IC R8500 Serial Numbers

[jackjohnthom]

Hi, I wonder if anyone knows how to decipher the serial numbers on these receivers to get an approximate year of manufacture.

I've just bough a very nice used one here in the UK with a number close to 07000 and it would be nice to find out it's age.

It looks immaculate and everything works fine, but I'm guesssing it must be a fairly early one.

 

[KE4RWS]

NADA

Hi, I wonder if anyone knows how to decipher the serial numbers on these receivers to get an approximate year of manufacture.

I've just bough a very nice used one here in the UK with a number close to 07000 and it would be nice to find out it's age.

It looks immaculate and everything works fine, but I'm guesssing it must be a fairly early one.

I've wondered this myself for a long time but no one's ever been able to tell me anything

 

[higinbotham]

Serial Number and Year

Mine is serial number is 02306 and was purchased through KJI Electronics in Cedar Grove, NJ on 8/13/99.

 

[woody_46]

Mine is an unblocked Canadian version ( I think) I bought in 1998. Serial number is 01870. Hope that helps.

 

[KE4RWS]

How old is it . . .

Mine is serial number is 02306 and was purchased through KJI Electronics in Cedar Grove, NJ on 8/13/99.

Since my serial number is only 135 units higher than yours I can deduce my R8500 was likely purchased around the same time as yours, if not a short time later. Based on this I'm assuming mine would have been bought new in late 1999 or perhaps early 2000 but this at least gives me an approximate time frame of when it hit the shelf. I just wish Icom had a method of determining when these products were made the way other manufacturers do . . .

 

[higinbotham]

RS8500 Serial Numbers

Glad to be of help. Great radio. The only thing I had to fix was the speaker. Would like to get precision crystal. Just cost too much and it appears to not be so easy to change. Rather have reliable tech do it.
Billy

 

[NickWalker]

Serial number

Mine is serial number is 02306 and was purchased through KJI Electronics in Cedar Grove, NJ on 8/13/99.

I came here on a google search trying to identify when i bought mine.
I have had to register on this site to post..


I had a double take moment because my serial number on my Icom 8500 is 2305 one less than yours.

I bought mine in Jersey Channel Islands in 1999.

Our kit was side by side on the production line!

 

[Intellifax]

Looks like mine with 001561 is the oldest so far. Bought in May 1997, going great. Only had the display lights go out and they were replaced with LED's.

 

[dkf435]

I have 00189x here, you can probably do the country code change on that one for full 800

David Kb7uns

 

[Bemused]

1396, but bought second hand

 

[Terry1810]

Mine is 01187

 

[EricCottrell]

Hello,

Icom tends to indicate the region with the first two numbers of the serial number, 02 = USA (Blocked), 03 = Europe, 05 = France.

73 Eric

 

[WilburG]

Icom tends to indicate the region with the first two numbers of the serial number, 02 = USA (Blocked), 03 = Europe, 05 = France.

Is there a difference in Receivers between France and the rest of Europe? What about Asia, etc? I thought receivers were pretty much US (cell blocked) and non-US (not blocked).

Thanks,
Wilbur

 

[EricCottrell]

Is there a difference in Receivers between France and the rest of Europe? What about Asia, etc? I thought receivers were pretty much US (cell blocked) and non-US (not blocked).

Thanks,
Wilbur

Hello,

The European version has no gaps. The French version has a gap from 87.5 MHz to 108 MHz. Typically the Japanese version has numerous gaps in coverage and you need to reference the Japanese manual.

73 Eric

 

[michy]

Newer R8500 serial

Mine starts with 3202xxx

so not able to use the "02 = USA (Blocked), 03 = Europe, 05 = France" determination.