Anyone using ICOM 7/800 public safety radios?

[12dbsinad]

Anyone here use or know of agencies using ICOM 7/800 P25 radios on their system? Or ICOM radios in public safety at all? Looking to start a thread to gather info from all users around the Country.

 

[mmckenna]

I don't. They only entered the 7/800MHz market recently. I tried a few years ago to get then to release an iDAS capable radio on 800, but they weren't interested.
Interested to see what sort of replies you get. Some of their high tier radios are pretty nice looking, held a few at trade shows, but never used one.

 

[jeepsandradios]

Used a ton of VHF/UHF in NY over the years before all the P25 trunking stuff came around. Most of the SAR teams still utilize them for VH/UHF conventional. Also use multiple of the ICOM P25 conventional radios with good luck.

 

[MTS2000des]

Asked for a demo, was sent a long form to fill out- crickets. We have Kenwood, L3 Harris and even a couple of Relm/BK on our system but no Icom. Don't think they are too interested in 700/800.

 

[flametamer]

I've been waiting about 3 years for the Icom IC-F7040 to be approved for our state system. Government bureaucracy at it's best.

Dt

 

[RodStrong]

I've had a couple demos for a year or so. They are still a little bugged up but have potential.

 

[MTS2000des]

I've been waiting about 3 years for the Icom IC-F7040 to be approved for our state system. Government bureaucracy at it's best.

Our hold up is Icom. I'd love to be able to add them to our "approved" list but I have to be able to actually provision one on my system, confirm it handles things such as failsoft, dynamic regrouping, paging (we use this to get OPEN MIC culprits attention), and of course selective/passive inhibit. Until I actually have a sample, access to programming software and system key, won't be a permitted subscriber. Also want to test encryption (mutliple algos including ARC-4, AES-256 and DES-OFB).

FWIW never had an issue getting Relm/BK, L3 Harris, EFJ Kenwood and of course MSI subscribers to demo and program, my feeling is Icom just isn't that serious as no other regional partners have them or have been approached either.

 

[12dbsinad]

Our hold up is Icom. I'd love to be able to add them to our "approved" list but I have to be able to actually provision one on my system, confirm it handles things such as failsoft, dynamic regrouping, paging (we use this to get OPEN MIC culprits attention), and of course selective/passive inhibit. Until I actually have a sample, access to programming software and system key, won't be a permitted subscriber. Also want to test encryption (mutliple algos including ARC-4, AES-256 and DES-OFB).

FWIW never had an issue getting Relm/BK, L3 Harris, EFJ Kenwood and of course MSI subscribers to demo and program, my feeling is Icom just isn't that serious as no other regional partners have them or have been approached either.

So weird. I know they have a P25 "team" of engineers working on just that. As a matter of fact, a lot of personnel came over from Kenwood and even Motorola. Who knows, I do know a lot of things are changing, even the dealer structure is changing.

It's to bad because I got a chance to use/ play around a 800 mobile with the "command mic" handheld controller, totally awesome product for the money and so versatile with mounting in vehicles.

 

[dispatchgeek]

I too have been waiting for the F7040 I demo’ed at a conference to be approved on our state system. I suspect the holdup is Icom.

 

[70cutlass442]

I looked into the 7040 but our county radio admin says they are not allowed on the system. I read the bylaws of the system and its not that it is not allowed, they just need to have it approved which includes them keeping a radio at their shop indefinitely. We aren't in a position to buy a radio to give away to the county so we are skeptical on that at the moment. Seems to be a similar story elsewhere.

 

[MTS2000des]

Icom America needs to understand that it is customary for manufacturers to provide working samples of subscribers to agencies and entities who own and operate large municipal radio systems. Most will NEVER allow ANYTHING on their network(s) unless it's been TESTED, VETTED and meets all requirements set forth by the agency. They can claim it's "P25 CAP compliant" but any agency with competent staff will always verify before allowing any equipment used in a public safety/IDLH setting to be fully qualified.

Agencies aren't going to buy or spend money to do this. Every other radio vendor I've dealt with operates this way, and we have test samples in our shop for BK/Relm, EFJ/Kenwood, Harris and Tait as a result. We verified all of them and were provided both hardware and software system keys for our network, access to programming software/cables, and have communication with their representatives. If Icom won't do this, they won't have too many folks lined up to buy untested, unverified products, let alone get cooperation from system managers for things like system keys.

If we can't program them, verify we can regroup, inhibit, program, re-key, etc, they aren't getting on our network.

 

[wa8pyr]

I don't. They only entered the 7/800MHz market recently.

Ditto. We had some interest at work, but they don't offer Link Layer Authentication, and our system requires it; when we asked, Icom didn't seem too interested in adding that feature. So we reluctantly said goodbye for now.

That being said, I have an F3400DT (VHF equivalent to the F70xx 700/800 portables), and it's the cat's meow. If they can get LLA into the F70xx series, I'll give one an enthusiastic try.

