| WA1YTW |
Rating:     |
2001-10-10 | |
| Still going strong |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I bought my 735 in 1986 and have used it as my main rig since. It has gone back to Icom twice, the first time for a factory mod to fix a problem with the early models chirping when used in cw and operating split, and the second time when it was about 10 years old a bunch of variable caps had to be replaced. Those were the only major problems. The door was an irritating thing.... it resides in a drawer under my bench!
I like the notch and pbt... they have helped me snag some nice new ones.
I have a 250 hz filter and the keyer unit in the rig. It is nice, small and reliable. I've attained Honor Roll Mixed, Phone and CW with the rig.
I really think about replacing it every time Icom has come out with a new radio. I drooled over the 765, looked seriously at the 756, thought about the 738, am currently wanting the 746, but just keep sticking with the old venerable 735.
I had to replace the dial lamps several times and found the circuit dead that controlled the voltage to the lamps, so changed the feed for the lamps to a lower voltage to save the lamps.
Wish list? Bigger knobs as my fat fingers still haven't gotten used to miniature conrols and IF DSP....
Maybe someday I'll get a new rig, but the time just isn't here yet. |
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| VK3BRZ |
Rating:      |
2001-10-10 | |
| Still a top performer |
Time Owned: N.A. |
I've had an IC 735 for over 10 years. There is really nothing I don't like about it, and plenty that I do.
It's a real experimenter's radio. Back-panel connectors are provided for low-level RF output for driving transverters, as well as direct access to the balanced modulator input/product detector output. This is handy for digital modes. I occasionally still use my IC 735 for HF work. Mostly I use it as a tuneble IF for my 2m SSB transverter ("Suffolk" 2m transverter described in the VHF/UHF DX Book). My rig is fitted with the 250Hz CW filter. This combination beats the pants off any multi-mode 2m rig for serious weak-signal work.
The IC 735 also provides excellent general-coverage receive capability. Its AM filter is maybe a little too wide. You can sometimes hear faint 5kHz heterodynes when listening to shortwave AM broadcasters. I get around this by resolving stations in SSB mode if necessary.
Handy features include an IF notch filter and variable IF bandwidth (the PBT control). The noise blanker threshold is adjustable. Twelve memories are provided. These store frequency and mode, but not repeater offsets. If 10-metre repeaters are your bag, you'll have to operate split with the two VFOs. Each memory is tuneable, like a VFO, but defaults back to the stored frequency if you switch to another memory or VFO. You can overwrite a memory with a new frequency any time.
There have been plenty of HF rigs released since the IC 735, not just by ICOM. It says a lot about the IC 735 that I have never felt inclined to replace it. |
|
| DL7AOH |
Rating:      |
2001-10-03 | |
| My work-horse |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I use this IC 735 since more than 10 years now. I replaced some display lamps and made a little re-tuning for the side bands. It drives my final (Heathkit SB-230) with ALC connected. Works fine on SSTV, PSK31 and other phase sensitive modes. SEND contact on ACC connectors does not mute the mike! PBT is very effective on digital modes, even when used with DSP filter at the audio output.
I have absolutely no reason to replace it!
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|
| NR1SS |
Rating:      |
2001-09-30 | |
| Highly Recommended |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| This is one rugged rig. Bought mine from a fellow who used it in a jeep. The ext speaker connector was loose on the PCA but a little solder made it 4-oh. Rx it excellent. Compact unit for mobile or portable use. Good prices on the used market. Thinking about getting another one. Highly recommended. |
|
| VE7OM |
Rating:      |
2001-09-14 | |
| great rig in small package |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had the pleasure of owning my IC735 since late 1987. Mine was one of the many ICOM radios used in the EXPO 86 celebration held in Vancouver. Not only did it operate flawlesslely during the EXPO, but it has done me proud. I have used it almost daily since then and have encountered only a few minor problems. One anoying one was the frequency would intermittantly move up when the tuning was moving 'down'. ICOM Canada traced the problem to one of the magic circuits that determine frequency from the movement of the tuning knob.
The radio is solid, and gets good reports. I operate almost exclusively CW, so over this little rig's life it has had some hard service. It has been to numerous Field Days and has come home waiting for more!! It 'feels' good to operate, and the controls are easy to work. Thatanoying plastic door is still intact on mine, however I wish ICOM had never gone that route. I wish that the meter mode switch were on the front rather than the back, but I guess you can't get everything.
I'd like to get the internally mounted electronic keyer board now, but they are unavailable new. Been looking for one on the used market, but so far have not been unsuccessful.
If anyone is looking for a smallish, dependable rig, the IC735 is certainly one to be considered.
