Not quite "vintage" Icom

[N8YX]

Did Inoue Communications ever produce anything which could be considered a boat anchor, or a vintage rig?

I just bought one of the following -

745lrg.jpg

What intrigues me about the radio is that it has a continually variable AGC time constant (as do my Astro 10x-series rigs) and is capable of switching between "IF shift" or "Passband tuning" operation - which is something that my '751As cannot do.

Optional in the 745 but included in the 751 are the electronic keyer and the FM transceive boards. It also comes minus CW filters.

The unit I picked up has the keyer installed. A quick search through eBay netted a N.O.S. EX-242 FM unit (at true 'Rat Bastard' pricing) as well as an FL-54 (9.0115 MHz C/F; 270hz B/W) CW filter. I've yet to obtain an FL-52 or 53 (455KHz) CW filter for the thing but they're pretty common. Inrad also makes a decent - albeit pricy - replacement.

Quirks...there a a few. No mode "switch" per se - you step through the various modes via the front-panel button. As delivered from the factory, the '745 doesn't transmit AM - but this can be fixed per an AMFone article. Like the '751, its firmware is also contained in battery-backed-up RAM...but Piexx and Willco make replacement ROM-based boards. It just so happens that I've got one of the latter en route to me. 16 memories instead of 32, but there's an honest-to-goodness memory selector switch on the front panel.

While Eham's reviews of the '751A are a consistent '5', the '745 garners less favorable commentary. A slightly lower dynamic range and slightly noisier receiver are foremost among the complaints but until an A/B comparison can be performed, my personal jury is still out.

[W3WN]

I didn't think the IC-745 was a bad rig, in it's day. It's an under-rated rig, so if you got it at a good price, more power to you.

[N8YX]

I didn't think the IC-745 was a bad rig, in it's day. It's an under-rated rig, so if you got it at a good price, more power to you.

Is tree-fiddy (with keyer, mic and power cord) considered "good"?

[NQ6U]

One thing I really like about Icom HF radios is that they invariably have excellent receivers. Not K-3 quality, perhaps, but damned good.

[N8YX]

One thing I really like about Icom HF radios is that they invariably have excellent receivers. Not K-3 quality, perhaps, but damned good.

A K3 (or two) is on my short list. I wish Elecraft would come out with a "K4". That is, something with a little roomier ergonomics. Think Orion II sized.