[Icom] Japan

[Siu Johnny]

Hi Matthew,

The answer to your question is 'yes' or 'no'.  The retail price of rigs is
about 75% of the listed price in JPY published by the manufacturer.
However, you may counter the following two problems:

1.    Unless you speak or write Japanese (like myself), Japanese radio
dealers simply do not entertain overseas orders in most cases. Even if they
responsed to you, you would be charged with a handsome amount of Shipping
and Handling + 5% VAT.
2.    In Japan, most of the rigs are domestic models so that the frequency
coverage may not be the same as US.  Even you do the TX/RX expansion in
accordance with the information given in www.mods.dk    you may still not
get what you want.  The firm ware inside the domestic models is different.

Having said that, if you go to Japan for vacation, it will be always no harm
to visit those ham dealers because there are often discount sales.

I hope I have answered your questions

73

Johnny VR2XMC
----- Original Message -----
From: "Matthew Jenkins" <kg4ipx@comcast.net>
To: <icom@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2003 8:34 AM
Subject: [Icom] Japan


> Does anyone know if it is cheaper to purchase Icom radio equipment
directly
> from Japan? If so, how do I go about it?
>
> Thanks, Matthew KG4IPX