ICOM IC-718 Issue, and a Fix

[Bow]

A Bit of background: I have 2 IC-718s, one in the house, one in the truck

The one I use in the house was purchased new in 2002 and has never been mobile.

The one in the truck was purchased new in 2006 by a friend who used it in is sailboat while cruising on the Gulf of Mexico for a few years, when not sailing, he lived on the boat. When he sold the sailboat and purchased a Trawler style to live on and no longer cruise with, around 2010 he sold me the radio for a price I couldn't pass up... so this second one was installed in my truck and has been there ever since.

Last week, I went to talk in Sideband mode and as soon as I spoke into the Talk, the ALC Meter Pegged to the top of the scale, and stayed there until I un-keyed the microphone... odd.

I flipped over to the SWR Meter, thinking I lost a coax cable, and the same thing, spoke into the mic, still in SSB Mode and the meter Pegged to the top of the scale... hmmm

Final Check in the truck, flipped over to the Power Output Meter and the same thing happened... OK... time to take it in the house... if I had a bad Coax, the Power Output would be low due to the Transceiver's power fold-back protection...

In the house, I put it on a Dummy Load... same thing... on 20M, 12M, 10M, Full scale Meter deflection, in LSB, USB and AM...

I pulled open the radio and everything looked good, no funny smells, no BBQ'd components (basic Electronics Troubleshooting first check Passed)

The only thing that looked odd was the internal coax connections... they should be SILVER in color... all 6 on the top board where a tarnished Brown/Tan color, as well as the 2 that pass through to the bottom board were the same.

I pulled the coax connections and started in on them the old school way: Red Pencil Eraser... just like on the old slot cars back in the day...

Here is a before and after of the coax connections. The one on the Left is cleaned up, the Right is as found.

Put it back together and SCORE! Problem solved.

Hope this helps someone out...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Glad you fixed it but I myself would NEVER buy a radio used maritime mobile unless maybe, I said MAYBE, it was a marine radio which are built a little better than amateur radios and have better protection against salt air.

 

[Robb]

Salt air can really tear stuff up.
Hope that is all you find wrong with it.

 

[Bow]

Glad you fixed it but I myself would NEVER buy a radio used maritime mobile unless maybe, I said MAYBE, it was a marine radio which are built a little better than amateur radios and have better protection against salt air.

Actually, I know the guy, it was below decks, and he takes care of his stuff. He actually went for the 718 on my suggestion as the Marine radios are so expensive...

Besides the fact that he only charged me $200 for it, I couldn't pass it up...

Salt air can really tear stuff up.
Hope that is all you find wrong with it.

Agreed. This is the first hic-cup in almost 10 years that I have had it in my truck with daily use, I can't complain... and that is why I buy ICOMs, I had a Yeasu 2 meter (FT-1500) die on me in 3 years... My ICOM IC-718's, IC-2100, and IC-208H Dual bander have been built proof...

 

[Captain Kilowatt]

Actually, I know the guy, it was below decks, and he takes care of his stuff. He actually went for the 718 on my suggestion as the Marine radios are so expensive...

Besides the fact that he only charged me $200 for it, I couldn't pass it up...



Agreed. This is the first hic-cup in almost 10 years that I have had it in my truck with daily use, I can't complain... and that is why I buy ICOMs, I had a Yeasu 2 meter (FT-1500) die on me in 3 years... My ICOM IC-718's, IC-2100, and IC-208H Dual bander have been built proof...

All radios are below decks except perhaps one directly in some wheelhouses. This does not stop the salt air from getting to them only the direct salt water spray. Living here where I do I have seen my share of radios go bad that were used on board both fishing boats and pleasure craft as well as radios mounted in the cabs of highway salt trucks. The salt makes it's way onto the floor of the cab and mixes with snow from the drivers boots. The cab heater melts this snow and dries it up making for a humid interior. Radio cases get covered in rust in short time and antenna and power connections get intermittent a lot as well as internal connections in the radios.

 

[Bow]

Well, besides a few tarnished Coax connectors, this thing is in great shape...

 

[StrangeBrew]

$200 and 10 years, if it crapped out tomorrow you got your money's worth out of it.



PS: I'm waiting to hear how that SR655 turned out?

 

[Mudduckmobile]

Good hunting!!!
I'm glad it worked out.
73

 

[Bow]

$200 and 10 years, if it crapped out tomorrow you got your money's worth out of it.



PS: I'm waiting to hear how that SR655 turned out?

Joe?


I haven't messed with the 655 yet, trying to decide if is worth the effort to talk to the local AM drunks..

And yes, for $200, I've gotten my money out of it, and I'm willing to bet it will last a long time

 

[StrangeBrew]

No, not Joe.

At one time I had a line on a used 655, a google search brought up your blog as well as a post you made on another forum about it. You may have noticed that I posted in that thread. I thought it might have potential for a good mid-fi'ish mobile for channel 19 big truck use, in the end I passed on the deal.

 

[Bow]

No, not Joe.

At one time I had a line on a used 655, a google search brought up your blog as well as a post you made on another forum about it. You may have noticed that I posted in that thread. I thought it might have potential for a good mid-fi'ish mobile for channel 19 big truck use, in the end I passed on the deal.

Oh, Copy all!

Yeah, I am going through my ESSB Audio Rack at the moment, my tube Mic Preamp developed a 60Hz Hum, I'm thinking the filter caps are getting old...

ESSB is more of an interest to me than locals on AM... it tweaks the Ham ops that thing everyone should sound like they are talking through an old telephone...

So the 655 is on hold...

 

[vkrules]

ESSB... GROAN> Narrow the filters, give it some more treble, a little compression,and go work some DX.

 

[StrangeBrew]

ESSB... GROAN> Narrow the filters, give it some more treble, a little compression,and go work some DX.

Posts like this are a big part of the reason why I never pursued a ham license, when I read this what I hear is "You do not enjoy the hobby in the same way that I do therefore the way that you enjoy the hobby is wrong".

 

[vkrules]

Plenty of room for every one to enjoy the hobby anyway they like!. It was just a friendly reply to the" through the old telephone"jibe. And essb sounds just as bad on a weak signal on cb as it does on the ham bands it is not a amateur radio thing at all.

 

[StrangeBrew]

Sorry if I read a little too much into it, there just seems to be a little too much of the "my way is the only way" attitude in the radio hobby sometimes (and yes, I know CBers do it too).

PS: I don't run ESSB myself, I do find the subject interesting though.