How sure are you about the warranty still being in force? How would Icom
be expected to fix a radio that is modified in some way? This would not
be a safe assumption to make.

I don't like to ass_u_me either!

Had no qualms with sending my unit directly to Kiwa as
after several e-mails back and forth between Kiwa and iCOM they pretty
much said that the warranty would still be good as long as the mods
were done "cleanly". ymmv.

"Telamon" wrote in message
...
In article ,
(Kenneth) wrote:

Telamon wrote in message
.
..
The Icom R75 does not have QC problems I'm aware of. It does
have design problems and is the reason people have the units
modified.

For example a ten-tec RX-340? This one have some flaws too and
cost $3,950.The sync selectable sideband lose look relatively
easily,Passport recomend an external Sherwood SE-3 [500.00],poor
dynamic range,static crashes sound harsher than on analog
receivers.Spurious signal noted around 6MHZ segment,notch filter
does not work in AM,Sync selectable sideband or ISB modes,Noise
blanker not effective ect, ect, ect,.What about a Drake R8B?
Cost $1,495, This one have a lot of flaws too,for example the
power supply run very hot,[a remedy is to use an external power
supply],bassy sound "virtually requieres a outboard speaker"
[Passport],a cheap mechanical encoder used to have an above
-average failure rate [Why not an optical one like in the AOR
7030+],a lot of birdies and background hiss [from the synthesizer
board and some poor shielding and grounding techniques ect ect
ect.....My R75 cost only $450.00 with free DSP included.It have
installed 2.4khz,3.3khz,6khz filters, Pete's sensitivity mod,339
comparator sync mod,Phidelity mod all this mods for less than
$50.00 and not only "work as advertised" but work better than a
R8B [and others expensive receivers] for hard core dxing.



The Ten Tec RX340, Drake R8B and AOR 7030 perform to their
specifications and function as expected based on the literature
that describe them. ICOM made the decision not to fix the R75
design problems so people that want it to work right have to modify
it. I consider the R75 as described to be false advertising. Cost
has nothing to do with the issue of whether the radio performs as
advertised.
But what about companies like Ten-tec and drake .Ten tec owners are
still waiting for the RX-350 sync det fixing and others flaws
fixing[check the complains in the RX-350 yahoo group].What about the
Ten Tec flaws that you can read in passport to world band? Why they
don't fix then? An now we are talking about a $3,999 receiver.What
about Drake R8b encoders,birdies,synthesizer circuit noise ect
ect,?All companies including Icom make excuses and try to compensate
with more advertizings in shortwave radio guides.But the difference
with Icom is that they decrease the R-75 price form $1,100 to $450.00
or $525.00 and are including a free DSP but Drake and others are
increasing the price of their receiver but they are not raising the
quality standards,.
I use all three radios with external bookshelf speakers or
headphones because they sound better than the internal ones. The
internal speakers are OK on all three radios.
In the R-75 too.But I agree with you that ext speakers sound a lot
better.
The improvement an SE-3 would bring to the RX340 would not be worth
the money to me. I don¹t know where you got the information on
static crashes sounding worse than on other receivers. I have had
no sign spurious signals around 6 MHz either.

I get the information from passport.

All of the radios functions are
not available or even make sense in all modes of operation. All
functions are available and work as advertised. The noise blanker
works against some noise types and not others just like any other
radio I¹ve used.
I agree
The Drake R8B does not run hot. Warm would be the best description.
I have measured the case temperature to be just a few degrees above
room, which is perfectly normal for a unit with an internal power
supply. It is my understanding that ICOM has made several radios
that you can¹t keep your hand on however.
A lot of R8B owners are using an external power supply now.The
internal "international voltage transformer" and internal power
supply circuit keep generating a lot of heat even if you turn off the
receiver.[I don't read this anywhere I had a R8B sometime ago.]
I¹m not going to drop $450 - $500 bucks on a radio that I need to
hack for the AGC and sync to work right and I disagree that even
after doing so the radio ³is better² than the Ten-Tec, Drake or AOR
receivers that is just your opinion not based on fact.
That's your privilege.My oppinion is based in the fact that I tested
both receivers for months and read almost all the reviews available
but I'm not expecting that you like my facts.
These days I¹m surprised someone has not sued ICOM.
If the price increase more than $700.00 in the next months I will be
the first.

People will only value your opinion depending on how close it resembles
reality.

Don¹t worry yourself over whether I like what you post as long as it is
correct.

