Icom Radio Set

[Mireille Kreines]

Icomis a world leader in the amateur radio market. Also known as ham radio, Icom makes amateur radios for use in long-range (HF) and short-range (VHF, UHF) communications. Digital technology is transforming the market, and Icom helped pioneer the development of Digital Signal Processing (DSP) equipment. Icom is also a leader in product development for the D-STAR digital mode, a global open protocol that is on the cutting edge in Amateur Radio today. For the love of ham radio.

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Hi Guys. This a review and disassembly of the F4001 (and F3001) radio by Icom America, Inc. I posted this tech review on my blog but wanted to share it with those of you who may be on the fence about the Icom radios. I would definitely recommend this radio over the RDU and RDV series by Motorola.

You will need a spanner wrench or funky looking pliers such as these to remove the nut from the threaded antenna shaft. There is a silver nut that has no edges but only two indents on opposite sides of the nut. You can use the pliers to catch the indents and twist counter-clockwise to loosen up the nut.

I am happy to see the speaker is actually wired to the circuit board! A major flaw of the CP110 and RDX radios by Motorola is the golden flexible arms that are attached to the circuit board and make contact with the speaker when the case is closed. I have seen many RDX radios with broken arms or not making good contact with the speaker which causes intermittent audio.

The A25N comes with two battery options. You can go with the included rechargeable battery or the also-included battery pack that uses AAs. I prefer to use the rechargeable one while holding a full battery pack in my flight bag as a backup.

The A25N can be used as a primary communications radio if you have an otherwise radio-free aircraft. As a matter of fact, I have a friend with an antique cloth-covered aircraft who uses this radio in just that way. He plugged in the included adapter cables with his headset and was immediately in business.

Before engine start and taxi, I tuned in the weather feature of the radio to get a general idea of the aviation weather in the area. Then, I put in the ATIS frequency and listened to it while sipping my hangar coffee while lounging like royalty in a luxurious cloth lawn chair.

Given that I am flying a very light taildragger, I usually limit myself to a maximum of 15 knots of wind. Had it been too windy that day, I would have saved myself the trouble of schlepping in and out of my aircraft.

Testing, testing, 1,2,3

The weather was great, so I got my clearance for flying out of Class C airspace from my panel-mounted com as usual. Ditto for the taxi clearance, working with the tower, and departure.

Once I was about 10 miles away from the airport, the game was afoot. I switched off my panel-mounted radio to establish a com-out condition. Then, I reached into my flight bag and fished out my A25N.

I was back in business. Departure, who I had briefed on what I was about to do so they would not freak out when I momentarily lost contact, said that the A25N sounded just as good as my panel-mounted com.

I exited Class C airspace for a while to test the VOR feature of the A25N. The unit can actively use only one frequency at a time, so if you choose to enter a VOR frequency, you will lose the com frequency.

The VOR feature worked well. Obviously, it was never meant for primary navigation, but I liked the fact that it gave my aircraft a capability it did not have. My plane has three GPSs onboard, but until I got the A25N, I had no VOR.

I found the A25N to be a solid com radio. The added Bluetooth, VOR, and yet-to-be-used GPS capability will come in handy, and it is a relief for me to have a good backup communication radio in my flight bag.

ICOM is one of America's Leading Manufacturer of Two Way Radios and Accessories. ICOM has been manfacturing two way radios for more than 50 years and is well known for providing compact, durable walkie talkies. ICOM offers affordable solutions for Small Businesses and large Government Agencies alike.

Twowayradiocenter.com is proud to be an Authorized ICOM Two Way Radio Dealer. You'll find the complete selection of ICOM two way radios and accessories on our website. We offer special discounts on ICOM two way radios and are pleased to quote deeper discounts on larger opportunities.

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This came to me from a friend; he is curious about choosing between the Xiegu G90 and the Icom IC-7300 for his first rig. He has money to buy the Icom which is $999 right now after rebates, but wants to know if he is really getting twice the radio for the Icom, vs the Xiegu, or are there other good reasons to get the 2016-introduced Icom, vs the newly introduced Xiegu.

The IC-7300 also has better transmitter specs, producing a cleaner signal than the G90, especially in CW (the G90 is known to produce key clicks and not recommended for use with an amplifier). It also can handle close-in signals better than the G90 and has a higher dynamic range. Overall, it has better specs than the G90.

If your friend plans to operate primarily in the field, the Xiegu G90 is much more portable option. The G90 is very compact and weighs a fraction of the IC-7300. The G90 also draws less current in receive mode, so is much kinder on a battery. It also has built-in side extensions to protect the front and back panels while being transported.

Making this assumption, I would also suggest they check out the Yaesu FT-891. Like the IC-7300, it has a full 100 watts output and also covers the 6 meter band. Like the G90, the front panel can be separated from the radio body for easy mobile installation.

I own the g90 xiegu and I like it,but I have many hf transceivers ,if I was just starting out and had no hf transceiver I would most likely go the ic7300 because of the 100w sideband ,but keeping in mind you still need a 20amp 13.8v power supply and a antenna ,but you got to start somewhere . Later you may consider a xiegu g90 for portable or mobile operating down the track. Yes go the ic7300 to start off with. Australia amateur operator for over 30years .

Pick the ICOM. Aside from the fact that it is a well known brand name Japanese product with outstanding features as noted above, if you run into any issues that require servicing the IC-7300, you can contact ICOM USA. If you run into repair issues with the G90, you will most likely have to send it back to China.

I was planning on purchasing a G90, bt read a review on eham and decided that it is not worth the risk. I

I am a new Ham, older and retired. I have the disposable income to support this hobby. I bought the G90 as an entry level radio. It is a great radio and performs every bit as good as the internet reviews and videos state. My plan was to use this as a starter radio and use it as a base and portable radio. Living in an HOA neighborhood I have limited options with my antennas. I have enjoyed learning and playing Ham radio with the 20 watt G90. When you look at the G90 and then consider adding all of the accessories that are available with this radio it can add up to close to $1,000.00 or more.

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