Icom R75 help for a beginner

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Bakcap

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Hi, I hope someone can help me with information on how to use a ICOM R75. I am a complete novice and have this receiver on my boat and really only want to be able to get the weather reports but I have no idea how to use it. Would really appreciate some guidance.
Many thanks!!
 

w2xq

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You may just want to get a weather radio that covers the NOAA VHF channels. The R75 wouldn't cover those 162 MHz channels. On the other end of the spectrum, the NAVTEX broadcasts on 518 kHz can be tuned by the R75. But you'll need a decoder to view/print the transmissions. Use the search bar atop this page to search for the many threads on both topics. HTH.
 

Bakcap

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Thanks Tom. I should have given more info. I'm in Australia and need to monitor the following which are Charleville and Winton . Trouble is I'm such a novice I don't even know how to dial up these, what all the button are for, let alone what buttons to push.

VMC frequencies (kHz)
Times are the local time (EST) at the transmitter.
Daytime (7am-6pm) 4426 and 16546
Night-time (6pm-7am) 2201 and 6507
Anytime 8176* and 12365

VMW frequencies (kHz):
Times are the local time (WST) at the transmitter.
Daytime (7am-6pm) 4149 and 16528
Night-time (6pm-7am) 2056 and 6230
Anytime 8113 and 12362
 

E-Man

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ka3jjz

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I would be extremely careful about radios like this in a water environment. Particularly if there's salt water involved, corrosion issues are sure to follow. I hope that radio is well sealed....Mike
 

ridgescan

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Sounds like the only thing holding you up is a good antenna. How big is the boat, what's the hull made of? E-man put up a good antenna link.
IMO you should engage the member here named "majoco" as he was a pro ship radio man in his younger days. He knows a ton about boat setups. We are lucky to have him in this group.
 

majoco

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Aw, gee, shucks man, Iv'e gone all shy! Thanks for the compliments, Ridgy, but that was a long time ago in the mid-60s!

But I do agree with E-man and ka3jjz. I'd be inclined to take the R75 home and play with it there until you are fully confident that you know how it works and how to get the best out of it. You can't break it by twiddling the knobs, although you can make it go awful quiet! A simple wire antenna strung out of a window will do. The two night time frequencies 6507 and 6230 are received very well here in NZ. You should practice receiving them from home, the FAX broadcasts can come later.
 

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Obviously I missed the boat on your location and stations you want to listen to. You've gotten good advice and I won't muddy the water. I can tell you that I installed an ICOM 718 on a friend's sailboat many years ago. Loading a backstay worked well; first stations we spoke to were in Israel. Being on salt water and no engine nose, couldn't top that. :)
 

pinballwiz86

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Don't forget to ground the radio in the salt water for best signals. (No, I don't know how to do this I just read it somewhere. I don't own a boat)
 

Bakcap

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Thanks everyone for the advise. I will try and answer everyones questions.
EMan,-I will do as you suggest. I also found the manual on the net and have started reading. Without sounding like a complete idiot, can I ask - The digital display has 7 digits. For a setting of 16546kHz Where does the decimal point go?
Ridgescan- The boat is a 40 footer and the radio is inside(of course). I just fitted a 4.9 met Pacific brand aerial connected to ANT1 using RG223 coax, so that part should be OK. The ground is connected to the negative ground of the boat which is also connected to the anodes. I am going to fit a dedicated grounding block when it comes out of the water in two weeks.
Majoco. I will take your advise and set it up at home. With a wire aerial, does it have to be vertical,or will just running it up the roof be OK? As for fax, I need to learn how to walk before I learn how to run!!
I,m struggling with the manual. It seams to assume the reader already has a good degree of understanding of HF terminology.
For example - What is CW/RTTY ? The Manual assumes the reader already knows.
I suppose we all have to start somewhere.

