Manager


Manager - NA4M
Manager Notes
Reviews Home

Reviews For: Icom ID-880

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 ID-880
Reviews: 36MSRP: 500 USD
Description:
The ID-880H provides VHF/UHF dual band capabilities (one band at a time) via a simple band switching system. The ID-880H has a wideband receiver as a standard feature and covers 118–173.995, 230–
549.995 and 810–999.990MHz. Listen to aviation, marine, weather channels and other utility communications.
*Receiver range depending on versions. The CS/880 free download cloning software is available from the Icom Inc (Japan) web site. Used with this software, various settings can be made from a PC and the memory channels and other settings can be shared between IC-80AD and its matching mobile unit, the ID-880H. The ID-880H has a total of 1052 memory channels (including 1000 regular channels, 50 scan edges and 2 call channels) with 26 memory banks. All memory channels and the program scan can be named with 8-character channel comments. Also each memory bank can be named with a up-to 6-character bank name comment. The ID-880H supports various scan types for maximum reception and ease of use.

* Full scan
* Selected band scan
* Programmed scan
* Memory scan
* Memory mode scan
* All bank scan
* Selected bank scan
* Bank link scan (DMS)
* Program scan link
* Skip scan
* Priority scan
* Tone scan
* Access repeater scan
Built-in CTCSS and DTCS tones are used for accessing a closed repeater or ton squelch operation. the pocket beep alerts you with a beep sound when the transceiver receives a preset tone. 1750Hz tone is also available. The 4-direction cursor buttons on the keypad give you quick and intuitive access to many settings.
And more…

* 50W* output power both VHF/UHF band
* Built-in noise filter (AM/FM) mode
* Data and 9600/1200bps packet jacks on the rear panel
* ±2.5ppm frequency stability
* Adjustable microphone sensitivity
* Monitor function to listen to a weak signal
* 14 variable tuning steps
* Auto repeaters function* automatically turns on/off duplex operation and tone encoder
* Weather channel receive with weather alert*
* 16 DTMF memory channels (24 digits)
* Drip-resistant construction, equivalent to IPX4
* Auto power save, power off and power on
* 10dB (approx) built-in attenuator
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/dstar/id880h/default.aspx
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
25364.5
WG7GW Rating: 2014-05-05
Great Radio for the $$$ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
For the past 10 years, I've run a Yaesu 8800R in the shack and a 7800R in the car. I know those radios well. I recently moved to a new QTH, and the ARES group was doing digital/DSTAR. It made sense to move to ICOM.

I purchased one ID-880H and began experimenting in the shack. Programming without software is a real pain in the patoot. However, I used the ICOM software to quickly program the radio. I started DSTAR entries by making 3 and 4 entries in memory for every DSTAR repeater. That chewed up many memories in a hurry. Then I learned a trick.

You can import your regional DSTAR repeaters from dstarusers.org and put them in the repeater memory slots. Using the UR call slots, all of the repeater functions are easily imported. Now, by using the DR and UR buttons on the radio, you have quick access to any DSTAR repeater without using a memory slot. Magic!

But, you probably already knew that. For a Yaesu user, and new to DSTAR, this is worth the price of admission.

I then bought a second radio for use mobile. It seems to me that the intermod breaking squelch is much lower in this radio. And, it also seems that my squelch setting for this radio is much lower than the Yaesu radios.

I added a Garmin 18X with appropriate connectors, and I have DSTAR APRS capability with a single connection to the data port in the back of the radio. That couldn't have been simpler. Now to get our DSTAR repeater connected to the Internet ... but that's a different story.

Overall, I'd love to give this radio 4.5 ... but DSTAR functionality makes it a 5! Maybe I should get 2 votes since I own two of them ???
W1XWX Rating: 2014-04-12
Does everyone I want with no issues. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned the 880h for almost 2 years without any issues. The radio was used in the shack for several months before having it mounted into the car. I have the radio mounted under the driver's seat with the remote inside the sunglass holder.

I would suggest that you use a computer to program this radio. It does everything you would want to do with analog and-or Dstar repeaters except cross band repeat.
N3CAL Rating: 2013-08-16
Less than Desirable Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Purchased for my Home QTH mainly for DSTAR. My area recently came online with a DSTAR repeater. I'm dissapointed with TX Audio both on Analog FM and also on DSTAR. The "Made in China" HM-133 microphone makes the transmit audio sound terrible. It's very tinny and thin sounding without any lows or mids. I replaced the HM-133 with the Icom SM-30 desk mic, problem solved. The radio's TX audio sounds day and night better than it did before.

Other cons include the very noisy fan during transmit and no backlighting for the funtion keys along the bottom of the display. The keys are lighted but not their names. Also the manual is very poorly written.

