"D Peter Maus" wrote in message
...
Telamon wrote:
In article ,
D Peter Maus wrote:


Telamon wrote:

In article
,
D Peter Maus wrote:



wrote:


This is probably nothing, but I noticed that Universal has deleted the
message that once used to be on its R-75 ad, stating that the R-75 is
discontinued. I then went to the Icom America website, and noticed
that the R-75 is there, even though I seem to recall its having been
removed at one point.
Is there more to this than I think?

Steve



That's a good question. And one that bears investigating.

In the last few years, a number of the major manufacturers of
desktops have exited, or threatened to exit, the market. At least in
North America. AOR withdrew 7030 and its variants from the US market.
Icom announced the discontinuation of R-75. Drake appears to have left
the building. Yeasu had announced that it had gigged the Frog.

And yet, FRG-100B appears to be alive and well. AOR returned 7030+ to
North America, and R-75's demise appears to be on hold.


It may be that with declining competition, some manufacturers are
rethinking their product life cycles. In the case of Icom, they're
still in production with a wide range of radio gear, some popular HF
ham gear included. With the appropriate economies of scale, production
of R-75 in a competition reduced market could remain profitable.


Has anyone contacted Bellevue for a definitive position on R-75?


Maybe they did one last production run.




That's a good thought. And it's possible that Japan hasn't really been
clear with Retail. If you'll recall when R-75 was released, I mentioned
here a conversation with an ICOM rep I'd had at a ham show in which the
rep said that complaints as echoed here about R-75's sync detector had
been heard loud and clear in the hallowed halls. And that there were,
indeed, revisions coming. And that the case clearly contained space for
future hardware developments. Additional conversations with other ICOM
reps repeated these details.

But no such revisions have been forthcoming, to date.

Conversations I've had with Bellevue, over the years, have indicated
that they really don't know what the hell Japan is doing.

So, your thought is as good as any.


Oh! So they might actually fix it. That is good news. If it get fixed
right I might buy one. It would have to be offered with some filter
options good SWBC listening for me to consider it.


Don't hold your breath. The conversation referred took place several
years ago.


You know, I've played with R-75 on and off since it's release. It's not
a bad radio. Not a 'best in class', except that it's pretty much the only
one left in that class. For the money it wasn't exactly a bad value.

As has been pointed out here, though, a number of times, it's a start
out of the box, but requires finishing. If you have to drop coin to modify
it to get the radio it should have been all along, then there are probably
better alternatives.

Absent any competition in class, ICOM wouldn't be too highly motivated
to put forth the effort.

I've owned and still own a number of ICOM radios. Still use R-10 and
R-7000 every day. And I owned R-71a for years. Wouldn't mind having that
one back. But some of the corners cut by ICOM to save a few sheckels is
baffling on radios of their otherwise significant quality. The result is a
lot of promise, but, too often, short delivery.





Hi Peter,

I own several radios and for the money, the R75 just can't be beat. It just
can't. I paid $425 after specials for mine brand new w/DSP. The performance
outta that receiver is freaking amazing for me here in Florida. If I need to
pull a signal out of total garbage and can make out what's being sent I can
do it with the R75.

The Twin PBT with the coupling of different filters {I have a pair of 2.8's
added} and the DSP that is not bad at all, makes this a superb unit for the
price. Add the remote control option and the UT-102 voice synthesizer and
it's a very fun unit.

I don't know how any SWL-DX'er in the know doesn't own one unless it's a
more expensive unit.

Just MHO

Lucky