It is reasonable to differ over wants and needs but specifications or
facts are generally not arguable. If you misunderstand what someone has
wrote and continue to argue some point (several actually) as you have
been doing your credibility will be zero.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

I own a R75 and have no complaints. It performs to my satisfaction and I
listen to regularly. As for quality control, it was never an issue with this
one. I've had the radio almost a year and listen to it daily with not one
glitch. I've never had any modifications done either. The only thing added
was the dsp unit.

73's
Rick

Drake R8 R8B
ICOM R75
Yaesu 7700
Hammarlund SP-600-JX-17

"If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done?"

Telamon wrote in message

Why not go to passport to world band radio page 158 and read for
yourself the ten tec 340 flaws? What not check the R8b articles and
this group archives reports about others R8B owners postings about
the r8b birdies,synthesizer noise,cheapy encoder,background
hiss,filters shape factors good but not excellent [for a receiver in
this price] ect ect.If I'm wrong then I'm in good company.
Your credibility is Z E R O. You are not in good company. You are off in
some part of space where logic and reading comprehension don't exist.
Give me your address and I will send you the passport Ten tec 340
flaws findings report copies for free.Because you don't have the facts
then you are using other resourses like personal attacks to the
messager and ignoring [hiding under the rug]the message [about the
drake R8B and ten tec 340 flaws].You talk about credibility but the
liar's punishment is not in the least that he is not believed but that
he cannot believe anyone else.Your logic is the art of going wrong
with confidence.
The thread is "ICOM R75 question" not Ten-Tec or Drake or AOR.
Yes this is a tread about the Icom R75 and start with someone asking
questions about the R75 to actual Icom R75 owners.Then you gave your
personal oppinion [no sustained with facts]an we only are reacting to
it.
You are wrong and can't win the argument so you will point your finger
at something else. This also results in your not staying on topic.
Yes your oppinion is only your oppinion.You want to believe
that I,m wrong ok, not problem, but in all my posting in this tread I
included others reviewers and articles data and you only talk about
your personal oppinions that I respect but differ.Your baseless
statement "Your credibility is Z E R O" is a pathetic scream from
someone seized in a denial state.

"phil :)" wrote in message ...
hi Neil:

Kiwa offers Pete's MW mod but even without it the R75 MW SSB sensitivity is
2.0 uV [pre-amps OFF]. external noise on MW is ~10 dBuV [3.16 uV]. antenna
is critical on MW:
Yes and after Pete's mod the sensitivity is .07 uv.
hi Telamon:

I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a radio that
must be modified to work as advertised.

no problem. but aren't you the electronics guru? imagine a machine shop
owner buying his car based on stock horsepower while balking at someone
bolting on a supercharger. what can you hear on your RX340 that you cannot
on your R8B? on an R75? please site specific specs. we all know the answer
and that is why the R75 is now one of the best selling tabletops.
Yes Phil right in the dead center, nice argument.

hi Starman:

I've never heard of any failure of the transformer or
associated AC power supply components.

strawman argument? there are no failures, there are alignments.
Yes expensive friendly [$$$$$] aligments from Mr Drake an his nice
service guys.Any 101 course electronic technician knows that extreme
heat near delicated component can change its critical tolerance and
with that the need for aligments.Why do you think the drake service
dept is so famous?.
The R75 sounds much better with an external
speaker but it's
still not as good as an R8, particularly for program listening.

the modded R75 has fidelity, working SAM, and a better filter for SAM
sideband selection.
With an external speaker and the Phidelity mod the sound is much
better and clear with its quiet circuitry .
There is no sync' mod for the R75 that makes it
work as
well as the sync' on an R8B.

says who? the guy who in 2002 said the R75 had "no synchronous selectable
sideband" then in 2004 said DUH "synchronous selectable sideband actually
being somewhat functional". the guy who in 2003 could not get a Kiwa modded
R75 to review but in 2004 sited "exceptionally fast turnaround"? the guy
who stated "added crispness marginally improves audio" but got the wrong
audio mod? the guy who "forgot" the "1/2" on the Kiwa modded R75's rating?
Just wondering, are you insinuating that this "guy" FORGOT the 1/2
start in the R75 rating [see passport site]only by a "coincidence"?
NAHHHHHH we all are too mature to believe in silly "coincidences" like
that.Like einstein said God don't play dice.This guy was the same that
said in a Grundig advertisement "the sat 800 is the most powerfull
radio in the world" and about the R8B "it get everything right".
I prefer to pay more for a receiver that doesn't need many
(if any) mod's, than to pay less up front and then spend
more time and money to get it working acceptably.

spend time doing what? the work has already been done. you send Kiwa a
radio and an $80 check. who knows, maybe 2004 will be the year you fix the
R8B's synthesizer with encoder lubricant.
A lot of radio enthusiastics know how to solder and with some care
they are working in their radios having fun and saving some service
money.If you know how to solder and have a good magnifier your
sync/agc mod cost can be less than $10.00.

