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Reviews For: ICOM IC-2710H

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

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Review Summary For : ICOM IC-2710H
Reviews: 12MSRP:
Description:
It is a VHF/UHF Full duplex Dual Band FM Transceiver.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00123.8
N6YW Rating: 2015-12-21
Good radio but... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I like the radio because of some features that make it a pleasure to use. It has loud receive audio and fairly quick scanning functions.
My big complaint is the remote head cable connector that mates to the main body. It's a disaster waiting to happen and it happened to me.
The problem is the fact that it can be hooked up backwards which results in the destruction of one or more components on the control head circuit board, rendering the radio inoperable and difficult to repair, which I managed to do so in my shop... I don't recommend doing this unless you are competent at surface mount repair techniques. The design is moronic compared to the usual high degree of engineering excellence Icom is noted for. What's worse is there is no documentation in the manual warning the user of the danger of improper connection of the remote cable. Again, this is the end that connects to the main body and not the head.
Otherwise, so far the radio is operationally sound and I haven't noticed any instances of intermod where I live. I managed to find a second radio for sale after taking nearly 2 years searching for one in good condition. Apparently, it was very popular when produced.
If you have doubts about the VHF PA module going bad, I suggest having a tech (or yourself) remove it and re-apply the silicone heat sink compound properly. There have been reports that some radios did not have any applied from the factory. This results is premature failure of the module due to bad heat transfer to the heat sink. Heat kills every time. Good luck.
Billy N6YW
W2OSR Rating: 2010-05-22
2 meter problem Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got mine used at a hamfest for $125.00. It has been great up to now. Just replaced the 2 meter RF module $88.00 from RF parts. ICOM failed to use heat sink compound between the case and the RF modules. The original had a crack from over heating. I fixed the hot mike problem a few years back.
KE5HFM Rating: 2007-01-19
Keeps going Deaf Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Like many others, I like the layout of this radio. It's small, detachable head unit is easy to mount just about anywhere. and the size is perfect!

Audio from the radio was also very sound - when it wasn't deaf. But there's the problem. I've had to send this radio in to have Q50 - a Front end FET replaced 3 times!!! Their last reponse? "keep it out of High RF envronments, check your feed line for problems and if it does it again, replace the radio."

Wait, did I read that right? Icom is telling me that, in order to fix the problem I need to replace the radio? What a crock!

First, the radio has been intalled as a mobile in two different vehicles with two different dual band antennas and as a base with a commercially available dual band base station antenna on a tower. ALL resulted in a popped FET. - I don't think it's a Feed line problem.

So really, the low rating is for Icom Service as well as the radio. Now, I also have an IC-2200H thats been a good radio. I just hope I never have to send it in for service... from now on it's Yeasu for me!

here are some interesting things about this radio:

1. the 199 memory channels are shared between the sides and between the bands.
2. The radio doesn't come Tone enabled, so buy the tone board!
3. No Alpha Tags
4. Backlight is great, but the buttons aren't illuminated, and they are tiny and delicate.
5. X-band repeat capable - and it works!
6. Fan can be set to run only when the unit is TX'ing, that way it's not constantly buzzing.
7. Radio is very succeptable to engine electrical noise, I installed a kenwood line filter to fix that
8. Unit's small footprint made it easy to install.
9. the Remote mount head unit wire is PROPRIETARY! is doesn't us RJ ends, but it's nice and long, and vey thin, making it easy to install - just don't break it, or you're in a world of hurt!
10. TX power is good - especially for an older radio - at 50W

