R6 Icom IC-R6

[rocky28965]

I need some advice.
I have a IC-R6 on order.
I would like to be able to program it via computer interface.
There appears to be two ways of going about this.

RT-Systems WCSR6-USB
This includes software & USB-29A cable

Second method
Software from local Icom dealer & OPC-478UC cable

The first I would have to import from US, costing about $110.00 NZ
The second method is ready available in New Zealand, costing about $85.00 NZ

Which is the best method ?
Which will be easier to use ?
Is there another method ?

Thanks

 

[djmorgan]

In my experience the ICOM software has been hard to use but reliable (I have not used theirCS- R6 software. I have not used RT-Systems software. However, if it meant I could save $25Nz and get it immediately I would surely do that. Also, the radio is essentially useless, except for search mode through a band, which is generally tedious, of course. If you get it from a local source and have a problem with it you are probably much more likely to get help if you need to talk to someone. (PS if the software only comes on a CD, which may be the case with the ICOM software I see advertised here, be sure you have a CD reader or a way to convert it to something).

I don't how long it will take to get there from the US but I suspect it will be awhile unless you want to pay for expedited shipping...even slow boat shipping is probably going to cost a few dollars. You could have a small import fee as well. These could add to the cost difference. If you go this route be sure the software and hardware are exportable outside the US. Presumably you could download the software as well.

It is also possible that US software will not program some frequencies you want to use. You should check this first. I am not familiar with NZ but this is the case with some European systems. The software may not care, however. I am assuming your R6 is a model that will receive the frequencies you would need.

If you have a local dealer that sells ICOM software perhaps they will let you experiment with it in the store for a few minutes or at least read the documentation.

Also, I saw this in the ICOM documentation...

NOTE: There are two different OPC-478UCs: • One has no marks on the label. (previous) • One has a “B” marked on the label. The previous (unmarked) OPC-478UC is NOT usable with Microsoft® Windows® 10 and 8.1.

Another idea might be to order the software and download it on-line and order just the cable locally or on-line from a NZ source. This would be faster than waiting for a US shipment and probably cheaper.

Sounds like fun...enjoy!

 

[DudleyG]

I have an IC-R6 and use the RT-Systems Package including the cable. It is real easy to use and works well on a Windows 10 computer. However, RT-Systems does not ship you a CD, you download it from their site and use the key they email you. They only ship the cable. You might be able to find a working cable in New Zealand and avoid all shipping cost. HOWEVER, as pointed out above, is their software available to be used outside of the US?. There website has ways to ask questions to the developer.

I haven't used the ICOM version of R6 software but do use the ICOM version for my IC-R30 and it works well. Both ICOM and RT-System software seem to have about the same degree on how hard or easy to use. You just get used to how to use it.

Butel Software also offers a package but I no experience with it but he is an international software company and sell to USA and most other countries. You have to find a cable that works with the software, he doesn't sell cables.

Lastly, I also own a IC-R2 that I bought a long time ago when it first came out and you basically had to program it by "hand" thru the receiver interface and that was NOT easy (the ICOM software and cable for it was useless according to everyone that tried it). So when I got the R6, it was an easy decision to use software because the R6 has many more things to program than the R2 had.

 

[rocky28965]

Thanks for the info guys.
The NZ agents have been quite helpful but wouldn't comment on the RT-Systems product.
They have the OPC-478UC cables & I can download the software from their site.
So that will be my quickest & cheapest option.
I used to have a IC-R5 some years back. Bought it used with programming software.
It had a fault in it, cant remember exactly what it was.
Finished up selling it again.
I love getting new gadgets, keeps my old brain active.

 

[iMONITOR]

BUTEL's ARC6 $19.99

ARC6 Icom Software series

Icom IC-R6 - ARC6 - The Data Management Software for the Icom IC-R6 scanner

www.butel.nl

 

[rocky28965]

The software is free to download from the NZ dealers site.
It's the cable that costs the $$$$$$

 

[Air490]

As noted above, the Icom software is always reliable but usually a bit clunky.
I would recommend getting the OPC-478UC cable and buying the Butel ARC6 software. It is very easy to use in comparison to the Icom software.

 

[palmerjrusa]

As noted above, the Icom software is always reliable but usually a bit clunky.
I would recommend getting the OPC-478UC cable and buying the Butel ARC6 software. It is very easy to use in comparison to the Icom software.

Always had good success with Butel software, including their software for the Icom IC-R6, which is terrific little wideband receiver.

 

[mjf]

Security Measure

www.ebay.com

A cable from the above eBay seller + Butel ARC6 works perfectly under Windows 10. I use the non-FTDI cable with no issues. I did need to install the prolific driver but it is a Google search away.

 

[rocky28965]

I have got the radio but are still waiting for the programming cable.
I've manually set a few known frequencies to see how it goes.
Was wondering what frequencies the default antenna was tuned to.
I notice it is not as good on Airband or VHF as my Uniden UBC92XLT.

 

[Air490]

I have got the radio but are still waiting for the programming cable.
I've manually set a few known frequencies to see how it goes.
Was wondering what frequencies the default antenna was tuned to.
I notice it is not as good on Airband or VHF as my Uniden UBC92XLT.

