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write your own review of the ICOM IC-756PRO.
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VE3TMT
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 29, 2011 07:18
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Still FB Rig!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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A little over 2 years since I got the radio and submitted the first review, so time for an update. I still have the radio, which for those who know me is an accomplishment in itself. I continue to use it on a daily basis and it is always a treat to operate. I have accomplished WAS, WAS RTTY and DXCC with the radio in the short time I have owned it and it has never let me down. Love the band scope, and the dual watch feature makes it so easy to work the DX on split. I continue to get unsolicited reports on the great audio and I am using only a Behringer Ultravoice XM8500 mic directly into the radio. None of that expensive outboard processing gear needed. Needless to say I am still very impressed with the radio. If you are in the market for an HF radio in the $1K range, this is the one to get. Trust me you will not be disappointed.
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N7TWL
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 2, 2011 07:53
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Best bang for the buck!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have been using a IC-706MIIG for a base station radio and have been delighted with it. Then a friend loaned me his IC-756Pro to play with at my little bookstore. A big mistake - for him. I had to buy it, and what a sweet radio it is. I am in a rather RF-noisy area, and with all the filters built into this rig, I can now easily sort through the muck and pull out weaker signals. No doubt better radios are on the market, but they cost thousands more than this baby, and I have to wonder if they really return thousands worth in performance.
I highly recommend to any starting ham on a budget to by-pass the $400-$700 used radio market, save just a few more dollars and find one of these. It provides the performance of costlier radios at a small portion of the price, and it out-performs those older radios on eBay. I would have saved myself several hundreds of dollars if I had started with this radio.
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K2JF
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 9, 2011 14:27
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traded to get it
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I owned the Pro III and sold it to save money. Then I bought a Yaesu FT 950 and as a CW op I did not like the QSK - way too noisy so never could use it. I also missed the band scope. So I traded my FT 950 straight up for a 756 Pro and what a delight. The differences between the two rigs for me is of course the QSK - much better than on the FT 950. Hardly hear any relays clattering away. And the other thing kind of surprised me: seems like a much quieter receiver. I depend on the band scope to cruise the bands and the NR seems to work just fine. Love it all.
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W6GTE
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Rating: 5/5
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May 16, 2011 15:56
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Excellent Rig
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I've owned the ICOM IC-756PRO for a while now and have to say it is a dream to operate. Couldn't be happier. The menus keep the controls uncluttered and easy to use.
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K4MSG
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 23, 2009 19:51
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Everything I need!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I bought this radio early in 2009 to upgrade my HF capability beyond my venerable & reliable IC-706MkIIG. I have been extremely pleased with the performance and features and would buy a Pro II or Pro III in a heartbeat if a great deal came my way. I operate mostly CW traffic nets, with some casual CW DXing and only occasionally a contest of some sort like the VA QSO Party (VAQP). The 756PRO has handled my needs in exemplary fashion.
Controls are well-placed, the functions are reasonably intuitive, and the manual is well-written if you forget or get confused. I've gotten kind of spoiled by the 756PRO "human interface" after several years of the 706's nested menus, HI! The built-in antenna tuner works fine with my antennas (simple wires) and is very fast and quiet.
For CW traffic work I especially like the band scope since it helps me (as net control station) to see where the "holes" are when I need to send someone off frequency to pass traffic. While the full break-in CW works fine, I really prefer the "sound" of the semi break-in with the delay set to minimum; I find it nearly as fast as full break-in but without the annoying (to me) noise bursts. BTW, I use a bug so haven't tried the keyer capability.
For 40m DXing using a 5-band trap dipole at 25' I've picked up around 50 new countries and have almost completed my 40m DXCC. I'm able to work the pileups about as effectively as can be done with 100w and a simple wire antenna.
In the VAQP for 2009 I was 3rd-highest in the low-power CW category and it was my first VAQP since 2001.
A word about pricing: I paid around $1200 for mine from Larry, W8CCY, in MI (a really fine gentleman!). It was in absolutely mint condition, a tribute to Larry's respect for fine equipment. If you can find one for that price in like condition you won't be disappointed!
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W4WSW
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 10, 2009 14:31
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Outstanding Radio...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Well this is my second ICOM, I had the first IC-756 wich I trade for an IC706-MKIIG after I get my 756-Pro, It's my main rig and I will keep it for ever, is a nice good looking radio plus excellent for my needs, 100W out without problems, I got a good price for it, If I want to buy another radio without a blink I will get another 756-Pro... Outstanding rig....
73 de W4WSW
Luis / Woodbridge, VA.
