Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Icom IC-22U / IC-24E

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

eMail Subscription

Registered users are allowed to subscribe to specific review topics and receive eMail notifications when new reviews are posted.
Review Summary For : Icom IC-22U / IC-24E
Reviews: 13MSRP: 269.00
Description:
10W 2 meter FM analog mobile transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00135
AB0KD Rating: 2011-09-30
A solid and trouble free radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I’ve been running an IC-22U with an EX-199, UT-30 tone burst board, and HM-8 microphone since purchased in 1982, initially mobile until replaced with an LS-202A around 1988. Since 1988 it have been used for fixed operation packet only. The unit worked flawlessly in both environments. The only issue today is the volume and squelch controls are noisy when I rarely adjust them and the dial lights have gone out. The only annoyance with the unit was using the thumb wheel frequency selection when mobile and the radio mounted under the dash or passenger side of the console. This was corrected in one vehicle by installing the EX-199 control head on the dash. A nice feature is DUP1/DUP2 switch on the front panel which selects either transmit or receive frequency to be indicated by the thumb wheel switches, as opposed to only the receive frequency on the later radios. The only modification to the radio was to open the coverage to 140 - 149 MHz. According to ICOM, it is also possible to move the coverage up into the 150 MHz range.
N3IDG Rating: 2008-08-12
great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
this a simple radio rock solid ,it is good rig for emergency portable operations
K6TPL Rating: 2008-07-31
Great Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The longest lasting radio I have ever owned! It looks like a radio, feels like a radio and other than having it repaired once after I connected a handheld to it and ran RF straight into the antenna connector. "Don't do that" Be careful in connecting antennas! It still works. Which is much more than I can say for the six 2 meter radios bought to replace it over the years. Is it possible that I bought this in the 1970's! Must be as it was installed in a 1976 Super VW. What a Radio!
KB0XR Rating: 2008-07-31
Oldie but Goody Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've got one (22U) sitting right in front of me as I type this. Still works fine after 25 years. I use it for monitoring and occasional simplex work. Rock solid receiver and to me, it just "looks right". Heavy duty case and few controls. Kinda industrial looking. I've got a dead one also that makes a good doorstop.
WB6UUT Rating: 2008-07-30
A brick.... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my IC-22U (new) to replace a stolen IC-22S.

When I upgraded to a "more modern" rig for the car, I mounted the IC-22U on the bottom of my bookshelf and used it for Packet for more than a decade.

It has been repaired once.

Now, I use it for a bit of FM simplex now and then.

... and a quarter-century after I bought it, it still works fine.
K3ZOR Rating: 2007-10-03
Very nice! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the IC-22U at an estate sale several months back and have been using it in the shack virtually every day since as my primary 2 meter simplex rig. the receiver is everything that the other reviewer's have said it is. Quiet, no intermod, no noises and the receive audio is very nice. Maybe it's the heavier case, but the sound coming from the stock speaker is a pleasure to listen to. Excellent reports on the transmitted audio as well.

There are no CTCSS tones, but easy enough to install a Comm. Spec. board (which I intend to do) to work the local repeaters if desired. The IC-22U has an output power of 1 watt or 10 watts and works nice into a small amp if you need the extra output. No memories and no other bells and whistle's, but if your looking for a 2M rig for simplex like I was, it is a excellent choice.
AH6RH Rating: 2007-04-02
Built like a tank! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I echo the other reviewers. Having owned an IC-22A and IC-22S, I knew what to expect from the RF section. It has a 5 state helical cavity filter for an absolutely bullet-proof, rock solid receiver. Spec sheet says less than 0.6 uV for 20 dB Noise quieting. Plenty good for monitoring repeaters. The IC-22A spec is 0.4 uV and it was a hot receiver in its day.

The transmitter is a 1 or 10 watt selectable operation. The final is a 2SC2094, which is still available, unlike the 22A. The mike connector is 8-pin, unlike the 22A which is 3-pin and the 22S which is 4-pin.

Another ham has been running his continuously for 27 years as a remote base for an ACC RC-85 repeater.

I passed up an opportunity to buy one of these gems about 1983. Having recently picked one up, it brought back good memories and operations from the IC-22S, which went dead due to the aging synthesizer section. Old timers know you don't need the super-duper scanning functions -- you really want solid RF TX and RX performance, and you won't be disappointed by the IC-22U.

VK5GI Rating: 2006-09-30
All Time Favourite Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not many of these rigs came out to Australia, and I bought mine off e-bay. I was looking for a rig just to monitor the local repeaters. However, this rig is just soooo good! It is REALLY solid (no intermod) and it has very good received and transmitted audio indeed. It's about the same size as the IC-22S but much more versatile, even if the thumb-wheels are a tad fiddly. If you find one for the right price (<$50) grab it with both hands - you will not regret it and it will last you a lifetime. Kind regards
VK3PK Rating: 2005-03-29
Great for visually impaired Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
This is a fairly simple and bullet proof radio.
It stacks up very well in the presence of strong pagers at 148.0 - 149.0 Mhz.

I have developed a small interface board using a couple of shift registers controlled by a PICAXE, which reads the status of the three thumbwheel switches and 4 othre switches.
Three seconds after make a change or on request the frequency is sent out in morse along with repeater shift etc.

I am after another two of these radios as I have two more visually impaired hams to satisfy.

So if you know of any not being used please contact me.
I am QTHR

Lee VK3PK
W6PMR2 Rating: 2003-05-03
Spartan but good ! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Very good old radio. Wonderful RX and mine was bullitproof. Many still use this as a remote receiver or for packet so the price is sometimes high for such an old radio with no features.
I have seen these for between $10 to $50+ at swaps, if you need build a single frequ. 2 meter remote of some kind these are a top choice.