Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: Icom IC-228A 2 meter mobile rig

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-228A 2 meter mobile rig
Reviews: 8MSRP: 200.00
Description:
25 watt rig with reception above 2 meters for WX, etc.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0084.8
K4SJ Rating: 2011-08-05
IC-228A 2 Meter Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my IC-228A new back on Dec. 4, 1990. I've used it almost every day for the past 20 years without a repair or a hiccup. I think it is one of the most reliable and best rigs I've ever owned. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a versatile used 2 Meter rig. It's small, colorful display, easy to program and works great.

Don K4SJ
AB5NX Rating: 2009-11-12
Solid older 2 meter FM Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Bought this on ebay cheap,I mean really cheap.When it arrived I found out why it was so cheap.The power connector was not passing enough current to operate correctly.The unit was getting very hot.Anyway,fixed power wire and the rest is history. The radio came with the tone board and operates great.Easy to program.Can transmit 5 or 45 watts.Also had the stock microphone.Downloaded manual on line.I use it as a base in the shack and would not trade for it.Great older Icom. Dennis
WB7VZR Rating: 2009-05-09
IC-228H Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought my 228H from a ham friend for $50 and have been very happy with it. I'm using it as a base, powered by a lawn tractor battery and a 10 amp power supply. My watt meter says it is putting out 50 watts into my Ringo Ranger and I had a QSO the other day through a repeater that is 169 miles away. It has the CTCSS tones for opening the repeaters and different tones can be saved to each memory location along with the frequency and offset. It's a great little radio.
KJ4IPW Rating: 2009-01-25
great deal Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I recently bought an Icom 228h off craigslist for $25, I am using it as a base unit, and can easily hit fairly distant repeaters with just a homebrew ground plane with 5 watts.
WA3LWR Rating: 2008-07-16
Good Unit Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Have owned it for many years, reliable, no repairs needed, puts out a nice, clean signal. Would happy buy it again.
N7TCF Rating: 2006-08-06
Workhorse on APRS Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this rig 1-1/2 years ago at a swapmeet. It sold cheap since it has no PL tones. But for my APRS weather beacon, it is perfect.
SE6QRP Rating: 2006-03-04
It's a keeper Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought mine IC-228H for many years ago, I think it was in summer 1988. Even this days it works good.
I use it EVERY day in my home. The first years I had it in my car and works exellent even now.

Only one thing has happened after nearly 80'000 hours of use (18years and about 12 hours of use a'day) is the small lightbulbs inside the front/display has blown one after another.
This winter I have replaced them all with new bulbs with 14V-bulbs instead of 12V-bulbs.
Maybee not so bright, but you could use a higher level of dimmer in the menu to compensate it.

For many years ago I had used it for packet-radio in my home and my packetmodem was hanging in TX-mode and trigged the 228H in TX-mode for one whole day and night. When I come in to my radioshack I feel some warm smell in the room, and when i realised it was the 228H and it was sending on highpower (45W) for so long time I thought it was over for my little radio, but it still was OK.
The only thing I saw was my little plastic sign (Dymo tape) on the rig with my callsign on, was burnt and not readable any longer.
But radio was perfect !

This rig I will have as long as it works, and I think it will stay for many years more.

W8AAZ Rating: 2005-09-26
Nice basic radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
There is also a 45 watt version- the 228H. I have not had that one-has a huge heatsink. This 25 watt version has a smaller heatsink and is reasonably compact. I like the styling, and especially appreciated the multi colored large display-very easy to read in mobile situations compared to some newer rigs with teensy icons and numbers. Has sufficient memories for local usage(20).Has tone and T. squealch. I have owned two and only upgraded to the Yaesu 1500M due to need for smaller dimensions. But the Yaesu display is not as nice. And the multifunction keys are harder to use mobile. The 228 had just about everything I needed and I used one mobile and the other as a base. Squealch is a knob, not a button! I would still have them if I had room for them. But, don't buy a used one with the idea of fixing it-parts no longer available from ICOM. Unless they are generic parts. THe processor is extinct so make sure the functions and display work! Nice radio even these days. Working condx, clean, and if cheap, is a great deal.