On Thu, 08 Apr 2004 21:34:45 +0000, JAMEZY NJ wrote:

I am thinking about purchacing a IC-R5. Anyone already have one?

What do you think of it? Pros? Cons? How is reception & ease of use?

I reviewed the USA version of the ICOM IC-R5 in July 2003
Monitoring Times magazine, then wrote free software
for it.

I like the IC-R5 and carry it almost everywhere now. The audio is
quite good, it has several variable
size memory banks, CTCSS and DCS squelch, and a number of
other attractive features. The IC-R5 is a bit more complicated to use
than the IC-R2 is replaces due to the added features (I own both models.)

Suggest you join the "icr5" and "icomR5" Yahoo discussion groups and
read through the article archives.

Be warned that the USA version has
some frequency gaps which may prevent you from monitoring
some stations in your area. These frequencies may not
be used in your location so it might not matter.

ICOM deletes the 822 - 851 and 867 - 896 MHz
ranges in the USA version IC-R5 to comply with
FCC requirements for rejection of cellular telephone signals.
The USA version IC-R5 will not receive
822 - 824, 849 - 851, 867 - 870, and 894 - 896 MHz
even though these bands are not allocated to cellular telephony.

I am accustomed to listenening to radio systems in 3 nearby
towns in the 867 - 869 MHz range and the USA version
IC-R5 wouldn't permit that.

I was fortunate to find a used, UK version IC-R5 which doesn't
have these gaps.

If you do get an IC-R5, you are welcome to use tk5, the free,
open source software I wrote. You can read more about it
at my web site http://parnass.com
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Bob Parnass, AJ9S GNU/Linux User http://parnass.com