Icom 706

[Oscarpop]

Someone on another thread has mentioned this unit for its small footprint.

I have not heard of this being used for marine ssb. ( although have only recently started my research)

Is this possible/common/ any good?

The size seems perfect


Many thanks

 

[wooslehunter]

This is an amatuer radio set & when supplied has wide receive coverage but transmit is restricted to the amateur bands. Amateur radio licences allow operators to modify equipment or build their own provided they only transmit on amateur bands. The IC706MK2 is the one to get & they are a good radio. I have one for along with an AH-4 antenna tuner sometimes use it on the boat on the amateur bands.

The IC706 can easily be modified to operate on marine bands though. In fact the mod opens it up to wide band transmission. So technically you could use it. I don't use marine HF so may be wrong here, but I believe that since the radio is not approved for use on those bands, using it for transmission will break the terms of the marine license.

When you want to select a frequency on the 706, you dial up the frequency not a channel number. I believe marine radios are configured so you dial up a channel number. For example, you dial up a duplex channel & the radio will transmit on one frequency & receive on another. You can do this with the 706 but it requires running through the menus to set up split channel operation & you have to set both receice & transmit fequencies. You could load up the memories with marine channels to make it much simpler to use. But the 706 has fewer memories than marine channels. Also the 706 does not support any DSC functionality.

So, the 706 after modification can work on the marine bands. But, it won't support any DSC functionality & is no-where near as easy to use. I do know that some people use them though. Anyone comment on using them on the marine bands.

 

[prv]

I don't use marine HF so may be wrong here, but I believe that since the radio is not approved for use on those bands, using it for transmission will break the terms of the marine license.

I believe this is correct, but widely done anyway.

Pete

 

[Toutvabien]

Ours is installed on the boat with the ATU tuning the backstay as an ariel and the set it self opened up to transmit and recieve on all frequencies, this cost £20 from a radio shop in Essex and took about 5 minutes. Since modification the set works very well on all frequencies, and can, with a separate VHF ariel also R/T on VHF frequencies. All on frquencies though not on channel numbers so need a bit of knowledge of radio to feel comforatable with it, takes about a half hour to get used to. Works fine on all marine bands, (they are only numbers!!) and depending on propogation has as good a range as any marine set.

Overall a great set and very versatile, key though is not the set but the insatallation as the ariel and grounding set up are key to full functioanlity.

 

[SimonJ]

The 706 is a brilliant radio. Simple to operate. Some ssbs are v awkward. A whole lot of preset channels can be user Inputted. I have no qualifications and had no training but have found it easy to use, very reliable and works well with a pastor modem. It is a cheap option and compact. See other threads for simple aerial and earthing possibilities.