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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
151524.5
FORMER_AK9I_EB Rating: 2002-04-25
Absolutely Great Rig Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've owned the 756, 756Pro, and now the Pro2. They just keep getting better. Great rx and tx and all the extras you could want. I operate CW (no extra filters to purchase) virtually 100% and the DSP makes for Q5 copy in the most adverse conditions. After you use the spectrum display, you won't be able to live without it.
What's missing:
I hope a mod comes along to improve QSK rx.
KE4WY Rating: 2002-04-15
Excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
To put it simply I like the way this rig functions. The previous post got me wondering about 3rd order with other current 100 watt rigs since I have noticed quite a few posts on lack of good 3rd order lately so I looked up a couple of QST reviews on other manufacturers rigs and this is what I read:

Yaesu 920 worst case 25
TenTec Pegasus " " 27
Kenwood 570 " " 28
Icom 756 Pro II " " 30

???? The Pro II did not have the worst 3rd order?
N0GV Rating: 2002-04-15
XMIT Intermod is a problem Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Hello All,

I have read the praise of the 756 Pro II and as a result gave one a test drive.
Result: It is a nice radio to use, just has two tiny problems of AGC
De-Sensing and Transmit IMD -- Generally I can "hear" a PRO II
about 5kHz off center frequency due to the IMD generated. Sounds
great when it is listened to "dead-on" but the skirts are, for me,
unacceptably broad. This is the main but not only reason
for a rating of 3.

Having all that DSP is nice, unfortunately it is behind a fairly broad band
1st and 2nd IF which allows it to either pump the gain in the third IF (where both
the DSP and AGC lie) or add IMD in the first or second due to in-band
overload. I had difficulty picking out weak stations 3-4 kHz off from a very
strong carrier with the ICOM DSP driven units -- this was easier on the
quad conversion reciever with 8MHz and .455 MHz IF filtration....

Another problem is the lack of output power, 100 watts won't drive a
"legal limit" amp to the legal limit unless it is based on the more expensive
tubes (or uses more of them).

Give the following test a try: set up with a friend at one skip zone in
distance (1,100 miles or so) who has a Pro II and have him transmit a
test (voice) signal SSB and you tune across the spectrum from where
he is transmitting using your narrowest filter. At over 3kHz off center
frequency his signal will still be obnoxious; this is due to his intermods
being only 20 odd dB down (3-4 S units, 1 Watt at 100 Watts PEP out)
and you will understand why I am so critical of the IMD on
Xmit of this unit.

Oh well, there is always two sides to every coin, as a gee whiz spiffo
appliance with lots of flexibility and toy appeal the 756 Pro II is great and
real nice to operate with. It is just that I am more interested in squeezing
every last attojoule from the ionospheric disturbances caused by my fellow
denziens of this planetoid.

73,

Grover Larkins
N0GV
OH1VR Rating: 2002-04-11
Excellent Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I would like to confirm everything what Steve
NX1G is saying about IC756PRO II. After one month's use - including ten hours in WPX SSB -
I'm very satisfied. I also have owned 5-6 of
FT1000D's and MP's during last twelve years.
Last summer I had shortly IC756PRO and it was
also a great radio. First QSO with it after
OJ0U -operation was to Japan and I told about my
brandnew PRO - the guy there said: I'm using
brandnew PRO II !! Then I decided to upgrade -
but first wait few months. It was worth of waiting
and QST's review streghtened my decision.

The philosophy of PRO II is different compared with Yeasu's. Split operation is easy, also the
quality of inside voice recorder is good - it's
from different world compared with Yeasu's DVS-2.
CW - my favorite mode is smooth and filters are really brickwall. The sensivity of screen is better than PRO's etc. The only disturbing thing
is AF -knob - phones/key -plugs are too close to it.
PA1HR Rating: 2002-03-20
Advanced and innovated rig! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.

Here is my impression of a comparison between the Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V and the Icom IC-756ProII.

This is a very personal opinion. When you want a more objective comparison, then please gather more of such field tests or try the rigs yourself and make your own opinion.

In the Mark V I installed INRAD filters (250, 400, 2.1 and 2.8 kHz) and the INRAD IF-modification.
Menu 5-9 on 6.0, 7-7 all off and 8-9 all 0.000.

In The Netherlands and Germany (countries where I buy my HAM-equipment) the price of the Mark V is about $ 3500 and the ProII about $ 3000. The Mark V includes Power Supply.

Both transceivers are excellent, but very different!

