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Reviews For: Icom IC-820H

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

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Review Summary For : Icom IC-820H
Reviews: 21MSRP: 1,288.50
Description:
2m/70cm dual band all mode base rig
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hammulti/820h.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00214.3
VK4APN Rating: 2005-11-12
Excellent Workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Very good RF performance compensates for counter-intuitive programming, satellite operation. A keeper.
VE2DC Rating: 2005-03-23
Problem free Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used it for about 5 years. No problems whatever... Some VCO phase noise. RX gain seems a little low without a pre-amp. I use one from SSB Engineering, and I can hear more than I can work with my 170W amp. I haven't used it for satellite work. A nice "appliance" for the moderately serious VHF/UHF enthusiasts.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by VE2DC on 2003-07-14

Had it for 6 or 7 years now. Not heavily used, but trouble free. Good rig for the money...
KI4FRG Rating: 2004-07-24
Great to own!! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I am new to the Ham world so can use all the straight forward and simple equipment available. The IC-820H is such a transceiver. Great instructions and simple controls make this a dream piece for me. Strong TX and RX signals. Coupled with a SM-20 have nothing but positive reports. The standard mic worked well but had to hold very close. I can't find any fault although haven't gotten into the satellite features. E Bay purchase at approx. $500 and thrilled to have it.
KC2GOW Rating: 2003-10-07
Excellent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got to operate the radio for about 10hours and it was flawless. On the two meter side I used a 13ele. yagi and the 432 side a 19ele. yagi. This radio performs like a dream at max power barefoot under contest operation. It did not quit once.

73's
Andy
W8LON Rating: 2003-09-26
Great Rig! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is a very good rig,and can be picked up quite reasonably at the occasional hamfest.Like the dual band receive as I monitor calling frequencies on ssb.More than adequate drive for any amp alittle touchy on adjustment for low power but once done leave it alone!Great receive and very selective with little adjacent user problems during contests, with Icoms chosen ssb filter.Add the matched set of Icom mast mount preamps and you have a very hot receive!Will definately hold on to mine until someone comes out with a all mode all band vhf/uhf/shf transceiver!!Dont you think us weak signal ops deserve this..
KB9YKG Rating: 2003-08-17
Great Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Owned it now for about 3 years. It is very reliable and well laid out. I didn't use the UHF band much so I sold it, and bought as ts-711 for less money. I didn't like the 711 as much so I played around with a couple of other radios and eventually bought the 820 again. I can't seem to find a dual band rig I like any better - especially for the price you can pick them up for now.
W2MSK Rating: 2003-01-04
I can't destroy it! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had this radio since it was first released, about 5 years and in this time it has performed flawlessly. Great receiver with no intermod and it's connected to a Diamond X500 at 45' close to NYC! In addition, I don't know how many times I have inadvertenly hit the lock switch on my mic and placed the radio in constant transmit at high power, once for almost 24 hours. The radio, of course, became very warm but shows no ill effects and just keeps on working. At the current used price, this is a great bargain. If you need a VHF/UHF base with somewhat aging satellite features..buy one. It's been indestructable for me.
K9KJM Rating: 2002-05-04
GREAT Value! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The Icom 820H at todays used prices of $650-750 is a great value radio! Works super for satellite operation, Functions OK for weak signal SSB use for the casual operator, Is a dynamite FM simplex & repeater rig. My only "wish" for this rig would be the adjustable power output as on the IC821, BUT that is really only needed to drive a tube type amplifier. And can be added "outboard" with only a pot. plugged into the Accy. jack.........
W0KDX Rating: 2001-05-01
Overall, good, but..... Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I had an ICOM 820 for a short while. I found it to be nice, but lacking in many respects. For the high dollars you pay for it, I didn't really see such a dramatic receiver as compared to the older Kenwood TR-751A for VHF. One big gripe that I had was the inability to adjust the drive level to run an amplifier. Had to go into the radio and "tweak" which I don't like at all. What were they thinking ?

Also, since when is a 50 watt radio considered "H" for high power on VHF ? You won't work much with that. Seems like they (ICOM) missed going the full monty and putting in a 100 watt final.

I got rid of it and opted for the TS-711 which is far superior for VHF work. I didn't try the UHF side of the 820, but found if I wanted to operate satellite, it wasn't really set up well for that either. A definite step backwards.
KC2HDR Rating: 2001-02-12
Great Sat Rig! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I've had the oppotunity to use a 820H for the last 3 months and I find it user friendly. Its ease of operation is an asset, as the learning curve of the radio is definitely shorter. The only thing that I think Icom should have addressed is the menu system. Access should have been better thought out, to many power on, power off moves. Power output is more than enough for both barefoot work as well as driving an amp.
The receiver could have been more sensitive also, but, a pre-amp makes up for its defficiency there.
Overall, a real nice package.