Icom ic-2e

[M6SOE]

I'm taking the Foundation exam this weekend (about 30 years after getting interested in radio's!), I did used to have a Lowe HF125 receiver and a G5RV but sold them as a job lot about 16 years ago, I wasn't going to rush and buy a new transceiver and was resisting the urge to buy second hand from ebay.

However I saw a IC-2E advertised rather cheaply and thought it would be a good way to get onto 2 meters FM.

Well it turned up today (can you believe it was actually switched on when the postie delivered it!).

Anyway I have charged it up, but its picking nothing up.

I have tried both simplex and duplex on a local repeater and nothing, if I turn the squelch down you do get the VHF FM hiss.

It was advertised as:

COM IC2E Handportable Tx & Rx (5khz steps)
frequency control Thumbwheels and 5khz up switch
Frequency coverage >>>>>>> 140-150 mhz <<<<<<
Transmit output reduces +/- 2 mhz away from 145mhz !!

TX Hi /low switch ~3W@13v 2.5W @9.6v & /0.1w (low)
Repeater Shift Plus & minus 600khz
1750 hz Toneburst (push on volume button)
Will operate on 13.5v external dc !!

Rubber Helical antenna. Extension Cable with BNC
1 X 9.6v 700mah & two 7.2v 200mah Ni-Cad
Batteries in fair condition...

Mini transformer AC 15v DC Trickle Charger. 3.5mm coax conn

External speaker mic sockets, BNC Antenna Connector

Very Reliable Standard wire ended Components, No Smds !!!

Operators Manual, Mods & Circuit diagram supplied on Stiffie

Ideal as second tranceiver to monitor Club Nets, Repeater etc

but there was a print off from the US that came with it that goes on about a mod for the ICOM IC-2AT and I'm beginning to wonder if its actually covering 150 -160 Mhz

My local repeater is GB3PI (which I used to pick up on my old scanner - which is currently missing) on 145.150MHz (input) and 145.750MHz (output).

At the back are three switches which go from top to bottom

• Low - High
• DUP - SIMP
• - 600 + 600

on the top its a thumb wheel to change Freq, I have it set to 750

I haven't heard a thing on it all morning (I live on hill and should be able to pick up several repeaters).

So what you reckon? its been modded and isn't operating on 2 metres or have i got the Frequencies set wrong on the thumb wheel.

Any advice is much appreciated.

[M6SOE]

Just a quick note to say I have been up near to GB3PI this evening and it hasn't heard a thing. I have managed to get the the manual downloaded of the net and the thumb wheel is set ok.

[5B4AJB]

Are you sure it shouldn't be set to 575? (with duplex ON).

I used one for a while when I first got my license, they are very good radios.

[M6SOE]

I realised that when I downloaded the manual, but still haven't picked anything up, I asked some one at my local radio club by e-mail and they are doubtful that its operating as high as 150-160 Mhz.

Good radio - yeah which is why I jumped at buying it, not sure if they can have CTCSS fitted though which is fast becoming the standard for repeaters now.

[5B4AJB]

No, CTCSS is new compared to that set

Fit a 5W 12V light bulb to a BNC plug and see it it lights up when you transmit, if you want to see if it's producing R.F.

[M6SOE]

Its been used with another newer hand held and is transmitting (although that was in close proximity), however I have managed to find my scanner, put the local 2 meter repeater in, whereas the scanner is picking it up ok the hand held seems to be deaf (which explains why its not hearing anything) will try it with an antenna that is on order, looks like I'm going to be on 70cm before 2m.

one last thing someone has mentioned to me about a CTCSS unit fitted to a mic (think this would have to be box mounted externally), is this possible?

[AE6ZW]

for 145.750 MHz, BCD switch should be set to 575 and in US version IC-2A there is also +5khz switch on top , next to power switch.
IC-2 cover about 10 MHz , VCO lock range is not that wide, and front end is about 4-6 MHz wide at the most.