Icom IC-751 opinions?
 

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

Dave:

Overall, a good radio, however, it does take up a bit of space. Unless
money is the first consideration, I'd suggest one of the small, full
power mobile units available at this time... (Like the Yaesu FT857 or
the Icom 706...) I've got a Yaesu FT857 in my pickup, and really like
it (now, if I could take care of the S9 noise the truck generates, it
would be a wonderful rig to use when mobile too!)...

If you don't mind the space, the Icom 751 is a good rig. I currently
have two of the 751 model and one 751A that will be going up on eBay as
soon as I have the time to take pictures and get them posted. One spent
ten years on a sailboat, and despite some pitting of the front panel,
still works and sounds great. The 751A is near mint. There are minor
differences between the two models, and some claim the A is more
reliable, but I haven't heard of many problems with either radio. The
only reason for letting the ones I have go, is that I don't have much
room in the shack, and I got a 746Pro for a price I just couldn't pass
up.

The only thing to be aware of on the 751 (and some other Icom radios) is
that the memory battery needs to be replaced periodically, and if it
goes dead (before replacement) so does the unit. However, there are
several people out there that will replace the battery and reprogam the
memory unit, and there are also several aftermarket replacements that
don't use a battery to keep the radio operating code (software) alive.

--Rick AH7H

Dave wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

Dave:

Overall, a good radio, however, it does take up a bit of space. Unless
money is the first consideration, I'd suggest one of the small, full
power mobile units available at this time... (Like the Yaesu FT857 or
the Icom 706...) I've got a Yaesu FT857 in my pickup, and really like
it (now, if I could take care of the S9 noise the truck generates, it
would be a wonderful rig to use when mobile too!)...

If you don't mind the space, the Icom 751 is a good rig. I currently
have two of the 751 model and one 751A that will be going up on eBay as
soon as I have the time to take pictures and get them posted. One spent
ten years on a sailboat, and despite some pitting of the front panel,
still works and sounds great. The 751A is near mint. There are minor
differences between the two models, and some claim the A is more
reliable, but I haven't heard of many problems with either radio. The
only reason for letting the ones I have go, is that I don't have much
room in the shack, and I got a 746Pro for a price I just couldn't pass
up.

The only thing to be aware of on the 751 (and some other Icom radios) is
that the memory battery needs to be replaced periodically, and if it
goes dead (before replacement) so does the unit. However, there are
several people out there that will replace the battery and reprogam the
memory unit, and there are also several aftermarket replacements that
don't use a battery to keep the radio operating code (software) alive.

--Rick AH7H

Dave wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

I have an old 751 that I use for testing and backup. Like Rick said,
I the size does not bother you, it appears to be a reliable
transceiver. I used it for CW on 40 meters for years. As always, on
E-bay, you take a small risk.

Win/W0LZ

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:20:57 -0800, "Dave"
wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

I have an old 751 that I use for testing and backup. Like Rick said,
I the size does not bother you, it appears to be a reliable
transceiver. I used it for CW on 40 meters for years. As always, on
E-bay, you take a small risk.

Win/W0LZ

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:20:57 -0800, "Dave"
wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

Lots of opinions at eHam
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/433
AND
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/303

--
73- Cambio - Keyboard To You (:-)

Dave wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

Lots of opinions at eHam
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/433
AND
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/303

--
73- Cambio - Keyboard To You (:-)

Dave wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

Dave

Winston wrote:
I have an old 751 that I use for testing and backup. Like Rick said,
I the size does not bother you, it appears to be a reliable
transceiver. I used it for CW on 40 meters for years. As always, on
E-bay, you take a small risk.

Win/W0LZ

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:20:57 -0800, "Dave"
wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

I now have a 751 (non-A) sitting next to my Rick Mish all-Collins
R-390 (non-A). Nice set of ears. I'm not licensed, and so don't get to
test the Xmit side -- except maybe into the dummy load, but I'd rather
not go even _there_.

The reviews mentioned earlier in this thread make me feel even better
about getting it, and a little worse about the price I paid the OM I
bought it from. It's _mint_. and I paid $250 for it yesterday.

Now I _gotta_ get my ticket! Letting my Novice expire in 1963 was a
serious mistake.

--
Mike Andrews, once WN5EGO and hoping to be W5EGO Real Soon Now.

Tired old sysadmin

Winston wrote:
I have an old 751 that I use for testing and backup. Like Rick said,
I the size does not bother you, it appears to be a reliable
transceiver. I used it for CW on 40 meters for years. As always, on
E-bay, you take a small risk.

Win/W0LZ

On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:20:57 -0800, "Dave"
wrote:

Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....

I now have a 751 (non-A) sitting next to my Rick Mish all-Collins
R-390 (non-A). Nice set of ears. I'm not licensed, and so don't get to
test the Xmit side -- except maybe into the dummy load, but I'd rather
not go even _there_.

The reviews mentioned earlier in this thread make me feel even better
about getting it, and a little worse about the price I paid the OM I
bought it from. It's _mint_. and I paid $250 for it yesterday.

Now I _gotta_ get my ticket! Letting my Novice expire in 1963 was a
serious mistake.

--
Mike Andrews, once WN5EGO and hoping to be W5EGO Real Soon Now.

Tired old sysadmin

Mike Andrews wrote:

Winston wrote:

I have an old 751 that I use for testing and backup. Like Rick said,
I the size does not bother you, it appears to be a reliable
transceiver. I used it for CW on 40 meters for years. As always, on
E-bay, you take a small risk.


Win/W0LZ


On Sat, 31 Jan 2004 20:20:57 -0800, "Dave"
wrote:


Looking to buy a 751 for my camping trailer. Is this
a decent radio, or problematic? Prices seem very
reasonable, even on Ebay....


I now have a 751 (non-A) sitting next to my Rick Mish all-Collins
R-390 (non-A). Nice set of ears. I'm not licensed, and so don't get to
test the Xmit side -- except maybe into the dummy load, but I'd rather
not go even _there_.

The reviews mentioned earlier in this thread make me feel even better
about getting it, and a little worse about the price I paid the OM I
bought it from. It's _mint_. and I paid $250 for it yesterday.

Now I _gotta_ get my ticket! Letting my Novice expire in 1963 was a
serious mistake.




Mike;
If you can still prove your novice license you get the code credit
automatically. You can then get a hf license (gen/extra) for the written
tests.

Dave WD9BDZ