icom ic-28a still usefull?

[Medic115]

I have a old icom ic-28a that I have had since the 1990's. This was clipped for the various Vol. fire departments that I worked around as a Paramedic at the time so if I was in my POV and came across something I could call it in (think before everyone had a cell phone). I have not fired it up yet to besure if it still works but was thinking if it does would this be an option for my Jeep and a VHF rig for local repeater use now?

 

[cabletech]

If the radio works at all, it will be just fine in the ham band where it was designed to work.

Just do not transmit on the PD FD or any commerical frequency earegardless if you 'work' with those agency's.

 

[AK9R]

The Icom IC-28A/H was a really good radio in its day. IIRC, it has a small helical resonator in the RF stage which makes it fairly resistant to some types of intermod. They were popular with packet BBS sysops back in the day because of the tight front-end and general ruggedness.

The IC-28A is 25 watts, while the IC-28H is 45 watts (I have one of these). There was also an IC-38A for 220 MHz and an IC-48A for 440 MHz.

 

[Medic115]

Do not transmit

If the radio works at all, it will be just fine in the ham band where it was designed to work.

Just do not transmit on the PD FD or any commerical frequency earegardless if you 'work' with those agency's.

I had a system Id for those PD and FD channels, so it was condoned at the time for off duty personnel to have radios for this type of thing and disaster type situations. Now I would never as I am "out of the system".