Icom: Icom IC-V82

[rescuecomm]

The label has Icom V82 on it.
The FCC ID: AFJ282600
SERIAL #2501118
ICOM Inc.
Made in Japan

 

[rescuecomm]

I'm going to gift this radio and a Wouxun KG-UV8D to the ARES team in the county I used to live in. Maybe add an old RS analog portable scanner to the box. The scanner won't be of much use when the NXDN system goes in next year.

 

[W7EKB]

Although I don't know how things are now with Chinese-sourced transistors, but back when I was doing hardware work on computer motherboards many manufacturers were having BIG problems with Chinese electrolytic capacitors, and counterfeited transistors.

The electrolytic capacitors issue is pretty-well known and details can be found on the web. The counterfeit transistor issue is (or was) a little less well-known, but I have seen TO-3 cased Chinese-sourced power-transistors which failed in service and when dissected were found to have 2N2222 transistors in them instead of the far more robust transistors which SHOULD have been inside the cases.

I also had very poor "luck" with Chinese-made 572B tubes.

Due to this history, I am VERY reluctant to buy nearly anything "electronic" from a Chinese source.

YMMV

Ken Gordon W7EKB

 

[AK9R]

A local vintage stereo shop is about to go out of business because he can't source legitimate Japanese transistors to repair the 1970's vintage Japanese receivers that are his specialty. According to him, the market is flooded with cheap, Chinese transistors that don't meet the OEM specs meanwhile "good" transistors from reputable distributors are getting more and more difficult to find.

IMSAI Guy has done several videos about fake Chinese electronic components. Here's one:

 

[W7EKB]

Faking a 741, for goodness sakes? What foolishness, and what a pain for anyone who needs one. I am thoroughly disgusted. Thanks for the link.

Ken Gordon W7EKB