Icom IC-RX7: Exceptional Radio

[nanZor]

Well, I took the 396XT to a recent event and wish I had brought the RX7 instead.

Traveling with a family, lawn-chairs, cargo-pants full of sunblock, cameras, baby-wipes, glasses, you name it, and the lightness of the RX7 would have been very welcome. Even with an SMA stubby duck attached (bundled with the RS Pro-137 along with the regular duck), the mass of the 396 was swinging around and banging my knees. There was no way I was going to annoy everyone with the audio, so I was using headphones anyway as the event was pretty loud.

Security doesn't want any transmitters like GMRS/Family or other personal radios, and fortunately I didn't have to explain that the switch on the side isn't a PTT. No worries there with the RX7.

The RX7 *could* have been used front-pocket, BUT with the headphone jack on the side, and requiring an adapter for stereo headphones, it would have been impossible. ICOM - put the headphone jack on the top since the RX7 is meant to be portable / pocket ops!

Still, every ounce counts as the hours wear on so the RX7 would have been preferable. And I didn't want to wear it on the belt smacking it around in the crowd.

 

[bradren2009]

Icom RX7

Excellent scanning receiver, the best I have used thus far. Have moved from Uniden to Icom and still taking a bit to get used to all the advanced features.

Can anyone tell me if I can hook any external speaker up to this unit, so long as it has a 3.5mm plug on it, for example, amplified computer speakers etc, or can that cause damage to the unit?

 

[n3uhh]

I have connected the radio out to my 100 watt Fender Bass Guitar Amplifier, and have never had any problems with the unit afterward, just that the whole neighborhood can hear it.