would normally be in the noise are now fully readable, even when compared to the 756 pro3 performance.
The extra RF power of the 7800 comes in useful as i do not use an amplifier.
Radio performance is fully up to expectation, so far none of the issues reported in earlier radios have repeated on my 7800.
Firmware is up to the latest version 2.12 - as downloaded from ICOM and installed into the radio using the supplied CF card.
Its a great radio, thanks ICOM.
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DF1AS
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Rating: 2/5
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Jun 27, 2008 09:24
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Tuner, TCXO, and Finals dead after 2 y+
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought my 7800 in 2005. After 2 years+ (no more warranty) the antenna tuner failed (one relais branch). One month later the TCXO gave up heating. Another month later with a big bang the finals short-circuited the rig.
It's not only the 200 EUR for the Taitien TCXO, not the 200 EUR for 2 new PA transistors. It is also the sloppy workmanship on the 7800. By replacing TCXO and finals I put the boards under the microscope - intentionally just for the replacement work - and saw hundreds of solder balls, many of them in the near of SMD parts, happily most of them too small to make other short-circuits.
It seems all the boards of this 10-K-EUR machine are badly or never washed. Also, most of the sticky tapes, used to fix the 'open-air' cabling gave up their adhesive properties.
By the way, Icoms service is by far not custom friendly. I had sent the rig to Duesseldorf for updating the 3rd roofing filter. They identified the tuner failure, but offered me repair for a lot of bucks - even the warranty expired by just a few weeks.
There are also a many things that could be implemented better or even corrected. Especially the 7800 does not TX the whole frequency range in transverter mode, except when enabled by diode-code-patch. But why? What's the problem to enable the milliwatt BNC output for all frequencies? I like the band restriction for the 200 W. This is just a S/W problem, I call it a S/W-bug!
The S-Meter is not corrected when switching pre-amps or attenuators. No feature to compensate the S-meter for transverter mode, too.
No way to use the display for > 99,999.999 MHz (VHF/UHF transverter!). There is enough place for another digit!
No way to TX and RX simultanously! Even on different bands. The Yeasu 9000 can do so!
Several other minor things to criticize - but most of them are also related to all other rig brands. So Icom is not the worse. I would rate the rig higher due to its fantastic performance values - but these three failures within a few weeks brought up much dissapointment to me.
2/5
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VE7JH
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Rating: 2/5
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Jun 17, 2008 19:10
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Let Down
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been professional Radio operator for 40 years in the Navy and additional 11 years as Amateur operator . I owned all of the Icom radios and My beloved 781. I made the plunge this year Bought a 7800 it fail in less than two weeks ,Dealer sent me a replacement new one it failed in the same time frame in fact I also purchased a used one it also failed . All them had Bad Finals . all failed with less 40 watts being used on T-10 log . The amp is PW1 . Other than never getting any info Icom why the final our failing the radio was repaired about year now haven't had any problems . The radio works fantastic. Icom needs to come clean why we have had so many failures on this rig. 7800 is fine radio. If your shopping used 7800 take the serial number and have Icom check service History to see if the Final have been replaced. Lot people our paying for finals that out warranty . Now if you can get past that you will enjoy the 7800 . But it Not as perfect as most of these reviews will have you believe
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WR1H
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 14, 2008 21:36
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This is as good as it gets
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Many will want it.
Many will critic it.
Many will curse it.
Many will hate it.
But the few that truly own it, know how good life is.
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K5JZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 13, 2008 17:32
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Pinnacle of performance
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The IC7800 is the absolute best transceiver that I have ever used… and I have used almost all of the top end rigs produced since the early 80’s. I was too young and too poor to buy new rigs before then.
I can say without a doubt that the 7800 is the best Ham Radio purchase that I have ever made. Knowing how I feel about my Alpha 87A makes that a strong statement. I have owned Collins, 901/2 DM’s, 940, 950. 751A, FT1, FT980, TS850, FT1000D, Paragon, FT1000MP, MKV, and have used most of the other rigs of that era, along with today’s offerings… including the FT2000D and two FT9000 variants. I also owned an fb 781. The 7800 is in a league all of it’s own (the one exception is the new 7700).
Anything built by man can break. $130,000 Mercedes break, Harley bikes break, Corvettes break, GT Fords break, $5,000 to $150,000 HD televisions break, Krell Audio gear breaks, Bulgari and Rolex watches break… anything can break. How the manufacturer handles the event in these cases is all that matters… because no company can undo a failure once it has occurred. They can only rectify the situation in a friendly and thorough manner. Those that do not will suffer greatly from word-of-mouth.