Kenneth wrote:
snip
hi Starman:

I've never heard of any failure of the transformer or
associated AC power supply components.

strawman argument? there are no failures, there are alignments.
Yes expensive friendly [$$$$$] aligments from Mr Drake an his nice
service guys.Any 101 course electronic technician knows that extreme
heat near delicated component can change its critical tolerance and
with that the need for aligments.Why do you think the drake service
dept is so famous?.

Extreme heat? My R8 ran warm enough that the cats liked to snuggle up to it.

Ever compare the case of an R8 series radio with a similar sized set that uses tubes?

I suspect the reason the Drake service department is famous is if you call them up with a question, they treat you like a valued customer. They sent me an owners manual for the R8 I bought used for free.

The R75 sounds much better with an external
speaker but it's
still not as good as an R8, particularly for program listening.

the modded R75 has fidelity, working SAM, and a better filter for SAM
sideband selection.
With an external speaker and the Phidelity mod the sound is much
better and clear with its quiet circuitry .
There is no sync' mod for the R75 that makes it
work as
well as the sync' on an R8B.

says who? the guy who in 2002 said the R75 had "no synchronous selectable
sideband" then in 2004 said DUH "synchronous selectable sideband actually
being somewhat functional". the guy who in 2003 could not get a Kiwa modded
R75 to review but in 2004 sited "exceptionally fast turnaround"? the guy
who stated "added crispness marginally improves audio" but got the wrong
audio mod? the guy who "forgot" the "1/2" on the Kiwa modded R75's rating?
Just wondering, are you insinuating that this "guy" FORGOT the 1/2
start in the R75 rating [see passport site]only by a "coincidence"?
NAHHHHHH we all are too mature to believe in silly "coincidences" like
that.Like einstein said God don't play dice.This guy was the same that
said in a Grundig advertisement "the sat 800 is the most powerfull
radio in the world" and about the R8B "it get everything right".
I prefer to pay more for a receiver that doesn't need many
(if any) mod's, than to pay less up front and then spend
more time and money to get it working acceptably.

spend time doing what? the work has already been done. you send Kiwa a
radio and an $80 check. who knows, maybe 2004 will be the year you fix the
R8B's synthesizer with encoder lubricant.
A lot of radio enthusiastics know how to solder and with some care
they are working in their radios having fun and saving some service
money.If you know how to solder and have a good magnifier your
sync/agc mod cost can be less than $10.00.

Since these mods are well known, simple and inexpensive, why hasn't the factory hasn't gotten around to incorporating them into the design?

It would eliminate almost every complaint people have about the radio.

I think the answer is not enough owners have complained.

In article , "phil :)"
wrote:

Your credibility is Z E R O. You are not in good company. You are off in
some part of space where logic and reading comprehension don't exist.

The thread is "ICOM R75 question" not Ten-Tec or Drake or AOR.

You are wrong and can't win the argument so you will point your finger at
something else. This also results in your not staying on topic.

damn Telamon, i laughed out loud when i read this, what a classic! you're
really fired up.

I go for the entertainment value.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

In article , "phil :)"
wrote:

snip

hi Telamon:

I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a radio that
must be modified to work as advertised.

no problem. but aren't you this electronics guru? imagine a machine shop
owner buying his car based on stock horsepower while balking at someone
bolting on a supercharger. what can you hear on your RX340 that you cannot
on your R8B? on an R75? please site specific specs. we all know the answer
and that is why the R75 is now one of the best selling tabletops.

I would not call myself a guru but being in the work force a few decades
in various capacities in electronics technology I have well rounded
experience.

I haven't noticed anything that the RX340 can pick up that the R8B can't
hear. Usually the RX340 can make a station sound better but other times
the R8B does better depending on conditions. The radios are all on
different antennas, which make for a different reception condition so I
am not generally comparing them.