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|
| UA1DW |
Rating:      |
2001-07-29 | |
| Excellent rig |
Time Owned: N.A. |
Have been using IC-735 since 1992 and never experienced any problems except plastic door. Awfully inconvinient construction. A narrow 250 or 500 hz filter is a must. Whichever is comfortable is up to you to decide depending on your skills. Have been ham for 44 years and tested quite a numer of different rigs by different makers but the one I have ssems to be the best in that price range. Gonna keep it as a background if someday in future will decide to acquire something new. A simple and very rigid rig
for home or portable applications. |
|
| K4MSG |
Rating:      |
2001-07-27 | |
| Solid performer |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I bought my first IC-735 new in 1991, kept it for nine years and loved it the whole time, and then sold it in a sudden fit of stupidity. However, I lucked out and found one of 1990 vintage in absolutely mint condition so now I'm happy again. My first one helped me polish off DXCC, was great for SWLing, and was used with a Ten-Tec 1208 transverter to net me lots of 6m QSOs during band openings.
I only had two problems with the first one: The fan needed to be lubricated at one point, which required some disassembly to get to the fan rotor, and the radio emanated some noisy synthesizer harmonics on 6m that required bypassing the circuitry feeding the mike jack (PTT, UP/DN, etc.). But the radio was (and is) such a pleasure to use that those problems were, to me at least, inconsequential.
A narrow CW filter is a must; the first radio had the FL-32A, 500 Hz, and I found an outboard audio filter to be necessary a few times. I hope to find an FL-63A 250 Hz filter for the replacement radio, and if not I will buy & install a 300 Hz INRAD filter. I never felt the need for any other options on the first IC-735.
What did I use between the two IC-735s? An FT-847; great radio, tremendous capability, but far more complex than I need for my casual operation. There is just something comfortable and friendly about the 735 that makes it fit my operating style.
The guy who bought my first one got a great radio with the door still intact, and the one I just bought also has the door intact. Based on some of the other comments, maybe I should start manufacturing and selling those little doors <grin>. |
|
| KC0IEE |
Rating:      |
2001-04-10 | |
| Great radio |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I just recently purchased my IC-735 and I love it. I'm not a contester but there was a DX contest the weekend after I got the radio, and decided it would be a good preformance test. I made over 100 DX contacts on four different continents in under a couple of hours. I was busting pileups many times on the first try.
You get a lot of features and a great preforming radio at a very resonable price. I paid $475 for mine which included the power supply and external speaker.
I'll be keeping my 735 for quite a while. |
|
| NP4AI |
Rating:      |
2001-03-28 | |
| I miss it already |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I bought my 735 within a year of them coming out on the market, and fell in love with it. The only issues I had with mine (a VERY early serial number) was the CW keyer going away, and the trasnvferter input jack kept desoldering itself. Yes, I am extremely hard on equipment. Actually, I beat the he** out of my rigs. I had this in a variety of pickup trucks, cars, and boats, and other than the 2 little items, it never quit on me. The noise floor is the best I have seen on ANY radio of this type, rivalling some of the military Collins & RACAL receivers. I also have (had - they were stolen) an IC706MK2G, and I preferred the 735 for HF mobile use (better noise blanking and that WONDERFUL IF shift/notch filtering). I would consider the 735 as one of the best mobile HF rigs EVER, and I am not looking forward to replacing it with a new equivalent. I'll replace the 706 new, but I really really really want another 735 instead of something more 'modern'. |
|
| HB9ASQ |
Rating:     |
2001-02-09 | |
| audio issue resolved |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The imbalance issue between LSB and USB has been resolved. To balance the sound of both sidebands, adjust the PBT slug on the underside of the transceiver, using a reliable DSB BC station as a reference.
I solved RF problems by using a single, heavy ground bus into the shack, and ferrite rings on ACC audio input. Thanks to Bob, K0CBA for his help.
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Earlier 4-star review posted by HB9ASQ on 2001-01-08
I got my 735 from an estate to supplement my old Kenwood TS-511s. The 735 is solid and "professional" in construction and performance. On the down side, it is RF-prone, especially if using an ATU in the shack or a non-ICOM mic. I found the spring-loaded grounding lug on the back ineffective. An RF problem only cleared up when a really good, solid earth ground was connected directly to the chassis.
The original phone filter that came with my unit shows a crass difference in quality and tonality between USB and LSB (USB is thin and too brilliant, while LSB is too bassy and lacking in brillance. Alignment in the lab did not help).
I'm into "quality audio", and am using an outboard Orban 9105a SW BC processor. BTW: the Orban output had to be applied to the FSK input of the 735 (ACC 1) to prevent RF distortion through the mic preamp input.
To improve the transmitted sound, I'm looking at an ICOM 2.8 kHz filter to replace the current defective one which is only 2.4 kHz. It's a trade-off between better transmitted audio quality and less receiver selectivity that I hope will be worth it.
Comments welcome.
e-mail: HB9ASQ@uska.ch
73,
Bob |
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