[Icom] Icom parts support

Thu, 12 Jun 2003 04:23:41 -0000

> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]On
> Behalf Of Paul Playford
> Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 3:59 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: [Icom] Icom parts support
>
> I will not deny that Icom makes the best performing radios
> for the amateur
> radio service.  But I cannot in good conscience recommend
> Icom radios to
> anyone else - especially if they are going to depend on Icom service,
> assuming their service response is similar to their parts response.
>
>
>
> de Paul, W8AEF

I got to weigh in.

I quit working on Kenwood radios several years ago then I was holding a
shorted driver transistor in my hand, and the parts guy told me it couldn't
be bad, they never go bad.  I told him thanks, and gave the radio back to
the owner unfixed.  Have not touched a kenwood since.  Won't do it can't
make me!

Yaesu is better, but long waits, and wrong parts once.  OTOH, they went out
of their way to get me an obsolete part out of their boneyard once.  It took
a while, but I got it.

Icom is the best.  In Gulf War-I, my battle-ready 735 blew a filter-pack
diode in a sand storm.  Icom parts accepted a collect call from the gulf,
sent the parts for free, and included a box of bazooka bubble gum.  I was
back up on MARS in days!  I made sure I sent them a thank-you post card from
Iraq.  The card hung there many years.  That is service!

They are not perfect.  But I think you are in for a disappointment if you
think you will get better somewhere else.

OTOH, go ahead and switch.  More Icoms for us!

Mike.  KD9KC
El Paso, TX.