Just Purchased a Use 71A

[mrnavy2]

Hello all, just want to know if anyone in the New Jersey also has a ICOM R71A? I just purchased a used one and would like to touch base with anyone who might also have one in my area. I always wanted to get one of these since they came out back in the 80's. Well I finally broke down and purchased one. LOL..
I have another question. Since I live on the 2nd floor of a Condo, would you recommend me using a Long Wire Antenna in the Atic? What would you recommend?
Also, any update that you would also recommend on this Unit? I plan on opening it up and see what is inside. What should I look for?
Well, anyone with any tips please send them to me. I am willing to jump from a Portable to a Tabletop Receiver.
Thanks, Steve..

 

[rankin39]

I think you'll like the radio. It should be head and shoulders above any portable in performance. An attic wire may be OK, but inside the house there is a lot more interference from TV sets, florescent bulbs and numerous other devices. If you possibly can get your wire outside it'll probably do a better job.

I've had the 71 for over 25 years along with a Kenwood R5000. Both are fine receivers but the ICOM's audio is more pleasant to listen to. I'm located in Kansas.

Bob, WoNXN

 

[Turbo68]

Hi Steve well done buying the Icom-R71A had mine for 20 years but spent at least 15 years in the box with out being used too many radios but since been using it love it and never had any problems with it excellent hf receiver.These are my Youtube videos monitoring ndb/aero which is my main intrest using a Bhi NES10-MK2 dsp external speaker.Antenna is a Wellbrook-ALA1530AL-1 active loop..

Regards Lino..

NDB 350khz AM - YouTube
HF Aircraft - YouTube
HF Aircraft - YouTube
HF AIRCRAFT - YouTube

 

[ka3jjz]

The R71A has one well known fatal flaw - the operating system is maintained on a PROM, and has a battery backup. If the battery goes, the radio goes dead. There have been a few folks that put together boards to prevent this (Willco and Piexx are 2 - the links are in our wiki for this radio, below...) and others have replaced the battery.

IC-R71 - The RadioReference Wiki

The other gotcha is that toward the end of the production run, the PBT was taken out, then replaced in later models just before it was discontinued.

So that we don't run afoul of the moderators, we do have a separate Receive Antennas forum here - be sure to say something about how big your attic is. While indoor antennas are not the best, you can do better than just a plain wire wrapped around a room.

and just to wrap things up, our HF antennas wiki...

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/HF_Antennas

Mike

 

[ratboy]

I think you'll like the radio. It should be head and shoulders above any portable in performance. An attic wire may be OK, but inside the house there is a lot more interference from TV sets, florescent bulbs and numerous other devices. If you possibly can get your wire outside it'll probably do a better job.

I've had the 71 for over 25 years along with a Kenwood R5000. Both are fine receivers but the ICOM's audio is more pleasant to listen to. I'm located in Kansas.

Bob, WoNXN

Wow, that's the first time I've heard someone say that an R71a's audio is more pleasant to listen to than an R5000, or about anything else, for that matter! I modded my R71a and it now actually does sound about equal in quality compared to a friend's R5000.