I would not be buying a new car and modifying it either. An older out of
warranty car could be a different story. In my youth I was into street
racing and did just that.

Some people just don't understand that anything manufactured has
engineering compromises built in. Each radio when designed has a slew of
compromises where one performance parameter is diminished in favor of
another. The result is that depending on situation and conditions one
radio will do better than another. Change the situation or conditions
and the other radio does better so which is best?

You generally get what you pay for. Spend more money on a radio and you
can get higher quality components resulting in better specifications,
reliability, capabilities or operational features.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

"Mark S. Holden" wrote in message Extreme heat? My R8 ran warm enough that the cats liked to snuggle up to it.
Remember that cats have 9 lives.
Ever compare the case of an R8 series radio with a similar
sized set that uses tubes?
But a tubes receiver components [resistors,cap,transistor]have better
heat tolerance than the R8 mini IC's,cap,resistors ect.Do you know
that a lot of capacitor in a tube set can work with more than 400v
applied? What about a tube set resistors? Do you ever see a huge 10
watts one?
I suspect the reason the Drake service department is famous is if you call them up with a question, they treat you like a valued customer. They sent me an owners manual for the R8 I bought used for free.
Yes but send your R8 and r8B for aligment or encoder repair and pray
God before the bill arrive.For sure they are very friendly [$$$$]
people and sometimes send some owners manuals for free.Remember that
you can find a lot of receivers manuals for free [online].

The R75 sounds much better with an external
speaker but it's
still not as good as an R8, particularly for program listening.

the modded R75 has fidelity, working SAM, and a better filter for SAM
sideband selection.
With an external speaker and the Phidelity mod the sound is much
better and clear with its quiet circuitry .
then

radio and an $80 check. who knows, maybe 2004 will be the year you fix the
R8B's synthesizer with encoder lubricant.

Since these mods are well known, simple and inexpensive, why hasn't the factory hasn't gotten around to incorporating them into the design?

It would eliminate almost every complaint people have about the radio.
Yes and with that the elimination of the $450.00 [free DSP]offer for a
radio with a list price of $1,100.
I think the answer is not enough owners have complained.
We are complaining but at the same time designing new and easy
upgrades for it and now we have a champ that can compete with any
radio in the market.

Perhaps the best way to solve the ICOM R75 problem is to contact the Federal Trade Commission and ask them why ICOM is dumping their receivers in the USA at a greatly discounted price.

What we need is a trade war with Japan! ;-)

Steve
Holland, MI
Drake R7, R8 and R8B
"I swear by, not at, Drake receivers"
"I don't have to bother myself with modificatons either"

http://www.iserv.net/~n8kdv/dxpage.htm

Telamon wrote in message
I'm not spending hundreds of dollars on a radio that
must be modified to work as advertised.

no problem. but aren't you this electronics guru? imagine a machine shop
owner buying his car based on stock horsepower while balking at someone
bolting on a supercharger. what can you hear on your RX340 that you cannot
on your R8B? on an R75? please site specific specs. we all know the answer
and that is why the R75 is now one of the best selling tabletops.

I haven't noticed anything that the RX340 can pick up that the R8B can't
hear. Usually the RX340 can make a station sound better but other times
the R8B does better depending on conditions. The radios are all on
different antennas, which make for a different reception condition so I
am not generally comparing them.
Thanks for this one.Using simple logic if your R8B [$1,499] can "pick
up" anything that your ten tec RX 340 [$4,000]hear,then my Icon R-75
[$450=$70.00 in mods=$520.00]can run side by side with your expensive
Ten Tec [because my R-75 was better [in a real life side by side test]
in hard core dxing than my R8b [sold after that].
I would not be buying a new car and modifying it either. An older out of
warranty car could be a different story. In my youth I was into street
racing and did just that.
I bet that my toyota [r-75] can run side by side with your your
mercedez [ten tec 340]
Some people just don't understand that anything manufactured has
engineering compromises built in. Each radio when designed has a slew of
compromises where one performance parameter is diminished in favor of
another. The result is that depending on situation and conditions one
radio will do better than another. Change the situation or conditions
and the other radio does better so which is best?
I agree with you 99.9% That was my point in all this tread.At last you
got it.
You generally get what you pay for. Spend more money on a radio and you
can get higher quality components resulting in better specifications,
reliability, capabilities or operational features.
This is the great myth again price=performance.Better
specifications? Tell me about your ten tech RX-340 dynamic range
/IP3[5khz]or blocking capacity.