Strong points of the Mark V:
- 200 Watt output
- Class A
- Ergonomics (solid knobs, some of them are rubberized)
- IF-monitor (also in CW!)
- VRF (Variable RF Front-End Filter)
- Shuttle Jog
- Front Panel Connections
- Front and Top Panel Controls
- FH-1 Remote Control Panel as option, with Tune in every mode

Strong points of the ProII:
- 5-inch TFT color LDS display (8 display types and 7 fonts)
- >100 choices of filters (between 50 Hz and 15 kHz) including the choice of
two different shape factors
- Twin Pass Band Tuning (you'll find graphic adjustments on the display)
- Variable Noise Reduction
- 50 MHz
- Spectrum Scope
- Triple Band Stacking Register
- User friendly menu
- Standard Digital Voice Recorder
- Standard 0.5 ppm TCXO
- RTTY Decoder on the display

Things which could be better on the Mark V:
- Display (e.g. LCD)
- Adjustment of IF-filters (was much better on the MP)
- Visible (graphic) adjustment of the IDBT (Shift and Width)

Things which could be better on the ProII:
- Some of the knobs (too tiny)
- The place of the AF/RF knob (should have been at the place of the NR/balance)
- Tune
- Rear connections; e.g. for keyer
- PS-125 and SP-21 (bad quality for huge price)

They both make too much fan noise. The ProII starts immediately when you PTT.

The sound!
The Mark V sounds (really noticeable) much more natural, more analogue.
The ProII sounds clear, flat, more digital.
Both ways; receive and transmit!
I tried this with various fellow stations under different conditions and
with different adjustments. They all told me the same. I can't tell you that
one of the sounds is better, but they are noticeable different!
Not very surprising, because the ProII is all-DSP.
By the way; I use the Yaesu SP-8 for both rigs.

Sensitivity: Both excellent. I did'nt use a radiocommunication service monitor or spectrum analyzer for this comparison... I just listened to various signals on different bands under different conditions.

Signal/noise ratio (more important then sensitivity): both excellent. On the lower frequencies (1,8 - 7 MHz) I don't use pre-amps.

Third Order Intercept Point: both very good. Even in Europe on 7 MHz.

Dynamic range: could be better on both.

Conclusion:
I prefer the sound, the ergonomics and the look of the Mark V. It is a very good rig for contests. It is more solid.
The ProII is very advanced with innovative features, like the display and the filtering. Very suitable for digital modes.

For SSB and CW and with the linear (TL-922) I use the Mark V.
For digital modes, for 50 MHz and as second receiver I use the ProII.

73, Hans PA1HR.

PA3HGT Rating: 2002-03-19
I'm in love with this radio... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I owned the IC761 , TS950 , IC756 and the IC756PRO and now the IC756PROII is in my shack.
First impression (first start up) was not so good because the display was very unclear because the contrast was almost 100 %, ok that can happen. I liked the S-meter of the PRO more because i like yellow in a meter.
The RX is very good and very quiet, the 756 was good , the 756PRO was very good and this one .... is too good to be true. The noise reduction is much better to handle than the normal 756 and the PRO.
I like the improvements about the DSP very much , in combination with the noise reduction and the filter adjustments is it possible to pull out a weak signal out of the noise.
The ability to shape the DSP , soft or sharp and
shape the filters for your own needs makes the 756PROII a very hot RX .
The PROII can handle very strong signals better
than the PRO.
To choose "sharp" or "soft" DSP is very handy to use when you going "local" or "dx" .
Yippie ! The noiseblanker is working , the previous models of the PROII (756 & 756PRO) had a bad NB but this one is very good , the last good NB before the PROII was in the TS950.
I tested the PROII with the desktop mikes SM 8 & SM20 , TX audio was at best with the SM20.
I made several DX-QSO's on HF with very good audio-reports.
Easy to use the direct access to the rx recorder with the button left of the tuningknob, sometimes i need it in some cases.
I agree with an review of N2DY :
Go grab a PRO on closeout and if you have some money to burn pick up the PROII


