R30 R30 - In 2020, what do you listen to the most with it?

footage

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I have an R-30 and it's indeed a great receiver. But for simple analog AM and FM scanning, the Icom ID-52 performs equally well and has a similar interface. It's much smaller as well, and transmits!
 

David628

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I have an R-30 and it's indeed a great receiver. But for simple analog AM and FM scanning, the Icom ID-52 performs equally well and has a similar interface. It's much smaller as well, and transmits!

Yep, I also have a 52. It for sure transmits but the receive sensitivity isn't near the performance of the R30 :) Glad you like both!
 

bearcatrp

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Had the 52. Sold it. Icom neutered it. Love the waterfall display. Wish Icom put the guts of the R30 into the 52. Would be one hell of a receiver.
 

G7RUX

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Personally, I seem to listen most to switched mode power supply unit noise but I'm not sure that's quite what the OP meant...
 

jaspence

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The IC-R6 has replaced my R30 simply due to the size. The small form makes the keyboard more difficult, but reception is very good in similar situations and frequencies. I also found a used IC-Q7A. The dual band ht is amazing for the low output, but reception is also very good. I am about 20 miles from DTW airport, and the stock antennas (same on both radios) even receive the tower well.
 

G7RUX

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R30 is 0 to 3300 mhz rx

ID52 is VHF/UHF rx, look on Icom site for exact values and modes.
Indeed, although that's hardly neutering the ID52 since they are somewhat different units. A VHF/UHF FM/DV handheld transceiver which has receive capabilities from 76-479 MHz is hardly useless, especially as it gives access to many of the commonly-used PMR services if that's your thing, plus VHF and UHF aero bands. In all it's a decent little set for reception as well as having pretty good performance as a transceiver.
The R30 is a wideband scanner and as such is a completely different proposition, aimed at very different uses and users.
I'm sure that many will have noticed that a typical scanner is somewhat of a compromise since it will often use IFs within it's own receiving range, with oscillators, clocks and birdies all within reception range. I would prefer the transceiver doesn't do this too much and provides the best performance it can for the purpose for which it is intended.
How often do people use an 18-wheeler for a trip to the 7-11 and how does that Camaro get on transporting a three-bank supermarket chest freezer?

Edit: I have just had a little look at the specifications for both radios...the sensitivity and selectivity of the ID52 is generally much better than that for the R30 across most of the range that they share...the sensitivity of the R30 at 3 GHz is listed as "less than 18 uV" which is quite alarming...
 
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G7RUX

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Yep, I also have a 52. It for sure transmits but the receive sensitivity isn't near the performance of the R30 :) Glad you like both!
What measurements have you made to compare the two? I ask as I have popped my 52 and my R30 on a handy Marconi 2965 and their sensitivity results in their common frequency ranges are pretty much the same.
 

David628

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What iOS app?
 

mooychild

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By the way the android version is not supported anymore :(
Icom had made an announcement (Link: Withdrawal of Android Version of IC-R30 App from Google Play. )

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Our app uses an older version of API that has been declared obsolete. With very low global demand from android users for this app we have decided not to redevelop and direct our engineering capacity to other projects.

The app will continue to work if you already have it and if you want to use it in the future, please make sure you download it from the link below before November 1st.
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