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

[William Lambing]

 Paul, I cannot speak for Icom.  However, I recently retired from Collins
(ok.Rockwell Collins) after 30+ years in Avionics Field Service.

To address your concerns about software defined radios, I know that from a
Collins standpoint, unless you are an avionics dealer, you repair at your
own risk and that risk includes blowing any warranty.  Software defined
radios are not cheap.  There is design, test, retest, retest and make it
work.  Oh.then you gotta pass the FCC qualifications.  Software
qualifications are a real pain, but a necessary part of life.  The software
design is probably as complex as the design of a radio.  Making a radio work
at aircraft VHF Comm frequencies and turning around and making the radio (by
software) work as an aircraft Nav receiver is not easy.  Costs now run quite
high, thanks in part to all of the qualifications necessary and . .
documentation of that software design and the actual design of the radio.

I do not disagree with your request for having the latest acceptable
software and manuals to "repair" your radio.  However, to do so, you need
specialized test equipment, which again is not cheap.

It is almost, as some would say, coming to a throw away radio.  Given in
part to the costs of some of the handhelds nowadays, it is in reality
cheaper to buy a new one than repair the old one.  When you factor in labor
rates, parts, test equipment and so on..no wonder they are throw away.  No
one, not even some OEM's want to mess with it.

I know it is hard to compare avionics stuff with the amateur market, but
some of the same equations apply to both.  The more complex radios become,
the more difficult it is to work on them. Bill Diamond, WR0T recently made a
basket case IC-761 work.  But, if you were to take his time and apply a
standard labor rate to this time, you would find he spent more dollars in
time, than the radio was/is worth.  For us (like Bill) who are retired, this
time becomes a moot point.  It is the love of amateur radio with which we
repair.  But...that being said, the more complex, the more difficult it is
to repair.

Again Paul, I am not trying to compare apples to oranges, but wanted to
maybe give you a little idea from whence some of these guys come from.

73

Bill, W0LPQ
Collins Avionics Field Service, Retired.!