All in all I'm dissapointed and beleive Icom could do better. Icom should at least address the microphone issue.
ZL2UFI Rating: 2012-12-21
Great Mobile D-STAR Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
First off, I have owned this transceiver for about 18 months or so, therefore I have become quite used to how it operates. I wanted a small remote head for mobile mounting so selected this transceiver over the 2820H.

I was lucky enough to be loaned a 2820H for about 6 months at the same time I purchased the 880H, so a compare between to the two was a good thing to do. While I like the larger display of the 2820H, I find that dual band dual receive is a pain, as I was always turn up one band and turning down the other to listen to the audio.

I have 'channellised' the memories for D-STAR usage, with memories set for CQCQCQ, Linking, unlinking, plus non-gateway usage (means you can talk locally without your transmitted signal going out on the gateway). So while mobile I can easily switch between various memory positions and link/unlink to repeaters/reflectors with ease.

The local club put up a VHF and UHF ICOM repeater stack, with a gateway so we quickly found that poor audio in produced poor audio out on D-STAR. We tracked this down to the microphone and did a mod to fix this. (http://www.zl2vh.org.nz/pdf/other/HM-133%20Microphone%20Mods.pdf refers)
This improved the audio to almost as good as FM. FM transmission is not affected by this mod.

Another reason I brought this transceiver was it was a cheaper option to the 2820H, had D-STAR built in and didn't require any additional boards.

One downside is that the display can only display so much, so all programming is done via computer and loaded into the transceiver. The 2820H has more real estate, and is easier to use in that respect.

I have also added in a third party GPS for D-PRS use (http://www.zl2vh.org.nz/pdf/other/ICOM%20ID-880H%20External%20GPS%20Antenna.pdf refers).

One final comment, having been on D-STAR (and I suppose any digital format) I would not like to return to FM analogue - for mobile use it is the best, audio is great regardless of the signal strength, no picket fencing, it just works. There is of course the "falling off the cliff" and R2D2 sounds when on the fringe of repeaters but once you know the limits of the local repeater it is great. Great mode and worth the effort.
KK4AH Rating: 2012-12-10
Good D-Star Radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After waiting over 2 years to get into D-Star it was worth the wait for the ID-880! I bought this radio for under $400 from a friend who decided to go onto something else. I did a complete reset because the radio had too many confusing repeaters and memories programmed in it. So with that done I had the task of trying to figure out how to program the radio on my own, not a good idea when dealing with D-Star. But with a lot of time and frustration I slowly got through it. The manual is not very helpful but once you understand a few things it will get you to where you need to be to operate this radio. I found the audio to be quite good on both transmit and receive not like what some other reviews have reported. When you finally realize that there are the four basic call zones that need to be programmed into the radio it makes it a lot easier to use this great radio. I still have a lot to learn but the fun is just beginning! I love HF but there is something special about talking to Australia or Japan or any other DX for that matter from your mobile on 2 meter FM. I would say that for the money it is a pretty good buy and would recommend buying this radio. Sure there are some negative things about this rig but they are worth the enjoyment that you will get out of the D-Star mode. I would buy another one without question.
AD9Z Rating: 2012-09-15
Great Radio!!! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I would buy this radio over and over again!
WC6Q Rating: 2012-08-08
RX audio is a big negative... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Pros:
-D-Star TX and Recieve seems good
-Easy to program
-Remote head is small for install just about anywhere

Cons:
-Recieve audio on analog FM is so bad that there are dead spots. My Wouxon and Boufang pick up better than this radio(seriously I tried both and they recieve where the 880H doesn't). I thought it was my antenna on the car until I put my IC-7000 in and all the dead spots came alive. Such as shame.
-TX audio on analog is lacking as well but it's nothing to bad.
KI4GTJ Rating: 2012-06-19
MADE ME AN ICOM FAN Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This icom radio is great! Works great on FM and DV,program easy after you play with it (software help and is free from icom) the rt system program software is great too. Will end up with another ID-880H to run Mobile

VR2XXZ Rating: 2012-03-29
Great little mobile radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Great little mobile analog and D-star radio. You can adjust the output power to 100W (VHF) and 80W (UHF)in "Hidden Menu", powerful back fan (but some noisy), you don't feel any hot from the radio.

I love this radio so much
AE7G Rating: 2012-02-22
second review Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is my second review of this radio.
With D Star you really only need to reach one gateway repeater to gain entry to the D Star system. In this respect, a dual band single receive radio is all you need. The price on this radio is good compared to other D Star options.
At the same time this radio is exceedingly complex to program and there are a number of glitches in the menu system that can interfere with function if the menu is not set properly. You can find yourself pulling your hair out trying to figure out why it is not working. The manual is not very helpful, answers come from consulting with others who have used this system.
Once properly programmed and configured the radio works like a champ.
While i would recommend this radio if you are new to D Star and.or Icom radios be prepared for a steep learning curve and a fair amount of frustration.