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Reviews For: Icom IC-3230

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

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Review Summary For : Icom IC-3230
Reviews: 8MSRP:
Description:
2m/440 Mobile Radio
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0082.9
VE3YR Rating: 2017-07-21
problems on VHF Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Ok rig, but light burned out on right side, and no tx on VHF. It tries to tx, but sort of oscillates even with a steady 13V power supply. VCO 7.5 voltage is on spec at 145mhz but jumps wildly on TX and out of lock. Other than that nice compact rig, and for the price just using it on UHF. If anyone has any ideas for a fix, Im listening!
SA3AYF Rating: 2015-11-22
Great rig for peanuts Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Picked this one up for about $15 and had no expectations, to be honest.

Had to replace one transistor, cost about $1.

Now I have a dual band FM transceiver for the cost of peanuts :)

RX is good, great sensitivity, good audio and the auto Attenuator function working with the squelch is a great feature !

TX works like a charm. After the repairs I have carefully set the output power (2 pots) to the specified output. NOT more than that !
This could be the problem with the screwdriver experts, you know.... ;)

Audio reports on TX is great, good old Icom sound sums it up well.

If you can grab this one cheap, it´s a bargain and a reliable workhorse !
NJ3T Rating: 2012-01-27
Great accessories! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 3230H when they first came out. I have the synthesized voice module in mine and it will crossband repeat. I can remote control the radio with a HT, changing both the primary and secondary (vhf or uhf)frequencies. I used it in my mobile for a few years. When I was deer hunting I would set it up so I could hit a local repeater through it via my HT. I could not hit the repeater from my hunting spot with the HT but I could go through my pickup truck with the 3230h in it. I always had my elderly father with me and wanted a means of getting in touch with someone in case of an emergency. Worked great for my situation. The voice module would tell me exactly what frequency I was on over the air. Made a great remote base.

NOW..... the problems I had was the radio required extensive alignment of rf output, receive sensitivity, and frequency on both bands every four or five years. Also, the HM 56a microphone is junk. I had three of them and they all went bad. I now use the radio in my shack for local repeater/APRS/and packet radio. I wired an old Turner Super Sidekick desk power microphone for the 3230h and it has not left me down.

Icom told me that there were problems with the HM56a blowing some electrolyctic caps in them. I recently purchased some of the caps but have not yet tried to fix any of my hm56's. I'd like to find another DTMF mic that would work on the 3230h. Anyone know of any?

73 Jim
NJ3T@Verizon.net

REMOTE CONTROL OF IC3230H


IC3230H PREPARATION FOR REMOTE CONTROL DIRECT COMMANDS

A. USING SET MODE ---PUSH "SET" until "rE" appears. Rotate the main tuning knob until "rE on". To cancel rotate knob until "rE off". Press any key except set/low..."REMOTE" appears.

EXTERNAL CONTROL WITH HT OR OTHER DTMF RADIO

1. Set MAIN band frequency for operation and the SUB band frequency for receiving DTMF codes. DIRECT COMMAND

2. SET A THREE DIGIT PASSWORD if desired into code channel 5
ƒor set the channel as "RECEIVE INHIBIT". DIRECT COMMAND

3. ACTIVATE EXTERNAL DTMF REMOTE. Transmit the code to activate REMOTE control by sending the following DTMF codes:
B-(password)-# or if no password send B-#. To cancel, send B-*.



KEY RESULT
B # TURN REMOTE ON
B * TURN REMOTE OFF
1 SELECTS call CHANNEL
2 SELECTS MEMORY MODE
3 SELECTS VFO MODE
6 SELECTS HIGH POWER
9 SELECTS LOW1 POWER
# UP MEMORY CHANNEL
* DOWN MEM CHANNEL
A CLEAR INPUT DIGITS
D 0-9 ENTERS A FREQ IN VFO
D B * CROSSBAND RPT ON
D B # CROSSBAND RPT OFF
D C VOICE READBACK
W0EKS Rating: 2006-06-12
Reliability Issues Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I owned the IC-3230A (25W model) from 1993 to 2005. The two main problems I had...

1) The squelch would open up uncontrollably. This happened on two separate occasions. It was caused by broken solder joints which connected the main board to the front control / display board. There wasn't enough mechanical bracing between the two boards, just the solder joints to hold them together. Quite a design oversight, IMO.

2) It required frequent recalibration of center frequency and UHF power output.

One thing to take into account was the fact that I kept it in my vehicle with outdoor temperatures ranging from -25F to +95F (Minnesota, North Dakota), which can stretch and compress things over time.

I can recommend this rig, but only for indoor use.

73,
Jack - N0NV
KC4GMY Rating: 2003-12-29
Very good dual-bander with lots of features Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my IC-3230A for about 8 years now. Well made transceiver with no problems except the HM-56A microphone. Those mics are junk. Replaced my mic with another brand...
K5JEP Rating: 2003-10-10
Good Radio 3230H Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Bought it off Ebay for approx $175.00 Have had it about 9 months now and so far so good...good UHF operation with none of the above mentioned problems. VHF is solid as well.
K4III Rating: 2003-07-26
Used now for scanner Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Something between the top and bottom board is shorting. Transmit is also weak. Tried to open up to fix including sodder joints but boards fit into metal side and no way to get inbetween the two boards for investigating the "guts" of the radio. Also UHF is 10khz off frequency, and adjusting internal pot still isn't enough to fix it. I wonder whether the transmit is off as well and by how much... Good for monitoring my repeater so far even though it is 10khz above frequency, though...
WA3LCO Rating: 2003-05-25
Not for me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased a used 3230H that had been installed in mobile use. Found UHF side would not transmit. Also found volume control was intromittant and needed cleaning. After investigation found other similar model radios have same UHF failure problem. I returned the used radio and got my money back. Oh, also VHF side had low RF output.