IC-765

[KC0KBH]

I got one this summer for $500 with 200' on LMR-400 and a heil Proset, and I would have to say that this is the greatest radio ever built. It has a great reciever, the TX audio sounds great, and it looks so cool.

I listen to spy numbers with it, and it is great for SWL'ing. And with all of the filters and things, I can eliminate QRM in PSK-31.

It has more features than I could ever imagine. It sure is a contrast from the TS-520 I was using.

[K4LIX]

I'm sure Kenwood is still kicking themselves for forcing Icom to build the 765!

[KC0KBH]

It is such a nice rig. I do not really know the story behind the 765. What is it?

[K4LIX]

Well, the best I can dig up, the story goes something like this - back when Kenwood had the 930 on the market (some say the 930 is the best radio Kenwood has ever made) and the 940 (and some say the 940 is the worst radio Kenwood has ever made) and 850 were on the drawing board, some of their engineers wandered over to ICOM (much like the Collins engineers who wandered over to Heath). #At that time, Icoms top rig was their DOG 751. #Well, with the help of newly acquired Kenwood engineers, Icom came out with the 751A (which should have been called the 735A because it was nothing like the 751 except in looks - Kenwood did the same thing with their 950SD and 950SDX - two completely different radios) and the 751A quicky gained popularity with the hams and marine (sailboat) people. #However, the Kenwood 930 and 940 had it "all in one box" and for Icom to compete directly, they took the 751A and put it in a big box with the power supply and auto tuner and called it the 761. #Now Kenwood became curious and upon examination of the 761 circuits, saw several of their own circuits in there. #Guess what? #LAWSUIT!!! #There was an out-of-court settlement (I would like to know the details of that) where Icom agreed to pull the 761 off the market after only marketing the rig for about 14 months. #Now, Icom had no rig to compete with the 940/850 so they hastly revised certain circuits in the 761, and with approval of the courts and Kenwood, came out with the 765 (some believe the 761 is a better rig than the 765, including me). #Icom did make it very simple for the average ham to "modify" the PBT on the 765 to work just like the PBT in the 761/751A and even had a control knob on the front that did nothing (until the PBT mod was done) - somehow, they (Icom) slipped this past the courts and Kenwood. #So, that's the story in a nutshell - some hams know much more details and may want to come forward and all are welcome to correct any errors I may have in this story. #So, I have had several of the 761/765 rigs over my 49 years hamming and agree, they are mighty fine radios. #At the moment, I only have 3 HF rigs, the Icom 775DSP and Kenwoods TS-570SG and TS-870S - all three GREAT rigs. #Hope you enjoyed this. #73's

[KC0KBH]

You don't see many 765's for sale. People must like them.

[W4GLM]

Wouldn't sell mine, I have two, recently purchased the
second one. Use mine with companion 2KL and AT-500,
Makes for a nice plug and play 1/2 KW system. Works all
bands with a 1000' diamond shaped loop up 35'. Best of both
worlds, fantastic receiver, I'm told an extremely nice sounding
transmitter. Works NVIS on all below 40 meters locally here
in Florida, and angle decreases on higher bands, will hold it's
own in DX pileups. Heil ICM and W2IHY eight band equalizer.
Eagerly awaiting the addition of one of the new HEIL DSP
speakers, it's ordered but hasn't arrived yet, if they work like his mic's and headset's it will be fantastic....

[W2TXB]

I bought an ICOM IC-765 new from R&L many years ago at Dayton, and still have it. The radio os in mint condition and I use it fairly often.... sometimes just to listen to AM broadcast....other times to communicate on the HF bands. It has seen the factory service center a few times, but has been rock solid since the last of the updates was done.

There are times when I think I would like to buy a newer HF radio, but I remain unable to find one that would serve my needs better than the '765.

[KC0KBH]

Mine does heat up pretty quick in FSK kind of data modes. Even at 20 watts.

[K3TD]

K4LIX, thanks for the reminder about the PBT for the IC-765! #I purchased one in 1990 and used it for many years - GREAT receiver! #The stock radio had IF Shift that was activated through a push button switch and then tuned with a rotary pot. #I did the Pass Band Tuning mod - it used the same push button switch to select between IF Shift and PBT, and the same rotary pot for both. #Of course PBT worked so much better, so I never used IF Shift after I had the mod done!

73,
Tad, K3TD

[K4LIX]

Hi Ted - there was a later PBT mod which used the switch in the "out" position for PBT and pushed in for I.F. Shift so you could have both. I just recently bought a 765 from an estate that had the mod yours did - I reversed the mod and returned the rig to original and then added the newer mod - works GREAT. Anyone interested just give me an eMail - k4lix at bellsouth.net - for details.