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Reviews For: ICOM IC-756PRO2

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : ICOM IC-756PRO2
Reviews: 152MSRP: 2969.95 Street
Description:
HF+6m Transceiver
Product is in production
More Info: http://WWW.ICOMAMERICA.COM
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001524.5
IK0LLK Rating: 2004-01-01
Good transceiver Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm sorry for my bad english,
I had the ICOM IC756 and now I bought the new IC756PRO2.
I'm very satisfied! Is a complete transceiver.
The receiver, in SSB o CW is very good.
The only thing that i don't like, is the price. Is expensive!
KG7DX Rating: 2003-12-23
None Better Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had most of the modern HF ham transceivers, and I can say with all honesty that there is none better... compare it with whatever you want, feature for feature, and you'll always come back to the 756PROII.

de KG7DX
W4CRT Rating: 2003-12-15
1st one quit replacement great Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a ProII form GigaParts in Huntsville about a month ago. I brought the rig home and plugged it in. The radio wouldn't cycle up and I turned it off. After turning back on it finally started the 10 second process. After making a few contacts and leaving the room I came back to listen around the band and looked at the screen which was blank except for lines. I turned the rig off and restarted. After approximately 10 minutes the same thing happened. I called GigaParts and advised them I would be returning the rig for an exchange. After returning to GigaParts, the service tech plugged up the rig and after 5 minutes the display went south again.
He packed it up and in a few minutes brought out a new one. We plugged this one in a let it play for a while before I took it home where it's done fine since. I love the easy way you can change things without the many tri menu's of the Yaesu rigs. Great receive and from reports the transmit audio is good too. The clock is a nice feature too as I have always wanted one on my HF rig. I give this the 4 rating only because of the first rig I had to lug back to the store.
W5LXG Rating: 2003-12-10
Unusual problem, hopefully to be fixed Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
My first experience with a premium rig is being tested. After two months of excellent service, the Pro 2 suddenly began having a hard time "turning" on. When I push the on button, it might or might not decide to turn on. Simply would sit there dead and stay dead. Push, push again, push...nothing. Walk away, then try again, on it would come. In 60 days, it failed to come on 15 times. Took it to the local ICOM dealer who claimed no problem found and intimated I didn't know how to turn it on. Same problem with two different power cords and power supplies. Now it is back to ICOM, hopefully to return in good shape. I think the fan noise of the power supply is disgraceful, waaay too loud. I replaced it with a silent Astron. I also hate the way the fan keeps time when sending cw. Otherwise, a wonderful radio
TA5FA Rating: 2003-12-08
it's Father of All HF Radios Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
it's Father of All HF Radios

No Comment another.
N5NJ Rating: 2003-11-13
Totally on-board Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've owned my 756 Pro II for a couple of months now, and I am completely pleased with its' performance. The selectivity is infinitely adjustable, and is so flexible that you can tune out any interfering signal. There is a pretty steep learning curve to fully exploit the potential of this radio.

If you sit down with it without learning how to use it, you may be dissappointed. I suspect this may be the reason for some of the more negative reviews.

I have been a crystal filter "bigot" for years and after my experience with the various Timewave boxes, I was not in favor of a DSP-only receiver.

I did get a chance to use one in Antigua at V26B a couple of years ago, and it seemed OK, but I was not convinced.

Then, I looked at the value of the radio including 6 meter capability, and in contrast with the FT1000MP Mark V, plus the FTV-1000 transverter, plus a full complement of filters, the cost of the Yaesu was just too high.

Thankfully, the 756 Pro II exceeds my expectations and I am thoroughly enjoying DXing with it. I spent a couple of hours in the CW SS and it worked great. I can't wait for the CQWW CW!
K9OM Rating: 2003-11-09
NOT A KEEPER Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.


Many have shared what they like about the radio... that is fine. I will share what I didn't like about the radio in hopes it might save someone from having unrealistic expectations of the PRO2:
1) Icom really brags up the built-in DSP filters.
However, after doing side-by-side comparisons alongside my Ten-Tec OMNI VI and Yaesu FT-1000-MP I rate the PRO2's DSP filter selectivity under heavy QRM condx as fair/poor. (the performance was comparable to audio DSP in many cheaper rigs) 2) The receive audio was somewhat tinny sounding and tiring to listen to. 3) The front panel controls felt cheap. Considering the radios price and Icom's advertising hype I was displeased with the radios performance and give it a "2". Note: I do not work for or own stock in Ten-Tec or Yaesu!
N4ZOU Rating: 2003-11-04
Great for digital modes Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have waited a little over a year to report on my experence with this transceiver. It's wonderfull! I really enjoy all the digital modes and have both a PK-900 TNC and a sound card home built interface. All digital modes work fine with it. The programable DSP filters allow you to make the filter just large enough to allow only one PSK-31 signal in if you want to do that and larger with other sound card digital modes. On FSK modes like RTTY and Amtor/Pactor the built in special RTTY filter makes copy of very weak signals possable. With the bands now dropping into poor conditions with the latest cycle peak ending a few of us have went back to ARQ Amtor mode and using the RTTY filter and a PK-900 TNC we were able to keep text flowing between our stations even when the other stations FSK signal could not be heard in the speaker. Other than the link speed slowing down from the higher error count the text flow speed was still faster than PSK-31. I have noted some desence of the receiver on very strong stations. This is caused not in the receivers front end but in the DSP section. using the attenuator solved this problem. I have also found you should never use the preamp on 20 meters and below as this will cause DSP problems just the same as a very strong signal. So would I buy another one if something happened to this one? I sure would!
N4DEK Rating: 2003-09-21
Much Improved Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've owned many HF radios but compared to the 756PRO that I owned before the PRO2 is much improved in my opinion. Finally the digital filters DO WORK! I never liked the filtering on the Pro but the Pro2 filters seem to be much improved to me. Receiver is super sensitive but lacks all the noise that I was getting on my TS-870. Seems to hear much better than the 870 as well. Received audio is real nice sounding and the transmit audio is super as well. I'm feeding the modulator input on the back of the radio with a W2IHY 8 Band EQ and Heil Studio One microphone and get excellent audio reports. Low end bass response is much better going in the back than the front mic input which rolls off the low end. Fit and finish is top notch as was the case with the original Pro. I do like the S-Meter much better than the old Pro which is now lit with white LED's and is much easier to see. I can't see much difference in the display but the scope does now show weak signals much better. Also noticed that I no longer have to use the preamps on the higher bands as I did with the original Pro. As noted by other PRO2 owners mine as well only makes about 75 watts talk power on SSB. I've only owned this one for about two weeks but so far I'm well pleased with it and would recommend it highly.
VE3NYZ Rating: 2003-09-21
Excellent Transceiver Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Best HF transceiver on the market period!
Easy to operate, and fun to use!
Buy one and you won't be sorry with the performance or quality.
73's.