Icom IC-T70A mod - First on the internet!

[ab0re]

New IC-T70A Group Created

FYI - If anybody would like to delve into the finer aspects of the IC-T70A, needs help, or has any information to share, please join my Yahoo! Group at IC-T70A : Icom IC-T70A .

Thanks & 73,
Dan / ABØRE

 

[ab0re]

Addl info on mod...

My spanner wrench from showed up today from Radiogearpro.com. It was ordered 7/10, so the turn-around time was around 2 weeks. Although they don't tell you this during the checkout period, the spanner wrench is actually shipped from Hong Kong (so less than a two week turn-around time ain't too shabby!). I was elated to find out that the spanner wrench also works well on my Icom IC-F4S UHF commercial handies (with an MX-style antenna connector).

I'll echo the comments about the SMA nut being on overly-tight. Mine was so tight that I actually bent the two teeth on the spanner wrench and caused the metal of the SMA nut to warp on the sides of the notches!

One nice touch is that the radio does NOT reset when you do the mod, so you don't have to reprogram everything.

Thanks again to the author for posting the information on the mod!

 

[kd4e]

• ACCORDING TO UNIVERSAL THIS COVERAGE IS ALREADY THERE FOR RX, THAT MAY EXPLAIN THE MISSING DIODE
• Frequency Coverage:
• VHF:
  • Tx: 144-148 MHz
  • Rx: 136-174 MHz (guaranteed 144 - 148 MHz only)
• UHF:
  • Tx: 420-450 MHz (guaranteed 440 - 450 MHz only)
  • Rx: 400-479 MHz (guaranteed 440 - 450 MHz only)
  • 
    

Icom IC-T70 Specifications

 

[byi957]

This mod was no easy task

Ok, the actual mod, (removing the diodes), was no big deal. Getting that nut off the sma connector was UNBELIEVEABLE! I did read about that "tool" and I strongly recommend getting it.
I did not want to wait,,,so I literally destroyed the nut. I HAD to. The nut was on soooooo tight that even with the "tool", one will have to muscle it. The nut has a collar that fits so tightly into the plastic that, it may have something to do with it being so snug.
I had to dremel the nut off,,,it took about 4 hours of carefully cutting away the metal. This rig is brand new, it was painful to see what I'd done. Well, I replaced it with a "regular" nut and even though I messed up the threads a little, the end result is the mod is done and the damage is not too obvious. So let me sum this up.. do not attempt to do this mod w/o the right tool, or be willing to sacrafice a lot of time and possibly even damaging the case. I've done many mods...this one was no picnic.

 

[VKPirate]

Additional instructions to the above modification.

Remove the nut securing the SMA antenna connector. Use an x key – see below for tool details. On my radio this nut was attached overly tight and was difficult to remove even with the proper tools. If overly tight and the nut indents begin to bur – stop and use a small drill to make a deeper hole. Using the x key the nut will now move. Use a towel when holding the x key to provide a firm grip and prevent injury to the hand.

Antenna nut tool - x key


The x key costs $8 and can be ordered from the link below:


Radiogearpro.com

 

[blacklab]

audio help

I noticed you have been inside your T70. Do you know which pot or cap to adjust to bring up the audio? I purchased this ayear ago an everyone still tells me the audio is below the signal strength. I suspect i could just Tadeo it an fix the whole problem. The articulation seems ok just the audio is to low. Thanks for any help. Curt

 

[garyzink]

ICOM T70A TX Expansion Mod So Easy, here's how....

OK guys, this is your lucky day! Like you, I struggled for 2 hrs trying to get the antenna nut off and even broke the tabs off my new spanner wrench I bought, until a ICOM tech told me the secret!

Here's the secret: The factory used thread locking sealant on the nut. So just heat the threaded antenna mount and lock nut with a 250 W soldering gun for about 15-30 seconds and the nut will spin off as if it were already loose.

The new replacement nuts I bought from ICOM at Redmond WA to replace my butchered one were cheap.

Try it and let me know if I made your day.
Gary, 73's

 

[fff]

Here's the wrench you need, and where to get it from:

http://www.worldwidedx.com/handitalkies/35845-i-finally-found-special-tool-handitalkies.html

The teeth on this wrench were much too big for the slots in the SMA nut of my recently purchased radio; I had to file them down. This wrench is still the best solution though - Icom Canada wants $60 for P/N 8960000171!

 

[fff]

I found it easy to crack it loose just a little by tightening and then un-tightening.

Yup, this worked for me too.

 

[fff]

This is the extended TX/RX mod for the new Icom IC-T70A:

I suggest one change to the instructions:

Preliminary, disassembly steps

• First remove the battery
• Remove the two screws that are on the heat sink / case at the base of the radio that were underneath the removed battery.
• Remove the volume and control dials; they simply pull off.
• Remove the nut securing the SMA antenna connector. On my radio this nut was attached overly tight and was difficult to remove even with the proper tools.
• Disconnect the speaker/mic plug, or carefully orient the case with respect to the PCB to avoid tugging on the speaker/mic wire too hard.
• The entire radio board should now be able to be removed from the radio case.

 

[Webby]

Made the mod years ago, been great but reset radio after a glitch and it is not allowing Txing outside a mature bands

 

[LB5RE]

This is the extended TX/RX mod for the new Icom IC-T70A:

Preliminary, disassembly steps

• First remove the battery
• Remove the two screws that are on the heat sink / case at the base of the radio that were underneath the removed battery.
• Remove the volume and control dials; they simply pull off.
• Remove the nut securing the SMA antenna connector. On my radio this nut was attached overly tight and was difficult to remove even with the proper tools.
• The entire radio board should now be able to be removed from the radio case

TX/RX Modification

Turn the board so that the button pads are facing you with the LCD screen up. Toward the top left of the number pads, remove diodes D257 (UHF TX expansion) and D258 (VHF TX expansion). On the bottom right side of the board above the mount screw, remove D264 for RX expansion if it is present. On my radio this diode was already removed. See the picture below for details on the diodes to be removed.

After modification, the TX/RX range is:

VHF: 136.000–174.000 MHz
UHF: 400.000–479.000 MHz

Does anyone know if there is a keyboard mod for RX expand?
73s de LB5RE