Icom 718 owners have a question for you. Volume knob.

[KJ6OJL]

Ok have my first HF rig icom 718 hooked up an antenna for now to receive and scan around the bands.
The issue I am having now it appears the volume knob skips between dots one and two. From a decent volume level to nothing. I have done a reset on the unit to make sure it wasn't a setting issue.
This knob was never used by the previous owner, unit was always PC controlled.

There was some crushing on the end of the box I had FedEx note it, also the bubble wrap had been smashed between the buttons and the plastic was stuck on the knob. Unit was bubble wrapped and in original box with foam peanuts around it in another box. With proper handling more than enough lacking material. It appears from the box FedEx had dropped it on the corner dislodging the peanuts from the end of the radio with the knobs and had also dropped the box on that side(crush damage visable onoutter box)

So tonight working with rig went to turn it down just a little and noticed instead of down it went completely quiet.

Here is a link to the video demonstrating what it's doing.

Input please!!
Possible damage to the knob? Potentiometer damage possible? Or is this just normal for this make and model?
Really need to know soon so I can know if I need to start claim with FedEx.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8YGIoNTlHs
73
KJ6OJL
Don

[K0BG]

The dual pot is available from Icom's parts department. Like most Icom transceivers, you have to remove the front panel to replace the pot. Therefore, it will take a couple of hours to replace it. Of course, you can always send it to them for repair.

I don't think this is shipping damage. A friend has a 718 about 5 years old, that we used on Field Day, and it had the same problem.

[N0XL]

That's perfectly normal for that radio. I had the R-75 receiver that is pretty much the same as the 718 without the transmitter and it did the same thing. I did a lot of listening late at night when others were sleeping and had problems of either having no audio or too loud in one small turn of the knob.

[KJ6OJL]

Kinda a bummer. Because it really does above night time trying not to wake others limit and off. So close but not quite. I may just contact icom and see what they quote. Just funnier how common this is and knowing owner history there was no way the buttons were used at all.
Unit was ALWAYS pc controlled.

[2E0OZI]

Hi mate, I have a 718 bought it in 2010 and love it, but I believe this is a known design fault with the unit - the AF has a very steep drop off at the lower end. Just checked mine now and yep - its still doing it. I listen to radio with the cans on 99% of the time and do CW almost exclusively since March this year, so its not been a massive problem for me. I find listening with a nice set of comfy headphones more relaxing than listening to the speaker......

[K0BG]

According to the folks at Icom, the replacement pot has a different taper, so replacing the pot should fix the problem.

[N4BBQ]

My little 718 has the same issue. It seems to me this should be a "recall" thing to where if you wanted to replace the pot yourself, then the part should be free.

I e-mailed Icom Service to see if what I mentioned above is an option. I'll post their reply (if I get one).

[N4BBQ]

My question to them was that since the previous taper of the VC was lacking, would they ship a new revision VC to me (free except for shipping).

Icom's Reply :
---

Hello,

Thank you for your email. If there is a recurring problem with the volume control pot on the 718, we are unaware of it, and our repair history for this radio does not indicate that it's a problem. There is no current policy for replacing the volume control at no charge.

If you would like, you can ship your radio to the following address for evaluation:

ICOM America
Service Department
2380 116th Ave NE
Bellevue, WA 98004

Please include a letter that describes the problem you are having and also provide your name, address, phone number and email address. We are currently experiencing about a two week turn time.

Please let me know if you have any further questions.

Thank you,

[N4BBQ]

My reply to the Icom e-mail :

Good morning and thanks for the reply :


Well this issue isn't something that would have people shipping their radios back to Icom for repair, its more of an annoyance. I ended up getting an external speaker and building an attenuator between the radio and speaker so the volume could be adjusted to a low level. Here is a youtube video of the issue I'm describing.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8YGIoNTlHs


I had heard from other users of the 718 series radio that Icom now used a different potentiometer in the 718 that had a different taper which allowed a nicer increase from zero volume when using the VC knob. I do know that when using remote control, the volume control is easily set to a low level.


Again, thanks for listening and replying to my message.


Phil Heaton (N4BBQ)

[KJ6OJL]

not only more relaxing but easier to hear.
sorry got distracted from this thread for a bit family stuff has come up again and more severe this time. [
while i have not had a lot of spare time, i will be contacting Icom about this, this radio was bought new bt W5ktt and he is a quad, NO hand use at all. So we know its not a use issue,. will see how icom handles this case.
73
KJ6OJL
Don

Hi mate, I have a 718 bought it in 2010 and love it, but I believe this is a known design fault with the unit - the AF has a very steep drop off at the lower end. Just checked mine now and yep - its still doing it. I listen to radio with the cans on 99% of the time and do CW almost exclusively since March this year, so its not been a massive problem for me. I find listening with a nice set of comfy headphones more relaxing than listening to the speaker......