Icom IC-2720

[KC0NDR]

Trying to decide on dual band mobile. Want to know about what anybody thinks on the 2720.
http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

73's Roger

[KD5SZM]

I don't own one, however I would in a heartbeat if it had Alpha Numeric capability http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[KC0PCT]

I'm also looking for a good mobile and I like the features of the ICOM IC-2720H such as the large LCD screen, easy to use controls, overall quality, etc.

However, I want to make sure I'm investing in the best mobile for the money.

If anyone has experience with this fairly new model, I'd appreciate hearing your pro's and con's about it. #We all want to make sure we're spending our dollars wisely, and the best way to know if something is good is to hear from those who have used it.

[KG4YFC]

Just ordered the 2720. From the information on the web and catalogs, I liked the fact that the remote controller was not an add-on. Also the memory scan feature was a plus since I am frequently on the road cross country. Hopefully, its a great choice.

[KG6OYO]

Bought my first one in January '03 just because of the bells and whistles (plus the fact that I am an Icom fan). #Loved its performance and bought a second one for mobile use a few weeks later. #Love the fact that the separation cable between the rig and faceplate come with it. #Also like the fact that I can operate almost all the controls of the rig from the mic (if only I could turn the radio on/off from the mic, too). # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif #Since I have 2 rigs, I thought it wise to buy the cloning program and cable (now why they would sell those 2 items separately is just downright stupid). #It does have a squelch attenuator but have not seen the need to use it just yet.

Now comes the bad. #It doesn't have alphanumeric display (guess they just had to sacrifice something so we could get the "free" separation cable). http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

I've heard complaints about the fan being too noisy when the radio is used as a base unit. #As for me, the noise isn't so bad and I'd rather it did make a sound so I know its working (my power supply's fan is kinda quiet and I'd take a look every so often just to make sure it was working).

While it does have dual-receive capabilities and cross-band repeat, this unit cannot be remotely controlled via another transciever.

Other than that, its a great rig for me.

73s
Vince

[K0RGR]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mad.gif Well, I've been a big ICOM fan for years, but they blew it with this rig. The intermods are just horrid for a rig of this price class. I will try it as a mobile for a while to see if I can live with it, but I suspect it will be a disaster. It is not usable as a base rig unless you live in a deep hole with no antenna. The RF attenuator hels, but not enough.

Otherwise, it has the features I would expect it. There are some big ease of use issues, though.

[K0RGR]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif Hmmm - using it mobile today confirmed that it is really loose for intermod. I checked old QST reviews, however, and found that its tested specs are better than the radio it is replacing, so maybe I have a defective unit? It hears pagers 8 miles away and FM broadcasts on the UHF band. Has anyone had luck getting this licked?

[K0RGR]

After some more experimentation, I have changed my opinion - the intermod is livable if you use the attenuator properly. I have found that setting the attenuator on the right side on very high eliminates 99% of the problem on both sides. In a real bad high RF environment, both attenuators eliminates almost everything. I drove through downtown, and found that the attenuator did a good job of eliminating the crud from the 2 KW pager on 156 Mhz. (it is used to provide pager coverage for some underground tunnels here in town). Setting just the right side on eliminated the FM broadcast birdies (images?) on both sides and almost all intermod when away from the high RF environment. Others have reported that the receiver performance seemed to improve after a couple days of use - I suspect it is a learning curve issue, but it is truly magic. Upgrade my overall review from "throw rocks" to "strong buy".

[K0RGR]

http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif Well, this looks really stupid, but I guess I was being very optimistic yesterday. I found some more intermod sources that wipe out what I want to hear regardless of the attentuators.

I've orderd the PAR VHFTN152-158 filter from AES which looks like it should help a great deal. I hope I'm not throwing good money after bad, because someone did write to warn me that the filters did not completely eliminate their intermod problems.

I am back to thinking that there is something seriously wrong with this rig. I've been on 2 meter FM for decades, and operated from some of the most RF-intensive environments in the country without anything like this.
I found last night that I could barely hear one of the intermods on 146.625 on my cheapest Yaesu HT, but on the 2720, it lights up all the signal strength bars and overwhelms the repeater I can copy easily on the HT.

ICOM suggested I reverse the IF, but that would limit me to operating VHF from the left and UHF on the right, and I prefer to do VHF on both sides most of the time. Also, others have reported to me that switching the IF does not help, and with intermods, I doubt that it would, since those are mixing products in the front end, not in the mixer stage. Again, I bet they used the wrong compnents somewhere and introduced a major case of non-linearity, which is generating and amplifying the intermods.

Meanwhile, change my suggestion from "strong buy" to "throw small, sharp rocks".

[KS4HE]

After I had already bought the Icom IC-2720, I read the evaluations people had written. Some were good, many were bad.

I got the radio, tried it on the bench, it seemed to work, so I went to alot of trouble to remotely mount it and properly install it.

Well... I have to say it is the best radio I have ever owned. Very intuitive (I don't need the manual open in my lap to operate it), and it has every feature I've ever heard of (and some I haven't). It really is a true Dual bander. I haven't had a minutes trouble out of mine.

I usually listen to two different 2 meter repeaters at the same time. Or scan UHF and VHF while talking one one repeater. Or just put both sides on the same repeater for a stereo effect!

So if your looking for a good Dual bander, condsider that they may have the bugs worked out of the IC-2720.