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Reviews For: ICOM IC-207H

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

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Review Summary For : ICOM IC-207H
Reviews: 67MSRP: 299.95
Description:
Dual Band (2M/70CM) Transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00673.9
W1VXA Rating: 2007-09-29
^Years and Still Going Strong Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought the IC-207H at the Boxboro Massachusetts Hamvention in 2001, and six years later it works as great as it did the first time I took it out of the box.

It has a very clear signal reception, and 50-watt output can hit even the most difficult to reach repeaters. The interface is very user-friendly, making it easy to program the transceiver. I also like the compact design of the IC-207H because it can fit in many of the smaller nooks in a vehicle, making a mobile installation appear neat and clean.

73
Dan W1VXA
KI4RIG Rating: 2007-08-12
great radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have two of them an thay are great radios I have had them about a year and no problems
KB4TPP Rating: 2007-06-17
Very good entry level dual bander Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Owned one in the past and sold it...recently picked up a NOS one at the Atlanta hamfest for a C-note. Well worth it. This is a basic albeit not totally stripped down dual band mobile. If you do NOT require cross band operation or dual RX, and want an easy to use radio, look no further. Used these radios can be had for less than 150 dollars. Don't be a fool and pay over 200 for them on scambay as you can buy the 208 (the new version of it) for around 250 new.

Pluses-
-very good TX and RX audio
-four power levels (50/25/10/5 on V and 35/20/10/5 on U)
-HM133 mike lets you control everything on the radio (except turn it on or off), even adjust the volume and squelch
-easy to read display
-wideband RX
-plenty of memory channels
-remote mount capable (with optional kit)

Minuses-
-power button is squeezed in between the volume and squelch knobs, tricky to press if you have big fingers
-no DCS
-no alphanumeric display
-rig runs hot and early units had problems with PA failures...very difficult to replace

All in all, a good radio. Haven't had any intermod issues even in downtown Atlanta, though I do keep CTCSS decode enabled on most repeaters anyway. TX audio is excellent, and the built-in speaker is adequate though not as loud as my Yaesu 1802. Scan is very fast in both VFO and memory mode.

Not a bad radio if you pick one up cheap.
EA3WR Rating: 2007-04-12
For mobile ONLY! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not usable at home due to intermod that completely blocks VHF reception, even with a small vertical.
Correct performance on mobile use, in fact it's what it has been designed for...
Powerfull and clear audio is perfect for mobile use and I don't find it dificult to use. If you find one second hand at cheap price, remember, buy it only for your vehicle use.
73 de John, EA3WR
AB3BO Rating: 2006-11-21
Great Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have been using this radio for a little over a year and it has done an excellent job.

It is being used in mobile operation.

I see no need to look for anything newer at this point in time....
K5ADF Rating: 2006-10-01
Good radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio in 1997 to use in an apartment during a temporary assignment. Later I used it at home to supplement my VHF/UHF base (IC821). It finally ended up as the dedicated VHF radio in my packet station, which is where it is today. During this time I have had no problems with the radio or the microphone. In the packet station it is on 100% of the time (last 6 years) connnected to a Kantronics Kam XL. When it was used as a portable station, I received good signal reports running off a mag mount on the refrigerator in the apartment and later on an outside dual band vertical mounted 20 feet in the air. It is not as fancy as the newer rigs with dual V+V, V+U, U+U capabilities, etc, but it is durable. The radio was never mounted in a mobile installation so I am not sure how it would survive in that environment. I am happy with the rig and do not intend to replace it until it dies.
KI4QFY Rating: 2006-10-01
Very good rig! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had the oppertunity to get one off qth.com classifieds for $175. I researched it pretty extensivly. I thought it would do me well enough until I could get a better rig, still being new to Ham radio.

I was wrong... I *dont want* another rig, this one is very good! Power out is very good, audio quality reports are excellent, display is easy to read, EVERYTHING can be done from the mic buttons, dont even need to touch the radio to adjust volume or squelch!

