I was wondering how many of you are using an R75/Kiwa rig. I just got my R75
back from Kiwa but haven't hooked it up yet. Are you happy with the mods?

"DeWayne" wrote in message
.. .
I was wondering how many of you are using an R75/Kiwa rig. I just got my
R75 back from Kiwa but haven't hooked it up yet. Are you happy with the
mods?

Also I just ordered the new AOR LA-380 antenna from Grove to use with the
R75. I live in a townhouse and hope this combo will be just what I need.

YES! The Kiwa mods make a significant positive difference - the
AGC/Synch mod is the best, the AGC just works a whole lot better,
either fast or slow, and mates really well with the RF gain (play with
the two together on some fluttery stations, with the AM synch engaged
for selective faders, and you'll see what I mean). The sound is
improved, and if you got the filter mods, you'll find those are now
eminently useful too.

Craig's mods were about the best bang-for-the-buck SW investment I ever
made.

Bruce Jensen

So why didn't Icom do a better job of making the R75 in the first place???

"bpnjensen" wrote in message
oups.com...
YES! The Kiwa mods make a significant positive difference - the
AGC/Synch mod is the best, the AGC just works a whole lot better,
either fast or slow, and mates really well with the RF gain (play with
the two together on some fluttery stations, with the AM synch engaged
for selective faders, and you'll see what I mean). The sound is
improved, and if you got the filter mods, you'll find those are now
eminently useful too.

Craig's mods were about the best bang-for-the-buck SW investment I ever
made.

Bruce Jensen

So why didn't Icom do a better job of making the R75 in the first place???

That, my friend, is the $64,000 question. There are some who have been
hounding ICOM to upgrade new units to be more effective based on both
better corporate design and what others have done; some have also been
insisting that ICOM accept the earlier models back and "fix" them - but
if there is no fix yet, how can ICOM do this?

In any case, the complaints seem to have fallen on deaf ears - for now.
In any case, my impression of the modded R75 is that (1) the synch
detector itself still needs work 9my personal opinion is that ICOM owes
its customers a free or cheap retrofit to fully realize this ability,
since their original advertising was tantamount to a flat-out lie); (2)
the AF DNR isn't perfect, but nonetheless better than nothing; and (3)
the NB isn't quite effective enough for some types of impulse noise
(although it works not badly at all). Otherwise, the radio is a gem.
The AGC is now great and effective, SSB reception is fabulous, AM now
sounds sweet and nice with a cheap external speaker, sensitivity is
A-1, selectivity is about as good as you'll get with the Kiwa filters
short of much more expensive and complex installation, ANR het
reduction is good to excellent, and the radio is tremendously
versatile. In my own location, I am limited only by my antennas,
nearby urban RF crud and the proximity of 3 nearby 50kW blowtorch
stations that splatter badly. Otherwise, I don't think I would have
trouble hearing Pluto at 100mW. On the whole, I think the radio a
great value.

Bruce Jensen

Ok, but JPS has had an auto notch filter on the market for nearly 15 years
or so that works to perfection on multiple hets, the NF-60! The anf on the
R75 is pathetic in comparison. When listening to SSB it makes a great deal
of difference. It just seems that it would have been sooooo simple for Icom
to have made the R75 a much better radio, and for nearly the same price.
Don't get me wrong, I believe the R75 is an excellent value for the money,
even the stock radio.

Is it possible that ICOM is only interested in SSB,
and that's why they aren't too concerned?

--Mike L.