Icom D-star ID-51A Plus2 and ID-31A Plus2 HT's apparently discontinued

[N8FNR]

There is a long thread on the Icom ID-51 Facebook group Icom ID-51 started by a guy in the UK who talked to Icom UK on 5/13/2020 and was told that the ID-51APlus2 and ID-31A Plus2 were no longer in production and are discontinued worldwide. I wonder if they were going to introduce a new rig at Dayton and this is why they are no longer made? I took a look at Universal Radio, DXE and HRO today but have not noticed any price reductions.

If you were thinking about getting one of these rigs I would not wait too long.

Zack N8FNR

 

[Chronic]

or wait and get the new and improved model .

 

[N8FNR]

or wait and get the new and improved model .

True. But I bet that it will be a long time before any new models reach the US considering everything that is going on right now. Glad I got a ID-51A+2 a few weeks ago.

 

[N4KVE]

I wonder if they were going to introduce a new rig at Dayton
Zack N8FNR

Haven‘t you heard. There is no Dayton this year. If there was, I’d be checking into the hotel about now.

 

[vagrant]

I went with a Kenwood D74A instead. D-Star repeaters are scarce around here, but a local club has equipment to get things going sometime down the line. I still have the older 31A and it works for my needs. I believe the difference is the speed of the data delivery, with the 31 & 51 plus. I'm fine with what I have I guess.

What in the world...another troll for the ignore list.

 

[pinballwiz86]

Unless Icom comes out with a dual VFO digital voice HT, it's a pass for me.

 

[N8FNR]

Haven‘t you heard. There is no Dayton this year. If there was, I’d be checking into the hotel about now.

Well I did say "were"...

 

[Chronic]

I went with a Kenwood D74A instead. D-Star repeaters are scarce around here, but a local club has equipment to get things going sometime down the line. I still have the older 31A and it works for my needs. I believe the difference is the speed of the data delivery, with the 31 & 51 plus. I'm fine with what I have I guess.

What in the world...another troll for the ignore list.

With today's modern hotspots that work almost all of the digital voice modes , needing a repeater is almost a thing of the past.

 

[AK9R]

R&L Electronics doesn't list either radio.
Universal Radio lists both radios with no indication of stock.
DX Engineering lists both radios as in stock.
Ham Radio Outlists both radios as in stock.
GigaParts lists the ID-31 as in stock, but has no listing for the ID-51.

I suppose that the radio could be out of production and dealers are selling remaining stock.

Icom has typically shown new radios at the Tokyo Hamfair in August before they show them anywhere else. If a replacement is in the works, I'd watch social media reports from Japan in a few months.

 

[N4VKF]

I only heard about the ID-31A. I have one to use for a hotspot. It would be cool to see a new product?

 

[hitch]

So this is why I haven't been able to find one new. I wonder if they were planning on launching new HTs along with the IC-705. It seems odd they were advertising that the 705 shared the same battery as the 31/51. I guess if they come out with new models they will use the same battery. With the supply chain issues they probably had to discontinue a bit earlier than planned and are having problems getting the new one manufactured.

 

[N8FNR]

So this is why I haven't been able to find one new. I wonder if they were planning on launching new HTs along with the IC-705. It seems odd they were advertising that the 705 shared the same battery as the 31/51. I guess if they come out with new models they will use the same battery. With the supply chain issues they probably had to discontinue a bit earlier than planned and are having problems getting the new one manufactured.

They still have them for $260 ID-31A at DXE ICOM ID-31A PLUS UHF Handheld Transceivers ID-31A-PLUS