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W8NIC
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 11, 2009 18:24
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All I'll need
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've been considering getting a PRO II or even a IIIbut after talking to a few PRO owners, i'll be keeping the pro.
it's such a versatile rig and looks good to.
It's a keeper.
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WS3Y
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 11, 2009 13:28
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I love it!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I'll be honest, this rig is a big step up for me.
For the last several years I've been using an Icom IC-706 (not an MK - the first 706) and I loved it! It took a beating, serving as both a base and a mobile rig, and it went through a lot of "Tech" mistakes (ya didn't connect the antenna, NOW who is the real dummy load here?).
Consequently, it is in Michigan for a repair estimate for accumulated years of wear and tear and I had to rely on my back-up rig, my Yaesu FT-100D. It wasn't the same. It never performed as well as the 'ol 706, and Yaesu won't service it (I don't think I'm getting sufficient power out, so I'm still testing it).
Thus I decided to buy a "base station radio."
After withdrawing from sticker shock (You've got to be kidding, $2+K - $10K for a radio, how do I tell my wife I'm going to sell my car, mortgage the house or sell our grandkids to buy a radio, ha, ha?).
So I decided on a used radio. After doing a lot of research on various radios, the best bang for the buck FOR ME, was an Icom IC-756 PRO.
The next problem was finding one in decent condition at a price I could afford.
Enter Scott, N2DDD who had a used one in excellent condition, that I got for what I thought was a very reasonable price (thanks Scott, it works fine!).
I've now had it for two days, and used in conjunction with my Comet CHA-250Bx, I can only say that I'm amazed!
The built-in tuner works well (once I learned to trust it), the meters are comparable to my MFJ meters (actually I believe they are slightly more accurate), the 756 has both digital and analog meters, functions are easy to use, ONCE YOU READ THE MANUAL, (actually, most you can figure out), the display is great allowing limited light, color and font choices, the notch filters work really well, but for me, the real plus is the great band scope which has become my favorite feature -- it is sooo easy to find the traffic on this radio.
My one criticism is the not having the ability to adjust RX bass and treble (or maybe I just don't know how yet). Otherwise, I find this radio a real joy to use (I was up until 2:00 a.m. last night with this rig, and had a ball using it). Now, to performance...
As I said at the outset, I have only two radios to compare it to, so understand my perspective will be different from yours.
After struggling with an attempt to make QSOs and break pile-ups with my Yaesu FT-100D connected to a Comet CHA-250Bx and a Tak-tenna, I was as frustrated as one can be. Very few could hear me, and of course, even fewer replied. Then comes the chicken or the egg question -- is it the antennas or the rig (or, horror of horrors, both)?
I have been using the radio for two days now, and that may not sound like much, but when you understand what I've been dealing with, what I'm telling you is amazing.
Within two hours of setting up my rig, I had made my first QSO on 40m. This morning I had two QSOs, back to back, in Colorado and Florida, the first was on the first try, through a pile-up, at 100W. The net controller reported my signal as "strong and clear." The second gentleman gave me the same signal report that I gave him, and he was pumping four or five hunded watts through a 4 element beam -- I'm using 100W through a Comet vertical. I will now test it through my roof mounted Tak-tenna.
If all this doesn't sound amazing to you, consider that I spent well over a week attempting to make my first contact through the Tak-tenna and the Comet with my FT-100D @ 100W!!!
There may be A Yaesu for sale soon!
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W3LZK
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 21, 2009 18:36
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Solid Preformer, Wont give it up!!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Well here we are after 4 months with my 756Pro, I'm still gonna give it 4.75, as I said in my 2 week review (previously KI4CRA). I do like my Pro, it and my ProIII get almost daily use. My thoughts haven't changed much since my Feb.09 review. The DSP is much, much better on my ProIII than on the Pro, of course while being basically the same radio in design are vastly different in components. Now that I have been able to get some on air time with both radios, and have been able to adjust the Xmit audio for one, I often get hey you're 20 over, or my favorite, you are 15 over S-9, what rig and antenna are you using? This was from OE3DIA Ivan in Austria, when I told him I was using a 756Pro, a Mosley TA-33 classic, and a Heil ICM mic, needless to say he was suprised. He thought I was running more than just 100 watts.
This isn't all that bad a rig, I've seen and had much worse, but still made em work reasonably well. All in all, I don't think that my 756Pro will be leaving my shack, other than maybe field day or a club event, this maybe an old timer as far as the newer rigs go, but it still looks and works like new. Just some observations after 4 months, stay tuned, maybe in another 4-6 months will give another review.
73 de Mark
W3LZK
previously AI4HO
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