New (old) Icom receiver?

[IK2GNP]

I used many Icom receivers in the past: IC-R7100, IC-R8500, and some handheld device. All very good receivers, I was always very happy with Icom brand.
Recently I bought a new AOR AR5700D due to its capability to decode any possible digital mode. It works very well but unfortunately it is not my receiver.... no feeling with it.... too "digital". So I have it for sale now.
The best replacement could be a new IC-R8600. It does lack some mode compared to the AOR (no DMR, for example), but knowing the Icom quality I'm sure that it would not be a wrong choice.
However, I have visually impairments, so I could be in trouble with touch screen display.
So I'm looking for a good old-style Icom receiver, possibly such IC-R9000 or IC-R9500, not the R8500 because I just owned two and I would like to try something else.
The main issue is to find an used one in really good conditions! What could be the best choice between them?
Maybe the R9500 was discontinued more recently, but it is more expensive and I'm not sure it is really better than the R9000.
Also, I absolutely need the speech synthesizer that's included in the R9500 but not in the R9000 in which the additional UT-36 module was needed (probably impossible to find now....).
What do you think? Anyone could help with a good solution? Thanks.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

I used many Icom receivers in the past: IC-R7100, IC-R8500, and some handheld device. All very good receivers, I was always very happy with Icom brand.
Recently I bought a new AOR AR5700D due to its capability to decode any possible digital mode. It works very well but unfortunately it is not my receiver.... no feeling with it.... too "digital". So I have it for sale now.
The best replacement could be a new IC-R8600. It does lack some mode compared to the AOR (no DMR, for example), but knowing the Icom quality I'm sure that it would not be a wrong choice.
However, I have visually impairments, so I could be in trouble with touch screen display.
So I'm looking for a good old-style Icom receiver, possibly such IC-R9000 or IC-R9500, not the R8500 because I just owned two and I would like to try something else.
The main issue is to find an used one in really good conditions! What could be the best choice between them?
Maybe the R9500 was discontinued more recently, but it is more expensive and I'm not sure it is really better than the R9000.
Also, I absolutely need the speech synthesizer that's included in the R9500 but not in the R9000 in which the additional UT-36 module was needed (probably impossible to find now....).
What do you think? Anyone could help with a good solution? Thanks.

You can still find these UT-36 speech boards on line if you search. There was a seller in HK that sold all the options for ICOM. I think the seller name was something like "CASTLE" Back in the day I bought all these options for my radios from ICOM directly when new. You should be able to find a used radio with the speech board. Check E-Bay Japan as often broken radios and parts show up there. Just beware that JDM radios sometimes are very different from what is exported due to JDM rules.

If you like older analog radios like the R71A you can buy a speech board and a RAM replacement board for them from PIEXX. The R71A is a great old HF receiver. If the power supply transformer ever fails, you can get a toroidial replacement from CTC. The R7000 is a similar VHF/UHF/Microwave receiver and also very serviceable.

Anyway, you might contact PIEXX to see if they ever offered a UT-36 clone.

I had an R71A/R7000 pair as my first serious listening post before moving up to an R9000 which was a big investment. I did miss having ability to monitor HF and VHF/UHF simultaneously as at the time I was in a busy Miami area zone of activity for USCG and AWACS. The DEA busted someone several blocks away on a waterway bringing home a load! Thankfully those two radios ended up with a freind who is still enjoying them. There is little to compare to those.

I am considering adding an SDR receiver at IF level output jack on my IC-R9000 as a panoramic display and mode decoder.