So, all in all I can say "dang I wish this radio worked!" - it's a great design, just poor execution and the Keebler Elves that work in Icom Tech support are useless!
W8RPM Rating: 2005-07-02
Great but..... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
As I've seen with other postings, I love the radio, its design, layout, features, remoting capability, etc. Yes, its a little prone to intermod and YES my mic is still too hot, even with a replacement home brew. My BIGGEST COMPLAINT is the the VHF PA failure, common to Icom VHF and dual band radios, and we keep buying them anyway! I am sending my 2710 in for repair after less than 15 mos of use; I bought it NOS, out of warranty in Dayton 2004; now the VHF PA is gone. This has happened with my 2340, 2350, and other icom rigs but I like their designs so much better than the competition. IF you had a similar problem, PLEASE email me; hopefully a fist full of documentation will help my casue for out of warranty replacement. Thanks and 73
WK1H Rating: 2003-07-02
Good radio but intermod reject isn't that swell Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the 2710 long ago, but never had a chance to install it until about 18 months ago. I use a Diamond SG7900 and I've found this combo gives superior performance. I can get into most repeaters well outside what is considered their normal range. There is one problem though. I have found that I get a lot of intermod from pager and police frequencies. At times the intermod is strong enough to wipe out reception to a local repeater that is very strong and somewhat nearby. I'm looking into getting an intermod filter for this. Other than this issue, I have had a good experience with this radio. It is packed with features and is very versatile.
KF4MQA Rating: 2002-12-16
A shame to see them go ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my IC-2710 new at a local HamFest in 1999 and have been completely pleased with its performance. I sold it to a friend of mine and ended up buying it back. I want to get another one to hook up as a base, but since ICOM has quit making them and used ones are pretty hard to come by I haven't gotten one yet. If everybody that has one is as pleased with theirs as I am with mine I may never get another one. I notice that some people have had a few complaints with theirs but I haven't had any problems at all with mine. I check in on a ham net on a repeater about 50-60 miles from me ocassionally and use it with my HT to crossband to our local repeater quite often. I hope I can find another one soon!

73's
KF4MQA
K5RWS Rating: 2002-04-27
GREAT Radio !! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Ever once in a while a radio comes along that you know you're gonna keep till forever. That radio for me is the IC-2710. I bought mine new in mid 1999 and ordered the DTMF and CTCSS encode/decode modules and seperation kit all at the same time. A pretty hefty chunk of money but my experience with the radio since has told me it is worth every penny. I have not had any intermod trouble with mine and found it very well designed. I too found the mike to be too hot and like another review found the operating manual to be wanting when talking about remote control cross band repeat. A quick call to Icom Tech Support got me a faxed copy of the fix for the mike which I did myself and a copy of the codes needed to make the radio do cross band repeat. It helped greatly to have had a 2340 and 2350 which were also capable of this and had some understanding of the function. Also, the manuals for the 2340 and 2350 were a little more clear on this matter. The DTMF encode/decode module is required to do this function. The radio worked perfect until last summer when it lost the VHF PA board. I sent it to Icom repair and got excellent service. Radio works great again.
A note on the vague crossband repeat function in the manual. The Icom tech I spoke to indicated that this was still a grey area with the FCC so Icom, while making the radio capable of doing this, was not making a really big deal about it. Made since to me.
Want to know how good a radio this really is? How many used 2710's have you seen on the market compared to other like radios?
Sure hope the 2720 can fill the shoes of it's great predacessor.

73
Jimm
KG4CEO Rating: 2002-04-22
Dual Band legend! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned one of these radios new out of the box.And its one of the best radios I have ever had.And I have owned a few diffrent radios.I just hope the IC-2720 coming out this spring 2002 will fit the needs of people who would still like to have a 2710H.
KB9PKO Rating: 2002-01-22
Great dual-bander Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my two 2710's for almost two years now and have not seen anything I'd rather have. When I discovered that ICOM was taking this model out of production in favor of the 2800 I scoured the countryside and found what I believe were the last two new ones available - and bought them both. I run one as a mobile and the other as a base, both usually in v/v mode. The mobile went through a 60mph head-on collision, unsecured atop the dash; the radio survived, the windshield didn't. Really great to take a 300mw "credit card" DJ-C5, run 2m to the mobile, crossband to the base, and crossband to a 2m repeater 50 miles away. Easiest mobile operation I've ever seen. Only thing I'd change is to tighten the squelch up; I run clamped to the max all the time.
W9LVC Rating: 2001-11-27
Technically superior Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having owned a 2710H for some time now it is clear that Icom engineers earn their pay. This radio and its firmware has shown what a proper design should be. The operation is clear (except for one item) stable and exactly like the operators manual. Intermod is almost non existant (in the LA area test) Having two seperate memory banks for the VHF/UHF is a real plus. Like all modern radios power and sensitivity are very good. Function buttons are clear and easy to understand. The exception is in the operating manual. ICOM totally failed to address how to go to Cross band duplex. The supplied instructions are incorrect and one must go to ICOM tech support to get the correct procedure. For a good measure of how accepted a radio is look to the used market. This radio is scarce to say the least.

It took me some 3 months of searching to locate my radio and its going with me when I become a SK

Frank