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write your own review of the ICOM IC-706 - All flavors.
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G8EQD
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Rating: 2/5
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Jan 19, 2010 11:35
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Poor on 2M TX
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had the 706MK2G for two years, in that time It's been used mobile and occasionally as a base station. It's OK mobile and as base bearfoot.
But when it was used to drive a 350 linear on a 2M contest we had nothing but bad reports.
Later investigation showed that the noise floor on TX rose by 20db, no matter what the O/P power was, making it unsuitable for one of the purpose it was bought for driving a linear. so, back to the old TS700
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N2PLI
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 8, 2009 16:55
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better then 7000
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Hello there I have the ic 706 m2g it blows away the icom 7000 in performance ( see my posting for icom 700) it has a great reciever gets a little hot but its a small package. I hope they come out with a 706 with the 220 band that would be great and discontinue the 7000 garbage
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W2YM
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 19, 2009 17:53
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GREAT MOBILE RIG
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I can't say enough about this radio the IC-706MKIIG. It has been a GREAT radio for me in my pickup truck. I have know problems what so ever with mine. I only bought one SSB filter and I put the NB on and know problems with noise. I use a TarHeel 75A antenna and talk all over the world on 100 watts. I can't wait to put my amp in the truck.:0) Now that should be something. I can't say enough about this radio it works like a 10 but can only go to (5) so that will have to do.. Thanks for reading, Mark W2YM 73's.
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KG6BIW
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 11, 2009 13:28
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Just Add Water!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I am not easily impressed but 'Wow!' is the first thing that comes to mind whenever I think critically about this rig. I have the G model. Got one of the early ones when they first came standard with the DSP in 2000/2001(?). Still amazed at how much can be put in such a small package. Menus are not hard to get used to. Very logical...at least to my mind.
No problems with the finals as some claim; I did learn how to tune before operating the rig. Actually I have had absolutely no problems what so ever. It has suffered well all the bumping and tossing from being in my Jeep Cherokee off road. It may not have had to deal with as much dust as an open Jeep but I do regularly blow it out as a precaution.
I run it with a bumper mounted Mel Woody screwdriver antenna and, using the on board SWR meter, it is a sinch to tune manually one handed...once you get the routine down. AM mode is ideal for that. I truely believe that the screwdriver antenna, being able to dial it in spot-on, has much to do with limiting the wear and tear on the finals. Do the initial tune at '3' on the power level, especially when changing bands, and then fine tune at full power, if needed. Then, of course, fine tune when changing freqs on the same band as well.
The only times I was alarmed about its work ethics was when antenna connections would work loose from all the vibration of trails and washboard roads. It would turn off to protect the finals. No harm no foul. Tighten things up and all is good as new.
If I was to critisize at all it would be that there is no crossband repeat for UHF/VHF and that those bands come up noisier (intermod) than the yeasu rigs, particularly in city conditions. For that matter, chiefly x-band repeat, I picked up a ft-8800 and have two faceplates on the dash of my Jeep now.
Since an external speaker was needed, with the box being behind the back seat of a noisy Jeep, the Clearspeach Speaker w/ DSP worked out great, also eliminating much of the noise common with mobile electrical systems.
I only wished that the backlight setting was on a more accessable menu than having to turn the rig off and then on again to get to it.
So, I don't count the x-band repeat against it since no other compact hf combo rig has it either. I would knock off a half a point for city environment intermod on VHF/UHF bands, giving it a 4.5 but then have to round up to the inevitable 5.
The DTMF mic is a welcome option on the road and a computer patch to set channel memories is much easier than trying to use the rig, even with the DTMF mic.
God bless
73
jb
kg6biw
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K8KAS
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 8, 2009 05:37
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Best radio for the Buck
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned two IC706 in 10 years, they have been everywhere, on the boat, in the car, camping
and as a back-up main station rig. Never a bit of trouble with them period. I have a number of friend's with them and without exception they have been trouble free. When you match them to other Icom's they have been the most reliable Icom you can purchase. IMHO Denny
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VK4KKD
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Rating: 1/5
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Sep 7, 2009 22:20
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FRAGILE?
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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New IC-706Mk2G lasted 30hrs.!
During that time it was used to make 6 contacts then the finals (HF) died.
The rig was installed in the mobile - antenna adjusted using a good quality antenna analyser and indicated 1.4:1 - the rig was well earthed to the vehicle chassis using a short heavy lead with soldered ends.
