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Reviews For: Icom IC-V8000

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

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Review Summary For : Icom IC-V8000
Reviews: 185MSRP: 249.00
Description:
2 meter mobile radio
75 Watts output power
RX: 136 - 174 MHz
Wide/narrow operation
Front firing speaker
Cooling fan
Dual color display
Auto repeater offset
CTCSS Encode
CTCSS Decode
CTCSS Tone scan
DCS Encode
DCS Decode
DCS Code scan
DTMF Encode
DTMF Decode (optional)
DTMF Code squelch
Dynamic Memory Scan
Weather channels
Weather alert
Weather scan
207 Memory channels (3 scan edges)
Call channel
6 Character alphanumeric display
PC programmable
Radio - radio cloning
Programmable keys
RF Attenuator
Channelized operation
Alpha only operation
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/2mmobile/index.html#v8000
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001854.4
N3ZHC Rating: 2005-05-31
Winner!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I am now the owner of three IC-V8000 First was bought used at the Elmira Hamfest 2 years ago. I have since bought two more due to their performance. I am rating this rig as a 5 out of 5, definitely a keeper. I am very impressed with the Front end of the rig, which I have heard a ton of complaints on. I live in a small boro in PA, less than a half a mile from our local hospital. The intermod from their paging system alone had greatly detered my VHF experience in the past, well no more!! I had tried numerous rigs, filters, ect.. all with very poor results. Then I hooked up the V-8000..... intermod is gone with no external filter needed! :) My only quarrel with the rig is the HM-133v hand mike that ICOM has included. Although it appears to be a decent full-featured mic, it is simply a pile of crap. I have replaced all three mics now at least once. I also have spoken to several others who are now or have experienced the same problem. Seems like the micro-switch used is crap. Everyone I have had and a few others I have spoke to have had the same difficulty. After using the mic for awhile, it takes more pressure on the PTT to key-up the rig. Eventually it will not work no matter how hard you try. I have wrote ICOM several times on this matter and still have yet to hear back.

Have also spoken to several who own other models of ICOM using this same mic and have noticed this is not an all too uncommon problem........

PS: Call is K3LYC, former call is above. I will not be changing my profile until EHAM simplifies it to simply changing your call, not resubscribing and rewriting the whole thing again.......
KD4JXZ Rating: 2005-05-24
Best 2 meter mobile for the buck!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this radio second hand and it's performed flawlessly ever since. It's easy to use and not heavy on the menu driven functions like others I've owned. This one has a hot receive, has the extra punch on high power you need and is user friendly! Nice job Icom!
KG4TBQ Rating: 2005-04-30
Powerful Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's easy to program,it's powerful,has great recieve, and I haven't noticed any intermod. It's small but powerful. Because of the power/75 watts I can hit any repeater I pick up on the recieve. On simplex it works great also. So far my farthest contact on simplex was 60 miles away. I'm sure when conditions are in it will reach much further.
KD5YBE Rating: 2005-04-29
Tough as Nails Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned 2 of these radios for almost 2 years now.They both have great recieve. No Intermod not even in Town. The programming couldnt be easier unless you have the software.I used one in my mobile for a year until I got a 2350H dualbander. Since then its used as my base 2 meter rig. I use the other for APRS along with my AEA PK-232MBX TNC. Works great on APRS. The V8000 is great radio you wont go wrong buying this one.
K6SPY Rating: 2005-04-26
Awesome radio! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Purchased my V8000 in Sept 2002 ($219) and it has served me well. I can't speak highly enough for this rig, from the very user friendly remote control microphone to the incredible sensitive receiver, they got this one right! Features I really appreciate are the 4 stage power setting and variable cooling fan. The only issue I found was the audio completely cutting out on rare occasion, which was resolved by turning off the weather alert feature.
WA0DTH Rating: 2005-04-19
One of the best two meter values Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well for starters, I congratulate ICOM for locating the mic connector on the left side of the rig instead of on the right where at least in the US we end up yanking the cord across the radios front controls in mobile operation.
I dont have detailed lab data on the radio, but after operating it a couple of years now it has done great. User friendly from the type of mic , controls, diplay size, color. Intermod RFI rejection seems fairly good.
And the 75 watts of output power has come in very handy in fringe area's.
And living in tornado country, Kansas, the weather alert alarm has been great.
You tornado chasers, and spotters would love this radio.
After owning many two meter rigs over the years, I give this radio a high 5.
AB0RE Rating: 2005-04-09
Problems with Birdies... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I like to try out the different radios available and I've already owned a few IC-V8000's.

My first couple V8000's had no problems. The last one I got had an intermittent birdie on 147.240MHz, a local repeater frequency. When the scan would get stopped by the birdie on 147.240 turning the squelch all the way up or disconnecting the antenna would not even cause the signal to drop. I would have to manually change the channel in order to get things moving. Sometimes the birdie was there, sometimes it wasn't (depending on what you were doing with the radio).

Unfortunately, since the V8000 does not have a clock/CPU shift feature, there was nothing I could do about the birdie. I contacted Icom technical support on a couple of occassions and they could not offer any advice either.

The vendor I purchased the radio from even sent a replacement out for me to try. It exhibited the same problems. But like I said earlier, my earlier V8000s did not have that problem. So I think I'm going to steer clear of the V8000 for a while and probably stick with the 271A for now. It's a shame because the V8000 is a killer radio otherwise.

73,
Dan / ab0re
KH2P Rating: 2005-03-19
excellent radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I agree with K9ZF!What else you can ask for?I have 2 of this great radio and for me this is the best 2 meter radio in the market today .
K9ZF Rating: 2005-03-19
best 2m FM rig I have ever owned Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I don't understand the negative comments I've seen here. I've had mine for over a year now, and it is still the best 2m FM rig I have ever owned. Tons of power, great receiver, and good tx audio.

What else can you ask for?

73
Dan

--
K9ZF /R no budget Rover ***QRP-l #1269
Check out the Rover Resource Page at: http://www.qsl.net/n9rla
List Administrator for: InHam+grid-loc+ham-books
NT4I Rating: 2005-03-19
Stay Away Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought a brand new IC V8000 and it developed problems after a month or so. I sent it back to the factory and they claimed it was hit by lightning, in the car no less. What a bunch of crap! In any event, Icom wanted $190 to "fix" the radio.....I only paid $179 new for it, go figure. They offered to dispose of it for free or charge me a shipping fee to return it to me.
I am DONE with Icom as they have gone way down hill.