[VHFcontesting] Need Input

[Roger Thawley]

Jim,
I operate an IC575H for portable contest work, here in the UK, where we have
a regular series of two and a half hour VHF contests on Tuesday evenings,
covering 6M, 4M, 2M, 70cms and 23cms, one band per week - 4M only occurs on
the fifth Tuesday of the month, where there is a fifth Tuesday.
I started by buying an IC275H for 2M operation, because it has a fairly
decent front end and the IC7000 I used to used got swamped by the large
number of local stations on that band. An IC475H followed fairly quickly,
for the same reason and because its higher power output on 70cms. By chance
I stumbled across an IC575H, offered on eBay, and decided that this would
make a good addition for 6M. I've been entirely happy with all of these
radios, though the 475 needed a little fiddling with to resolve a VFO
encoder alignment issue.

Steve mentions back light bulbs for these radios. One way to deal with this
issue is to replace the bulbs with LEDs, see an article where this is
discussed here -
http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?238956-IC-738-LED-wheat-lamp-type

A Yahoo group exists for the ICx75 series radios here -
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IC-275/?yguid=39382180
The group is nominally for the '275, however, other models in the series are
also discussed.

The '575 is a much higher performance radio than the 690.

Roger, G0BSU.


-----Original Message-----
From: VHFcontesting [mailto:vhfcontesting-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf
Of STeve Andre'
Sent: 30 December 2012 22:37
To: vhfcontesting at contesting.com
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Need Input

On 12/29/12 14:34, KC4HW/Jim wrote:
> Looking for some input on the IC-575H and the FT-690R.
>
> I am thinking that I would like a stand alone rig for 6m and thought that
> perhap someone could share their experience with this equipment.
>
> My interest is CW/SSB.
>
> Thanks and Happy New Year
>
> Jim/KC4HW
> _______________________________________________
> VHFcontesting mailing list
> VHFcontesting at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/vhfcontesting
>
I have a 575H and it's a neat rig.  Like all Icom's of that era, it uses 
these
teeny tiny 'grain of wheat' bulbs and they do go.  Last time I checked Icom
had them for $2 each.  Hope they still do as I need several.

But it's a great rig, and folks like Scott Malcolm do a great job on fixing
them.

--STeve Andre'
wb8wsf  en72

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