 

[IK2GNP]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply.
Yes I know R71A (I tried R71E here in Europe but it was the same), and, as I mentioned, I had the R7100 during the 90s and it was a very good radio.
But recently I preferred just a unique radio, so I had two R8500 and recently I bought this AOR.
Very useful to know that someone could supply old ICOM parts and options (and maybe old radios).
The only issue could be the custom fees from the USA to Europe.
But I will try to contact these dealers you mentioned to find such R9000 or R9500, and possibly the UT-36 board if I will need it.
Do you know real differences between R9000 and R9500? I mean reception quality in the various bands.
I know that R9500 has no CRT, so no display problems and possible less old part failures. But what about specs and performances once the antennas are connected? Thanks.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Hi, thank you so much for your reply.
Yes I know R71A (I tried R71E here in Europe but it was the same), and, as I mentioned, I had the R7100 during the 90s and it was a very good radio.
But recently I preferred just a unique radio, so I had two R8500 and recently I bought this AOR.
Very useful to know that someone could supply old ICOM parts and options (and maybe old radios).
The only issue could be the custom fees from the USA to Europe.
But I will try to contact these dealers you mentioned to find such R9000 or R9500, and possibly the UT-36 board if I will need it.
Do you know real differences between R9000 and R9500? I mean reception quality in the various bands.
I know that R9500 has no CRT, so no display problems and possible less old part failures. But what about specs and performances once the antennas are connected? Thanks.

I could not compare the R9500. It was a bit out of my budget when it was released and I don't think too many were made compared to the R9000. There is a website where an long time enthusiast Sherwood, has compared receiver specs among various models in a spreadsheet. You can retrofit an LCD display to an R9000 and there was briefly an R9000L with factory LCD. I think the CRT resolution might be a bit better. You can buy replacement CRT's and the CRT electronics not more complex than a small TV display. I moderate two ICOM support forums in Groups.io. If you wish you can join up and ask questions and seek out UT-36 spares. ICOM-ICR-9000 groups.io Group and ICOM-IC-970 groups.io Group The IC-970 also uses the UT-36

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Sherwood Receiver specs: Receiver Test Data

 

[IK2GNP]

I moderate two ICOM support forums in Groups.io. If you wish you can join up and ask questions and seek out UT-36 spares. ICOM-ICR-9000 groups.io Group and ICOM-IC-970 groups.io Group The IC-970 also uses the UT-36

That's very interesting! The IC-970 was a great radio too! It was a transceiver comparable with the Kenwood TS790 that I owned for several years, but in addition the ICOM had a very good wideband receiver in it (I remember one friend using the IC-970 for commercial FM listening, 88-108MHz).
I will look at your groups. Thanks.

 

[IK2GNP]

Please @RFI-EMI-GUY, I just visited your group.
Could you please explain how to subscribe to the list?
Clicking on the Subscribe link, an empty message does open in my email client. What I must write in the subject and in the message body? Thanks.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Please @RFI-EMI-GUY, I just visited your group.
Could you please explain how to subscribe to the list?
Clicking on the Subscribe link, an empty message does open in my email client. What I must write in the subject and in the message body? Thanks.

I think you just send that empty e-mail. A lot of admin functions are accomplished by simply hitting reply. Also post a hello message. It will be moderated but I will have you set up within the day. You should subscribe via the web page if doing so by mail fails.

 

[IK2GNP]

I think you just send that empty e-mail. A lot of admin functions are accomplished by simply hitting reply. Also post a hello message. It will be moderated but I will have you set up within the day. You should subscribe via the web page if doing so by mail fails.

Just sent my empty email, and replied to the subscription invitation that I received few seconds later.
As soon as my subscription will be approved I post my Hello message. Thank you so much.

 

[IK2GNP]

OK, my subscription was approved and I posted my Hello message in the list.
Thank you again.

 

[IK2GNP]

@RFI-EMI-GUY, I do not see my Hello message in your list. Maybe something wrong from my side or in the authorization process? Thanks.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

@RFI-EMI-GUY, I do not see my Hello message in your list. Maybe something wrong from my side or in the authorization process? Thanks.

Check again. I was out of the house a while today.

 

[KR8MR]

You can still find these UT-36 speech boards on line if you search. There was a seller in HK that sold all the options for ICOM. I think the seller name was something like "CASTLE" Back in the day I bought all these options for my radios from ICOM directly when new. You should be able to find a used radio with the speech board. Check E-Bay Japan as often broken radios and parts show up there. Just beware that JDM radios sometimes are very different from what is exported due to JDM rules.

