[ICOM] Icom 706MKIIG vs Yaesu FT450

[Dave Shirk]

Jim,

I like the old 735 as well (my main rig is the 7000 which I love). I  
am in the long process of getting it back operational with much great  
help from Kevin, K8SU. It seems Icom used several 10mF tantalum caps  
in the rig which have 16 volt ratings. Between age, and spikes from  
alternators in a mobile environment, I am finding several bad ones.  
Kevin pointed out the first one to check, and it indeed was shorted  
(it made the entire radio after the power switch a short to ground on  
the 13.6V power input). Without his input, I would have given up  
trying to find it.

I am posting this to let others know that if you have old 735's which  
you still want to use but are not functional (in receive or a shorted  
to ground), pull them out and replace about one to two dollars worth  
of parts. The second bad cap I found caused a 1 ohm resistor to become  
a 400 ohm resistor and also blow a transistor. I am waiting for more  
parts to arrive, but look forward to getting the 735 back on the air  
as a back up and haul around rig.

And again, a big public thanks to Kevin, K8SU.

73 - Dave - KI4KQ

On May 17, 2008, at 2:02 PM, Jim Hargrave wrote:

> I still prefer my IC-735 and fortunately I have room for it in the
> Motorhome.  I may be a little partial to Icom because of the  
> reliability
> that I have had with the 735 for the 22 years that I have owned it.  
> On the
> flip side my Yaesu FT-920 fits very nicely in my home operating  
> desk. I
> think its among the nicest radios Yaesu has built. So I basically  
> support
> both brands. Each has its Pros and Cons.
>
>   * 73's Jim W5IFP *