Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes

Reviews For: ICOM IC-706 - All flavors

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-706 - All flavors
Reviews: 425MSRP: IC-706MKIIG
Description:
Ultra Compact HF/6 Meter/2 Meter/440MHz Transceiver
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com/amateur/hf/#IC-706MKIIG
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
154254.4
M3RTX Rating: 2008-12-31
GOOD RADIO Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Solid build quality.
I found the DSP a bit primitive compared to the Yaesu FT 857/897!
It has a good informative display and the speaker sound is good.
I don't know why, probably just me! but all seemed a bit clinical!!
Sold mine and kept the Yaesu FT857dsp!
DL7ISA Rating: 2008-11-19
Poor Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I had the MK2G new, okok it never had any Defect but...

The Receiver cuts off the Bass, even with the optional Wide IF Filter the Bass is not there.
With Headphones the Difference to my FT-817ND is drastic, not only because of the missing Bass, the 706MK2G sounds always hissing (in SSB).

The DSP Noise Reduction is useless and the Transceiver runs warm, even when it is only receiving. During a QSO the MK2G runs HOT, I put an extra Fan behind it to prevent any thermal Damage.

On 2m in SSB there is a Frequency Drift both TX and RX, enough to cause a Problem for understanding on both sides. My FT-817ND does not have that Drift, nowhere.

This is to me the Worst Problem of the 706MK2G: A strong Signal like S9+20dB Tamps the Receiver with lots of QRM across the Band, activating the 20db ATT helps on that but then the Radio is deaf. This Problem maks Receiver useless evenings on 40m, when Signals come in stronger.

The S-meter is false, when the Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark 5 Field shows S9, the MK2G shows more than 9+20dB.

The separable Display does not fit precisely into the Radio and the Display keeps moving up and down slightly when touching it.

The Brake for that big VFO Tuning Knob didnt work correct, even not touching it, it brakes and releases the turning Wheel intermittent.

The only thing that is not bad about this Transceiver is the TX Modulation and after all the 706MK2G allows to have a QSO.
GB001 Rating: 2008-10-29
Has Issues. TS480 much better Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This radio has issues with heat, the fan is always on & gets annoying. It is very poor for cw. You have to keep going into the complicated menu for things.

Most of these shack in a box style radios try to do too many things and usually are a compromise with them all.

For mobile use you have to buy a lot of extras. The mounting bracket, the bracket for the head unit, the panel cable. Some of these cost a fair bit of money.

My solution was to sell the Icom & buy a Kenwood TS480SAT that comes with all the brackets & cables for mobile operation as STANDARD. The Kenwood has the advantage of an onboard atu & all normal functions on the front of the radio. It doesn't have those previously mentioned issues either.

I wanted the 706 to be a good radio because it is a nice size. Sadly, I was dissapointed.
N2QQF Rating: 2008-10-22
Good but certainly not great Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this radio last year as I thought I wanted to do HF mobile. I had this radio for a year and just recently sold it. The radio is pretty good on the HF side and I have used it for Portable operation while on vacation on the beach and got great audio and signal reports with it. I thought the radio was very easy to understand and the menus were laid out very well.

I mostly used the radio mobile (VHF/UHF) where it seriously lacked. the receiver was very noisy and very receptive to intermod. It certainly lacked the power needed to be used as a reliable mobile (VHF/UHF) repeater or simplex work. overall the radio is good for HF use and nice to use portable because of it size it make it convenient to travel with. I used this radio on the 10th fl of a hotel right on the beach and made amazing contacts all over the world with wonderful signal and audio reports and those will be my fond memories of the radio.

Considering the overall performance of the radio and considering what it was initially intended for it worked great but do not rely on this radio for (VHF/UHF) use because you will be disappointed but then again you would not buy this radio for V/U use only.

I would consider buying one for HF portable use only as it has plenty of power and audio for that side of the bands. just my 1.5 cents.
M0TNX Rating: 2008-10-06
Will go with me in my coffin but.... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'd like to rate this as a 4.75, as I have only had a couple of niggles with it, after nearly four years of dropping, thrashing, bouncing and banging, this little radio still works.... well, unless you go on 15 and 17 metres without a resistive load.

If I try and transmit into a wire on 15/17 that is tuned via another radio, swap straight over to the 706mk2g, it transmits somewhere leftfield and off into cuckoo land!!