If you like older analog radios like the R71A you can buy a speech board and a RAM replacement board for them from PIEXX. The R71A is a great old HF receiver. If the power supply transformer ever fails, you can get a toroidial replacement from CTC. The R7000 is a similar VHF/UHF/Microwave receiver and also very serviceable.

Anyway, you might contact PIEXX to see if they ever offered a UT-36 clone.

I had an R71A/R7000 pair as my first serious listening post before moving up to an R9000 which was a big investment. I did miss having ability to monitor HF and VHF/UHF simultaneously as at the time I was in a busy Miami area zone of activity for USCG and AWACS. The DEA busted someone several blocks away on a waterway bringing home a load! Thankfully those two radios ended up with a freind who is still enjoying them. There is little to compare to those.

I am considering adding an SDR receiver at IF level output jack on my IC-R9000 as a panoramic display and mode decoder.

Serviceable? By who? I have (2) R7000s One works great..the other I just bought and I'm gonna have to return because I cannot find anyone who will service it. Sensitivity problems keep the scan and search from working proper. I talked to Matt at SAR (michigan) he won't touch it.

 

[IK2GNP]

Check again. I was out of the house a while today.

Yes, it's all ok now. Thanks.
Instead, I have problem to enjoy the R9500 list, but you mentioned it is not yours.
I sent my request, confirmed by email, but no authorization yet.
I just tried to send my Hello message but obviously it was returned back to me like a non-delivered one. Bad luck.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Serviceable? By who? I have (2) R7000s One works great..the other I just bought and I'm gonna have to return because I cannot find anyone who will service it. Sensitivity problems keep the scan and search from working proper. I talked to Matt at SAR (michigan) he won't touch it.

Serviceable by anyone who understands how receivers work. Is you think your R7000 is un serviceable, plenty of folks will buy it from you.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Yes, it's all ok now. Thanks.
Instead, I have problem to enjoy the R9500 list, but you mentioned it is not yours.
I sent my request, confirmed by email, but no authorization yet.
I just tried to send my Hello message but obviously it was returned back to me like a non-delivered one. Bad luck.

Not much activity on the R9500 list.

 

[KR8MR]

Serviceable by anyone who understands how receivers work. Is you think your R7000 is un serviceable, plenty of folks will buy it from you.

Including the guy who sold it to me. He once ran an ICOM service center on another continent. He repaired a bunch of radios ICOM mostly of course but others during Covid. He spent 3 nights on this one he sold me but says sensitivity is still lacking not willing to dig in further. I dont know why. He thinks its in the IF [slight noise] desense. Ive tried it twice now.. sadly... gonna return it for a full refund. He ALWAYS does good work which is why this is so confusing to me. This 7000 has the remote and the voice thing that tells ya the freq if yer visually impaired... I would get an 8600 SDR box way too much $$$ for what yer getting.
I MAINLY do 108-144 and 225-400 am aviation. Gotta move on I guess to AOR or uniden maybe. My friend has 3 connected to PRO Scan... also does MIL scan

 

[IK2GNP]

I MAINLY do 108-144 and 225-400 am aviation. Gotta move on I guess to AOR or uniden maybe. My friend has 3 connected to PRO Scan... also does MIL scan


I have a like-new AOR 5700D for sale if you want.
Not sure if this forum allows private conversations.

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

Including the guy who sold it to me. He once ran an ICOM service center on another continent. He repaired a bunch of radios ICOM mostly of course but others during Covid. He spent 3 nights on this one he sold me but says sensitivity is still lacking not willing to dig in further. I dont know why. He thinks its in the IF [slight noise] desense. Ive tried it twice now.. sadly... gonna return it for a full refund. He ALWAYS does good work which is why this is so confusing to me. This 7000 has the remote and the voice thing that tells ya the freq if yer visually impaired... I would get an 8600 SDR box way too much $$$ for what yer getting.
I MAINLY do 108-144 and 225-400 am aviation. Gotta move on I guess to AOR or uniden maybe. My friend has 3 connected to PRO Scan... also does MIL scan

There is another recent thread about servicing R7000. Nearly all parts are available from somewhere. A friend of mine had the transformer fail and I helped him source one.