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Reviews For: ICOM IC-2720H

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

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Review Summary For : ICOM IC-2720H
Reviews: 147MSRP: ???
Description:
2M/440MHz Dual Band Mobile
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001473.3
K4VHO Rating: 2005-09-07
Radio Satisfaction Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned the 2720H since they first came out with my serial number being 0001130. Alpha-numerics was about the only thing I could have suggested more.
My rig did the smoke check about two months ago on a Tuesday night at 2109 hrs as I was about to check into the Skywarn net. I was pumping gas at the time. I sent an email that night to Icom, called the next day and mailed it off that day also. Two weeks later I received a brand new radio at no cost to me, except the 7 bucks I spent on shipping. Sure I was out two weeks.....but I was also more than 2 years out of warranty. Icom stood by the product and quickly responded to my issue. I would have preferred not to have the radio go bad, but I also could ask a company to do more than ICOM did.

Bill - K4VHO
K1ESL Rating: 2005-07-12
Ditto ditto ditto Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wow, am I glad I didn't buy one of these on my own. The company I work for supplied one for our emergency comms room - and it's a disaster by itself. On just a discone it gets intermod galore in the ham bands - and even more outside (like in the 151.xx and 154.xx services). It's a nice looking and functional (controls-wise) dual band radio with a deeply flawed design. I'm adding nothing more in this review that has already been said, just another radio that works like the rest, apparently. Stay away from this one.

If you're really set on an Icom, the IC-208H has been great for me (as well as a Yaesu FT-8900R).
NI8E Rating: 2005-06-04
Power output failure Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Second time for this to happen in two years. Icom will fix it but at a hefty price ($168.00 last time)
Used to be an Icom fan.
Fritz
W6TGS Rating: 2005-05-31
Up in SMOKE Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well I joined the gang. I had the fun of driving down the highway and keying the radio and seeing SMOKE coming out of the rig. I was able to pull the power leads out of the power block.
Icom tech said this was not ususal for this rig, guess they don't read eHam regarding their products. Now to find a box to send the rig into the Radio Hospital.I am sure the repair will be at the normal Hosital prices....OUT OF SIGHT.
Ham Radio can be costly......
KC5PBN Rating: 2005-05-22
Same old problem with IC 2340 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I would not buy an IC 2720 Bad reviews .. I did
buy two IC 2340 and one sent in twice the other
three times they play out the warranty. $1,100
spent and they did not last more than a year. The
biggest problem is with the push button, they should
have used ribbons connectors ...........
Will they ever fix this problem I lost a lot of money....
Thanks
WX5EMT Rating: 2005-05-22
Disappointed without a radio to use during Skywarn operations Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well...I sit here eating crow after recommending this radio to several people. I got over the fact that alpha-numerics were not available with the radio. I do like the easy programming capabilites it has..BUT..When my radio "died" yesterday, I am now re-thinking my opinion about this radio. Especially when I was told it would take a month to get back. The good news is..ICOM pays for the fix. Now here I am without a radio to do storm spotting in the middle of storm season. Now that I am at the end of my review, I will be changing my review from a 2 to a 1. Yes, I am pissed!!!!!!!!! WX5EMT
K9KJM Rating: 2005-04-27
STILL GARBAGE Time Owned: more than 12 months.
It's been about a year now since my last review of this "Worst radio of the decade" award winner.
The only thing that has changed since my last report is that even more of these junk 2720 radios have "let the smoke out" and lost transmit power in this area. And we have purchased more Yaesu FT 8800 radios for a direct comparison.
The Yaesu FT 8800 radios work like the older Icom dual band rigs (IC2710 etc) EASY to follow manual, And EASY to use memory managment for both sides of the radio. A real plus is that the Yaesu 8800 does not have the severe intermod problem of the junk 2720, But the most important thing is that the Yaesu 8800's seem to keep right on going.... On HIGH power, Into the bad VSWR antennas that the defenders of the crap 2720 blame for the poorly designed 2720's final transistors demise........
If you are really in "love" with Icom, Do yourself a favor and just get a Yaesu FT 8800 and put an Icom sticker on it........
I have had really good luck with Icom over the years. EXCEPT for the junk 2720H..............
Just goes to show, Most any manufacturer can come up with a real DUD every now and then.

