Question about the ICOM IC-M2A

[lugoffman]

Hey everyone I got a ICOM IC-M2A today and would like to know if it would make a good 2 meter rig or if someone could tell me were I can find some info about the rig on how to program it and maybe let me know if it is a good radio or what any information about this radio would be great thanks ---jason

[fineshot1]

Do a google search on it - there are too many hits for me to paste here but it is a VHF Marine radio so there will be no using it on the 2 meter ham band.

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by fineshot1

Do a google search on it - there are too many hits for me to paste here but it is a VHF Marine radio so there will be no using it on the 2 meter ham band.

Whats it really used for cause I keyed up on it and had my scanner on and every time I keyed up on it it was pulling the fire frequency up so will it interfear with public service or what lol cause I don't want to get into any trouble with it

[fineshot1]

Originally Posted by lugoffman

Whats it really used for cause I keyed up on it and had my scanner on and every time I keyed up on it it was pulling the fire frequency up so will it interfear with public service or what lol cause I don't want to get into any trouble with it

As I said its a VHF Marine band radio. It is most likely overloading the front end of your scanners receiver being that it was right next to it.

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by fineshot1

As I said its a VHF Marine band radio. It is most likely overloading the front end of your scanners receiver being that it was right next to it.

Well my wife took it up the road to see how far it would go before it cut out and I looked on the scanner and it came up the same thing 154.1450 pl 156.8 on channel 16 on the icom IC-M88 , now do these radios require a license to use or are they basicly a walkie talkie , cause I googled it but all i get is really the same thing on all pages that it is a marine radio and its water proof thats about it I also got this icom IC-M88 that works with the IC-M2A I looked it up as well but don't get much info on it just that it is a marine radio and water proof when I bought them I bought them thinking they was a ham radio I gave $100 bucks for both the IC-M88 and the IC-M2A. They are real good we talked on them and she was down town which is about 1 to 2 miles away from the house but we didn't say much cause I don't know if they was a ham radio or needed a license to use them ?????

[robertmac]

As stated, they are a Marine Radio. However, if used inland and away from any Marine areas, the frequencies may be used by Public Service or Businesses. That is the point of applying for a license to operate radios. The FCC [if like IC in Canada] will assign a frequency for you to use that will not interfere with any licensed radios in your area. They generally like to know the type of radio being used to ensure that it is type accepted so it won't cause intereference to other radios on different or near frequencies. There really is a purpose to obtaining a license. Without this purpose there would be so much intereference that noone could use a radio. It's not a simple case of buying a radio and starting to transmit. Suggest you discuss with FCC before transmitting.

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by robertmac

As stated, they are a Marine Radio. However, if used inland and away from any Marine areas, the frequencies may be used by Public Service or Businesses. That is the point of applying for a license to operate radios. The FCC [if like IC in Canada] will assign a frequency for you to use that will not interfere with any licensed radios in your area. They generally like to know the type of radio being used to ensure that it is type accepted so it won't cause intereference to other radios on different or near frequencies. There really is a purpose to obtaining a license. Without this purpose there would be so much intereference that noone could use a radio. It's not a simple case of buying a radio and starting to transmit. Suggest you discuss with FCC before transmitting.

Well I think I will just sell or trade the radio's I bought them with the intent that they was a Ham 2 meter type rig and come to find out they are not what I wanted for me they would make a good hunting radio but I don't do much hunting any more so I guess I will stay off them and trade the out for a good 2 meter rig cause I don't even know were to start to obtain a license for them

[fineshot1]

You can always use google or a search engine of your choice to do research on a make & model before you purchase, I always do. Also, you can use google (or whatever) to find a local amateur radio club to you so you can join a club, study and take the test. Usually the local ham clubs are very good for that and learning a lot about ham radio.

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by fineshot1

You can always use google or a search engine of your choice to do research on a make & model before you purchase, I always do. Also, you can use google (or whatever) to find a local amateur radio club to you so you can join a club, study and take the test. Usually the local ham clubs are very good for that and learning a lot about ham radio.

So you are saying I need a ham license to use these radios ??
if thats the case I already got a club I am in here in camden , SC but I am just starting out I passed the tech but don't have my call sign yet never came in the mail yet I will call my vol. examiner and see what he can fill me in on about it but I think I will just trade them or sell them for a 2 meter radio.

[trace1]

Originally Posted by lugoffman

So you are saying I need a ham license to use these radios ??

It is always best to do a little research...

Maritime Mobile Service

Originally Posted by lugoffman

if thats the case I already got a club I am in here in camden , SC but I am just starting out I passed the tech but don't have my call sign yet never came in the mail yet I will call my vol. examiner and see what he can fill me in on about it but I think I will just trade them or sell them for a 2 meter radio.

How long has it been since you tested, a few days? You should get you call soon depending upon how your VE submitted it.

Yes, you need to talk with someone in your club before you do something that could put your Amateur License in danger. By the way, does your wife have her "ticket" too? If not she doesn't need to be talking on a HAM radio.

If you're looking for a way to communicate with the family (with some distance), without everyone having their own Amateur License, then you might wish to look into MURS (license-free) or GMRS (license covers entire family for $85 for 5 year period).

Good luck and welcome to the world of HAM. Let us all know when you get that call!!!

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by trace1

It is always best to do a little research...

Maritime Mobile Service



How long has it been since you tested, a few days? You should get you call soon depending upon how your VE submitted it.

Yes, you need to talk with someone in your club before you do something that could put your Amateur License in danger. By the way, does your wife have her "ticket" too? If not she doesn't need to be talking on a HAM radio.

If you're looking for a way to communicate with the family (with some distance), without everyone having their own Amateur License, then you might wish to look into MURS (license-free) or GMRS (license covers entire family for $85 for 5 year period).

Good luck and welcome to the world of HAM. Let us all know when you get that call!!!

Speaking of murs when I got the radio from this guy he told me something about murs for this radio somthing about it was in the radio already I don't know I was under the impression when I got the radio it was used for hunting and didn't need a license but I felt funny when I was on the scanner siginal stocking and it came up with the same frequency that my local fire uses but different pl that is when I started to wonder but now I know I need a license I put them up and have not used them again and will not untill I get a license to use them

[K8TEK]

Who buys things without knowing anything about it?

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by K8TEK

Who buys things without knowing anything about it?

LOTS OF PEOPLE DO !!! I am sure you might of bought somthing for your wife and not know a thing about it well my wife bought somthing for me and she and I didn't know nothing about it the guy that sold it told her they was ham radio's 2 meter rigs so after she bought them she came to me to give them to me early and I asked her were she got them at she took me to the guy who sold them to her and then he was tring to explain to me all about them.

anyways as I was saying lots of people buy things not knowing what they got thats why they buy it then ask questions

[lugoffman]

Does anyone know how to find out by the numbers off the back of a icom radio the year and how old the radio is ???
I have googgled it and went to ask dot com and just can not find that info out, if anyone knows how to find out please send me a link or were to go to find it out thanks.

[trace1]

Originally Posted by lugoffman

Does anyone know how to find out by the numbers off the back of a icom radio the year and how old the radio is ???
I have googgled it and went to ask dot com and just can not find that info out, if anyone knows how to find out please send me a link or were to go to find it out thanks.

Have you tried contacting ICOM and asking them?

[lugoffman]

Originally Posted by trace1

Have you tried contacting ICOM and asking them?

Yea I called but they was closed i thought there was a sight that you can go to and put in the s/n number or the fcc id and it will tell you what year it was but I may be wrong i don't know