[ICOM] IC-756PROIII No Transmit ESD Failures

[Phil Krichbaum]

  My PROIII has died 5 times from ESD and always the power out goes, not 
the RX. It is about $250 a pop for the Icom fix to replace diodes and 
FETs in the tuner that IMO are inadequate for the job. At first I was 
using Polyphasers but due to the fact they need to jump a gap to 
discharge, they are not up to protecting the under designed circuits in 
the PROIII. Every time there is any least bit threatening WX, I 
disconnect the antennas and AC power gets unplugged as much of the 
damage comes in thru the PS even if off, or the computer control wires 
or CW keying lines. The first time my PROIII died I'd just taken it out 
of the box and in the first hour on the air ever I made two short QRP CW 
QSOs and one at 100w and all of a sudden no power out! Icom at first 
refused to honor the warranty saying I'd operated out of warranty. There 
was no weather occurrence or wind that night and after a few phone calls 
Icom reluctantly agreed to pay the repair. I have no clue what they 
thought I did that was out of warranty! I was not impressed with Icom 
service at that point and used another repair service for the next three 
repairs. I also have a FT1000MP and have used it on the same antennas on 
the same table and never one problem in many more hours of operating. I 
doubt I'll be buying another Icom in the near future. Since going with 
the ICE 300 series protection boxes a year ago I've not had another 
failure but I have been very careful. Lots of others with this problem 
also live in the dry, dusty and sometimes windy western US. I'm not the 
Lone Ranger. I know of several people who had the failure, had it 
repaired and either dumped the rig or are afraid to use it! I do very 
much like the RX (other than the clunky dual watch for split). Anyone 
want some Polyphasers? I'm not using them anymore.
I also had a PROII destroyed by a nearby strike that came in via the 
neutral side of the AC mains. I've since had the power company install a 
Meter Treater on my power meter which has three big MOVs in it. Do not 
leave the PS plugged in when you leave the shack even if it is off! You 
need to disconnect all three AC wires to anything in the shack.
Phil N0KE Western Colorado

ALAN ZACK wrote:
> Does anyone have an opinion of which suppressor does a better job, ICE or
> PolyPhaser? Seems they don't actually work the exact same way.
>
> BTW, I am in the same situation as Dick in Northern Nevada here in the Las
> Vegas Valley. In the summer it is not uncommon to get a shock when getting
> in or out of your car or opening a door with a metal handle. I have seen a
> 1/4 inch arc when touching my house key to the door lock. But this is mostly
> in the summer. Right now when I had my latest ESD strike we have been having
> record rain spells with the higher humidity associated with the dark clouds
> over the valley. Just rain, no lightning or thunder. This is why I have 12
> by 24 inch ESD mats on my computer desk and on the ham radio desk in front
> of the rig. These mats have a snap on ground wire that is tied to ground.
> These are the same ESD mats you would find on a ESD work bench. This is to
> drain off any static electricity that may be on my body when I sit down at
> these desks.
>
> I have taken all these precautions with the ICE suppressors on the coax,
> having a antenna switch that grounds all my antenna inputs and heavy duty
> computer style AC power battery backup with surge suppressors that ALL my
> ham gear (Rig P.S., rotor, table lamp, etc) are plugged into and still get
> these ESD hits. There are no interface cables between the rig and a PC or
> any other external devices. I work my little RTTY from the front panel of
> the 756PROIII. Everything is linked together with short ground jumpers, tied
> to the center neutral wire of the 220 volt connection in the shack for my
> amp and to the 8 ft ground rod just outside the house wall. To me it is very
> strange that I only get ESD hits when the rig is turned off and that the
> receiver is not effected, only these T/R switching diodes. Seems if ESD was
> getting thru the ant input the receiver preamps would also be blown. Only
> transmit is affected. Last hit was during the ARRL DX SSB Contest. I was
> SOLP 20 mtr only. When 20 mtrs went dead Sat night I turned off the rig. At
> 5:00 a.m. Sun, the very next morning I turned the rig on, tried to answer a
> CQ and no power out. Hooked up the old IC-746 (non pro) and completed the
> contest and still using the 746 until I decide what to do with the
> 756PROIII.
>
> Alan, K7ACZ
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
> Behalf Of Dick Flanagan
> Sent: Friday, March 12, 2010 1:14 PM
> To: ICOM Reflector
> Subject: Re: [ICOM] IC-756PROIII No Transmit ESD Failures
>
> Where I am in the high desert of Northern Nevada I am more concerned 
> with static build-up than I am with catastrophic lightning hits.  The 
> ability to drain off static charges before they become large enough 
> to damage my equipment seems very desirable.  Then again a 10 meg 
> resister from the center conductor to ground would probably do the 
> same thing, but I like the engineering of the I.C.E. units.
>
> Dick
>
> At 12:50 PM 3/12/2010, Gary P. Fiber wrote:
>  >That I.C.E. 300 looks nice, a coil and gas discharge tube in parallel to
>  >earth on the antenna side and a resistor to earth on the radio side.
>  >Small voltages likely will not get by. Though it may not stop a huge
>  >direct lightning hit but again not much will.
>  >
>  >Gary K8IZ
>  >
>  >On 3/12/2010 11:53 AM, Dick Flanagan wrote:
>  >> The only place I have purchased I.C.E. gear is from the
>  >> manufacturer.  http://www.iceradioproducts.com/ There may be other
>  >> sources, but I haven't investigated them.  You could probably contact
>  >> I.C.E. and ask them for a list of their retail dealers.
>  >>
>  >> Dick
>  >> --
>  >> Dick Flanagan K7VC
>  >> dick at k7vc.com
> --
> Dick Flanagan K7VC
> dick at k7vc.com
>
>
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