IC-R15 - First Impressions

[randybcd396t]

The best airband antenna right now is the Radtel Aviation Antenna from Amazon. It is a thick, tall antenna but it's very broadband and covers 118-136 almost entirely under 2:1 SWR.

For the price, it's a great value: https://a.co/d/dePHuY8

Update: you can get (2) for $10

I don't think the connector is compatible with the ICOM IC-R15.

 

[trap5858]

Others may like the RadioReference interface with RT Systems. For me it's useless. I live in Los Angeles and the interface does not work for me with the large number of systems in my area. My workflow bypasses all of the integration between RadioReference and RT Systems. I use the inbuilt RadioReference CSV exports to download the data and use the RT Systems function to import CSV data.

I talked to RT Systems about the poor RadioReference search and select capability they have, but they were not interested in expanding the selection process to match what RadioReference does.

Butel took a different approach. From my research they appear to mimic the search and select capability in RadioReference. For my use case I could skip the intermediate step of using the CSV files. But I do use RT Systems for 10 radios. Other than the RadioReference integration it does serve my purpose.

I also use RT Systems for other radios and did contact them about the RR Database shortcomings as I called it and as you said, they were not interested. They basically told me to use BuTel if I liked it. They told me that every system in the county I was searching was available through the RT Systems interface. Needless to say I tried it, I did not like it. Life goes on!

 

[randybcd396t]

I also use RT Systems for other radios and did contact them about the RR Database shortcomings as I called it and as you said, they were not interested. They basically told me to use BuTel if I liked it. They told me that every system in the county I was searching was available through the RT Systems interface. Needless to say I tried it, I did not like it. Life goes on!

I too was surprised by the response from RT Systems. They have common software for all the radios they support. The only difference, radio specific features, is enabled via licensing. If they enhanced the RadioReference interface, all the radios they support would benefit.

I too got the impression that they were happy if I went to BuTel or if I skipped their interface entirely and used the CSV approach. I was talking to support staff, so maybe that was their standard approach to dodge enhancement requests. If I had to do it over, I would probably gone with BuTel for all of my radios.

 

[xms3200]

Everyone’s reception will vary, seems like Radtel is geared up for Baofeng. I have no complaints about the Smiley Antenna or the Icom FAB02AR which receives planes 173nm away

 

[ShawnInPaso]

Others may like the RadioReference interface with RT Systems. For me it's useless. I live in Los Angeles and the interface does not work for me with the large number of systems in my area. My workflow bypasses all of the integration between RadioReference and RT Systems. I use the inbuilt RadioReference CSV exports to download the data and use the RT Systems function to import CSV data.

I talked to RT Systems about the poor RadioReference search and select capability they have, but they were not interested in expanding the selection process to match what RadioReference does.

Butel took a different approach. From my research they appear to mimic the search and select capability in RadioReference. For my use case I could skip the intermediate step of using the CSV files. But I do use RT Systems for 10 radios. Other than the RadioReference integration it does serve my purpose.

I agree !