Just bought one off e-bay.......

How many of you have worked one, just curious your thoughts on this rig ??

 

Congrats.... I think I already told you that I had one in the shack for a couple months. They are indeed a nice, and very popular radio. Of course the Pro2 and 3 being even more polular. I have a few friends that also run them. A couple have had no problems, but a couple have had a few and have had to send theirs back for repair a few times. The word is still out on weather or not the screen will hold out over time. Some of the earlier screens on the IC-781 suffered from screen "burnout". Almost like what used to happen on the older computer screens if you didn't have a sceen saver. Icom "says" it has been corrected, but as you probably know they haven't been out for years and years, like some of the other rigs have.

If you want to sound your best on the Pro, I urge you to consider a quality base mic for it. I run a Heil PR-40 studio mic with my Kenwood. My friends liked the sound so much they too also bought one. Two of them being 756 Pro owners. They sound great. However, they are indeed a bit spendy. "Sure" also makes some great and less expensive mics. And there are a number of other aftermarket mics that cost very little but can make your radio sound just great. Here are a few real good sites for you to look at regarding quality audio....

http://www.heilsound.com/

http://www.w3oz.netfirms.com/

http://www.wz5q.net/

http://www.nu9n.com/ (This is one of the best)

The Pro has a number of menus where you can taylor your audio to suit your voice and mic. I have helped a number of my friends set up theirs over the air. So if you haven't anybody to help you, let me know and we can make a sked, and if the propagation is good we can set up your audio for you as well. Oh....I just thought....do you already have an antenna ready to go?

If you have any questions don't hesitate to ask...
Congrats again...73 and Have Fun...!!!

 

Thanks for the info, I have the mic choices narrowed down to the PR-40 or the PR-781.....For now I'm just going to order a cable and use my Heil Goldline with dual elements...

As for the antenna I'm using a Buddipole for now because I'm in a place where a fixed antenna is a no no....

On an un-related note I was sitting in the driveway putting my 2970DX back in the Jeep when a station in Bogota [sp?] Columbia came crashing in on 28.400...

I tried and tried but with only 150 watts and a 102" whip the big boys with legal limit were squashing me !!

 

Well you know the answer to that.......can you say "nice 500w solid state mobile amp?" lol. (Ooops sorry bout that...I forgot you're not a General yet). Mike I'd be interested to see how you have your 102" whip mounted on the Jeep. Is it fiberglass or stainless? I went to your "myprojectjk gallery but no pics? Let me know ok?
Have Fun....!!!

 

The 102" is stainless and mounted on the antenna tab of my rear tire carrier, the whole bumper setup is a Fab Fours......I'll run out and snap a pic real quick before it gets dark.....

ETA- I'll have to check into dipoles..

 

I'd like to hang a Tarheel back there at some point....

 

Just an update for my ham friends.......My G5RV Jr by TrueTalk has arrived, a Heil PR40 is on the way, and to top it all off a W2IHY 8 Band EQ , and W2IHY EQ Plus are do in shortly as well.........

This station is gonna rock....

 

FB.....(fine biz) on the new gear on the way. Glad you were able to at least get some sort of wire up. The G5RV is not a "bad" antenna, the JR. a little less and the "extra" size that covers 160m is better. I had the standard sized (between your Jr. and the one that covers 160m) for a couple years. I could however losd up my standard G5 on 160m which was nice. It's not bad for an all band antenna. It's really pretty much just an all band dipole.

I know you are limited where you live but if possible try and get it as high and as flat topped as you can. When I say "flat topped" I mean where the legs are straight out, or parallel to the ground. If you can do this, it will be more directional, meaning you will hear, and talk better broadside to how the legs are oriented....NSEW. Otherwize, if you let the legs droop down, it will be more like an inverted "V" and will become more of a vertical (omni directional) antenna. If you can flat top it, then you can "somewhat" point it in the direction you feel you will want to talk the most. Meaning, if you point the legs in a line North and South, then you will have your major lobes hearing, and talking broadside to the East and West. What this means is you will not have as much noise (unwanted signals) coming from the North and South, and will have all your major lobes to the East and West. But seeing that you are a new HAM then you'll probably want to talk to everybody you can. So there is nothing wrong either with having the legs in an inverted "V", and have signals coming in from all directions. As you get further on in the HAM world you will realize that "directional" antennas are the most perferred.

You'll love the PR40, and the W2IHY is a nice unit. I hope you'll have somebody to help you adjust your audio, because you'll find that the adjustments are limitless, and can be frustrating at times just wondering what sounds the best....??? What most will tell you that are into good audio, is try and sound as natural as possible, only "enhanced" a bit. Meaning, you don't want a "manufactured" type sound to your voice.

You're off to a great start as far as a "rockin" station. But you'll find as you come along, that ANTENNAS are what really determines a station that rocks...!!! All in due time....

Congrats and Have Fun...!!!

BTW....I forgot to tell you thanks for the pics of the 102"

 

Hi Dave, all my gear showed up yesterday it was like X-mas around here...

The W2IHY boxes are up and running, now its just fine tuning them with the locals...I didn't get the G5RV Jr up yet as I ran out of time, the inverted "v" is about my only option if I string it up in the trees out back..I wish I wasn't limited on space and could do more but for now its a compromise at best..

The new FT-7800R is here as well but once again I have not had time to start the install on the Jeep yet...Today we are headed for about 60 degrees so maybe I can get the glass mount stuck on anyway and at least get the radio wired up....

not enough time in the day for a guy like me..........