That will be entirely as a result of using the supplied antenna. The IC-R6 is fantastic on VHF airband with right antenna!

 

[rocky28965]

Any recommendation for a suitable VHF antenna ?

 

[WB9YBM]

I need some advice.
I have a IC-R6 on order.
I would like to be able to program it via computer interface.
There appears to be two ways of going about this.

RT-Systems WCSR6-USB
This includes software & USB-29A cable

Second method
Software from local Icom dealer & OPC-478UC cable

Going with the second method--getting a program madeby the manufacturer of the radio--might be the best bet to make sure the program and radio are compatible.

 

[DudleyG]

There are two other antennas that I occasionally use on the R6.

1.) Watson WSMA-801 - approximately 9 inches long with most of bulk near the base and is slimmer than the stock which is 7 inches long, It sells for approximately $35 USD. It increases the "reach" by probably 50%.

2.) Diamond SRH77CA - approximately 16 inches long with most of the bulk near the base and is slimmer than the stock antenna. It sells for approximately $25 USD. It increases the "reach" by probably 75%.

However, couple of thoughts...

The R6 can easily front end overload on strong signals especially if they are close by. My house is 10 miles from the Lexington Airport. With the stock antenna, I can hear the tower and approach/departure controllers at a "2" bars out of 7 or 8 bars on display, but the planes are always 8 or more. HOWEVER, if I am at the airport using the R6 with stock antenna to pick up someone and sitting in the "Cellphone Wait Area", I get front end overload on all of the controllers which is very noticeable however the planes are fine. The tower is only 500 feet or so from the Cellphone Wait Area. I can offset that by laying the receiver flat on a seat, but anything near the window, I get the front end overload. However, if I am at the other end of the airport (say 1/2 mile away), I get no overload on the R6 with the stock antenna. With either of the other antennas, I get overload at both the Cellphone Wait Area as well as 1/2 mile away. At home with the other antennas, I usually get 3 to 5 bars out of the 8 when the controllers are talking.

If I have the 16 inch antenna on the R6, it is very top heavy and almost defeats the purpose of having a small receiver. The 9 inch Watson antenna is about the same as the stock antenna since the bulk of its weigh is near the attachment point to the receiver.

BTW, I know New Zealand is metric but I am not good at converting numbers.

Don't know if either of these antenna are available locally to you. Shipping cost from the US is probably greater than the cost of the antenna.

EDIT: It looks like according to the manual that there are 11 bars on the strength display. I get all 11 most of the time for planes within 25 miles of me with the stock antenna. If the planes are on Indianapolis Control Center and high altitude, it is probably 100 miles with still reasonable sounds.

 

[rocky28965]

Thanks Dudley, thats very helpful info.
I'll follow that up.
I am a similar distance from Wanaka Airport in Central Otago.
I also have a Uniden BC365CRS connected to a vertical ground plain on the roof which enables me to receive Queenstown Airport which is just over the hill.

 

[rocky28965]

In researching availability of suitable antennas in NZ, I came across a FA-B02AR.
The Icom dealer I was getting the cable from had one in stock, so I grabbed it.
It was priced well & made for Icom but not specifically R6
Needed a gender change adaptor.
It appears to be as good if not slightly better than my Uniden.
Regarding programming the R6.
The OPC-478UC works great with the Icom software & I have been experimenting with all sorts of scan & search programs.
Couple of things I havent been able to do in the program.
Setting a low start up volume would be handy.
As yet I havent found a way to set different squelch levels.

 

[DudleyG]

I use the ICOM software for my R30 and I haven't found a way in that software to set the start up volume either. The RT System software I use for the R6 also doesn't have any option for volume or squelch. Looks like the antenna you bought is designed for aviation radios so that should work well for you monitoring airplanes.

I have always used the squelch setting of "AUTO" on the R6 and it seems to work well. I don't know if that causes you to miss very weak signals.

 

[rocky28965]

I may have sorted the volume issue.
It would appear to start at the level it was turned off at, although I'm not sure this works all the time.

Another issue.
When searching a band, how to lock out a noisy frequency.
On my Uniden I just press L/O & the search resumes.
I'm thinking the skip has something to do with it.

 

[DudleyG]

I have read page 36 in the owner’s manual many times trying to figure out the same thing. If you have PSKIP defined for a frequency that is within the search band, it will skip that frequency. So for local frequencies in the air band, I have defined things like VOR locators and other frequencies I keep hitting and put them in a memory bank I named PSKIP. The problem seems worse in the UHF air band for hitting noisy frequencies that almost sound like solid always transmitted sounds. If you follow the directions on page 36, it does store the frequency in the highest memory location starting at 1299 next one in 1298 then 1297 AND it does label it as PSKIP. So it works. The problem with that way, you MUST read the receiver info INTO the software before you edit or add anything via the software and write back to the receiver or else you loose what you had stored in memory address 1299, 1298, etc and have to start all over. That is why I defined the PSKIP memory bank in the software.

 

[DudleyG]

In case you didn't catch my above comment, I found out several times the hard way that I lost all PSKIP channels stored in the high memory cells after forgetting to read from the receiver before writing updates to the receiver.