Did try the volume this evening...I was only able to decode packets
with the volume at least 3/4ths. And even then it wasn't packets from
the local repeater, but from my Yaesu in the other room.

Mike-

That gets back to the +5KHz question. Have you ever had the frequency of the
IC-2N adjusted?

If it is like the IC-2A, there is one master crystal oscillator that sets the
receive frequency, and three oscillators that set transmit minus, transmit
simplex and transmit plus offsets from the receive oscillator.

If the receive oscillator was off frequency, and you had adjusted a transmit
offset oscillator to bring it back on frequency, then the receive frequency
would still be off. Try setting the receive frequency 5 KHz higher and lower
using the thumbwheel switches, and see if either makes an improvement. That
would tell you the radio needs alignment.

73, Fred, K4DII