VCO is easy to access, setting PL tones is easy, setting to memory is easy, its just an all around easy to use radio. The destructions that were included were detailed and accurate.

To program a freq, you need to go to VCO mode, and make sure your in the right band. Enter the freq and your OTA!

There are 200 memory slots, more than most people need, Ive only used 22 of them. You can specify a SKIP on a slot for scan, so if you want to put NWS/NOAH weather freq in slot 200 so you can listen in but dont want it to stop on it every scan cycle, just tag it as SKIP.

Audio output it STRONG and clear! Im using a Motorola 5" speaker, and even traveling 65mph on the interstate with the windows down you can hear the audio.

The scan is fast, appears to be plenty of speed. Nothing much to say here.

Power output is 4 levels, 5-10-20-50VHF/35UHF. More than enough power out.

Now for the little "bad" point... The rig REALLY likes 13.8... If its 12V then you wont get full power out, closer to 40w, so check your vehicle's operating voltage. With your vehicle running and the power ran direct to the battery you should not have any problems.

All in all, I feel I got more than my moeny's worth and very happy with the radio. Its just the right size to slip between the passenger seat and center console in my Jeep Cherokee, its not even mounted... that way I can run it inside easily and quicly to run it as a base station off a power supply.

If you are thinking about getting one, go for it, you should be plenty happy with it!

73's KI4QFY

KD5TGN Rating: 2006-05-14
Great Radio for Moblie Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This little rig has served me well in two vehicles over the past 3- 4 yrs) with no problems. great 2m performance (on 5/8 wave mag-mount). It has all the options that you could want while mobile and the reports back are all excellent.

I would buy it again, n problems!
KC5LHE Rating: 2006-04-01
Nice Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I originaly bought this radio becuase it was the cheapest dual band mobile you could get in 2000. I'm glad I bought it because I am still using it everyday now in 2006.

I now have it mounted in my hearse radiating through a through glass dual band antenna and I haven't had any complaints (besides a bad mic connection) Before the hearse, I had it in three different vehicles and it has outlasted them. Bummer huh? (The Cars were more expensive)

If you can pick one up for under $100, get it!

KC5LHE
KE6PID Rating: 2005-11-16
Works okay for me. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my 207H for about 5 year now. It's been in two different cars, and hasn't given me any trouble. Realizing this is an inexpensive radio I didn't expect "virtuoso" performance from it, but all and all it's pretty darn good.

Some observations. First the mic is a bit sensitive. It seems most mobile rigs exhibit this. The Japanese talk softly, Americans as a rule don't. If I hold the mic about 6" away, talk across the mic and not to loudly the transmissions are clear. The rig does limit the deviation at about 4.5 KHz, as tested with my service monitor. If the mic is held too closely the speech clipper causes a great deal of distortion, which many mistake for over deviation. If the rig were still in production this could use some work, but then so could almost all the rest. Hear that Icom, Kenwood and Yeasu?

Although the receiver is quite sensitive on the bench; mine does exhibit some overload and desense under extreme conditions. If there is any strong transmitters on the air within a few hundred feet the RX is desensed severely. Think police cars, taxis and delivery trucks. Icom has thoughtfully included a user controlled RX attenuator on this radio which works in conjunction with the squelch control. When the squelch control is turned beyond the 12 o'clock position 10 db of attenuation is added to the receiver. If I do hear any intermod advancing the squelch control pretty much eliminates the problem, although it desenses the rig. If you have an IC-207H and are reading this and feel the RX is deaf, check the position of your squelch control. It's very easy to advance it too far and activate the attenuator.
Unless I am on a hilltop with other radio services I have never heard the telltale sound of pager transmitters (POCSAG etc.) through the radio.
I have not had any problem programming this radio. It has quite a few useful and thoughtful features.
In conclusion I would buy the 207H again. Like with any rig it pays off to read the instruction book twice, once when you first get the radio, and again in a few weeks to learn all of the may features rigs like the 207H have to offer.