I'm passing this info along because I thought it was important for the group
(and before someone damages the radio they worked so hard for). The below
email was a response from an ICOM tech after an amateur op inquired about
the performance of the 746 and 746 Pro on 60 meters. Take the info for what
its worth.

73 de Paul

Good Morning....

Thanks for your e-mail.

The 746 final PA band pass filters were never designed to support operation
outside of the amateur radio bands. They will "stretch" to accept normal
operation in the MARS and CAP frequencies just above and just below the
amateur radio spectrum, but they will not support operation down in the 5
MHz area. They will heat up and you will damage the radio. About the only
two radios will have reasonable operation on the 5 MHz area are the 706MkIIG
and the 718.

Best Regards;

Mike Hilton

Technical Support Representative

ICOM America, Inc.

2380 116th Ave. NE

Bellevue, WA 98004

Ph. (425) 454-7619

Fax (425) 637-8417

www.icomamerica.com

Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 08:37:02 -0500, "Paul Vanasse"
wrote:

I'm passing this info along because I thought it was important for the group
(and before someone damages the radio they worked so hard for). The below
email was a response from an ICOM tech after an amateur op inquired about
the performance of the 746 and 746 Pro on 60 meters. Take the info for what
its worth.

73 de Paul

Good Morning....

Thanks for your e-mail.

The 746 final PA band pass filters were never designed to support operation
outside of the amateur radio bands. They will "stretch" to accept normal
operation in the MARS and CAP frequencies just above and just below the
amateur radio spectrum, but they will not support operation down in the 5
MHz area. They will heat up and you will damage the radio. About the only
two radios will have reasonable operation on the 5 MHz area are the 706MkIIG
and the 718.

Best Regards;

Mike Hilton

Technical Support Representative

ICOM America, Inc.

2380 116th Ave. NE

Bellevue, WA 98004

Ph. (425) 454-7619

Fax (425) 637-8417

www.icomamerica.com

Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.

On Sat, 22 Nov 2003 08:37:02 -0500, "Paul Vanasse"
wrote:

I'm passing this info along because I thought it was important for the group
(and before someone damages the radio they worked so hard for). The below
email was a response from an ICOM tech after an amateur op inquired about
the performance of the 746 and 746 Pro on 60 meters. Take the info for what
its worth.

73 de Paul

Good Morning....

Thanks for your e-mail.

The 746 final PA band pass filters were never designed to support operation
outside of the amateur radio bands. They will "stretch" to accept normal
operation in the MARS and CAP frequencies just above and just below the
amateur radio spectrum, but they will not support operation down in the 5
MHz area. They will heat up and you will damage the radio. About the only
two radios will have reasonable operation on the 5 MHz area are the 706MkIIG
and the 718.

Best Regards;

Mike Hilton

Technical Support Representative

ICOM America, Inc.

2380 116th Ave. NE

Bellevue, WA 98004

Ph. (425) 454-7619

Fax (425) 637-8417

www.icomamerica.com

Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.


YET! I think the prudent thing to do is make sure you are running
relatively low power when operating on 60M. You are supposed to be
running maximum of 50W ERP. I'd think 10 or 20 watts out of the
transmitter would prevent over-heating of the band pass filter components.



Ed WB6SAT

Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.


YET! I think the prudent thing to do is make sure you are running
relatively low power when operating on 60M. You are supposed to be
running maximum of 50W ERP. I'd think 10 or 20 watts out of the
transmitter would prevent over-heating of the band pass filter components.



Ed WB6SAT

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 23:12:36 GMT, "Ed G."
wrote:


Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.


YET! I think the prudent thing to do is make sure you are running
relatively low power when operating on 60M. You are supposed to be
running maximum of 50W ERP. I'd think 10 or 20 watts out of the
transmitter would prevent over-heating of the band pass filter components.



Ed WB6SAT
Yeah - that makes sense. Thank you.

If I go on 60 m again I will do just that.

On Tue, 25 Nov 2003 23:12:36 GMT, "Ed G."
wrote:


Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.


YET! I think the prudent thing to do is make sure you are running
relatively low power when operating on 60M. You are supposed to be
running maximum of 50W ERP. I'd think 10 or 20 watts out of the
transmitter would prevent over-heating of the band pass filter components.



Ed WB6SAT
Yeah - that makes sense. Thank you.

If I go on 60 m again I will do just that.

The problem is to get the 10-20w out of the radio you may have to shove 100w
into the filter, and that's what hurts. You need to monitor the current
drawn to determine if there is a possibility of damage.

--
Clif Holland, KA5IPF
AVVid
Authorized Kenwood and Icom Service Center
816 W Shady Grove Rd
Irving, TX 75060

www.avvid.com

1-800-214-5779
972-870-0630 (Local)
"Ed G." wrote in message
.. .

Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.


YET! I think the prudent thing to do is make sure you are running
relatively low power when operating on 60M. You are supposed to be
running maximum of 50W ERP. I'd think 10 or 20 watts out of the
transmitter would prevent over-heating of the band pass filter components.



Ed WB6SAT

The problem is to get the 10-20w out of the radio you may have to shove 100w
into the filter, and that's what hurts. You need to monitor the current
drawn to determine if there is a possibility of damage.

--
Clif Holland, KA5IPF
AVVid
Authorized Kenwood and Icom Service Center
816 W Shady Grove Rd
Irving, TX 75060

www.avvid.com

1-800-214-5779
972-870-0630 (Local)
"Ed G." wrote in message
.. .

Hmmm, mine works OK! I have made numerous QSOs on 60m
but most were during the first week that it was opened!

Nothing melted in mine.


YET! I think the prudent thing to do is make sure you are running
relatively low power when operating on 60M. You are supposed to be
running maximum of 50W ERP. I'd think 10 or 20 watts out of the
transmitter would prevent over-heating of the band pass filter components.



Ed WB6SAT

"Clif Holland" wrote in message
...
The problem is to get the 10-20w out of the radio you may have to shove
100w
into the filter, and that's what hurts. You need to monitor the current
drawn to determine if there is a possibility of damage.

Give this man a cigar because he's today's exclusive winner on 21!

The problem is that most modern hams today don't have a clue about what
you're talking about because most modern hams don't understand the theory
behind bandpass filtration, especially in their own Riceboxes. They actually
believe the radios will go from DC to Daylight once opened.

I believe this is the reason why Yaesu, Kenwood, and Icom haven't publicly
released the mods to these radios (other than to MARS/CAP members) because
these companies know damn well that they'll be performing a slue of warranty
repairs on the lot because some jack ass will actually try to use his radio
on the commercial AM broadcast band.