----------------------
Earlier 0-star review posted by K9KJM on 2003-11-18

Icom Tech. Support has not answered ANY of the
problems these radios have! The worst manual to
follow/understand of all time!
WHY did Icom deceive hams by calling this radio
the 2720, Making it sound like it is "related"
to the good old Icom 2710..... It is NOT like that
good old radio at all! Completly different!
Icom SHOULD have given it a NEW model number series...... While it is fairly simple to program a few channels in to it for simpleton use, Try to get it to operate /scan on right and left sides on different frequencies at the same time...
Without jumping thru 17 programming steps for each channel........ The crap manual does not
even mention how to do it......
I have supported Icom over the years and have lots
of good Icom radios. This one is simply a piece
of $hit. Avoid it.
K5DRH Rating: 2005-04-21
Decent Dual Bander Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio when it first came out, close to two years ago. It's been remote-mounted in the same vehicle the whole time. Annoying is the display that needs to "warm up" for a few minutes but still functions fine. The display is small but easily readable. It doesn't have too many small icons on the display to squint at. I don't mind that it doesn't have alpha display, I can figure out what frequency/repeater I'm on by the actual frequency display. I've found in the past when I used alpha display radios that over time I had forgotten the frequencies to repeaters so this helps me remember. The mic is great, has all the necessary buttons on it to operate without moving your eyes to the actual head, makes it quicker and keeps your eyes on the road more. One thing I have been worried about is mine is the only one out of several local hams I know that hasn't had the finals burn up. I keep thinking it's only a matter of time but after about 2 years maybe it never will. Guess I got lucky. First-year models of ANY radio have problems, I'm sure ICOM has resolved many issues since then like every other manufacturer does.
K4SGT Rating: 2005-04-06
INTERMOD!!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This radio has some good features but the intermod makes it unbearable. I would get intermod even WAY OUT IN THE COUNTRY! I kept this one for just over three months. Boo Icom!
KB0PIX Rating: 2005-02-12
Nice overall - next model could be significantly improved Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this dual-bander for almost two years and used it heavily.

First my complaints. No alpha numerics, which is a bummer because its cousin the 2800 has alpha and its competitor the Yeasu 8900 has alphanumerics, this is my greatest complaint. The LCD screen doesn't work well in cold temperatures (below 35 - 40 degrees F). It takes a few minutes of "warming up" before the screen becomes readable. It does have an intermod problem on VHF, I reduce the problem somewhat by leaving my VHF on the left side. Last, the unit poor audio output power. My truck is really noisy at highway speeds and I often have to really crank up the volume to hear my externally mounted speakers. Volume wasn't a problem with my previous, old and venerable HTX212.

And, my compliments are as follows. Like many of the lastest era dual-band mobiles it has full V/V, V/U, U/V so I can't say this is anything special, but I wouldn't want it any other way. The microphone plugs directly into the control head, this was not available on the ICOM 2800. Easy to understand buttons on the control head and microphone...typical of ICOMs, and of which was the primary reason I purchased this instead of the Yeasu 8900. Programming via the software + programming cable is a breeze, again not too unusual these days. Very small and easy to mount control head, a great plus in my 4-runner where dashboard space is at a premium, but not too unusual because the Yeasu 8900 also has a small control head whose buttons feel just as tight. Last, I hope I don't jinx myself, but I have run this radio extensively at full power while driving in the foothills and mountains on a Diamond 1/2 wave colinear antenna with no problems and alot of compliments on the range and clarity of the unit.

In conclusion, I have many quality issues with this radio, but it best meets my needs compared to its current competitors. I would definately upgrade in the future if a similar ICOM model comes out with alpha-numerics.