Icom IC-703 *GARBAGE*
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- KC9ECI
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Icom IC-703 *GARBAGE*
I purchased my 703 from HRO in October of 2004, by the end of January 2005, it was in the bench in Bellvue being repaired after it quit pumping RF in to the aether. Took about a month to get back to me and worked fine up until I took it with on a once in a lifetime family vacation to Ireland. Once again, it quit putting out RF.
Here is the timeline to date for the 2nd failure:
23 August Quit transmitting
26 August Returned from vacation
27 August Emailed Icom
30 August Called Icom. Told to send it in.
02 September Sent 703 to Icom via UPS ground
06 September Icom replied to Email
09 September 703 Arrives at Icom
16 September I call Icom and inquire on the status. I'm told it's going to be repaired, but it's going to take a while, told it has something to do with RD0, a FET, and that they are waiting for the part to come from Japan.
Since they can't order just 1, it may take a while, but not to worry, they're going to fix that radio up good as new.
22 September Emailed them again
23 September Got email from them telling me that someone would be in contact with me from the service department soon.
29 September Got tired of waiting for someone from the service department and called them myself. Spoke to Chris. He claims that there are at least 40 of these units in house waiting for the same part as mine is right now. Replacement is not an option, and he claims he'll be surprised if its out of their shop in less than a month.
Flat out, this is my last Icom. In fact, as soon as it gets back here, IF it ever gets back, I'm selling every last bit of Icom stuff that I have and the Brewers will win the Superbowl before I ever purchase anything from Icom again.
Here is the timeline to date for the 2nd failure:
23 August Quit transmitting
26 August Returned from vacation
27 August Emailed Icom
30 August Called Icom. Told to send it in.
02 September Sent 703 to Icom via UPS ground
06 September Icom replied to Email
09 September 703 Arrives at Icom
16 September I call Icom and inquire on the status. I'm told it's going to be repaired, but it's going to take a while, told it has something to do with RD0, a FET, and that they are waiting for the part to come from Japan.
Since they can't order just 1, it may take a while, but not to worry, they're going to fix that radio up good as new.
22 September Emailed them again
23 September Got email from them telling me that someone would be in contact with me from the service department soon.
29 September Got tired of waiting for someone from the service department and called them myself. Spoke to Chris. He claims that there are at least 40 of these units in house waiting for the same part as mine is right now. Replacement is not an option, and he claims he'll be surprised if its out of their shop in less than a month.
Flat out, this is my last Icom. In fact, as soon as it gets back here, IF it ever gets back, I'm selling every last bit of Icom stuff that I have and the Brewers will win the Superbowl before I ever purchase anything from Icom again.
Police, Firefighters and EMS are the most collectively dysfunctional group of people in existence and only we understand each other!
http://w9idx.com/
http://w9idx.com/
WTF is RD0, what does it do in the circuit, and what makes it so special that they have to get a Japanese part? What, there's no Chinese/Singapore/Hong Kong equivalent? :OSS:
73 de Mike, N5RLR
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"Do be do be do." -- Sinatra
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- KC9ECI
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Beats me, but it must be pretty damn special.N5RLR wrote:WTF is RD0, what does it do in the circuit, and what makes it so special that they have to get a Japanese part? What, there's no Chinese/Singapore/Hong Kong equivalent? :OSS:
Police, Firefighters and EMS are the most collectively dysfunctional group of people in existence and only we understand each other!
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- KC9ECI
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No, the 703+ is the current model, the 703 has been discontinued. You'd think they'd just say the hell with it and send me a + just to keep a customer. Ah well....I always wanted a Yeasu or another Kenwood anyway.
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- motorola_otaku
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- KC9ECI
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That YooHoo FT-817 is really starting to look good!
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- KC9ECI
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There is a FAQ on the Yaesu website about cranking the output on the 817 and they say:
I guess that I'm liking the fact that it's got 6M, 2M, and 70CM, internal battery capacity, and is $100 less than the 703+. On the downside, small display and no built in tuner.Can I turn up the transmit power on my FT-817 to 10 Watts?
Don't even think about it.
While the transistors may be capable of putting out more power, everything else about the transceiver--the bias, the voltage ratings of the low-pass filter and other components, and the current-carrying capability of the conductors inside the transceiver are all designed around a maximum power of five watts. To turn up the power is to invite a costly repair that is not covered by the Limited Warranty on this product.
Police, Firefighters and EMS are the most collectively dysfunctional group of people in existence and only we understand each other!
