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Old 03-03-2019, 08:27   #16
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

Still in the planning phase so dont have a boat big enough to warrant HF, but for Ham terrestrial use I have 4 Icom 706 MK2II, One in my truck, one in my portable box, One at home and a spare. For home I also have an Icom 746. Also several Icom AH4 tuners .
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Old 03-03-2019, 08:53   #17
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

Icom 706 MkIIg with KISS counterpoise and ICOM AH4 tuner. Opened up for emergency marine use, but never had to use it. Icom 7200 for home base station. Handy thing about the 706 is that with an antenna switch it can be tied to the VHF antenna and used for 2 meter. Very handy for private conversations with a shore party. Also near shore repeater.
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Old 03-03-2019, 09:04   #18
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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G'day Paul,
any leads on where to get that firmware? Hope that -unlike the cloning software to open up the 710 - it doesn't involve DOS and Windows 98
The programming was done 18 years ago by a shop in the San Francisco bay area, and the owner retired not long after that. I'm pretty sure it involved DOS. I do recall seeing the program details on the internet, but don't recall where. Here are two possibilities:

The IC-710 group on Yahoo: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ICM710/info

Farallon Electronics in California (they used to do this mod back in the day): http://www.farallon.us
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Old 03-03-2019, 10:24   #19
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

I think this was mentioned already, but the M710 can be mod to allow VFO operations. Info is on the fore mentioned ICM710 Yahoo Group.
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Old 03-03-2019, 11:24   #20
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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I am interested in hearing what HAM/SSB/Marine radios CF followers have and use on board. Would like to know if with or without automatic tuners. And are you happy?

I am not interested in the issue of marine VHF, DSC, AIS, etc. for this posting. And let's not talk at length about antennas and grounding. That makes my head hurt.

I am trying to decide on a common platform(s) for use afloat and ashore.

FWIW I realize that Marine radios like ICOM M-802 are channelized while terrestrial HAM radios have a VFO knob, that radios can be MARS modified, that transmitting on marine bands and HAM bands requires different licenses - which I have, etc.

At present I have ICOM IC-7100 and Kewnood TM-D710GA (for APRS). (And lots of antennas) Pleased with the Kenwood. Not so much with the ICOM.

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My boat came with an SEA 2250 control head, SEA 2251 transceiver, and SEA 1635 antenna tuner. I added a KISS-SSB counterpoise. Prior to my roundtrip to Hawaii I took all units to SEA Comm Corp. in Mountlake Terrace, WA for service and tune-up. Technician Doug Hutchins spent a few hours on them while I waited, replaced a 25 cent part plus the microphone and I was on my way. He also provided recommendations on changes to the original install...GREAT SERVICE at a reasonable price! During the trip I made daily position reports to the Pacific Seafarers Net (14.3000 MHz) and asked them how my transmission was. Their reply was a consistent "...best we have heard today".

SEA Marine Comm Corp. deserves a look.

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Old 03-03-2019, 11:55   #21
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

I used at Kenwood TS-450 for ten years and loved it. Until a tiny drop of salt water broke it. Wasn't able to get it fixed right away and in 2003 bought a TS-570 which I still have to this day. The '570 still works like new but cosmetically has not fared well in the salt air environment and I am thinking about replacing it.

I also have an SEA 222 for the marine bands which I am never on anymore. Both radios share an SEA 1612b antenna tuner which is a great tuner for an end fed backstay. The SEA 1612 is what SGC copied when the introduced the SG230 antenna tuner.

BTW, I have an Icom 706 MKII (not the G) for sale. It has a separation kit and I am asking $400 plus actual shipping. It is from an SK estate and I am selling it for the widow. It was an indoors radio, tests and looks good. Send me a pm if interested.
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Old 03-03-2019, 21:35   #22
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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The IC-78 is identical to the IC-718 except.....

that out of the box it is able to transmit on all frequencies.... and there are a few 'front button' differences...

https://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/i...?topic=29889.0
https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/1664.html

Only for sale 'for export' from the US.... not sure where you would find a new one off the shelf ...Singapore maybe?
Thanks for that info mate, I bought mine from an outfit which market targets outback 4WD folks here in Australia. It appears to be a fairly good little radio and so far I am fairly impressed with it's performance.

We used to have a very active cruiser HF network on the east coast of Australia but unfortunately it ceased about six years ago and other than listening for weather reports HF is of pretty limited utility.
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Old 03-03-2019, 22:00   #23
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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FWIW I realize that Marine radios like ICOM M-802 are channelized while terrestrial HAM radios have a VFO knob, that radios can be MARS modified, that transmitting on marine bands and HAM bands requires different licenses - which I have, etc.
It is illegal to use a ham radio on marine channels. There is no licence for that.