The only way I have got round this is by using an SGC230 tuner, no problems now... Before you all start shouting "RF Feedback!!!" it does it everywhere, not just in my shack/car... but others shack/cars too... Done the mods as recommended by icom, still no joy...

Anyway, bar that, it is a belting radio, for such a small unit, it works well, it is a current monster, and the fan can get a bit noisy. I do a lot of portable work, with kites, and this thing has had some REAL punishment on or near beaches/tidelines and it still works, my (t)rusty mfj tuner that i use with it portable has visible signs of saltwater corrosion inside, not the 706mk2, and it's been wet a few times when the tide has snuck in on us!

ZL on 80 metres with 100 watts from the kite, KP4 on a regularly basis on 40 metres mobile travelling to work, listening to v/uhf repeaters and even decoding weather satellites, and listening to airband. This radio is, up to now, the only keeper I have had. Sure the menu is complex til you use it, and the clips on the face can be fragile, but, for the money, you will not be disappointed. Got an FT100D coming as a swap against a radio of mine soon, be interesting to see which one is better.

Thanks for the 706 Icom, when I'm rich I'll buy a 7000, until then this is staying with me til I go sk
VE8DW Rating: 2008-09-29
Great First Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Hello all, I earned HF privileges in May 2007 and, on the advice of a local HAM, I puchased the IC-706MKIIG. I have not regretted it for a second. The little Icom is a fantastic radio that is packed with features yet easy for a new-comer to learn. I don't own any other radios so I can't give a comparison but I can tell you that it has helped make my first experiences with HF a lot of fun. I would certainly recommend this radio to other HF newbies as well.

73
VE8DW
N7IC Rating: 2008-08-29
Could be a bit better Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This little rig is defintely featured packed. Nice large screen (for a mobile unit) and easy to read. It's not to difficult to manage through the menu system. Like with all menu based rigs though, it will take a few trips to the operators manual to find everything. Once you do, its pretty easy.

Now the reasons why I am giving it only a 4.
Slow QSK for CW operators. The dits are nearly truncated fully at speeds above 30 wpm. There is simply no excuse for this. Why do JA companies insist on mechanical relays???
You can't adjust the length of the dits to help compenesate for the slow relay. You can for the dashes though.
The noise floor is too high for my tastes even with the DSP on.

All in all, its not a bad radio and would recommend it for the casual or mobile operator. Tons of features that makes this a neat little package.
KJ4ECM Rating: 2008-08-26
Seems to work Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I cant give it a 5. The reciever is marginal. I mean dont get me wrong. It is very impressive for what it does. The problem with mine is it takes a while for frequency difting to settle down. Most wont notice it but I do. Seem the worst on VHF. It is fine after a few minutes. I use the radio daily at full power and get great results. If I were to buy another I would get the 706mkiig 50 watts on vhf and 440. I have the 706mkii. To give it a 5, it would need just slightly better recieve. For a mobile or first time radio I would say it is a winner. No worries.
N3WXW Rating: 2008-07-03
EASY TO USE AS MOBILE Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I only gave a 4 .My 706 mkiig had a problem since i purchased it new. It was intermintent the recive would go deaf on hf . Every time I was ready to box it up I would recheck it and it would start working again for months. Eventualy the PLL went into total failure. Cost me $300.00 For repairs . The fellow at Comtec did a wonderfull job repairing it. It has been a year now no issues at all.
The most outstanding part of a IC-706 is that they are simple to operate while mobile. Great just out of the box.You need no other options. I have put both filters in my 706. I perfer the filters to using the Dsp function. Most any one would be quite happy with just the DSP .
Would I buy anoter one? Yes I would !

73 de Ed
KJ7XJ Rating: 2008-05-30
So far so good... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just bought a new to me MK2G off ebay from a silent key estate. The rig is in excellent condition. I have had the chance to play around only a little and I have only made U/VHF contacts as my dipole needs a tuner which I have on order. I also have a couple new antennas on order so I can see how it really works with better "ears" I can already tell the the DSP works wonders when I am listening to SW broadcasts and I was able to pull 4z out of the mud the other night and hear a couple 9k stations in Iraq as well.Ill give it 4 for now and im sure after a play around and make some HF contacts I would give it a higher mark. Great radio for the money!!