Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: ICOM IC-756PRO

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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-756PRO
Reviews: 146MSRP: 3500
Description:
ICOM IC-756Pro Transceiver
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/hf/#IC-756PRO
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001464.8
K6BIR Rating: 2000-10-02
Great Radio Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have had this IC-765 Pro for 5 months now, never has there been any trouble with it, even after using it for sevral contest on SSB and RTTY running 100W for a weekend long events, being able to set the filters as needed is a real plus, the use of the spectrum scope is most usefull for being able to see where to call CQ or to spot station that are calling, not only for RTTY but SSB as well, I would compare the scope like using a fish finder when fishing, except I think it is easier to find hams on the air than fish in the water.
I do not do CW with it so I can not say much about it there. The DSP works great, the xmit reports have been real good, and the receive sound is the best of the radios that I have used, the other radio used here have been IC-738, IC-765 and a IC-706 M2G, I still have these radio and have been able to do side by side comparison to the 756, there are serveral other features that while not often used are good to have, such as the built in voice keyer and CW keyer that works good, and there are others also, it just takes a little time playing with everything to see how it all works, and how that you may find the best use.
I waited to write this report to give it some time for the impact of a new radio to wareoff and to see after a bit of time if I still would feel as good about it, while I do feel there a few things that are lacking, they are minor ones,I hope that maybe Icom might add them to future radios like the 756, or even better yet to be able to add to existing 756.
While many may call all the added features that are on the new radios of today just bells and whistles, after you use these bells and whistles for awhile, you become to need them more, this becomes noticeable only after you go back to the other radios.

Vince, K6BIR
JA7UDE Rating: 2000-09-10
Special ROM Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
In August 2000, ICOM has started offering a special ROM for 756PRO. The ROM makes the CW filter a bit less sharp in order to remedy the CW click problem. ICOM explains the details of the filters at http://www.icom.co.jp/amatear_radio/i_use/tech/vol3.html, but unfortunately the page is written in Japanese only. The procedure of the ROM replacement is not so easy but not so tough to me. I opened the box, dug out the DSP board, unsoldered the shield cover, and eventually replaced the ROM with a new one. I have been using the special ROM for a couple of weeks. Does it work? My answer is YES. With the special ROM, I can hang around in a bunch of strong CW signals with less click sound. Doesnft it degrade the selectivity? I do not think so, because I still can pull down the band pass width as narrow as 50 Hz. I do not know ICOM is or will be offering the special ROM outside Japan. Anyhow, ICOM have developed this special ROM by request of users. Good job ICOM!
73 de JA7UDE Oba
K4RWW Rating: 2000-09-08
Best of the bunch Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned most of the high-end radios including IC-781, TS-950 SDX and 1000 MP. I am not biased toward any manufacturer. The 756 Pro is the best of the bunch. Most of the current radio models provide acceptable selectivity and sensitivity. Other criteria must be used to make a personal judgement. I believe the Pro excels in terms of front panel layout, ease of use, bandpass filter flexibility, bandscope capability, receiver quietness and receive audio. I have experienced no disturbing receive artifacts or CW clicks described by some users. I have received excellent xmit audio reports with the Heil Goldline after initial adjustments. An important part of using the Pro is understanding and adjusting the digital filters effectively for QRM rejection and audio quality. My Pro was purchased in early September, 00. An ICOM world clock and service manual in printed and CD form were included with the deal. The Pro worked as described out of the box and continues to do so for my use on SSB, CW, RTTY, PSK-31, SSTV and AM shortwave reception from 75 to 10 meters. However, the perfect transceiver is not yet available. I still hear interfering sigs inside the passband and static crashes with the Pro. ICOM has done a good job in the design and manufacture of this state-of-the-art radio and I prefer it over all others I have tried.
AD6QG Rating: 2000-09-02
Very Sweet! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
For phone work, I would recommend this rig in a heart beat. I dont operate CW these days, so I cant comment on those aspects.

Are there things that need improving? Yes! Icom, are you listeaning? First, white or colored letters against a dark or black background are not easy on the eyes. You cant get in to the display and re-program the "look" as well as I would like to. I sure would have prefered dark number on a light background.

