[K3PZN-List] The Icom 706

[Al Bisasky]

Jim, Andy, et al,

Yeah, I sort of found this out the hard way.  I was in a QSO with Clint
while he was using his'706.  It sounded great once he turned down the mic
gain to "1". I'm pleased with mine.  It fits the reasons for which I
purchsed it: HF/VHF/UHF for mobile, VHF/UHF for the shack, and as a backup
for the "Ole Gray Mare" (Kenwood '830).  The thing is certainly versatile
and does everything adequately.  You have top keep in mind that it is a
compromise from the ground up and if one is looking for a contest or DX'ers
grade radio, you need to look elsewhere and spend many more Yankee
Greenbacks.

I find it's only real faults to be the AF DSP and the rather mediocre 1.9KHz
SSB filter.

Good discussion.  I would be nice to hold a "show and tell" at a club
meeting of the various rigs for the benefit of the newer amateurs who are
looking for one.  Oh, darn!  I had an idea and opened my mouth about it.
Forgot I said anything.  Never mind.  Go back to what you were doing.

73,

Al, K3ZE
----- Original Message -----
From: "James Nitzberg" <wx3b@yahoo.com>
To: <k3pzn-list@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 01, 2002 7:31 PM
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] The Icom 706


> Hi Andy;
>
> Interesting observation on the 706 Audio.  The 706 has
> very good audio, on both FM and SSB - provided you set
> the mic gain fairly low.  I keep my mic gain at 4 for
> SSB, and a 1 (that's right, almost OFF) on FM.  Any
> higher and I overdrive the radio.  I'm pretty careful
> to turn it down to 1 when I go back to FM.  Would be
> nice to see in a 706 Mark III a feature that memorized
> audio setting with mode.
>
> I can't say enough good things about the 706.  I've
> used it as a base radio, a mobile radio, a short wave
> receiver, a vacation/portable station rig while
> camping, I've baked it in the sun, froze it in the
> cold and it (usually) works great.  It's a lot of
> radio per dollar.
>
> 73,
>
> Jim Nitzberg  WX3B
>
>
> --- n3mcb@att.net wrote:
> > The 706's are rather popular around here - much more
> > so than the other
> > offerings. The new Yaesu rig is a QRP portable rig,
> > I was at AES on Sat. and was
> > looking at one with a friend who is a scout leader
> > and wants a portable HF/VHF
> > rig. It looked nice and we worked a few contacts
> > with it and were generaly
> > impressed. They did make the compromise on the side
> > of portability vs power out
> > and features - personaly I'd have a hard time
> > reading the display in a car.
> >
> > The one problem I have with the 706 is that many
> > people seem to get the mic gain
> > messed up - they crank it up when operating on 20m
> > phone then switch up to the
> > repeater and overdeviate to the point the repeater
> > drops them since it can't
> > decode the PL in the distorted audio (or the DTMF
> > mute kicks in and mutes them).
> > The part about this that bothers me is every time
> > this happens they seem to call
> > me and tell me one of the repeaters is broken....
> >
> > Andy
> >
> > > How are you coming with selecting a mobile rig?
> > There are a few Icom 706's
> > > and Yaesu FT-100's around that club members own
> > and I'm sure that they would
> > > give you have the 50 cent tour. (I have a '706
> > that you can see). Yaesu has
> > > a new base/mobile/portable rig that looks
> > interesting.  I think it's the
> > > FT-897(?).  Works 160m to 70cm.  It has optional
> > built-in PS, battery and
> > > antenna tuner.
> >
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