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- KC9ECI
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I just emailed Icom and asked if anyone was ever going to get in touch with me in a timely manner as I was told they would in an email dated 23 September.
Police, Firefighters and EMS are the most collectively dysfunctional group of people in existence and only we understand each other!
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- KC9ECI
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At least I'll have a nice new 703 still in the box to sell on Ebay to fund the purchase of a Yaesu!Hello Tom,
I do apologize for not getting back to you sooner regarding your 703 in for service. At this time it is awaiting for a part to come in from Japan and the ETA is not until mid Nov. I am sure we can both agree that waiting till then is out of the question. I would actually like to replace the unit, which took me to another dead end at this time. We do not have any new 703’s in stock and we will not be receiving them in until the end of this month. When we receive the new 703’s from Japan we will be replacing your 703 with a new one.
Once again I do apologize for not getting back to you sooner and apologize for the most unfortunate situation regarding your 703.
If you have any further questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Paul Kao
Service Administrator
ICOM America Inc.
2380 116th Ave. N.E.
Bellevue, WA 98004
Phone# 425-586-6304
Fax# 425-451-1064
website: http://www.icomamerica.com
Police, Firefighters and EMS are the most collectively dysfunctional group of people in existence and only we understand each other!
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- KC9ECI
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Hello Tom,
Actually I believe we only sell the 703+ so that will be what we replace it with. The 60M mod will also be done at no extra charge since it was paid for on your original unit.
If you ever need anything in the future Tom, please let me know. I seen the email you sent to our Tech Support Dept. today and I will take the blame myself. It is my duty to reply to all the Service emails and I will have to say that I had no intention to make anyone upset due to not answering the emails in a timely manor. I am not going to give excuses. I just want to let you know that it actually had a more positive affect. When I see someone unhappy because if it something I did, or in this case did not do, I want to work harder to make sure it does not happen again.
If you have any further questions, please let me know.
Thank you,
Paul Kao
Service Administrator
ICOM America Inc.
Police, Firefighters and EMS are the most collectively dysfunctional group of people in existence and only we understand each other!
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- motorola_otaku
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when it works
the IC-703 it's not a bad little rig
nothing to write home about
receiver is not so hot, but useable
( rec specs are better than the IC-706 )
small and easy to take along when traveling
bought a re pack IC-703, not IC-703+
WARNING WARNING
WHEN YOU BUY A ICOM REPACK
YOU DO NOT GET A ICOM WARRANTY
you get 30 day warranty from retailer
found this out after rig died 2nd time
did not work, when i bought it from retailer
would not receive above am broadcast band
would not transmit at all
some thing screwed up with band pass filter switching
shipped it back
got it back
still did not work, had not fixed the prob
had to ship it back agn
now have running rig
have some fun with it
take it camp cruise sailing in Canada
sail all day camp on shore during night
throw antenna in tree and play radio
in middle of nowhere
works great
three months later
intermitent receive
no transmit
its a repack to start with
so this rig has been back to the shop
once for the repack
twice when it first got it
and once more when it died agn
so four times to the shop
as of 16 sep 2006
its still in the shop
has been for over 7 months
abt 400 bucks for the rig
100 more for dsp
6 bucks for handle
125 bucks for cw filter
all the shiping say 70 bucks
so $700 in to a radio
that has spent most of its life in the shop
Mac
the IC-703 it's not a bad little rig
nothing to write home about
receiver is not so hot, but useable
( rec specs are better than the IC-706 )
small and easy to take along when traveling
bought a re pack IC-703, not IC-703+
WARNING WARNING
WHEN YOU BUY A ICOM REPACK
YOU DO NOT GET A ICOM WARRANTY
you get 30 day warranty from retailer
found this out after rig died 2nd time
did not work, when i bought it from retailer
would not receive above am broadcast band
would not transmit at all
some thing screwed up with band pass filter switching
shipped it back
got it back
still did not work, had not fixed the prob
had to ship it back agn
now have running rig
have some fun with it
take it camp cruise sailing in Canada
sail all day camp on shore during night
throw antenna in tree and play radio
in middle of nowhere
works great
three months later
intermitent receive
no transmit
its a repack to start with
so this rig has been back to the shop
once for the repack
twice when it first got it
and once more when it died agn
so four times to the shop
as of 16 sep 2006
its still in the shop
has been for over 7 months
abt 400 bucks for the rig
100 more for dsp
6 bucks for handle
125 bucks for cw filter
all the shiping say 70 bucks
so $700 in to a radio
that has spent most of its life in the shop
Mac