[Icom] ICOM 2720 Servicing/Alignment Software/Information?

[Paul Tabatschkow]

I would like to ask list members about:
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If there was a source for ICOM 2720 Servicing/Alignment software or 
equivalent and service information/manuals that could be found/bought 
and their experiences obtaining it/them? 

This software is quite different software than the frequency 
programming software readily marketed and sold for this radio.

My backgound/situational comments follow:
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I and my wife W3GZZ(ex-KB3GZZ) and several other friends in our local 
ARES/RACES group) recently acquired some new ICOM 2720 radios. We are 
dismayed to find that traditional "Service" aspects of this radio 
purchase have now come to what may be a bad light. Unless someone can 
enlighten me otherwise, it is starting to appear to us that 
legitimate "licensed amateur" owners of the 2720 can not reasonably 
acquire the appropriate service information and tools for this radio.

As a group we know a fellow and many dealers that claim to have the 
service information/software but will not reveal their access source
(s), cost, ordering details, etc? We believe they are telling the 
truth when they say such software/information/tools exist.
The apparent secrecy is disturbing in a hobby that seemd to pride it 
self on mutual assitance and help and signals a great sea change in 
manufacturer attitude towards "licensed" ham radio equipment buyers.

I own some 15 or so ICOM radios and make it a point to try and get 
the ICOM official "Service Manual/Information" for a radio on 
purchase, even if I buy a used radio.
To date I have not had any difficulty in getting them. 
However, the 2720 seems to be quite a different story.
(Perhaps for the 756ProII also which I just acquired and need to ask 
about service info also?)
ICOM has historical sold "Service Manuals" giving radio owners the 
necessary information to check, service, and align their radios.
In this age of software fully-or-partially defined radios, 
it now becomes necessary to obtain the "Service Manual" AND 
the "Service Software". Access to this service/service tool 
information is not apparently available from other non-ICOM sources, 
like volt meters, frequency counters, deviation meters, scopes and 
spectrum analyzer tools needed for servicing of yesterdays radios. 
For software defined radios, access to proper service tools is of 
legitimate concern to radio amateurs who are responsible to insure 
their equipment operates properly within the FCC rules and within 
good engineering and Amateur radio practices.

Reasonable cost and having to sign a software license are expected 
and acceptable of course. Lack of service software/tools release to 
the legitimate owner and/or hiding of such tools is not acceptable 
good customer support in this new age of software based radios.

Regards,
Paul 
N3UD(ex-WE3NUD)