Icom R-75
 

After I purchased my Icom R-75, a few years ago now, I noticed that the
volume control had the nasty habit of either being too loud, or not loud
enough, as the control was tweaked the slightest amount near the low end.
(too loud means that it is nighttime, my wife is trying to sleep, there's
no other noise in the house, and the radio is next to the bed).

I attributed this to a flaw in the potentiometer, perhaps slightly dirty.
I considered taking the radio apart and administering some cleaner to the
offending pot, but apathy prevailed.

More recently, I began to use Ham Radio Deluxe and I control the radio
from my laptop computer. Odd thing is that I noticed that the volume
control, being rendered as a sliding control on the computer screen, has
the same problem. Obviously the fault is with the radio design and not
the potentiometer. Ham Radio Deluxe, unlike another freeware program that
I have, apparently examines the setting for the volume control
periodically, since changing the control on the radio produces a
corresponding change in the sliding pot on the computer screen. (the
other program that I have simply crashes when you change the radio's
volume control if the software is currently controlling the radio).

Fortunately I did not disassemble the radio to try to repair a problem
that didn't exist. The software must have a sharp cut-off point in terms
of what represents output and what represents silence. I have since
placed my Yaesu FRG-100 in the bedroom and the Icom in the front room.
The Yaesu has a more normal volume control response, though the move from
one room to another was more on a whim than with any problems with the
volume control.

I know that some reactionaries will balk that their R-75s work fine,
perhaps they do, this is not a post to demean the model. You ability to
hear, background noise, and other factors determine the subjective
perception of hearing. Being tense about keeping your wife awake lest she
scream at you also contributes to this perception. But it is without
doubt that, even using software control, the sound drops off too sharply
in my radio, I wish that it had a little more range near the low end.

Dr. Artaud

"€ Dr. Artaud €" wrote in message
...
After I purchased my Icom R-75, a few years ago now, I noticed that the
volume control had the nasty habit of either being too loud, or not loud
enough, as the control was tweaked the slightest amount near the low end.
(too loud means that it is nighttime, my wife is trying to sleep, there's
no other noise in the house, and the radio is next to the bed).


Why not used an external speaker with it's own volume control?

I have had other receiver that did this (my R-75 does do it but it is
tolerable at this time) and I reduced this volume "resolution" issue by
adding an additional resistor in series with the top terminal of the
volume potentiometer. In several cases the resistor was the value of
the pot! This really increased the volume "resolution" on the low end.
I also have an FRG-100 and its audio control is just fine.

Frank
K3YAZ
Tucson

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 15:22:32 -0000, "€ Dr. Artaud €"
wrote:

These have a very handy in-line volume control. 45 day no questions
asked return policy.

http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com/s...em=c1pcwzzz z

Or you could try lightweight, Walkman-style headphones. Some of them come
with an in-line volume control. I fall asleep with mine on all the time.

Greg

From: David
Organization: EarthLink Inc. -- http://www.EarthLink.net
Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
Date: Sat, 23 Apr 2005 19:43:24 GMT
Subject: Icom R-75

On Sat, 23 Apr 2005 15:22:32 -0000, "€ Dr. Artaud €"
wrote:

These have a very handy in-line volume control. 45 day no questions
asked return policy.

http://www.cambridgesoundworks.com/s...pk_multimedia&
item=c1pcwzzzz

Greg wrote in
:

Pursuant to the inline volume control, Radio Shack sells a stand alone
inline volume control meant for use with small headphones. I use one to
limit the input to my laptop's sound card from my Icom R-75 audio output.

Regards,

Dr. Artaud

Or you could try lightweight, Walkman-style headphones. Some of them
come with an in-line volume control. I fall asleep with mine on all
the time.

Greg

"DesignGuy" wrote in
news:T3wae.10549$c24.6623@attbi_s72:


One reason was space limitations, my wife already objects to the
multitude of radios and electronic miscellany that I already have. The
unit in the bedroom is of special concern to her, since when we moved
into this house, (her house from childhood), I was ceded the small front
room to use as my radio room. I confine most of my electronics to this
room, but overflow is inevitable. (I'm considering making a sticker
similar to the Tot Finders, so that the firemen would know to save this
room first ;-)

Since I don't want to sleep with my head on the computer laptop, lest I
slobber it to death, the next best thing was a radio in the bedroom. I
managed to wrangle permission for a small stand, with the containment of
the electronics (Yaesu FRG-100, Alinco DJ-X10T, Uniden BCT-7) being
limited to there. The speaker would necessitate overflow onto the
dresser, there is not a chance of this.

I appreciate the reply though.

Regards,

Dr. Artaud

"€ Dr. Artaud €" wrote in message
...
After I purchased my Icom R-75, a few years ago now, I noticed that
the volume control had the nasty habit of either being too loud, or
not loud enough, as the control was tweaked the slightest amount near
the low end. (too loud means that it is nighttime, my wife is trying
to sleep, there's no other noise in the house, and the radio is next
to the bed).


Why not used an external speaker with it's own volume control?

"€ Dr. Artaud €" wrote:

I considered this, I guess the wattage of the resistor, if used at the
potentiometer, is very low?


Yes, a quarter watt or higher is fine.

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

The volume control is at a low signal level so a standard 1/4 watt
resistor or even a 1/8 watt will do just fine.

Frank