I had my first FT1000D replaced under warranty for multiple identical failures. My first FT1000MP was returned to Yaesu 3 times under warranty. My MKV was returned twice… once for a failed tuner and the second time for failed finals. I had to repair a Henry amp under warranty, with the factory supplying the parts. I had an Alpha 76CA returned for a bad transformer. I lost a set of 3CX800’s in my 87A… an amp that had to be repaired by Alpha recently (updates and upgrades). This is normal in life… and I would buy from any of these ham manufacturers again, because they did everything that they could to return my equipment to service. That is all that I can ask for… that and a little empathy. I have been pleased with the resolution of all of the above cases.
$10,800 is a lot of money… particularly in Ham Radio… a group traditionally portrayed and frugal to a fault. Nothing wrong with that at all but a bit of perspective is in order.
Some people spend more on a set of golf clubs than we have on the 7800. Their hobby is a “special event” in their lives. They cannot enjoy their hobby without taking off from work or planning an outing in advance. It also cost the price of a two-meter rig to play on some of the courses today. Some spend many more times the cost of the 7800 on a family boat… with maintenance and upkeep continuously outgoing. Some people race cars and boats and spend as much a year on that hobby as some do building world-class contest stations. Some buy very expensive cameras or are into bank busting audio systems. All of these hobbies have one thing in common… their equipment can ALL break… and they do. In the end, the outcome is the only real concern and measure one can judge a manufacturer by. Icom is an honorable company with customer service that comes through. I have heard of only one case of an OUT of WARRANTY 7800 being returned for power supply/finals and being charged for the repair. I would wager that a letter to the right person at Icom could render some redress in that case.
My only regret is that I do not have the money to buy a second 7800!
73,
George K5JZ
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KG4LRU
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Rating: 2/5
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Jun 9, 2008 21:43
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Titanic Disapointment
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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In January of 2007 I bought a new 7800 2 weeks later the radio failed Blown finals ,The dealer shipped a new one it failed in the same time frame. Now at the same time My good friend IN BC purchased a 7800 our serial number were 6 apart his failed in about the same time frame, the dealer shipped him a new one it failed. In fact he had three radios fail. I return my radio bought a used 7800 ran it for a year without any issues . Mine is Sept 2004 I called Icom to check on the cost too upgrade which is 750.00 also my 7800 has had its final replaced 2005 . The good news is any 7800 that has had its final repaired has not had second failure . The radio actually works well once you replace the finals ,Icom hasn't been forth coming on the Finals and power supply problem they have with their top of the line Rig. Hard to believe 781 which had a power supply issue and 10 years later their new rig has the same problem . If you really read the reviews many admit the rig lost its finals but they still think its a great radio. I am lucky and have kept my 781 that is a great rig. The 7800 for the price is a disappointment . It does perform better in most respects . Certainly does not live up to the standards of the older Icom . Also don't believe them the finals our failing ,and its not operator Fault. With That said the I use the 7800 but I am wondering when the screen gos blank again indicating the final have gone south again . Icom just took us back 30 years Hope they got it Right on their new flag ship 7700 .
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MW0KIK
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 29, 2008 07:05
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Love it!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This radio is awesome. I was previously a Yaesu man, having had an ft102, ft847,ft1000mkv,ft2000 and an ft9000 contest.
Yaesu have dropped the ball on their latest offerings and the 7800 beats the 9000 hands down.
Pros
Too many to mention
Cons
Very heavy and the cost
Bottom line.
This is the best HF set you can buy - it costs alot, but if you can afford it and justify the spend you wont be sorry.
73
Leigh
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KK9H
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 17, 2008 11:49
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Perfect feature combination for me
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Over the last 13 years have owned a Yaesu FT-1000MP and an Icom IC-756ProII. With those rigs I learned to appreciate the value of having a band scope and a full second receiver, but I wanted both capabilities in the same rig. When I saw the IC-7800 at the 2006 Dayton Hamvention and actually operated it, I knew had I found exactly what I was looking for. Since I was very familiar with the ProII, I felt right at home with the 7800. I won't repeat what others have said about how well it works other than to say that its performance is truly what you should expect from a rig like this. I really enjoy DX'ing and looking for 6 meter openings. The 7800 has proven to be the perfect rig for those pursuits. I would highly recommend this radio to anyone looking for a high-end rig having both a band scope and separate receivers.
