IC RM2 COMPUTERIZED REMOTE CONTROLLER

[KB3TKQ]

Good Day all!


I own a spare IC-RM2 computerized remote controller designed for older Icom HF rigs. I bought it as a backup for the one I am currently using on my IC-701.
This is my question....
Is it possible to modify this spare unit to operate my IC-551D? There does not appear to be any info at all on mods of any kind for this.

Bob/KB3TKQ

[WA6MHZ]

The RM2 will work with the Icom IC-211 or IC-245, but not the 551. There are serious microproccessor differences, and I don't see how it could work. The RM2 works directly with the Micro in the older rigs but just isn't compatible with the newer ones. Sorry! It would take some miracles in reverse engineering to figure out how the old one works and the new one does.

I successfully used a modified RM2 back in 1980 to make a HF remote using the IC-701. I had 2 VHF/UHF rigs, one for RX and one for TX and remote control. Using touchtones, I would send a 3 digit command signal that would be decoded to turn the unit on. Then, the frequency was sent with more touchtones. Touchtone decoders in the HF Remote would key the keys on the RM2, which entered the frequency. You could do anything remotely that you could do with the RM2. This was all with discrete parts and CD4011 series ICs. Think I had a touchtone decoder chip that outputed 1 to 16 logic for the Touchtones in. It worked great. I could sit in the back yard with a 222HT and a 450 HT and work DX from the 701. This was a major engineering accomplishment for 1980 pre Microprocessor era. It was Humungus, the size of a Footlocker! It still sits in the Museum as a monument to what can be done with Electronics.

[W9GB]

The uProcessors used in these radios are UNOBTAINIUM (legacy 4 and 8-bit Japanese uProcessors).
There is NO buffering between the accessory connector on the back panel of these radios and the uProcessor -- so care must be taken in "plugging IN and OUT" the RM2.

Scott Malcom at MTS has a not on his web site about proper usage of these older RM2 units.