Icom R-75 Pros & Cons

[photopro]

I am thinking seriously of buying a Icom-75 .Members answering please give the pros and cons.

 

[ka3jjz]

You can start doing your own homework by looking at the reviews links in these wiki articles;

Category:Receiver Reviews - The RadioReference Wiki

IC-R75 - The RadioReference Wiki

I would also consider joining the R75 Yahoo group which is also listed at the bottom of the 2nd article - there you will find dedicated R75 users. That's the best place to find out about a receiver like this.

RR members, the floor is yours...Mike

 

[Token]

I am thinking seriously of buying a Icom-75 .Members answering please give the pros and cons.

You might need to narrow down the application a little what is a pro for one application can be a con for another. What do you think you are going to buy the R-75 to do (SWL, ute, ham monitoring, etc) and in what environment (at home, on the road, on a hilltop, etc)? What other receivers have you thought about and why do you ask about the R-75 specifically?

All of these factors apply in listing pros and cons, as well as possibly suggesting more appropriate hardware.

T!

 

[Turbo68]

Hi Token agree and what about an antenna do you have a lot of room or not much all these factors come into the hobby,I been in the hobby for over 30 years and when it comes to buying radios there is always a few options first thing i think is what i want to monitor and antenna most important..

Regards Lino..

 

[E-Man]

My biggest complaint with the R75 is the frequency input, to many key presses. Other than that it's a great receiver.

If you have not already, check out the eham.net reviews:

ICOM IC-R75 Product Reviews

 

[ridgescan]

These are examples of the many abilities of the r75. Love this radio. Get one and you will be very satisfied enjoying this hobby.
MW DXing right near flamethrower
MVI_0006.mp4 video by ridgerocker2001 | Photobucket

it can scan on vhf lo like a scanner
Icom IC-R75 Scanning Police - YouTube

and it can refine hard-to-hear signals just by riding the rf gain better than my r71a on MW and SSB
Icom r75-nulling noise On AM - YouTube

icom r75 nulling noise on SSB - YouTube

Fun, friendly, no nonsense rig. I call it the CrownVic of radios cause it aint fancy or complex but it is accurate, reliable and well made.

 

[Turbo68]

These are my Youtube videos monitoring hf aircraft..

HF Aircraft - YouTube
HF Aircraft - YouTube
HF Aircraft - YouTube
HF Aircraft - YouTube

Regards Lino..

 

[kc2kth]

I had one, kicking myself for selling it lately

The biggest con I can think of may be the price. I seem to recall purchasing my R75 for around $500 new with the DSP - which was an option then - included as part of a promotion. They seem to be going for a lot more now. I sold this some time ago when I simply had too many radios around. I opted to keep my R5000 and let the R75 go. Wish I'd kept both.

Anyhow, while I had the radio it was a great rig. Good sensitivity, nice to have a desktop rig instead of a portable like my DX398 and YB400 I still have, but with some newer features than the R5000 or the Sony ICF-6800W I sold many years ago - same reason I sold the R75, the pile of radios had gotten too large. Also sold my DX390 at the same time as I recall.

If you've never had one and are looking for a good performing but simple to operate desktop rig, you can't do much better than the R75 for the money, even with it being more expensive now than I recall it being new. Anything of that quality or better in a used rig is going to cost you as much likely - JRC5x5, Drake R8/R8B, etc - if not more.

 

[ratboy]

My only complaints with the R75 are pretty minor. I'm not crazy about the amber backlight on the display, and the freq entry is awkward, as stated in a previous post. All in all, it's a very solid radio. I don't have one, but a couple of friends do. One of them took care of the amber backlight that he hated by putting green LEDs into it. Looks a lot better.

 

[Pyramider]

I got my Icom R75 a few months ago and I love it! I got a great deal on it (under $500) from a radio store that went out of business and liquidated its stock. Virtually brand new, with the DSP module, power supply and manual. I use it for DXing below 30 MHz, and world band listening. I love low band DX! The reviews for the R75 on eHam could help you make up your mind about it...

ICOM IC-R75 Product Reviews

It's a pricey radio for sure, but worth every penny! I also added an external speaker (Klipsch THX 2-way computer speaker) because the teeny 2 inch built-in speaker is about the only drawback IMHO to the R75. I also have a Tecsun 660 which I really like & got new for $100, if you wanna get into SWL cheaply. Also a very good radio