The 802 can be opened up and have both marine and ham bands with vfo. And I believe is legal to use on ham bands (ssb)

Mars are probably vhf. Which would be a different radio.
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Old 03-03-2019, 22:37   #24
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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We used to have a very active cruiser HF network on the east coast of Australia but unfortunately it ceased about six years ago and other than listening for weather reports HF is of pretty limited utility.
Not sure if you are talking ham or non-ham nets, Ray, but there is still an active ham net centered on eastern Oz. Called the Comedy net, runs on 7.087 Mhz every day, and currently starting at 2040 Z or 0730 EADT. May switch times soon to adjust to propagation and DST changes. Will go to 2140 Z if it does change. Net control is shared out between active participants, and we are low on formality, high on friendliness. All are welcome, but we do solicit emergency traffic and then position reports before general checkins are heard. We'd be pleased to welcome any new netters!

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Old 03-03-2019, 23:27   #25
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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Not sure if you are talking ham or non-ham nets, Ray, but there is still an active ham net centered on eastern Oz. Called the Comedy net, runs on 7.087 Mhz every day, and currently starting at 2040 Z or 0730 EADT. May switch times soon to adjust to propagation and DST changes. Will go to 2140 Z if it does change. Net control is shared out between active participants, and we are low on formality, high on friendliness. All are welcome, but we do solicit emergency traffic and then position reports before general checkins are heard. We'd be pleased to welcome any new netters!

Jim
And being on 7 megs means that holders of 'F'oundation licences can join in.... covers the area bounded by Hobart to Adelaide to NQ and out to New Caledonia and back to Hobart.... and sometimes further afield....
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Old 04-03-2019, 12:44   #26
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

Previous boat had an ICOM M802 Great for marine SSB and data comms with the Pactor modem. My present boat has my old ICOM IC-7000 which is opened to all band xmit. It works well for Ham SSB and better than the M802 for CW. It’s remote control head is a big plus for my current boat. At home I have an Elecraft K2 which I love for CW - which is what I do most of recreationally, and is also OK for SSB. Then I have an Elecraft KX2 for portable operations on land (Summits On The Air) and as backup for the IC-7000 afloat. Ideally I would have an M802 on board now too, but space is at a premium and no plans at present for much high seas travel.
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Old 04-03-2019, 15:07   #27
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

One caution to anyone with a beloved Icom 706. The finals were obsoleted over a decade ago, out of production, out of back stock. A new finals assembly board was available, for a while, but that's also long gone. So...make Real Damn Sure of your SWR and any other issues that could kill it, it is no longer repairable.

There was also a class action suit that never quite got off the ground. Apparently Icom uses a 15-volt capacitor across the input power. Caps are only made within a 10% manufacturing tolerance, which means the radio CAN blow out if used at 13.5 volts...and alternators routinely put out 14.4 volts. If you are not afraid to look inside, look for 15v caps, and replace it/them with at 25 or 30v rated components.

Small quirks, but a classic beloved radio.
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Old 04-03-2019, 15:51   #28
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

The question of Marine vs HAM radios was not raised in my query, but it has reared it Hydra head. Thankfully no has perservorated on antennas and grounding - yet.

Assuming one has the necessary licenses see https://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/i...=46923.25;wap2 regarding comments and legality of using Marine radio on HAM bands, and using HAM radio on Marine bands. It seems that an opened up Marine radio can be used on HAM band, but once opened no longer on Marine bands, but perhaps no one would ever notice. But HAM can use any frequency in an emergency. So think about it: a HAM on a boat transmitting on the Marine has no reason to do so other than an emergency.

So, having a Marine SSB with it's multiple channels of diminishing utility would be nice (because the more radios is always better), but having an opened up HAM radio would suffice, and bugger the rest.

That said I appreciate the comments on one's favorite radio. That's what I wanted to know and now I do. I had not expected ICOM to be so popular. I did not know about SEA radios. I did not check deeply, but they seem pricey and look a little, excuse me, Soviet.
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Old 04-03-2019, 16:02   #29
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

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I.....

Mars are probably vhf. Which would be a different radio.
MARS and CAP have tighten up requirements on most radios requiring part 90 radio on VHF with narrow band capabiliites and on certified HF radios. SO most "ham gear" has no reason for mars/cap mods any more.
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Old 04-03-2019, 16:05   #30
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Re: What is your favorite radio for Marine SSB and Terrestrial HAM?

I had the TS 450 Kenwood and it was superb. Great radio. Readily modified for the Marine SSB Duplex channels also. I used an SG tuner.
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