View Full Version : Icom 746 Pro - good backup rig?
I'm not a big Icom fan, but I have a line on an open-box 746 Pro at a killer price. I do believe it's one of the later serial numbered versions that had most of the issues worked out of it. Any opinions or thoughts on this rig? It'd just serve as a backup to my K3.
AB9LZ
08-08-2009, 10:38 AM
I have a 746 that sits next to a k2 with paddles hooked up to both.... you'll hate using the 746 for anything other the occasional phone yak on 10meters.
73 m/4
WD4CHP
08-09-2009, 12:58 PM
I'm not really sure why anyone "needs" a backup radio.
Should the occasion arise, I would tend to have the same radio for a backup as the primary radio.
That way in an emergency, I would have no problem switching to the backup.
The only change from this was when I had an Atlas 210x and an Atlas 215x. The only difference was one had 10 meters and the other had 160 meters.
All the accessories for one fit the other.
I have the Icom 746Pro as the station radio and the Icom 706MKIIG in the truck. This accomplishes the same thing.
Remember that "things" happen to radios that are stored and not used.
I just want a rig that I could use should my K3 ever be taken off air for repairs, etc. The 746 Pro I mentioned was being sold at a good price. I don't particularly care to spend a lot of money to buy another K3.
I'm not really sure why anyone "needs" a backup radio.
Ditto...
I have the Icom 746Pro as the station radio and the Icom 706MKIIG in the truck. This accomplishes the same thing.
Double ditto.
I just want a rig that I could use should my K3 ever be taken off air for repairs, etc. The 746 Pro I mentioned was being sold at a good price.
Was? As in already sold?
If not then buy it. What's to fret over? It does sound as though you have money burning a hole in your pocket as they say.
BH4XBU
08-19-2009, 08:47 AM
I have a 746pro
KJ4IYG
08-19-2009, 09:08 AM
Good Morning Guys,
I'm new to ham radio, and just got my General. I also just purchased an Icom 746 pro....and did so without first reading some of the horror stories related to various failures in the transmit mode and the display. Should I trade this guy back in and get a different radio, or are the reports of failure overstated? I'm looking for something that's relatively easy to use, capable, but also reliable. Can simple modifications be made that will eliminate the problems related to this radio, or is it a lost cause?
Thanks very much.....any guidance will be very much appreciated!
kj4iyg
KB0DV
08-19-2009, 01:10 PM
I'm not really sure why anyone "needs" a backup radio.
Should the occasion arise, I would tend to have the same radio for a backup as the primary radio.
That way in an emergency, I would have no problem switching to the backup.
The only change from this was when I had an Atlas 210x and an Atlas 215x. The only difference was one had 10 meters and the other had 160 meters.
All the accessories for one fit the other.
I have the Icom 746Pro as the station radio and the Icom 706MKIIG in the truck. This accomplishes the same thing.
Remember that "things" happen to radios that are stored and not used.
I tried the 'ole "backup radio" excuse with my wife to justify buying another radio...didn't work
KB0DV
08-19-2009, 01:14 PM
Good Morning Guys,
I'm new to ham radio, and just got my General. I also just purchased an Icom 746 pro....and did so without first reading some of the horror stories related to various failures in the transmit mode and the display. Should I trade this guy back in and get a different radio, or are the reports of failure overstated? I'm looking for something that's relatively easy to use, capable, but also reliable. Can simple modifications be made that will eliminate the problems related to this radio, or is it a lost cause?
Thanks very much.....any guidance will be very much appreciated!
kj4iyg
Thats the reason I didn't buy one. I purchased the FT-950 a few months back and am very happy with it. I would call Icom about your concerns and see if they have resolved the issues with the 746 pro. Maybe if you gave them the serial number, they could give you more information about your radio.
73
Dave
Hi Evryone
If you read the Eham reviews on the IC746 Pro it will be that the other rig will be back-up for the Icom.
The Icom 746PRO is a very unreliable rig with a few very often happening failures due to serious design faults.