N3MX Rating: 2002-03-15
Incredible Rig! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is the first high end HF rig I have ever owned so I cannot seriously pit it up against other rigs in it's class, if there are other rigs in it's class!!! I traded in my 4 year old IC-746 which also was an excellent rig. So you can see this is a major upgrade for me. However, I have operated an IC-756 Pro, a FT-1000D, FT-920, IC-761, Kenwood TS-850, and IC-775 and this rig seems to outclass them all! Now, again, I cannot give you A/B comparisons or solid concrete evidence on performance like some of the other reviews do, but this is one damn fine tranciever! Get one you will not regret it!
W2IHY Rating: 2002-03-02
Worth consider buying Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Given how I operate the PRO2 is the best radio I have owned or used. I operate 40 to 60 hours a month. My main mode of operation is SSB. I am not a contester however I do operate often in crowded band conditions. I did a side by side comparison of a ICOM 756PRO vs a ICOM756PRO2. My first order assessment is that the PRO2 has
significantly better front end sensitivity. On 20 meters I tuned in an SSB station, on the PRO that was so weak that I could only copy one out of 15 to 20 words. To my shock when I tuned the PRO2 to the same frequency I could hear every word the station was saying and do this without straining. I was so surprised that I switched back and forth
several times to validate what I was hearing. The other very apparent improvement is that the PRO2 is front end that is much less suseptable to receiver overload. When I first got the PRO I had it on 20 meters listening to a station while I was working on my computer.
All of a sudden the receiver sounded like someone turned the RF gain way down for a few seconds. After a few seconds I could receive the stations I was listening to the same as before the receiver went deaf. I scratched my head and wrote it off as random stuff happening. Over the next few weeks I heard the same phenomenon. During one
occurrence I went over to the radio and looked at the bandscope. I had the scope’s display set up to paint the screen additively with signals received. What I noticed was that the screen had an almost constant level across it. I reset the display and waited for another occurrence. When I took another hit I saw the same thing again on the screen. After some analysis I determined that the receiver front end was being overloaded by atmospheric disturbances. I have not experienced this phenomena on the PRO2. I have had both
receivers on and seen the PRO experience the phenomena and the PRO2 not experience
it.
ICOM does have to learn how too design a user friendly digital recorder. The ICOM
engineers that designed the recorder can’t be a real user of the recorder in their stations.
I found the perceptible noise floor of the PRO2 about equal to the PRO.
On big complaint I have is that the PRO2 and the PRO, with a mic connected on a factory shipped radio will only put out about 60 watts on peak on SSB. In talking to an ICOM technician he told me that ICOM set the power level on CW with the key held down. It is set to 100 watts. If you plug a signal generator in the mic input the radio will output 100 watts however it only does 60 watts PEP with their mic. Some users have
gone inside the radio and turned up the output power.
In comparing PRO2 with the FT1000D is equal to or better sensitivity, much better audio and much more fun to use. If you are in the market for an HF radio take a look at the PRO2 however the PRO is a very very god deal at the new prices they are going for.
The PRO 2 is not perfect but better that the FT1000D and ICOM756PRO. I rate it a 5 for this
reason.
VE6WZ Rating: 2002-02-23
Hot RX.....but Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I am comparing this radio to my FT-1000d which has a full load of Inrad filters, had the reverse APF mod. and is used with the Timewave 599zx external DSP. (I am now on my third 1000d, due mostly to lightning induced termination).
I have configured the station for instant A/B switching between the Yaesu and Icom with the flip of a switch.
The PROII RX has always been equal or maybe slightly better than the Yaesu.
The DSP filtering is really fantastic...on CW I've often narrowed things down to 50 hz and it sounds great without lots of ringy-ness. (I use my 200hz filter on the yaesu a lot). On SSB the sound is equally good and the flexiblity for varing the bandwidth and shift may give it an edge over the FT-1000d. The noise cancelling feature is also very effective, especially on SSB and makes copy on 80m a bit easier on the ears. The bandscope is helpfull at times to spot activity...especially on 160m. I have recieved very good reports on the SSB Tx audio.
but.......
If you are a DXer working split pile-ups, and especially if you are used to a dual rx Yaesu....this radio will drive you crazy. The PROII does not have true stereo output so that the main rx can be in one ear and the sub rx in the other...it is mixed. As a result, it is difficult to adjust the balance to be able to listen to the DX and scan the pile at the same time. ALSO, the PROII does not provide for setting a different filter bandwidth on the sub RX. For examle, when scanning a split DX pile for his rx QRG, I will set the Yaesu sub RX wide to make it easier, but the main rx narrow to improve copy on the DX. The PROII allows only one filter setting. I find working split DX with the PROII painfull at best. I have also configured the 1000d for diversity RX (see my webpage), but this is not possible with the ICOM.
Summary: if I could only have one radio...my choice would be my FT-1000d, BUT...I still think the ICOM is good value, hot rx and......a lot smaller. I purchased this radio as a back-up, and to be used at our summer home...it is much easier to transport than the Yaesu. For more info about VE6WZ and some DX soundfiles go to: http://www.qsl.net/ve6wz/
N2DY Rating: 2002-01-31
Outstanding Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
There isn't much left that Icom could do to improve upon this radio. The transmitter is excellent as usual (most Icom hf radios are). The receiver is better than any I have ever used. I currently own a regular 756 Pro, a Yaesu 1000mp, a Kenwood ts-2000x, Icom 746, an Icom 706 and a few older radios. The ProII is clearly the best. The regular Pro is a close 2nd. Some reviewers who have the ts-2000 have said that it is better than the Pro or ProII. They must be joking! Just look at the specs. Don't get me wrong, I love my ts-2000. It is a rig that does many things well. It just isn't in the same league with the Pro or ProII.

I am one of those people who likes to have the latest and greatest. In all honesty though, the ProII is not worth $1000 more than the old Pro is. Yes the receiver is hotter and yes it has a number of improvements but the Pro on closeout is a bargain.

My favorite neat feature that both the Pro and ProII have is the spectrum scope. It is fabulous. I use it to see where qsos are on various bands. It is particularly useful on 6 meters where the band can sometimes open and close quickly. If you are not listening in the right place, you may not know the band is open. With the scope, you can see qsos popping up all across the band.

Go grab a Pro on closeout and if you have some money to burn, pickup the ProII. You can't go wrong with either.