Agencies aren't going to buy or spend money to do this. Every other radio vendor I've dealt with operates this way, and we have test samples in our shop for BK/Relm, EFJ/Kenwood, Harris and Tait as a result. We verified all of them and were provided both hardware and software system keys for our network, access to programming software/cables, and have communication with their representatives. If Icom won't do this, they won't have too many folks lined up to buy untested, unverified products, let alone get cooperation from system managers for things like system keys.

If we can't program them, verify we can regroup, inhibit, program, re-key, etc, they aren't getting on our network.

Ditto. I'm testing a Harris XL45P right now (XL firmware in an XG form factor) which Harris sent me. I like it, and so far it's passed all the necessary tests. I'd love to be able to do the same thing with an Icom.

 

[PACNWDude]

When I worked for Zetron, then a Division of the JVC/Kenwood Group, across the street from Icom America, their engineers bragged about getting some contracts for many Oregon coastal towns and their respective police, fire, and emergency medical. Then I took a road trip and found that many of these were F9000 series VHF and conventional analog systems, not even running P25 Phase 1 trunked. However, the P25 hardware is out there, in VHF, UHF, and 7/800 MHz forms, but may not actually be P25 trunked, at least in Oregon locations I have seen radios on hips.

Portland is even more odd (weird for the locals), as there is a combination of Motorola P25 Phase 1 and Trbo....much like my current employer, combining FDMA and TDMA systems via analog and Zetron IP interface devices.

Icom is making inroads with P25, but from what i have seen, the radios actually look a little fragile. A co-worker of mine was recently issued an APX4000 Motorola and then proceeded to drop it (accidentally) off the roof of a three story building onto concrete, with only slight dents, scratches, but fully operational. The Icom F9000 and even newer 7000's do not look like they would survive that. (I am amazed the Motorola did to be fair.)

 

[MTS2000des]

Without having one in hand, we can only guess. Guesses aren't what get radios onto our system, only vetted, tested and proven products from any vendor will. Not sure who (if any) manufacturer reps are in our area, they are either ghost or not interested. We have 13 different P25 trunked radio systems in the metro area of Atlanta, I care and feed for one of the largest with 4 PSAPs, 7,000+ active subscribers, and about 4,000 more mutual aid IDs on in our core.

We have ISSI connectivity with two other systems including a regional overlay. Getting a potential product in hand is essential for testing especially learning the programming side when it comes to advanced operation/provisioning such as ISSI, encryption, etc. Not having any access to the subscriber or it's associated programming hardware/software ensures that said product will never be authorized on our network (and others in the region as well). We have quarterly meetings (now that it's "safe") and discuss these and other concerns with radio/technical folks from our mutual aid partners.

 

[bbo14]

Anyone here use or know of agencies using ICOM 7/800 P25 radios on their system? Or ICOM radios in public safety at all? Looking to start a thread to gather info from all users around the Country.

Yeah. My county has an 800 Mhz multi-site trunked system. All county and city agencies are on it. (LE encrypted 100%). Started out as all Erickson EDACS. Then went to P25 Harris. Then Kenwood came along and started infiltrating. Work well. Now a few agencies are trying the Icom 800 P25 radios. They are working well also. Harris is livid. Too bad.

 

[RodStrong]

Here are my demos. I haven't tossed them down the stairs, but they seem to be of pretty decent quality.

 

[12dbsinad]

Here are my demos. I haven't tossed them down the stairs, but they seem to be of pretty decent quality.

Thanks for the post! Have you had a chance to play around with the SD card? Voice annunciation, audio recording, ect?

 

[RodStrong]

Thanks for the post! Have you had a chance to play around with the SD card? Voice annunciation, audio recording, ect?

No. Not likely to fool with that stuff anytime soon, as it's of minimal interest to what we may potentially use/recommend them for. As I mentioned in my original post, they have potential after some bugs are worked out. I hope to know more in the next few weeks after a FW update.

 

[70cutlass442]

No. Not likely to fool with that stuff anytime soon, as it's of minimal interest to what we may potentially use/recommend them for. As I mentioned in my original post, they have potential after some bugs are worked out. I hope to know more in the next few weeks after a FW update.

What bugs have you discovered so far? I am thinking of ordering two mobiles for our agency.

 

[RodStrong]

What bugs have you discovered so far? I am thinking of ordering two mobiles for our agency.

I don't know if I want to get into listing a bunch of stuff out. All first gen radios in this class have kinks that need to be worked out with FW releases, especially from a company dipping their toes in the P25 700/800 trunking arena. Most are minor, and the major stuff I found have largely been addressed in updates. I will say the good far outweighs the bad if that helps. The software is super easy like all Icom stuff. The most important issue to me right now is trying to find the sweet spot with trunking parameters, how they hunt sites, etc., and a few more minor issues.

I do anticipate being in a position to recommend them to some of the folks I support soon. They just aren't quite there yet. Just my opinion. Hope that helps a bit.