[ICOM] 706 Mark II G Life Cycle???

[Dwayne T Walker]

I can't takes it any more. I have to chime in after hearing everyone sit on 
Santa Icom's lap and tell him what they want typical jealousy has kicked in 
and I want my turn.

Currently I would have to say that the 706 is my favorite radio (mine is 
the 706MkIIG) but I am no fool and I realize it's weaknesses (if that is a 
word). I have owned and used in the past many other radios including the 
746, 756ProII, Elecraft K2/100, Kenwood TS-930, TS-940, Yeasu 1000MP. I 
sold some of these radios even though they where reported to be better 
radios. And certainly they where in some capacities. Most recently where 
the K2 and the ProII. and both of them had a much better receiver than my 
706 and many other things. It seams that I role through base radios every 
so often. I get one and play with it until I run out of enthusiasm then I 
pick up a new toy to replace it and yippee! I'm off again. But I have never 
gotten rid of the 706MkIIG and I use it quite often. Why?

Well with all of it's imperfections it is kind of like the Swiss army knife 
of radios. You can use it in almost any capacity. Here at the shack, 
primary radio or backup. mount it in your car, or take it portable. with 
UHF/VHF you can use it to experiment with PACKET, APRS or any other digital 
mode. it is often a backup radio so it is free to play with Echo Link or 
other linking systems, just let it run in the back ground. It is easy to 
take portable,  You certainly can take a larger radio portable, I took my 
ProII out to field day and it was great, but it is much easier to take the 
706 and if something should happen you are not out three grand, just seven 
hundred and fifty or so (what ever it is selling for these days) it is easy 
to operate and is very durable physically and should someone key it up 
without an antenna attached it will survive, though I don't suggest that 
you test this on your 706. By building a few accessories it can handle just 
about every type of operating that you want to try or experiment with. Mine 
is currently not in use as a primary radio so I drug it out to the living 
room and use it for listening to AM broadcasts and NOAA. It is simple, it's 
not Hi-Fi but then nether are the BBC broadcasts. Don't get me wrong I 
would rather get on the bands with my ProII, it is easy to use, everything 
is clearly laid out, you can read the frequency from across the room. it 
goes on and on and on. I also own some great SnapOn tools and I prefer to 
use them but I carry one of those Gerber multi-tools and that thing is a 
bit of a pain to use some times but it has it's niche and it fits into it 
well, just like my 706 (in my radio world at least) and as such both get 
quite a bit of use, a surprising amount really. So what ever changes with 
the next version (whenever that is) I personally hope that they don't 
change the radio so much as to make it not fit in that niche any more, and 
so long as they don't I will line up to buy the next one. But what would I 
hope fore in the wonderful array of new abilities....

Well you knew it was going to come down to this didn't you? My turn on 
Santa Icom's lap!

More comprehensive computer control, if you can control it from a buttons 
or knob then I want to be able to control it with a computer, full read and 
write for memories! (of course I am a programer so I am a bit stuck up 
about these things )

IF stage DSP/Tougher Receiver (Of course right?) if they can cram a 746Pro 
receiver in there I would be happy, not asking for much right? But NOT 
making it any bigger! This of course means that I won't have to buy filters 
for it and I wouldn't be limited in my filter selection.

Make it so keying the PTT from one connector dose not hot the Mic on ALL 
connectors.

More control over the AGC, let me turn it bloody off and have it really be off.

60m of course

There are other things of course but I am trying to be realistic, I think.

Personally am not interested in more than 100w output. If they can't make 
it a 1000w then forget it. the difference between 100w and 200w is nothing 
and can be achieved easily by a slightly better performing antenna. It is 
not worth the extra drain, weight, space.

Nor would I want a tuner in it. Yep that is what I said, no tuner. It 
leaves you more options. In the space for a tuner they could put in a lot 
more receiver and I can take a little LDG tuner if I am going to need it, 
small, efficient and light. Or if I am playing around that day with strange 
antennas I can take my larger mechanical tuner. If I install the radio in 
the truck hooked up to the screwdriver antenna then that is just something 
I have paid fore that I won't use. Don't get me wrong I like tuners built 
in to my base radios, but it just doesn't seem (seam?) to go with the 706.

And a wholly grail would be duel receive! HF/UHF, HF/VHF, UHF/VHF, UHF/UHF, 
VHF/VHF I'll be nice and not ask Santa Icom for HF/HF that is a whole other 
world.


Well there is my two cents, before inflation. If you read this far you have 
suffered through many horrible misspellings and I commend you for your 
stubbornness (SP?) and if you feel the desire to point them out, enjoy your 
self, glad to be of service...


WB5PLJ 73

you can see some of the many exploits (or punishments) that my friend and I 
have put our 706's through at his website http://www.n0ew.org/






At 08:33 PM 12/15/2004, you wrote:
>One more thing...I was also dreaming of a wireless control headset using 
>bluetooth but, it may not be ready for ham radio use yet.
>
>The new bluetooth version specification has a range of about 100 meters, 
>not bad at all for streaming audio + control protocols
>from the radio to the control head. But this is only wishful thinking.
>
>Also, I would like to see Icom implementing the virtual S-meter of the 
>7800 into the new rig.
>Enough of the monochrome one-line s-meter of two color lcd displays since 
>the late 80s.
>
>-73
>
>
>On Dec 15, 2004, at 4:45 PM, John Geiger wrote:
>
>>
>>--- STeve Andre' <andres at msu.edu> wrote:
>>
>>>I wouldn't hold out much hope for the exotic bands
>>>such
>>>as 222, 902 and 1200, simply because Icom hasn't
>>>gotten
>>>much of a return from them in the past.
>>
>>I agree, and this is too bad.  I think they lost out
>>big on the 375, and they were being closed out at AES
>>for either $700 or $800, can't remember which.  Wish I
>>bought a few back then.
>>
>>>Take a look at Icom's offerings today.  There aren't
>>>any
>>>220MHz handhelds.  Actually as I think on it, Icom
>>>doesn't
>>>have *anything* for 220 or 1200.  902 has always
>>>been
>>>the orphan band. (ok, last minute addendum: there is
>>>a 1200MHz module for the 910, and in theory one for
>>>the 970.  But no 1200 HT's like the T81a, or mobile
>>>rigs).
>>And Icom used to lead in 222 stuff.  If you look back
>>at some of the old catelogs, at one time they had
>>several HTs out for 222 mhz: the 3SAT, 3PAT, O3AT, and
>>a 38A out for a mobile rig, plus a 222 module for the
>>901.  Plus right after that they had the V21 which is
>>one of only 2 2/220mhz dual band HTs that I know of
>>(the other is the Standard C228 or C288).  Now they
>>have given up on 222.
>>
>>>Having recently acquired all five of the x75 VHF+
>>>Icom
>>>radios, I can attest to the fact that they're in
>>>demand,
>>>but not enough apparently to warrant production of
>>>them.
>>So what is the 1275A like?  I think that is pretty
>>rare.  It is listed in some of the older AES catelogs,
>>but I don't think alot were imported into the US.
>>
>>>I wish it were not the case--the feeding frenzy that
>>>usually
>>>comes with Icom 220MHz stuff on Ebay is testimony to
>>>the popularity of the equipment, but I don't think
>>>Icom
>>>sees much of a future there.
>>
>>The price that 375As go for is surprising, since for
>>the same price you can get a yaesu FT736R with the
>>222mhz module and probably the 6 meter module also.
>>
>>  73s JOhn NE0P
>>
>>
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>>----
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>
>----
>Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
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