I'm not sure calling it unreliable is very fair. Thousands of these have been sold, and there have been some well documented failures. Read the Yahoo forums if you want to know more. If it was "unreliable" as you say, why has it been in Icom's catalog for what, 10 years now?
I've had one for almost 2 years without a problem, it stays on most of the time and I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!
I have heard, as you say, from others that the 746 became their main rig after buying one for a backup. So, I say if it is a great price then buy it!
Watch for the new offering coming from Icom.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ic9100
I purchased a new IC-746PRO 5 years ago and had no problems with it. It is sort of a backup radio although it does get its time on the air. My main radio is an old FT-100 that gets most of the air time. Both radios work well and both have been run mobile and field days. The 746PRO is a bit more sophisticated than the FT-100 and as mentioned, they both get a work out.
Icom had a program to fix the 746PRO as long as the radio is still in production free of charge (does not include shipping back and forth). Both radios had their share of problems when they were first marketed. Maybe I was lucky but by now most of these radios (on the used market) have been fixed.
73
George
K3UD
I used to own a 746. I enjoyed the radio a lot. Worked great. Just keep the brightness at 100% on the display or risk losing the backlight.
I wish I had not sold the 746. Currently I own a FT-857D for backup to my 756 Pro II. It certainly was nice to have when I sent the Pro II in for repairs earlier this summer!! Using the 857 not only kept me on the air, it made me appreciate the features of the Pro II a lot more :-) In any case I will never be without a spare!
Good luck
K4FX
WB7VTY
09-15-2009, 08:10 PM
I had a chance to use a 746 on field day and didnt like it. Irritating and awkward menu system and controls. Some stuff I never did figure out. CW is my main interest and it is definately NOT a CW radio. I just sold an old TS130s which I vastly prefered over the 746. Have fun either way.
73
Joe
I'm surprised this thread is still alive. Nope, never bothered looking further in the 746Pro. Did more investigating and didn't like the 746Pro's track record for reliability.
I'm surprised this thread is still alive. Nope, never bothered looking further in the 746Pro. Did more investigating and didn't like the 746Pro's track record for reliability.
You made a smart decision my friend.
Marketing......
Show me a radio that is much better then an old Collins?
Then show me a President better then an old Ronald Reagan?
The end times may not be here, but the techno end times are here.
Case closed. :)
KB2FCV
09-17-2009, 04:10 PM
I had a chance to use a 746 on field day and didnt like it. Irritating and awkward menu system and controls. Some stuff I never did figure out. CW is my main interest and it is definately NOT a CW radio. I just sold an old TS130s which I vastly prefered over the 746. Have fun either way.
73
Joe
I'm just curious as to why you say it is not a CW radio?
While my 746 pro had to go back to Icom for repair and I REALLY wanted to toss it out the window because of that, I have not found it to be a bad radio for CW. 95% of my HF activity is CW and has been that way for 20 years. I was just curious as to what your opinion was.
G0GQK
09-17-2009, 09:42 PM
Things do change quickly. I can recall not so long ago that the hottest tranceiver in the whole wide world was a 746 pro III, and now its been relegated to a standby rig. Like Brigette Bardot was once every mans' dream.
G0GQK
K9ZMD
09-19-2009, 05:48 AM
Things do change quickly. I can recall not so long ago that the hottest tranceiver in the whole wide world was a 746 pro III, and now its been relegated to a standby rig. Like Brigette Bardot was once every mans' dream.
G0GQK
Icom hasn't built an IC-746PRO II. They didn't need to, the PRO was good enough. I own one, have use it with great pleasure for over two years, and have yet to have a failure. It is the best transceiver I've owned in nearly 50 years on the air. Anyone who has a problem is vocal; those with no problems just quietly enjoy the rig. My guess (and I read every post to the 746PRO discussion group) is there's a thousand that are working fine for every failure (which you hear about 6 times from the same whiner). And that guy generally shuts up after Icom fixes and upgrades the radio with no charge except shipping.
