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Reviews For: Icom IC-255A

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

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Review Summary For : Icom IC-255A
Reviews: 2MSRP:
Description:
2m mobile radio from circa 1979.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0023.5
K7NG Rating: 2011-05-03
Built like a tank Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought an IC-255a new in 1982, had it for about 20 years. It was my primary 2M mobile radio for the first 7 years or so, after that I used it for 2M Packet / APRS and as a backup base station voice radio.
What I liked: Built like a tank.
Good helical resonator filters in the RX frontend - crossmod resistant
Lots of RX audio.
What I didn't like: No memory backup - interrupt power and you have to re-enter VFO and Memory channels.
6 memories. Wasn't enough for use around the SF Bay Area.
Red LED display gets washed out in sunlight.

To make the AUX connector RX audio work with a TNC you have to remove a capacitor across the audio line that rolls off audio way below the 2200 Hz tone of B202 AX.25 Packet.

It's probably still worth $50 - $75 today for a most basic Packet or few-channel voice radio.
ZL1RCA Rating: 2009-05-14
Recent addition to collection Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased at a junk sale. When powered up the frequency display remained at 5.000. Removed the top cover, manipulated all the inline white connectors, no change. Moved the ribbon cable connector immediately behind the display, success! The display now changed with the frequency knob. Performance, will trigger local repeaters but early days yet, will report back.
Just looked up the reviews and there was not one for this radio.