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Reviews For: ICOM IC-2100H

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

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Review Summary For : ICOM IC-2100H
Reviews: 196MSRP: 140
Description:
Two meter mobile
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/2mmobile/ic2100hmain.asp
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001964.5
KA0RKB Rating: 2004-01-28
excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i have been using this radio for over 2 years as a base. This is a fine radio and have made contacts via satelite ans in excess of 260 miles via this radio. excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!
K3ASF Rating: 2004-01-20
Worth the money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just purchased my 2nd 2100H. I recently sold my FT8800R of two months, at a loss naturally, only because the activity in my area was not enough to support all its functions. There was absolutley nothing wrong with that rig and I would highly recommend it for those of you with that particular need. Having said that, it made more sense to me to have ANOTHER 2100h with the cloning patch cord. For the price, the ease of programming, the visual display (mobile) I can't think of a better rig to buy . I paid twice the amount for a Kenwood TR-7400A almost 30 years ago
that by today's standards could not even compete.
If you're just starting into 2-meters or an old timer like me.....check it out.
KB2QDA Rating: 2004-01-18
Fantastic so far Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
100% mobile use. No problems so far (6 months or so). Replaced a problematic Yaesu FT8100.
NT9M Rating: 2003-12-26
Back in the saddle again Time Owned: more than 12 months.
If you buy one, don't sell it! I bought the 2100 three years ago when I first became licensed. Then this past summer I sold it and three other radios so I could buy a 706MKIIG and have HF in my mobile. The 706 is a fine HF transceiver, but not on par with the 2100 on 2 meters. I was never satisfied with the VHF performance. We also have a couple of Yaesu dual banders in the family, and I sold an ICOM 207H at the same time as the 2100.

Well, the XYL got tired of my whining for the old 2100 and bought me a new one (with upgraded mic) for Christmas. Talk about a fine woman ! Now I have the best of both worlds in my van. What did I miss most about the 2100? It's large display with alpha/numeric labeling, it's easy to use function keys that are easily visible with labels on the display, and yes-- it's superior performance. I got into distant repeaters much better with the 2100 than I did with the 706. My initial impression is that the new mic is an improvement over the original...which wasn't bad to begin with.

Easily one of the most user-friendly 2 meter mobiles around, you won't go wrong with this wonderful combination of functionality and performance.
KC2IGY Rating: 2003-12-04
No problems. Very good. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently picked up a 2100H(25N) with the improved HM-133S mic, for only $134 from HRO. I bought it based on other reviews, and its price. It performs well, and has a nice amount of features. With the new mic and current price, it would be tough to find a better deal on a 2M radio.
WB9UDJ Rating: 2003-12-03
Good radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
the 2100H radios are good and a great radio for a fair price. I have 12 of them and only have had one that has had a problem. That was a display that quit. ICOM fixed that very quickly. Would recomend them to anyone.

Now about the 2720H that I bought 2 months ago, it has already been replaced once. I just hope ICOM is not starting to be like Yaesu and denying it when they make a bad radio.
KC8Y Rating: 2003-12-03
fantastic receive!!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
bought my 2100h, new from HRO, a few years ago;
must say this rig has NOT DISAPPOINTED me...esp. the receive-it's super!!!!

BUT, I do have a reply to KG4MIQ's statement on Oct. 31, 2003...the server response to your website came back "Error 404 Web Page Not Found" ...I typed exactly as you show it,in your comment about the 2100h.

Ken--KC8Y
ckt660@cboss.com

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Earlier 5-star review posted by KC8Y on 2003-05-03

bought this rig NEW when it fist came out (boy did i loose $$)...radio is super sensitive on receive...transmitter is great too...use a 5/8 wave ground plane on base setup...with the price now, you can't go wrong
ZL2SKY Rating: 2003-12-03
Excellent Tranceiver Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Due to the outrageous prices we are charged here in ZL for new equipment I imported my 2100H from California in July 2002 and I have no regrets about buying this rig. I rate this rig 4.9 out of 5 only because I too had the problem of the crackle in the speaker on transmit. I have run this rig mobile from day one and am amazed at the distance I can get on it. I can work repeaters as far away as 160 kms (100 miles) just driving around my city. It has the best receive I have had from a total of 5 mobiles that I have had in the past. All in all a great rig and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great rig packed with features at a very reasonable cost.
N4LI Rating: 2003-11-23
It's fine. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got my 2100H shortly after licensing. Upon arriving at my local radio store, I found I had to choose between competitive radios from Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood. Not knowing much about the various product lines, I chose Icom; I had recently bought a 746, liked it, and thought I would stay in-line.

I have never regretted that decision. The 2100 is a solid performer. It works fine – no major problems like intermod or thermal issues. While I can’t speak to the Kenwood radio (I really haven’t had much exposure to Kenwood), I know from friends and relatives that the Yaesu radio, the 1500, gets really, really hot. The Icom, being a big heat sink, does not.

There are no sexy bells and whistles on the 2100, but does it need them? It’s a 2m FM radio, a radio intended to be one step above a CB. You push the PTT, and it transmits, release and it receives. The memories work fine, and the controls are easy to use and accessible. What else do you want for just over $100?

I no longer use the radio in the car; it lives in my home office connected to a ¼ wave GP in the attic. My big radios are across the house, so this radio tends to run while I work. Hour after hour it just chugs along.

No complaints…

Peter
N4LI
W8OB Rating: 2003-10-24
not bad Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Have installed in my work van. this unit has less intermod problems than the yaesu ft-2800m that i use in the office. My only complaint about this radio is the display readout really for lack of a better word sucks. Come on Icom get it right a dude is not going to drive down the highway hunched over the display just to see what freq he is on, forget about the two colors and make the display readable like the ft-2800m.