To the OP, buy that puppy if it seems an excellent price. If you later have misgivings, help out a financially challenged newbie by re-selling it at the same price; he'll be your friend forever. 73
Gary, K9ZMD/6
Icom hasn't built an IC-746PRO II. They didn't need to, the PRO was good enough. I own one, have use it with great pleasure for over two years, and have yet to have a failure. It is the best transceiver I've owned in nearly 50 years on the air. Anyone who has a problem is vocal; those with no problems just quietly enjoy the rig. My guess (and I read every post to the 746PRO discussion group) is there's a thousand that are working fine for every failure (which you hear about 6 times from the same whiner). And that guy generally shuts up after Icom fixes and upgrades the radio with no charge except shipping.
To the OP, buy that puppy if it seems an excellent price. If you later have misgivings, help out a financially challenged newbie by re-selling it at the same price; he'll be your friend forever. 73
Gary, K9ZMD/6
Do you have any evidence to back up your thousand are fine to each failure statement. I wager the failure rate is much much higher. There are many other web sites with 746 pro info in addition to the discussion group. I personally know of at least six people in the Cincinnati area with failures and three suffered MULTIPLE failures. One of which Icom refunded his complete purchase price after nine months. It spent approx six months on the road back and forth. They finally threw in the towel after the fourth failure.
I will agree it is a great rig WHEN it works. Don't whitewash the failure rates though. I had a friend who thought like you until he suffered his own failure. He then became a believer. Good luck. :)
WA4OTD
09-20-2009, 12:59 AM
I just bought a 746 about 4 months ago, looked at 746Pro, but the reliability issues scared me off and I didn't feel a need to buy the 746. With a CW filter the 746 is a great all around radio. I think the bad reliability is probably the 746 is <1% failure rate and the 746Pro is probably 5%, still a lot of happy people, but with so many radios a lot of unhappy people also.
I've got a 746Pro bought new at HRO Anaheim about 6 years ago, and have had ZERO problems. I even bring it to Field Day every year and let lots of other people operate it. It's reliable, solid, and the built-in antenna tuner prevents and newbie operator issues. My only tiny gripe - I wish the 4 knobs at the bottom left of the control panel were a little bigger! Changing the CW keyer speed is actually better on the IC-703 and 706, since you do it with the main tuning knob, and get a readout of what you're setting it to. That's my ONLY gripe about the radio!
I have a friend who owns two 746Pros, and he brings his to Field Day also.
It's a great rig for the money, in my book.
Fred, KQ6Q
W4WXP
09-30-2009, 06:17 AM
Watch for the new offering coming from Icom.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ic9100
Yeah....I love my ic-746(not pro).....if the new version is what i think it is, aka a hybrid of the 746pro(with bugs worked out) and the 910H, that's going to be one for my Christmas list in '10 or '11.
W4WXP
09-30-2009, 06:20 AM
I'm surprised this thread is still alive. Nope, never bothered looking further in the 746Pro. Did more investigating and didn't like the 746Pro's track record for reliability.
The original 746 is better, IMO...
The original 746 is better, IMO...
The original 746 doesn't even begin to compare to the 746 Pro.
I have had them both for quite a while.
I have had no problems with either of them.
There is no way to know just what the failure rate is for the rig.
Speculate all you want to, means little. You will hear a lot of yelling and screaming from those that had problems and not much from those who didn't.
Either way, it is too bad that the rig has had problems as it is a great rig.
W4WXP
10-11-2009, 11:51 PM
The original 746 doesn't even begin to compare to the 746 Pro.
Hence why I said IMO...
KE6TDT
11-15-2009, 07:32 AM
Yeah....I love my ic-746(not pro).....if the new version is what i think it is, aka a hybrid of the 746pro(with bugs worked out) and the 910H, that's going to be one for my Christmas list in '10 or '11.
I'll agree with that about the (non pro) IC-746. Had mine since 2000, and not a single problem or issue.