[ICOM] ICOM 756PRO2

Tue Feb 28 11:20:22 EST 2017

Hi Phil,

That is good to know about the PRO series.  Does the 756 original suffer
the same sensitivity to RF and transmitter problems as a result?  I can't
say that I have seen a lot of people comment on that issue with the
original 756.

73 John AF5CC

On Tue, Feb 28, 2017 at 2:50 AM, Phil Krichbaum <vailphil at sopris.net> wrote:

> John,
>
>     I picked up a K3 along with a Microham Digi Keyer about 2 years ago
> which makes up for the lack of the K3's ability to send decent CW over
> about 32 WPM. (fixed in the K3S). In some big pileups with a fast CW
> operator on the other end I'll call them at 40 to 50 WPM using the F keys
> and it does work. The other fix is too replace the SYN board in each RX
> with the newer ones but there is another workaround that doesn't cost about
> $800! I still have the older SYN boards and no problem with high speed
> sending now.
>
>     Another PROIII problem is the half ass split dual RX where I was
> getting bleed thru from strong callers near my split calling freq which
> would cover up a weak DX on the other RX freq I was trying to work. I had
> it fixed but it doesn't stay fixed for long. Another thing Icom doesn't
> feel is a problem? The same for the poor front end protection. I use
> beverage RX antennas and run them thru a separate DXpedition II available
> from DX Engineering. The RX Ant connector on the PROIII is not disconnected
> from the RX when you TX so you do not want to use it for beverages unless
> you use a separate relay to disconnect the RX antennas. On the K3 you can
> hear a relay clicking to save the RX when strong RF is coming in the RX
> antennas. We did one contest multi TX at the 100w level where there was a
> 2nd rig and my antennas are on 8 acres and spread out quite a bit with 9
> towers and the front end went again on the PROIII. It blows some FETs in
> the tuner which only cost pennies each but expensive to have fixed as I'm
> unable to do it. There is an after market "Rig Saver" that one should also
> install.
>
>     The K3 learning curve is not trivial and I'm still learning over 2
> years later!
>
>     The K3S solves these problems and lots of K3 owners have switched to
> it and you can likely get a decent deal on a used K3 now. I also use the K3
> as my main rig on 6m and for 2m EME. I can't believe they didn't have a fix
> for the CW sending issue much sooner. I had a K2 and no issue with fast CW.
> The K2 100 with the digital filters is also a quite good RX but needs more
> separate controls.
>
>     Phil N0KE
>
>     73 Phil
>
>     Phil N0KE DM69em
>
>
> On 2/27/2017 4:55 PM, John Geiger wrote:
>
>> Hi Phil,
>> That is good information to have.  As one who was strongly thinking about
>> building their "final" station around a PRO3 or maybe a PRO2, I might be
>> rethinking that decision. What did you end up using as the main rig
>> instead?
>>
>> 73 John AF5CC
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 27, 2017 at 5:00 PM, Phil Krichbaum <vailphil at sopris.net>
>> wrote:
>>
>> Steve,
>>>
>>>      I can relate to this! I'd had a 756PROII that got wiped out when a
>>> spike came in the neutral side of the power line during lightening season
>>> and and wiped out a hard drive, TV set, answering machine, water well
>>> relay
>>> etc. It was on the Icom power supply I still use today on my 756PROIII
>>> some
>>> 8 years later! There was nothing wrong with the Icom PS that came with
>>> the
>>> rig. When the 756PROII got wiped out it was not connected to an antenna
>>> but
>>> was connected to said Icom PS that was plugged in the AC mains.
>>>
>>>      I ordered a 756PROIII but didn't put it in service right away after
>>> it
>>> arrived. A month or so later on a clear cold winter night I finally got
>>> it
>>> out of the box and hooked it up. In the next hour I had a couple of CW
>>> QSOs
>>> at 5w and  and one a 100w and all of a sudden there was no power out! The
>>> winter night sky was clear and there was no wind or blowing snow. Icom
>>> would not honor the warranty at first saying "I'd operated it out of
>>> warranty conditions" and finally agreed to fix it. From that day forward
>>> I'd make sure the PROIII PS was disconnected from the AC mains anytime I
>>> left the house and no antenna was connected to it to the PROIII. It seems
>>> to me these rigs are poorly designed for front end protection and they do
>>> not do well in a multi transmitter contest situation even if the other
>>> rigs
>>> are at 100w!. The repair involved replacing some FETS in the tuner. The
>>> PROIII is no longer my main HF rig and I use another rig that is able to
>>> handle a multiop multi rig contest situation.
>>>
>>>      Phil N0KE
>>>
>>>
>>> On 2/27/2017 12:57 PM, Steve via Icom wrote:
>>>
>>>      About 4 months ago, I bought an ICOM 756Pro2 that looked in great
>>>> condition.  Since purchasing this radio I have mainly used it for
>>>> dialing
>>>> up the freqs & just listening on all the bands - no transmitting.
>>>>   Recently I decided to check out the transmitter - hooked up the MFJ
>>>> 969
>>>> Tuner to check out the tranny & antenna ..  dialed up the HF freqs - hit
>>>> the Mic to transmit -- The 756Pro2 screen shows a real nice spike during
>>>> transmission - the red TX light turns on --- indicating that I'm
>>>> transmitting ..... BUT -- there is no needle activity on the Tuner ..
>>>> Unable to check the output power as there is NO "Po" light on the
>>>> 756Pro2
>>>> (however, when I click the same button to SWR, the green light comes
>>>> on) ..
>>>> Next step is to check the Tuner --  hooked the Tuner up to my VHF/UHF
>>>> Tribander to check functionality ... it has needle movement on the
>>>> Reflected Power but not on the Forward (most likely of low watts on
>>>> Tribander) ...
>>>> So, I'm appealing to all the ICOM 756Pro2  Techies out there for H E L P
>>>>   73
>>>> ----
>>>> 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
>>
>>
> ----
> 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
>