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AA5CH
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Rating: 3/5
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Jan 16, 2008 21:09
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Three years and $1500 later...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had my IC 7800 for three years now. It has been both the best and the worst piece of amateur radio gear I've owned. I truly have developed a love/hate relationship with it.
The headphone circuit's susceptibility to RF fields I reported in my first review is still there, but we found a fix for it.
After numerous experiments with equipment grounding, tuned counterpoises, and RF chokes I wrapped a piece of coax braid around the key and mic plugs and secured it with a small hose clamp. I got the idea from another 7800 owner who had cleverly bonded the mic, key, and headphone plugs with a thin sheet of metal mounted to the 7800's front panel with adhesive.
My solution was not as elegant but was just as effective. Now I cannot induce RFI into the headphones, even by pointing the beam at the house and overdriving the amplifier.
Many, if not most, 7800 owners have never experienced this issue. Those that have seem to have their operating positions closer to antennas. I believe it is the result of the mic, key, and phone jacks not being at the same ground potential, making the 7800 unusually vulnerable to near field RF.
In March of 2007 I returned the 7800 to Icom to have the PLL / roofing filter upgrade at a cost of approximately $650, including shipping. Within two weeks of its return, the PLL failed, prompting another trip to WA and costing me approximately $150 in shipping.
In December of 2007 the finals failed. There have been several reports of blown finals in the 7800's but mine was the only instance I'm aware of in which an early production model was effected. The repair was non-warranty and cost me approximately $700, including shipping.
Whether my operating practices, a flaw in the 7800's design or components [or a combination of both] was responsible for the finals blowing is certainly open for discussion. I maintain that nothing in my practices is careless or extreme enough to warrant such a catastrophic failure.
A service tech from Icom telephoned and I participated in a survey regarding the circumstances and operating conditions at the time of the failure. They are collecting data on the situation.
I have to say in each instance that Icom's turn around time was pretty quick and communication with the service department was good.
So, in addition to it the being the most expensive piece of gear I've purchased, my 7800 has been the most expensive to own. I have to admit I was hoping it would fall out of the back of the UPS truck on the way to WA, bounce down the highway, and into the Colorado River, allowing me to file a claim and be rid of it without costing me any more. But as we all know, UPS only destroys things we want or need.
I vowed I wasn't even going to remove it from the box when it came back from Icom the third time. I had a local buyer on deck and had gotten pretty cozy with the Ten Tec Orion II.
But something happened. Feeling a need to make sure it worked before placing it on the market, I hooked it up and began using it. It did not take long for me to once again acknowledge what a fine piece of equipment the 7800 is. I am a six meter enthusiast. I enjoy its six meter capability, 200 W output, excellent operator interface, as well as the fit, finish, and feel of the 7800. All my peripherals are built around the 7800....the audio gear, the computer interface, the contest and logging software, the two meter transverter, etc.
In a side-by-side comparison, the Orion II at roughly half the cost of the 7800 holds up damn well. I haven't owned the Orion II nearly as long as the 7800 but to date I'm not out a dime on upgrading or repairing it, and I'm out $1500 on the 7800 and have been without it almost four months in the three years I've owned it.
I liken my relationship with the 7800 to being in love with a beautiful woman who occasionally breaks your heart, stomps on your toes while dancing, and walks out on you. The majority of the time, life is good....real good.
I'm going to hang on to it a while and hope that it has all the glitches out of its system. I think that given my experience, a three is not an unreasonable rating for MY 7800. From all accounts, mine has been unusually troublesome but when functioning, it is the best overall package I've owned or operated.
Some of us are just born to be abused, I suppose.
73,
Brad
AA5CH
ps [a disclaimer]... my wife is beautiful, but has never broken my heart, stomped on my toes while dancing, nor walked out on me.
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G0NDE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 16, 2008 13:59
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The best hf tranceiver available
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have been lucky enough to have both the IC7800 and Yaesu's ftdx9000d in my shack for the last two years.
I have just sold my ftdx9000d as without doubt the Icom 7800 is better.
The receiver noise floor is lower and when receiving a very weak DX sig on the icom ( with the pre amps off) the dx9000 couldn't hear it using the same antenna.
the update speed of the band scope compared to the dx9000 is far superior .
Icom should be congratulated for having the courage to design and produce such a magnificent hf transceiver
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