For Sale: ICOM 802 AND AUTO TUNER

[teaden]

We recently bought a catamaran that was midway through a refit. We are completing the refit but included in the purchase was a brand new SSB radio - ICOM 802 and an AT130 HF Automatic Antenna Tuner. We don't want to use it and wondered if there are still people interested in buying HF radio's or are they considered "old technology" now?

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by teaden

We recently bought a catamaran that was midway through a refit. We are completing the refit but included in the purchase was a brand new SSB radio - ICOM 802 and an AT130 HF Automatic Antenna Tuner. We don't want to use it and wondered if there are still people interested in buying HF radio's or are they considered "old technology" now?

Yes, there are people who like to have HF radios. They are good for radio nets on passage - keeping in touch with other cruisers on a regular basis, comparing conditions of cruisers ahead of you and sharing your conditions with others behind you. Getting weather from multiple sources. Doing Winlink email for free or Sailmail for an annual fee.

Sure you can do many things via satellite systems but being part of a cruising community is not among them.

[Happydrv]

A guy just sold a set like that on FB for $700

[Ostinato]

That’s cheap if it’s the 802

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by Ostinato

That’s cheap if it’s the 802

An M802 and automatic tuner for $700? I would almost buy that and I sure as hell don't need another one but that is about $500 less than one would expect to pay.

[GrowleyMonster]

And yeah you could say it is "old technology", but that particular radio has a few modern bells and whistles. Much more useful than a "plain" SSB. If you read the manual and learn a bit about what it can do, you might decide you would just as soon keep it.



IF NOTHING ELSE, it makes a dandy SW receiver. Good for NAVTEX and WEFAX. Good for marine nets and for HAM use if you decide to get into that. And not knocking the sat phone, but in an emergency your radio and its distress call function gets the message out immediately to vessels similarly equipped within hundreds of miles. With satellite you can comminicate with only one party at a time. With radio, anybody can break in and offer assistance. Anybody can monitor your situation without going throuch a third party. The two, HF and satellite, are not mutually exclusive. They complement each other. You can certainly go to sea with just one or the other, but why not both, since the radio is already installed?



There are of course haters out there, for some reason, who would tell you to just pitch the useless pile of crap overboard. But it is far from useless.


If you are in the US, you will want to get a ship station license. Dealing with the FCC can be er, "challenging" but find yourself an "Elmer" to guide you through the licensing process and it will soon be over and done with, and you will be legal.



BTW, FWIW air time is free.



There is at least one good book on Amazon specifically on how to set up and use your M802. Get it. You won't regret it.

[W.T.Gross]

Originally Posted by teaden

We recently bought a catamaran that was midway through a refit. We are completing the refit but included in the purchase was a brand new SSB radio - ICOM 802 and an AT130 HF Automatic Antenna Tuner. We don't want to use it and wondered if there are still people interested in buying HF radio's or are they considered "old technology" now?

Nah..... nobody is interested anymore. But if you ship it to me, I will recycle it for you.

[Dieter Hugel]

How much do you want for it?

[weshoff]

Please message me, I’m very interested.
Gwes@sonic.net

[FAST FRED]

By their registration info, Icom found they were selling the 720 to many folks that were not hams.


Seems there was a blue wire that could be cut and the set would operate on SSB frequency. The marine SSB was multiple times the cost of the 720.

[stormalong]

Originally Posted by FAST FRED

By their registration info, Icom found they were selling the 720 to many folks that were not hams.


Seems there was a blue wire that could be cut and the set would operate on SSB frequency. The marine SSB was multiple times the cost of the 720.

Most if not all modern ham rigs have a modification to cover the entire HF spectrum. It is called the MARS (military auxiliary radio service) mod. Many ham radios are used in third world countries for general communications.


I have the mod on my on board ham radio as backup for my marine SSB radio. It is a poor substitute for the marine SSB due to marine SSB frequency stability standards but in a genuine emergency it is legal for anyone to use any radio that is available

[pilotvelez]

Im interested in buying. PM or email me pilotvelez@hotmail.com.

[GrowleyMonster]

Originally Posted by FAST FRED

By their registration info, Icom found they were selling the 720 to many folks that were not hams.


Seems there was a blue wire that could be cut and the set would operate on SSB frequency. The marine SSB was multiple times the cost of the 720.

Most HAM rigs there is a wire or a diode that you can clip or unsolder that opens up the channel masking. BUT the radio is optimized for the HAM bands and so spurious emissions could be a problem. Yes it is legal to transmit on ANYTHING in a genuine emergency. However, modding your HAM radio ahead of time is often taken by the FCC to show intent to use, not emergency improvisation. They may just take your radio and not fine you or move on your license. Or they may throw the book at you, or they may ignore it or even pat you on the back for your resourcefulness. LOL! Probably not the latter.



HAM radios don't have DSC or guard set up on GMDSS distress frequencies or a distress message key, either. If you just want to jibberjabber on Marine frequencies, a M700 Pro can usually be had for around $400 on fleabay and a tuner would set you back another couple hundred. Still doesn't have GMDSS features but at least it is going to have decent spectral purity and most importantly it is made for Marine use and is type accepted. But the big kids are going for the M802. Distress calling on a "dumb" SSB is pretty hit or miss, mostly miss. Nobody is listening. For marine nets, it will do just fine and it is perfectly legal to use on the HAM bands as well. But you want the 802 if its main purpose is for distress calling or response.

[tml]

Originally Posted by teaden

We recently bought a catamaran that was midway through a refit. We are completing the refit but included in the purchase was a brand new SSB radio - ICOM 802 and an AT130 HF Automatic Antenna Tuner. We don't want to use it and wondered if there are still people interested in buying HF radio's or are they considered "old technology" now?

Very interested. What is your price and location? Please call 615 804 0500
Tom

[cdcorl]

I'm thinking that it is worth around $1500. Give me a text if you haven't sold it yet. 651-605-5107. Thanks, Chuck