Thanks again everyone
 

N8IAA

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Thanks everyone for the advise. I will try and answer everyones questions.
EMan,-I will do as you suggest. I also found the manual on the net and have started reading. Without sounding like a complete idiot, can I ask - The digital display has 7 digits. For a setting of 16546kHz Where does the decimal point go?
Ridgescan- The boat is a 40 footer and the radio is inside(of course). I just fitted a 4.9 met Pacific brand aerial connected to ANT1 using RG223 coax, so that part should be OK. The ground is connected to the negative ground of the boat which is also connected to the anodes. I am going to fit a dedicated grounding block when it comes out of the water in two weeks.
Majoco. I will take your advise and set it up at home. With a wire aerial, does it have to be vertical,or will just running it up the roof be OK? As for fax, I need to learn how to walk before I learn how to run!!
I,m struggling with the manual. It seams to assume the reader already has a good degree of understanding of HF terminology.
For example - What is CW/RTTY ? The Manual assumes the reader already knows.
I suppose we all have to start somewhere.

Thanks again everyone

16.546, changing it from KHz to MHz.
Larry
 

E-Man

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Bakcap, I never use the decimal point button, just punch in 1654600 ENT / 442600 ENT etc.

CW/RTTY Modes are for Morse Code/ Radio Teletype, I do not monitor CW/RTTY, mainly USB/LSB/AM. I have not done any FAX either.
 

ridgescan

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Sounds like it's a nice boat. CW is morse code, RTTY is radio teletype:)
with HF/shortwave, IMO and personal experience, a horizontal wire is better than vertical. Vertical can pick up more noise depending upon what's around.
Also in my humble opinion, the longer the better. As one example, try to hang at least 30-50' of horizontal wire, fed at one end through 50ohm feedline with its braid grounded at point of entry. This will help signal to noise more than just connecting the wire straight to radio.
Sorry eman I take long to type.
 

Bakcap

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Thanks to everyone. I am well on my way now. I will bring the unit home on the weekend and set it up and have a play. Last question for now. With the earth for a home set up, is this just a wire out the window and connected to a copper rod driven in the ground? There will bound to be some more questions after I've had some time to play.
I'll post a photo of the boat for you Ridgescan.

Thanks again all I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers
Bruce
 

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Unless you have thunderstorms running around and are sitting on high ground out in the open, I wouldn't really worry about a ground. I assume you have tossed about a 10m wire out the home window to experiment with the receiver until you put it in the motor or sail vessel. HTH.
 

ridgescan

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Thanks to everyone. I am well on my way now. I will bring the unit home on the weekend and set it up and have a play. Last question for now. With the earth for a home set up, is this just a wire out the window and connected to a copper rod driven in the ground? There will bound to be some more questions after I've had some time to play.
I'll post a photo of the boat for you Ridgescan.

Thanks again all I'll let you know how I get on.

Cheers
Bruce
ok Bruce-the photo will help with antenna placement ideas (ahem! #mods)
far as the ground, if you can find entry to dwelling that is close to a cold water pipe just outside, or electrical service ground or conduit near earth you can connect to these, provided the path from coax braid to ground point is short (10' or less)
I mention a ground only for RF, as it makes the signal/noise ratio quieter allowing for better reception, especially with a rig like the r75.
The antenna wire on an endfed setup like I suggested needs something to work against (ie. the wire is one half of the antenna, the ground is the other). This is what I run here so only offering something from my own experience, and works very well here within my high RFI environment.
You can first try just hanging a random wire out the window-maybe you live in a low-noise area and that may suffice. Try trsundstrum's suggestion first-if too much noise, go to my idea.
 

Bakcap

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ok Bruce-the photo will help with antenna placement ideas (ahem! #mods)
far as the ground, if you can find entry to dwelling that is close to a cold water pipe just outside, or electrical service ground or conduit near earth you can connect to these, provided the path from coax braid to ground point is short (10' or less)
I mention a ground only for RF, as it makes the signal/noise ratio quieter allowing for better reception, especially with a rig like the r75.
The antenna wire on an endfed setup like I suggested needs something to work against (ie. the wire is one half of the antenna, the ground is the other). This is what I run here so only offering something from my own experience, and works very well here within my high RFI environment.
You can first try just hanging a random wire out the window-maybe you live in a low-noise area and that may suffice. Try trsundstrum's suggestion first-if too much noise, go to my idea.

Here is the boat. The aerial is the tallest one at the far side of the boat. Should be all good.
http://forums.radioreference.com/members/bakcap-albums-home-icom
Cheers
 
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