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Show all reviews of the ICOM IC-2720H
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You can write your own review
of the ICOM IC-2720H.
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KE6SLS
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Rating: 0/5
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Dec 2, 2007 13:01
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Send this review to a friend!
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avoid these stinkers!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Sad story but true.
I have used older ICOMS and really liked them. They are worthy radios with limits compared to current radios for sale. With the older radios in mind, I sat out to replace three of my current VHF/UHF rigs. One was a IC-207h, and two FT-8100R (Yaesu rigs) that weren't working well. I did all the research I could here in Humboldt and I decided to go with ICOM. Last time I do this by the way.
AES Las Vegas sent me the three IC-2720H radios. I set up a small quarter wave antenna on my refridgerator and started listening to a local repeater while I read the manual. I heard intermod and thought it must be the local situation as I had just moved to a new house. I started plugging in memories for UHF, then moved to the VHF band and started plugging in memories there. What? I was over-writing the memories I used for UHF! What the heck is that all about?!
Okay, so I was already sad about the memories, but I needed a radio in my work truck so I left the remaining memories alone and installed the radio. The intermod was now worse than on the quarterwave in the house!
I drove my truck around town and all I could hear was every pager, taxi dispatch, fire and police calls etc. This radio was a complete pooper! It was late and I just left it in the truck. A week passed before I sat out to open the other two radios that were still in their packages.
I opened the first rig and put it on the quarter wave whip and INTERMOD. I couldn't beleive it. That is when I discovered eham after doing a google search for "IC-2720H intermod". Page after page of very unhappy hams with warnings about this radio! What a bummer. Here I bought three of them with only QST and catalogue reports. Never again QST!
I called AES and asked about this radio and they didn't seem to know anything bad about it. Huh, I'm the only ham that had bad luck with the radio eh? I asked for the ICOM support to see if there was help for this radio. I called them and they suggested a $200 external filter. Excuse me, but are you nuts! That's over $600 to fix these poopers! No thanks. I thought it over, and I assure you, I was very upset at both ICOM, AES sales and myself for not googling ICOM before I gave up my credit card numbers.
I decided to return the two un-used radios and keep the one in my work truck (it was used and I refuse to return something that might be sold as new if I did return it). Every day for the last year it kind of worked in my truck. Intermod crazy. Don't scan since it makes it even worse. But I was really creeped out about this and reluctant to buy anything else.
I did finally go back to Yaesu, the FT-8800 works great and only slightly different programming than the older FT-8100's.
I am now buying new rigs for the car and home, but I am still very shy about it.
I am really grateful for eham now. I'm looking for a second HF rig and I am reading every review here and elsewhere where hams can freely exchange their views and understanding of amatuer rigs. Thanks Eham. I'm going to give you money since you are doing this service!
Avoid this little stinker, it is a noise finder, not a communications radio. The Mic broke since its been in the truck. I plan to take this radio and use it for target practice--it really is that bad.
It has other issues that drove me nuts, but I am just more devoted to helping others avoid this radio that I will stop the review at this point.
Avoid this radio!
73
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