Help with ICOM 2200H

[ClayFD61]

Alright thanks I believe I have it set to listen until the signal dissappears, thats y I was wondering cause the signal doesnt dissappear cause they are still talking but it goes back to scanning... Thanx though I will check that out.....

 

[w2csx]

Holy crap - you are correct and its right on their web site. They state it is a Mars/CAP mod
but its for 136-174Mhz TX range. That is insane !! They are taking a big chance by putting
that on their web site. That is a major NoNo per the fcc.

For that mod to be legal you have to have proof of a mars license. hmmm.....

 

[w2csx]

Hmm... with all the stuff you bought with the radio plus the radio you caould have had a nice used Motorola Radius radio.

 

[SCPD]

Fire Service

Clay:
1. Everyone is right. It is downright illegal to use that radio on fire frequencies.
2. Having said that, go ahead and use it.

Does anyone here seriously think that the FCC is going to know, or really care, about this? Is one of your fellow fire fighter going to squeal on you, or something?

Yes, it IS illegal. It's not legal. It's verbotin.

But visit the land of reality folks, the radio is a new amateur radio rig. It's not going to generate any spurious xmissions. It's not going to "splatter". And it's going to be just a high quality narrow signal as any type acceptance radio. I absolutly love it when someone ask a question about how to get a ham rig to transmit on "work" freqs, and they gets 12 different people going "It's illegal, it's illegal". This isn't "Ask The Lawyer" here.

 

[ffemt601]

Clay:
1. Everyone is right. It is downright illegal to use that radio on fire frequencies.
2. Having said that, go ahead and use it.

Does anyone here seriously think that the FCC is going to know, or really care, about this? Is one of your fellow fire fighter going to squeal on you, or something?

Yes, it IS illegal. It's not legal. It's verbotin.

But visit the land of reality folks, the radio is a new amateur radio rig. It's not going to generate any spurious xmissions. It's not going to "splatter". And it's going to be just a high quality narrow signal as any type acceptance radio. I absolutly love it when someone ask a question about how to get a ham rig to transmit on "work" freqs, and they gets 12 different people going "It's illegal, it's illegal". This isn't "Ask The Lawyer" here.

If you provide information to someone so that they can break the law then you are an accessory to that crime. Yes, the FCC does prosecute fire departments, police departments, as well as civilians for any violations in the federal statues. Trying to rationalize a crime based on the chance you will get caught is idiotic.

 

[SCPD]

The Little Piggies that squeal

If you provide information to someone so that they can break the law then you are an accessory to that crime. Yes, the FCC does prosecute fire departments, police departments, as well as civilians for any violations in the federal statues. Trying to rationalize a crime based on the chance you will get caught is idiotic.

Do you honestly think the government is going to levy monetary fines on a volunteer firefighter for using a modified ham radio on his FD frequencies? Please. The only time anyone in any radio service gets convicted of an FCC violation that results in a fine is malicious and deliberate interference, or totally ignoring repeated Notices of Violations.

I think it's safe to say that the fireman that started this thread is not going to be doing that. I’m not saying that if the FCC found out about it, they wouldn’t do anything. They would send him a letter saying that’s a no-no, he would respond how sorry he is, promise never to do it again, and that’s the end of it.

Up until about 5 months ago, there was a county in Kentucky where the only radio in one of their EMS vehicles was a dual band Kenwood, modified to the UHF FD repeater. And you know why? Because twice in the last 10 years, they have had to use a 440 ham radio repeater to establish communications because they could not get thru on the FD machine. Long time scanner enthusiast in Eastern Kentucky could probably name this county, which is now in the process of going MotoTrbo.

If you know it, please don't say anything here. One of the whackers here may turn them in. There's someone on another forum wanting to turn his buddy in to the FCC because his buddy is using handheld marine radios in the woods to hunt. He even posted that he's going to do it. Geez.

 

[N0IU]

I think it's safe to say that the fireman that started this thread is not going to be doing that. I’m not saying that if the FCC found out about it, they wouldn’t do anything. They would send him a letter saying that’s a no-no, he would respond how sorry he is, promise never to do it again, and that’s the end of it.

So you're saying that you will pay his legal fees and his fine plus do his jail time if the FCC does decide to press charges? It has already been established that modifying an amateur radio transmitter for non-amateur bands is illegal and advising someone to just "go ahead and take their chances" because the FCC probably won't catch you is irresponsible and just plain old stupid!

 

[DODGEIT]

Be careful with stuff you buy from The Antenna Farm. I recently bought a programming disk through them and it was a copy not an original. If it was an original from Icom or RT Systems who makes many of Icom's programs then it would say that on the disk .The one I got had no such label. I sent it back and told them it was a copy and that it was proprietary software and that it was illegal to sell. They refunded my money with no comment. I purchased the software someplace else. I paid more for it but it was a legal copy. As others have said it is illegal for them to do the MAR/CAP mod on them. Another thing to realize is the 2200 was tuned at the factory for the Ham Band and not the upper side of the VHF band. I presume your FD frequency is probably in the 150 mhz range. Now with the mod it will work but not very efficiently and your range will be diminished. If you buy an antenna tuned in the range of the frequency you are using it will help but again the radio is not tuned for that frequency. Yes they are advertised as working in the 136-174mhz range but that is primarily the receive range. The transmit range is limited by hardware. The MAR/CAP mod removes a diode to open the transmitter up to work in other VHF bands but again the radio is still tuned to the Ham Band. And as previously stated it is illegal to modify the radio to work out of the band it was designed for.

 

[N6EKF]

that radio will not transmit out of the set limits without mods. you will be able to hear out of the band but not xmit.. there are mods available for most every radio but most require "real" techs to perform. Some radios mods are very simple, ex: just cut a diode or a resistor to expand the xmit freqs.. That particular radio you will need to find out... some of the mods on the net try "Icom 2200 mods" in google might be a good start. Also to just program it search google for the home page of Icom and instruction manual. Good luck.