New Install Job (Pics)

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Wed May 11, 2005 4:31 am

Finally got my digital camera hooked to the computer and uploaded the pictures tonight. I got tired of my massive Jottodesk and decided to shrink everything way down:

Post by **akardam** » Wed May 11, 2005 5:55 am

Nice job!

From the looks of it, you have an Icom IC-F521. How do you like it, as far as ease of use, and RF performance?

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Wed May 11, 2005 6:24 am

I love it. I'm getting a 621 as well for the UHF side of things. The icom is small, easy as pie to program, rugged, and scans fast as all get out. Excellent sensitivity. Only thing I don't like about it is that the mic gain has to be turned up all the way for people to hear me decently. Oh well.

Post by **akardam** » Thu May 12, 2005 7:31 am

Oddly enough, I have that mic gain issue with my Kenwood radio, and not my Icom. Go figure.

Amen to all of the above, I've got a matched set of a F121 and F221 and am pleased as punch about them. The only thing that really bothers me is when programming the scanlist, as you move between channels, there's no indication as to whether the channel is in the list or not. I hear that they have an indicator on the F521/F621 for that purpose. Could you confirm if this is indeed true?

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Thu May 12, 2005 9:24 am

Sadly, no. It's quite annoying. You have to add/delete the channel to see what pops up.

Post by **akardam** » Thu May 12, 2005 2:57 pm

Figures.

I'm really excited about the new IC-F1721/1821/2721/2821/D series radios, but looking through their manual the other night, it still doesn't look like they managed to get that kind of indicator in there.

Oh well. Other than that I'm perfectly happy with my Icom commercial gear.

RADIOGUY2002 · Post by **RADIOGUY2002** » Tue May 31, 2005 12:13 pm

I see the antenna's are trunk lip mounted, I'm curious as to what the band coverage is for the icom and who it is suppiled by. On a another note what mounting console was used, and where can one get fine one.
Does this radio allow you to see a siginal strength meter and how effective is it, if you have used it. I'm in the serach of a mobile, and have limited spaced for mounting. What does one recondmend among these makes: Vertex/Standard, Kenwood, Icom. Price ranage 100 to 400 dollars.

Thanks,
Ryan

Post by **akardam** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:44 pm

From the Icom website (http://www.icomamerica.com/land_mobile/ ... 20main.asp), the IC-F521 spans 136-174. I get all my Icom gear at HRO, but you can go on Icom's website and lookup dealers in your area.

Can't speak as to the console (ESDA20'll have to answer that one). I have a IC-F121 (little brother to the F521), and it has a really tiny little signal strength indicator, and from the looks of it, so does the F521. I suppose it's better than nothing, as none of my Motorola commercial gear has a SSI.

FFParamedic571 · Post by **FFParamedic571** » Tue May 31, 2005 6:50 pm

looks like a Gamber-johnson Short stack

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Tue May 31, 2005 9:00 pm

Aye. I replaced the ham rig with the UHF version of the F521 (IE, the F621). I'll get some pics later on.

Yes, the console is a cheap $40 generic Gamber-Johnson floor rack. Looks very nice there. I love it.

RADIOGUY2002 · Post by **RADIOGUY2002** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:48 am

Pictures awsome, this web site provides for some great install work. I'm still courious about the antennas used though.

The Impala, what version is that with the open floor console. (open transmission Hump as they call it.

RADIOGUY2002 · Post by **RADIOGUY2002** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 7:01 am

Where did you get the $40.00 deal from, I was informed that it cost 120. Good thing I did not pay that. i thought it was to high.

Thanks

KB2ZTX · Post by **KB2ZTX** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 4:37 am

I installed my 1721 Digital Mobile last month. It works good, and lots of nice new features...Selected channel priority..no more pushiung and holding to change pri...but you still dont know whats in scan or not...Digital works GREAT.....136 Mhz right to 174....

JAS

Post by **akardam** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 4:59 am

You'd figure that something as basic as showing channel scanlist state during scanlist programming would be a fairly obvious feature. Oh well. I'll probably still get a pair, if for no other reason than the multi-line display, full keypad, and more programmable feature buttons.

mr.syntrx · Post by **mr.syntrx** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 5:19 am

I've got an F620, an F221 and an IC-400PRO (Australian UHF CB version of the F210). They all exhibit the same quiet audio, and it has been the main cause of complaint among CBers with IC-400PROs.

There is a published modification to the microphone to get around this, that involves cutting one of the resistors in the mic (I'll have to pop one of my mics open to see which one, I can't remember which resistor this is at the moment). Deviation still stays within specs with this modification, and the radio sounds a lot better.

ESDA20 · Post by **ESDA20** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:19 pm

$120? Geezuz. Where the heck are you ordering from?

Sirennet.com carries it for $40. Even Galls had something similar for like, $60... geez.

RADIOGUY2002 · Post by **RADIOGUY2002** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:14 am

I new there were places that had it cheaper so I held off, and went to site that had experts like yourself on it. Thank You ESDA20 for the right direction. The prolbem is firguring out a install on a ford expoler sport trac, that the truck vesion so no one does not misundertsand what I'm saying with out remote heads. The angle platform would probabily work, that the product you have in the impala, it just would look rather bulky. I'm not to sure about the angle apporach though. See how the console shifts up after the flat surface. Any ideas?

New Install Job (Pics)

New Install Job (Pics)

On the install

INSTALL

Gamber Johnson

Installs

I NEVER SAID I BOUGHT FORM THEM