Now, for the good stuff! The bandscope is really fun and a great help. I mostly keep it narrow - at 12,5K. It gives you a good idea of what is happening in your part of the band and its easy to find and grab signals in a heart beat.

The filters are endless in their flexability. I think a lot of folks dont really understand what the filters are doing and end up dialing in something that doesnt sound right. Its very flexable and you can end up outside the norm if your not careful.

In operation, its possible to pull in stations that are just burping the S meter and get a copy. Its not magic, but bringing the bandwidth down to 1.8K and changing the end points can really make for a nice "dig it out of the ground" filter.

The active noise reduction works very well. I dont usually turn it up past about 35% - and sometimes narrow banding, you might try half as much - just a touch. But it really takes the ends of the noise I think.

The noise blanker seems work very well for impulse noise in isolation. If its a wall of impulses - what can it do? Thats not fair to expect a miracle.

Dont use a switching power supply to feed this rig! I chased noise in the low bands for days until I worked out where it came from. I now have a boat anchor linear supply thank you.

Its a fun rig. I like having fun. It makes me happy to see the bandscope dancing. I learn a lot by seeing signals - what they look like verses how they sound.

Hope you enjoy this rig as much as me!

73
Pete
W4VR Rating: 2000-08-28
I would buy another one Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've had the PRO for 2 weeks. So far no problems, knock on wood. I compared it with the FT-1000D, and find that although the Yaesu is quiter on receive, the PRO is a bit more sensitive on weak signals. Filtering on the PRO, of course, is much better than with the 1000D. I love it so much I plan on buying another one to replace a 570D at a second home. I run the PRO into a PW1 and you talk about a great way to operate, hands free changing bands and antennas with a solid Kw on all bands.
K1JD Rating: 2000-08-28
First Impressions: A mixed review Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got the rig at the Boxboro Hamfest on Sunday morning. Set it up Sunday afternoon and found the transmitter producing no or very low power on about half of the bands. This obvious defect will I'm sure be resolved with HRO. I don't recall having read a single 756 PRO review with a QA problem, and it sure doesn't help a first impression to have to return a rig.

CW Performance: First impressions derived Sunday afternoon on 20m with band open and QRN. I was mortified by the dreadful sound of the receiver. Tuning the busy band with lots of strong signals and QRN was like listening to wall-to-wall key clicks and distortion. The default filter settings really are terrible. Two things improved the receiver's sound by orders of magnitude: (1) raising the pitch from 600Hz to 750Hz; and (2) tailoring the filters to deemphasize the lower audio frequencies. As others have pointed out, starting with a wider filter and tailoring the response with the twin PBT sounds much better than the default settings. Also, deemphasis of the lower frequencies reduces/eliminates distortion, and raising the pitch frequency helps too. 750Hz appeared to be a "break point" where it and higher pitches sounded MUCH better. QSK at 30+ WPM sounded OK in the sidetone but too choppy in the monitor receiver. Using a Logikeyer with the compensation factor K = 008 (8 msec lengthening of the dots/dashes, which is different than weighting) made the transmitted signal sound terrific, but the sidetone was then mushy from the lenghtened characters. ICOM could have compensated for this internally in the PRO rather than settle for mediocre QSK. Keying in semi-QSK sounded great.

SSB and PSK31: I don't generally operate SSB but was really impressed by the sound of the receiver (in sharp contrast to CW). I can see why other reviewers, most of them presumably SSB op's, really love this rig. On 20m, I listened to a dense pileup and was able to pick out many, many calls. I don't recall being able to do this so effortlessly with any other receiver over the years. The twin PBT was extremely effective in carving out QRM. PSK31 receive was rock stable and the DSP appeared to improve the SNR of signals on DigiPan.

