IC-R15

Tonycmk

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I need to pick the brains of people with scanner experience for a hopefully straight forward question. I received my IC-R15 3 days ago and I'm not sure if it's potentially faulty or just super sensitive to the point of actually being annoying.

So ... in my office I have my Mac, my work laptop, a couple of screens .. a Uniden UBC125XLT, a Uniden UBCD3600XLT and a Yaesu 550L and now the R15. I listen to airband on these (not so much the 3600XLT as it seems a bit deaf to airband, I got that for digital but anyway ..) in my office and I've never had any issues with interference ... the Yaesu picks up aircraft the two Unidens aren't even aware of but I put that down to it being it's sole purpose in life. When I turn on the R15 if I'm holding it or place it within 2 metres of anything else with a plug in the office I get low level interfence/skipping sounds which I'm assuming is electrical interference and I have to set the squelch to 4 or 5 to block this. I know the R15 is sensitive from other posts but what is bothering me is that sitting right next to the Yaesu it isn't hearing aircraft that the Yaesu does .. and they come through quite clearly on that so I'd expect it to break the squelch even if it's turned up to block the electrical stuff. So to finish waffling .. does this sound normal for an R15? I've tried it elsewhere in the house and outside and it seems less sensitive to interference but still is being out performed by the Yaesu (which has a standard antenna on, I've tried the R15 with the standard antenna and an airband antenna and it still seems quite deaf but that may be the squelch to block out other things).

All thoughts or suggestions appreciated (insults taken but I'd rather have something constructive :))
 

prima19rider

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I found the same issue with the R-15. My ID-52 and R-6. In the same location did much better.
 

KB1KQJ

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R-15 here also very sensitive to interference (home and car). Wound up going back to the stock antenna to run the squelch at 3 or 4. After market antennas, was having to run squelch up to 8 or 9. Wish I had a suggestion to help, I'm still working on reducing the RF noise here.
 

2006walt

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What mode are you using, AM or FM? If listening in AM switch to FM. Will the interference be gone in FM? Use the better antenna.
 

KB1KQJ

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What mode are you using, AM or FM? If listening in AM switch to FM. Will the interference be gone in FM? Use the better antenna.
Using AM (airband), R15 works fine on FM (rail). Thank you for the suggestion, I will give it a try
 

ILSAPP

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Still debating between the FTA-550L and ICOM R-15 for best airband RX. Any feedback please?
 

bearcatrp

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Still debating between the FTA-550L and ICOM R-15 for best airband RX. Any feedback please?
The R15 has allot more options and probably just as good as the 550L. I don’t own either. I own a R30, which folks have compared as about the same on airband. The R15 cost more but the extra features are worth it .
 

ILSAPP

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The R15 has allot more options and probably just as good as the 550L. I don’t own either. I own a R30, which folks have compared as about the same on airband. The R15 cost more but the extra features are worth it .
Thanks for your feedback!
 

xms3200

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Get the Icom IC-R15 and also pair it to the Smiley Antenna 6" rubber ducky antenna. That radio is awesome and the best antenna is a toss up between the Smiley or the Icom FAB02AR. Beats the Comet Air 51X, Signal Sticks, Diamond SRH1230.
 

palmerjrusa

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Still debating between the FTA-550L and ICOM R-15 for best airband RX. Any feedback please?

Own the Icom IC-R15 and a Yaesu FTA-850L.

The Yaesu aviation radios are great but entirely limited to the commercial aviation band.

The IC-R15 is just as sensitive in the aviation band but also covers a much larger part of the RF spectrum with more features etc.
 
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