R8600 Do all IC-R8600's have the same dead carrier frequencies?

Status
Not open for further replies.

AOR-262

Member
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
291
I'm wanting everyone who owns the IC-R8600 to let me know (regardless of what model you have - whether your R8600 is a Non-USA OR USA Model), whether or not you have a continuous carrier aka Birdie frequency on 133.600 MHz AM.

Could you take a few second to try this and let me know -- if you find you do have a continuous carrier on 133.600 MHz AM, set your tuning step rate to Hz and see how far you need to tune away in either direction from 133.600 before the Squelch kicks in and your R8600 goes silent.

I've upload a video as an example. In the video, I start at 133.600 MHz which is the absolute frequency of the continuous carrier aka Birdie. I then tune away from 133.600 until my Squelch (set at 30) kicks in and no audio can be heard.

 

AOR-262

Member
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
291
My r8600 (US) with the same parameters:

Squelch kicks in at 133.595.400 and133.604.600

@palmerjrusa

You mean your squelch opens up between 133.595.400 and 133.604.600 and closes below and above the frequencies you just mentioned? Hmmmm ... that means you have a Birdie on 133.600 also.
 

AOR-262

Member
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
291
@palmerjrusa

Oh dear -- that's not good. I'm guessing others will be the same?

133.600 is a busy frequency where I live. It's London Control that communicate with all aircraft flying East over the United Kingdom towards the United States and Canada -- one of the last but one frequencies pilots chat on before they chat on 123.950 for Oceanic clearance. Unfortunately, I don't have this frequency in memory because of the Birdie on that frequency it means my R8600 always stops during memory scan. If I have that frequency on screen I have to increase my squelch to about 65 which is incredibly strong and so blocks out most of the transmissions.

Thanks for your help anyway.
 

TailGator911

Silent Key/KF4ANC
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
2,687
Location
Fairborn, OH
I just did the same test, no signal or birdie to be heard on 133.6. I tried on 2 different antennas with the same results.

JD
kf4anc
 

palmerjrusa

Member
Joined
Oct 22, 2005
Messages
1,172
Location
Frederick
It's not like a usual birdie where you get full quieting, there doesn't seem to be any signal there, the squelch just opens between those frequencies.
 

TailGator911

Silent Key/KF4ANC
Joined
Feb 12, 2005
Messages
2,687
Location
Fairborn, OH
Yup USA model I purchased from DX Engineering. What is the big difference between US and non-US models besides the cellular being blocked and unblocked?
 

prcguy

Member
Joined
Jun 30, 2006
Messages
15,228
Location
So Cal - Richardson, TX - Tewksbury, MA
Mine is also a US model but unblocked. I would be surprised if a US or other country type would have an effect on birdies.

@palmerjrusa

Wonder how come @TailGator911 didn't have the Birdie issue on his R8600? He must have a USA Model as he's from Fairborn, OH.

Do you think Icom will swap my R8600 for a new one that doesn't have the Birdie on 133.600?
 

AOR-262

Member
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
291
Yup USA model I purchased from DX Engineering. What is the big difference between US and non-US models besides the cellular being blocked and unblocked?

@TailGator911

I think it's to do with FCC rules whereby the frequencies that are blocked for models destined for the United States are or used to be the analogue cellular frequencies -- which I believe are no longer used as cellphones in the United States now use frequencies around 1.8 GHz and are digital. A somewhat now outdated rule. No other reason why those frequencies are blocked.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top