[ICOM] My letter to Icom

[Paul]

Bob,
I had a similar problem with a 706MKIIG. It would transmit fine for 
several minutes then the power would drop to milliwatts. Turning the rig 
off for a few minutes would cure it. After a few minutes more of 
transmitting the power would disappear again. I looked everywhere for a 
heat sensitive intermittent. On a guess I resoldered all legs of the RF 
driver and output transistors. The problem never reoccurred. I don't 
know if Icom would think to check this on your rig but it might be worth 
a mention. Good luck.
Paul, N5PS

WORKSNTV at aol.com wrote:

>The following is a letter I sent to Icom---They have had the rig in  
>Washington since the middle of September and can NOT duplicate the  problem..WOW I am 
>very frustrated!
> 
> 
> 
>To Whom It May Concern:
> 
>The following is a description of the problem my Icom 706 mk2g, serial  
>number 10276,  that I am sending for service.
> 
>The problems began more than a year ago, I was able to deal with it but the  
>problem has gotten progressively worse. Let me say the rig has never been used 
> in the car–It’s always been used as my one and only HF radio for home use.
> 
>On transmit, on all bands,( I don’t use 2 meters or 440)  using single  
>sideband, the rf power output drops almost to zero. Thinking this just may be a  “
>meter” problem I checked the current draw. The current from an Astron RS 35 M,  
>also falls.  I have tried switching power supplies to another Astron, but  
>the problem  persists..
>When the rf output falls–I sometimes find that  unkeying the mike and keying 
>it again—rf is back to full output. The radio after  a few minutes loses power 
>again. At times when first using the radio, from a  cold start, there is 
>little rf.
> 
>I have disconnected the companion Icom automatic antenna tuner, AT 180, and  
>ran the radio into a manual tuner.  The problem does not go away.  I  have 
>swapped out the coax between the tuner and rig–but the problem  reappears.  The 
>swr on all bands is acceptable.
>I have tried several  mikes, the hand mike that comes with the radio, an Icom 
>rs15, and an Icom sm 20  thinking this was rf getting into the shack—the 
>problem persists.
> 
>One day in frustration I followed the manuals direction for “resetting” the  
>radio to factory settings. Surprisingly the rig worked flawlessly for several 
> hours–and the old problem came back.
>Finally thinking there may be other  issues in the shack I had a friend bring 
>in his Icom 706 and hooked it up. IT  WORKS!!! That indicates to me the 
>problem is not shack related, but radio  related.
> 
>I have enjoyed  the radio many years prior to this problem.. I also  have an 
>Icom handheld and duel band rig mobile. I am sold on Icom and will  continue 
>to share with fellow hams my belief, especially if you can fix 706  mk2g’s 
>problem.
> 
>73'
>Bob Reynolds-WB3DYE
>
>  
>