ICOM Radios Likes and Dislikes

[Keithbh]

I’m considering purchasing an ICOM Radio (1500 or 2500) and would like to know what your likes and dislikes are with this brand. If you currently own a Uniden or Radio Shack Base Scanner as well as an ICOM radio I would like to know how the different brands compare. I don’t want to start a brand bashing thread, I’m just looking for honest personal opinions from my fellow enthusiast here at RR.

Keith

 

[SCPD]

I personally like the Icoms. Maybe it's because I've been using them for so many years. I currently own a PCR1000, PCR1500 and an IC-R75 and all seem to be great radios. I do also own Uniden and have owned Radio Shack and Sony radios in the past. All seem to have their good points and points that I would like to change, but that's just personal preference.

In the past I've also owned an R5 and R10 and really enjoyed both.

I'm sure others in here could give you a better evaluation, I'm just providing information based on my own experience.

Good luck

 

[morfis]

Icom's software is poor, their support for software authors seems poor. That said their radios (PCR1000 x 6, R75 x 2 and R8500) that I use are excellent. Well built with good features and excellent performance. I'd compare those and my AORs as being similar with my Uniden and GRE radios as second class citizens in my shack. Don't get me wrong, the Unidens have their uses and some good features...I just tends to use the Icom and AOR kit FAR more as the receiver performance is so much better.

 

[Declared_Hostile]

The Icoms are great receivers but (usually) very rudimentary scanners. If you're buying one and expect it to scan and search like your normal Uniden or Radio Shack model you're going to be disappointed.

I currently own three Icom radios. The R71A, The R8500 and the PCR1000. The PCR100 is a good radio but the software is shaky and the radio has a habit of trashing itself which if you don't back-up settings require a trip to Icom for repair. This is a problem which Icom has always refused to acknowledge. The R8500 is an outstanding radio. One of the very best on the market. When I have some serious radio work to do the R8500 is one of two receivers I go to the AOR AR5000+3/SDU5500 being the other.


In actual real world use though I would say a raft of "lesser" radios such as Uniden 996 or a bunch of used 7XX series radios would actually outperform the more expensive radio like a R-8500. Not necessarily in terms of RF performance but in terms of covering channels and searching RF ground. The actual nuts and bolts of monitoring so to speak.

As for your choices, I'd go for the 2500. I would wait a bit though. You might want to get a bit of a user base out there to see if there are any issues you need to be aware of before you pull the trigger. The recent Japanese version P-25 socket issue case in point.

 

[morfis]

PCR1000 when driven by Probe1K can give most of the normally slightly faster "scanners" a run for their money. However if it was a scanner I wanted then I'd not buy and Icom or AOR receiver.

Horses for courses.

 

[SCPD]

Icom's software is poor, their support for software authors seems poor. That said their radios (PCR1000 x 6, R75 x 2 and R8500) that I use are excellent. Well built with good features and excellent performance. I'd compare those and my AORs as being similar with my Uniden and GRE radios as second class citizens in my shack. Don't get me wrong, the Unidens have their uses and some good features...I just tends to use the Icom and AOR kit FAR more as the receiver performance is so much better.

I agree, Icom’s software is weak, but there is second party software out there that is much improved over the software that comes with some of the radios. Don't let the software thing scare you. The radios themselves are very good(IMHO).

 

[Keithbh]

I'm looking for a radio that I can play with when I'm boondocking with the motorhome, just to see what there is to listen to. I have concerns with getting the US version, it looks like ICOM blocked some non cell phone frequencies. Does the 1500 do APCO 25 or is it just the 2500?

 

[vince48]

Keithbh
Just the US version 2500 can decode P25 that we know of. The PS 800 mhz frequencies may not be a problem after rebanding in your area, but that is hard to tell at this time.

 

[trap5858]

I have an R-20, so far I like it but have not mastered all of the hidden menus. Many of their features are counter intuitive and I find I need to have the manual close at hand for even what would be considered a simple input if it were a uniden or radio shack scanner.

The software lacks something, just haven't figured out what it is yet.

 

[kd5dga]

Three years ago I purchased my Icom PCR1000 and love it. Yes the Icom soft ware is very week but for general listening it okay.There are much better programs out there for the PCR series radio's but since the advent of the PCR1500 and PCR2500 the only good program out there that supports all the PCR's is TRUNKPCR. If you are wanting a good trunking program TRUNKPCR is the way to go. The author (crazycalifornian) has it set up for donations depending on the donation is what you get as the number of banks,search banks and talkgroups. The highest donation is $50.00. He is quick with a responce and is in constant program developement.Right now TRUNKPCR supports M/A COM EDACS wide and narrow band,Motorola Type I,II and hybrid and MPT 1327. He expressed he will have a upgrade out later this year for EF Johnston LTR trunking.I dont think that anyone would be disapointed with a PCR series radio.

 

[greenmamba]

1500 or 2500

I’m considering purchasing an ICOM Radio (1500 or 2500) and would like to know what your likes and dislikes are with this brand. If you currently own a Uniden or Radio Shack Base Scanner as well as an ICOM radio I would like to know how the different brands compare. I don’t want to start a brand bashing thread, I’m just looking for honest personal opinions from my fellow enthusiast here at RR.

Keith

I have a ICOM R1500(w/control head) and do like it but, as soon as I arrived home after the purchase I discovered that ICOM was releasing a 2500 model.

Get the 2500. Save up the extra cash and get the 2500. 2500 offers dual watch and Digital P25.

P25 is not an option on the 1500.

I am doing some testing on reception with both my icom HF ALL Mode 7000 and PCR1500 on HF freqs using the same High Sierra antenna, if I get a few I will post back the findings.

As noted I have seen better control software - its useable but..

For HF control software Ham Radio Deluxe is an awesome package for most HF radios and is FREE.