I'd called Icom a week or two ago for some IC-R2500 control head parts.
Amazingly they still had a replacement LCD module for my R2500's control head! I'd cracked it some time back when something slammed into the display. It was still useable as I can still see it except for the black spot where it cracked or it can be used with its control software.
Either way, I wanted a new display as it looked bad and bugged the heck out of me! I knew Icom had discontinued these models quite some time ago but they did still sell the R2500 model that did not have a control head for a few years. They did finally drop both models as well as the R1500 single receiver models.
I figured a new LCD display module was going to be impossible to get but they actually had them! And they were only about $15 dollars.
Now my R2500 looks like new once again.
While on the phone with the parts dept., I figured I'd ask if service manuals were available for the IC-R30 and R8600 receivers.
Nothing yet for the R30 but they did find the part number for the SM for the R8600.
Unfortunately I did not write the part number down but for those wanting a copy, a call to Icom America parts should get you the part number.
I ordered the SM even though it was backordered. Yesterday I received an email from my bank about a charge posting to my account from Icom for about $30 dollars.
I called today and it was for the SM. My copy shipped yesterday so they are now available for the R8600 if anyone wants one.
Being Icom Service Manuals are all in an electronic format these days, it's really too bad they can't just let one download it. Maybe they figure it would be slower to be posted illegally on the internet but I doubt it.
All the recent service manuals I've ever bought from Icom are always simple PDF versions. I'd gladly pay for my copy but it is really stupid they don't just supply a protected download link for it. It would save them money as they would not need to purchase printed media for the file to be copied too. For those that want a hard copy, they could still offer a CD or DVD version. I'd actually prefer a printed copy myself but they don't offer that! A printed and PDF copy would be ideal. I know I can print my own but it's still not the same as a nice bound version.
I wonder if anyone like Office Depot or those kind of places can produce "bound" versions from a customer supplied PDF? I've never checked.
Of course if OD does provide such a service, I doubt it would have the larger pages (usually folded) that cover the pcb board images and the schematics unless those pages in the PDF specify different paper sizes.
A lot of older SM's that Icom sold on printed media did have the schematics printed on sheets that were larger than the booklets printed text pages so you could see what you were looking at. Sometimes they were triple folded depending on the complexity of the schematic. For some radio's, the schematics are so complex that they were printed on several different pages.
Anyway, I figured I'd post this availability info as I know I've seen mention that SM's were not available in threads here and in different reviews.
I expect they will have them for the R30 as well but they are still not available unless the lady that took my order did not see it when she searched.
edit: After looking at my r2500 control head, I realized I never changed out the key tops. The originals used the weird rubber material that discolored over time. It's almost like it absorbs something into the rubber. I've seen this with some type of plastic used for housings as well. You can't clean it up as the discoloration absorbs into and through the material. The color the key tops turned to (a light brownish like color) made it near impossible to read the orange colored words printed on the key tops that are often used secondary functions. The functions printed in black are still very readable.
So I called Icom a few minutes ago. They no longer have the three sets of key tops used in this control head but to my surprise, still have the entire control head available. About 50 of them at that!
Not cheap though at around $112 dollars. I still ordered one as these small black box receivers are still nice receivers considering the era they were made. It's on par with the performance of my R8600 for receiver specs. I did buy the digital modules back when I bought the radio. It only ever had modules to support P25 (Phase 1 only) and Icom's D-Star mode. It works great for both digital modes.
Now I'll have a control head with discolored keys but new LCD display module as a spare and an entire new control head. I was shocked they still had these as one could purchase a control head and make their PCR2500 into an R2500 after Icom quit selling the model with the control heads. The models Icom still sold still had the components in them needed to talk to the control head as well as the RJ-12 connector the control head plugged into.
Amazingly they still had a replacement LCD module for my R2500's control head! I'd cracked it some time back when something slammed into the display. It was still useable as I can still see it except for the black spot where it cracked or it can be used with its control software.
Either way, I wanted a new display as it looked bad and bugged the heck out of me! I knew Icom had discontinued these models quite some time ago but they did still sell the R2500 model that did not have a control head for a few years. They did finally drop both models as well as the R1500 single receiver models.
I figured a new LCD display module was going to be impossible to get but they actually had them! And they were only about $15 dollars.
Now my R2500 looks like new once again.
While on the phone with the parts dept., I figured I'd ask if service manuals were available for the IC-R30 and R8600 receivers.
Nothing yet for the R30 but they did find the part number for the SM for the R8600.
Unfortunately I did not write the part number down but for those wanting a copy, a call to Icom America parts should get you the part number.
I ordered the SM even though it was backordered. Yesterday I received an email from my bank about a charge posting to my account from Icom for about $30 dollars.
I called today and it was for the SM. My copy shipped yesterday so they are now available for the R8600 if anyone wants one.
Being Icom Service Manuals are all in an electronic format these days, it's really too bad they can't just let one download it. Maybe they figure it would be slower to be posted illegally on the internet but I doubt it.
All the recent service manuals I've ever bought from Icom are always simple PDF versions. I'd gladly pay for my copy but it is really stupid they don't just supply a protected download link for it. It would save them money as they would not need to purchase printed media for the file to be copied too. For those that want a hard copy, they could still offer a CD or DVD version. I'd actually prefer a printed copy myself but they don't offer that! A printed and PDF copy would be ideal. I know I can print my own but it's still not the same as a nice bound version.
I wonder if anyone like Office Depot or those kind of places can produce "bound" versions from a customer supplied PDF? I've never checked.
Of course if OD does provide such a service, I doubt it would have the larger pages (usually folded) that cover the pcb board images and the schematics unless those pages in the PDF specify different paper sizes.
A lot of older SM's that Icom sold on printed media did have the schematics printed on sheets that were larger than the booklets printed text pages so you could see what you were looking at. Sometimes they were triple folded depending on the complexity of the schematic. For some radio's, the schematics are so complex that they were printed on several different pages.
Anyway, I figured I'd post this availability info as I know I've seen mention that SM's were not available in threads here and in different reviews.
I expect they will have them for the R30 as well but they are still not available unless the lady that took my order did not see it when she searched.
edit: After looking at my r2500 control head, I realized I never changed out the key tops. The originals used the weird rubber material that discolored over time. It's almost like it absorbs something into the rubber. I've seen this with some type of plastic used for housings as well. You can't clean it up as the discoloration absorbs into and through the material. The color the key tops turned to (a light brownish like color) made it near impossible to read the orange colored words printed on the key tops that are often used secondary functions. The functions printed in black are still very readable.
So I called Icom a few minutes ago. They no longer have the three sets of key tops used in this control head but to my surprise, still have the entire control head available. About 50 of them at that!
Not cheap though at around $112 dollars. I still ordered one as these small black box receivers are still nice receivers considering the era they were made. It's on par with the performance of my R8600 for receiver specs. I did buy the digital modules back when I bought the radio. It only ever had modules to support P25 (Phase 1 only) and Icom's D-Star mode. It works great for both digital modes.
Now I'll have a control head with discolored keys but new LCD display module as a spare and an entire new control head. I was shocked they still had these as one could purchase a control head and make their PCR2500 into an R2500 after Icom quit selling the model with the control heads. The models Icom still sold still had the components in them needed to talk to the control head as well as the RJ-12 connector the control head plugged into.
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