Will follow up after the transmitter issue is resolved and more time is spent with the radio.
KE4WY Rating: 2000-08-02
See'ing things differant Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have also owned the 950SDX, 1000D, 1000MP, 781 and the 775dsp Icom.............I personnally like in order the 775DSP, 781, 1000D, 1000MP and last the 950SDX(Transmit audio excellent)...in fact I like the Plain 756 over the 950SDX. Concerning the 756 PRO it does everything I need to do well. ((IN THE REAL WORLD))I have used it during contests and never had any more of a problem copying close in stations verses the 781. The transmit audio reports have been excellent. I like the triple band stacking registers only Icom offers, the dual watch and the ability to change the receive bandwidths plus the ability to alter the AGC time, vox etc....I just like how simple the 756 Pro is to operate and control.If you can't make this one work well for you just need to stick to a telephone. Again just my opinion, ((Modern rigs))if you want excellent transmit audio the Kenwood 870 and 950SDX are 1st class(756 Pro good also), sensitive, selective receiver the Icom 775DSP and 761 are first rate, easy to operate 775DSP, first rate noise blanker as far as noise blankers go most Yaesu's do well here, really deep notch the 756 PRO will stand up to any ...they have a very deep manual notch. I feel the 756 Pro is a real sleeper as the Kenwood 870 that has both excellent transmit and receive audio; However I just don't like the front panel layout and controls in general on the 870. Rambling ended.
W4IXE Rating: 2000-08-01
GOOD BUT NOT THE BEST Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned the Pro for 3 months and have to say that it is a very nice rig and a lot of FUN to play with. Still with all this said, it comes in 2nd to my 950SDX. I have inline now the PRO,SDX, and the Yaesu Mark V. Have A/B ed all three and so far the Kenwood is 1st, the Pro 2nd and the Mark V 3rd. The ICOM is real close and would say that the output power of the SDX makes the difference along with the quietness of the receiver on the Kenwood. The PRO is a LOT more fun to operate. You wont go wrong with it. Congradulations ICOM, best you have had yet.

----------------------
Earlier 4-star review posted by W4IXE on 2000-03-15

I have owned most of the rigs on the market and have found the Pro to be one of the better one. Compared to my 950SDX it isn`t, but its not a long way away. I have found some signals that the pro just can`t quite hear enough to read what they are saying, but not by much...I believe that Icom has finally worked on the transmit audio and it seems to be much better than in the past...It`s a keeper.
RENDER Rating: 2000-07-19
A Different perspective Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
As a non Ham operator I bought this Pro strictly for listening purposes. I have many HF radios including but not limited to both the Drake R8 and B version. I also own a Kenwood R-2000 and R-5000. I have also owned a new 1000 D about 9 years ago. I had purchased the 1000 D for it's rave reviews of it's reciever performance. I must agree, it was quite a radio. However, the cooling fan took it's toll on me cycling on and off and eventually sold it. Now I have once again bought a transciever to admire the reciever performance. So I have a Pro. At first I was a little taken back by the size and weight as compared to the 1000 D but we must realize that hardware is slowly being replaced by software componets which in an obvious way makes it lighter and cheaper to manufactuer. When I first fired this new toy up I was taken by it's display. Although you need to look more or less straight on to realy appreciate the beauty of this display. As a monitor, strictly in the hobby sense, I am taken back with the ease and accuracy of the bandscope. I can monitor Military frequencys and as they pop up and can immediatley lock and attack. I refer to this radio as the Hunter Killer as refered in the submarine community. It's like having a window of the radio spectrum and watching a video. Nothing get's by without old Mikey grabbing it. The flexibility of control for recieve is staggering. The QRM soldiers in this radio are of the best trained. When the arsenal is released they do there job and then some. The unique tools that you can use to combat noise and the ability to tailor the audio is that in which one must experience. This is not the radio for someone that want's to just put it on and forget it. We are now truly into what digital technology is all about. From her it will become more perfected, but for now, the USS Enterprise of radios has arrived.
K0ZP Rating: 2000-07-03
not meant to be Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Well I quess some guys take it personally about what is said about radios here on eham. I did not write my review to create hard feelings. But I own a 756 PRO and I don't have to modify it, to work properly.Its all ready to go. But anyway I think everyone should give any radio a better judgement then just a test drive?? For me I have ran plenty of radios! They all shine in certain areas better than other! The MP 1000 is a great radio, but the 756 pro is superb. So please don't take the critic to heart here on eham we are all just stating are own opion? But I will leave my call listed on my review. Because I want you to know who wrote it!