[ICOM] IC-756PROIII No Transmit ESD Failures
Phil Krichbaum
vailphil at sopris.net
Tue Mar 16 02:39:04 EDT 2010
Mike,
I use the 303/N and 303/U for N and UHF connectors and 310 CATV for
my RG6 on the beverages. There are also some for open wire etc not in
this table below. The 305/N and 305/U have been added since I ordered
mine. You might want to protect that HDTV as well. I've heard "off the
record" the ratings may be a bit overstated. There are others on the ICE
web page as well read/print the notes on avoiding Thor's Hammer. My
ones for the XMIT antennas are located 110 feet from the house where I
have a WX0B SixPak and my single point ground. I have two 110ft pieces
of 1/2" high density foam hard line from the SixPak to the rigs. The
beverages are also protected before entering the house. I'm using legal
limit amps and didn't think the 1KW PEP had enough headroom!
Good idea to short the coax center to ground as the coax can store a
heck of a charge but best to have a device that never lets the charge
build up in the first place and it can build very fast if the right
cloud is overhead! The diodes that get toasted in the tuner are rated at
only 300Vwhich may be the root of the problem. Icom has this ESD story
and seems to stick to it. I've not heard of any mod to the rig. I wonder
if the problem has been taken care of in the newer Icom rigs? If Icom
were to admit there is a design issue then maybe they would be obligated
to have a recall? Sounds like another Japanese Company in the news recently!
In the old days some receivers had a neon bulb across the antenna
terminal for this problem.
I've picked up some 3 bladed knife switches at hardware stores in
Costa Rica I'll be using to disconnect all three power connections for
117 VAC and 234 VAC in the shack. I'll have a red light to remind me to
throw the switches before leaving the shack. I also use some UPS
supplies for computer, rig and HDTV. It Costa Rica these knife switches
are used at the main panel where power enters the house like the old
Square D switches to disconnect the whole house. They also look cool!
I am using switcher supplies for the 756 and other rigs. The Icom
one that was connected to the PROII but off when it got toasted two
years ago still works but at the moment I'm using a JetStream PS28M
switcher.
73 Phil N0KE
*Order* *Model* *RF Power* *Freq. range* *Connectors* *Price*
300/B 1KWPEP / 500W CSS 0.1-50 MHz BNC $40.00
300/N 1KWPEP / 500W CSS 0.1-50 MHz N $42.00
300/U 1KWPEP / 500W CSS 0.1-50 MHz SO-239 $40.00
301/B 1KWPEP / 500W CSS 1.5-50 MHz BNC $40.00
301/N 1KWPEP / 500W CSS 1.5-50 MHz N $42.00
301/U 1KWPEP / 500W CSS 1.5-50 MHz SO-239 $40.00
303/N 8KWPEP / 4KW CSS 1.5-50 MHz N $48.00
303/U 8KWPEP / 4KW CSS 1.5-50 MHz SO-239 $46.00
305/N 15KWPEP / 7.5KW CSS 1.5-50 MHz N $72.00
305/U 15KWPEP / 7.5KW CSS 1.5-50 MHz SO-239 $70.00
mschellur at earthlink.net wrote:
> Hi Phil,
>
> What ICE Model do you use? Are you using a switching power supply or an iron core transformer PS? I have an ICOM 756PRO and have had no problems. I disconnect the coax when not on the air. I short the coax before connecting to the 756. Also, the AC power has surge protection at the breaker box.
>
> Look forward to your reply.
>
> 73,
>
> Mike KF2LF
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
>> From: Phil Krichbaum <vailphil at sopris.net>
>> Sent: Mar 15, 2010 10:33 PM
>> To: ICOM Reflector <icom at mailman.qth.net>
>> Subject: Re: [ICOM] IC-756PROIII No Transmit ESD Failures
>>
>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>> ----
>>> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
>>> Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
>>> Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
>>> To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>>
>>>
>>>
>> ----
>> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
>> Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
>> Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
>> To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>>
>
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC: icom-owner at mailman.qth.net
> Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 14.316 MHz
> Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
> To support QSL/QTH.net: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>
>
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