After installing the radio, the antenna was again checked using the onboard SWR bridge in the rig and it showed a perfect match as far as the rig was concerned. (this exact same antenna and earth system had been in use in this vehicle and a second vehicle using a FT-897D for more than 2 years with no problems by the way)
Fully satisfied that all was working as it should be I set off on a 7,000km trip during which I had hoped to make contacts from several locations that were not often activated - then as said 30hrs into the trip the dang thing crapped out!
UHF/VHF still worked fine so I was able to manage contacts in various towns - but the sad loss of HF really did put a damper on the trip.
Rig has been repaired under warantee - but grudgingly because the tech said this was due to poor antenna SWR or poor earthing and this was not the case.
So where was the finals protection component of the rig? One minute it was working fine next it was a dead tx.....
Can't complain though - as I realise one only gets what one pays for - but surely even a low priced radio should be a radio - not a LEMON!
I would like to say that on the plus side it is small and does give off more heat than the heater in the vehicle - maybe ICOM should look at that market - car heaters - they already have the hardware.
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EARDAN
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Rating: 3/5
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Sep 5, 2009 10:49
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MKII
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Not a bad radio for mobile operation, its nice to have 160m to 2m all mode as one rig. The menu was not hard to learn. and the seperation kit made it easy to put the radio controls in a spot easy to reach. The only problem that bothered me with this rig is the intermod issues it has when driving in town.
KJ4JXO
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2E0XOM
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Rating: 0/5
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Aug 22, 2009 18:56
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CRAP !
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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a steaming heap of crap best thing on it is the power cable to complacated for mobile i was in germany and my 706 is still there on the autobahn ina millon pices YES it went out the window neaver agine GO BUY A ALINCO DX 70 OR KENWOOD TS50
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K2ID
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Rating: 4/5
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Jul 7, 2009 11:38
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Pretty Good
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I replaced my Icom 7000 with a 706MKIIIG in my mobile almost a year ago. The reason was that although the 7000 is a great radio I could not take advantage of all of its great features and drive at the same time. When working HF I basically just tune to a frequency and work it without using RIT, changing filters, etc.. I figured that the 7000 would be better in my shack.
The first thing that I noticed was that the 706 had a very noisy receiver on VHF/UHF compared to the 7000. I had never experienced intermod until I used the 706. Every repeater seems to be noisy and I spent a good sum of money buying new and better mobile antennas without making a bit of difference in the noise. 20 watts on 70cm was also a problem for me since that is the band our rush hour traffic gang uses for simplex.
Aside from the above the radio is a work horse. The menus were much simpler to use, when needed, than the ones on the 7000. Since it was also less expensive I worried less about it being stolen when parked in the city. The transmit audio quality was always well received and understood. The 7000 was also very good on HF but even with the mic mod, it was good but not great on VHF/UHF.
I have worked a lot of mobile HF with the 706 during long trips and most contacts did not even know I was mobile. Got good audio reports most times and the rig was good for my purposes. Yes, the Noise Reduction is not up to snuff compared to the current rigs but when mobile I had enough on my plate than to be trying to work weak signals so it was fine for making contacts with the medium to strong stations that I could hear.
I am not a big VHF/UHF user except for going to and from work. Rarely used the rig when not driving to work so the noisy receiver on VHF/UHF with the attendent IMD, was not a major annoyance once I realized it was the rig and not my antennas.
Now it sits in my shack as my sole VHF/UHF and backup HF rig. I mainly use it for casual HF contacts and when I get tired of making easy contacts with my other rig and 800 watts. QSO's seem more satisfying when you have to work to get them. :)
All in all, this is a good journeyman radio. It does it all, is rugged, has good transmit audio and allows you to plug your mic into the remote head which, to me, is a requirement for any mobile rig I buy. Nice big display and simple to operate.
I still have my first and only 706 but have bought and sold three Icom 7000s so far so what does that tell you?
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N0YXE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 20, 2009 06:43
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GREAT CLASSIC
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This is my second 706. I should never have traded in the first one! The present rig is next to my Pro III and is used as a dedicated Ten Meter FM base and as a Two Meter SSB unit. It works great! This rig is a fantastic classic that does it all very well. It can function as a base or portable unit and will fit in and do just about anything you want to do. It belongs in a museum along with other masterpieces of design. The radio is a bargain considering how versatile and small it is. If it is a first rig, KEEP IT, and never get rid of it, even it you move up. You WILL find a place for it not only in your heart, but for your car, boat, trailer, airplane, motorcycle, wife, child, field day, DX expedition, doomsday survival kit, attic room, ect. Call John Thompson at Ham Radio Outlet in Denver and he'll take of you.
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