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Posted: 11/10/2018 1:59:01 AM EDT
[#1]
I've had one for quite a few years.
It's a VERY solidly-built radio - patterned after the IC-78 "Land Mobile" radio. When compared to most other radios built in the pre-DSP era, performance is quite good. There aren't a whole buttload of menus and sub-menus, so it has a pretty shallow learning curve - easy to use. For the right price, a used one could be a very worthwhile purchase. ETA: Has plenty of positive reviews on EHam.net. |
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Posted: 11/10/2018 2:09:01 AM EDT
[#2]
Thanks been reading reviews seems like a pretty solid rig. My dad is all about Kenwoods and I almost went with a TS430 but I like how simple the Icom was, which is odd because my Icom VHF radio is so confusing sometimes to program
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Posted: 11/10/2018 7:48:43 AM EDT
[#3]
An excellent choice for your first HF rig.
TS-430 is too old, it was a good choice 25 years ago. today I'd worry about blown caps and other troubles. |
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Posted: 11/10/2018 8:38:31 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
An excellent choice for your first HF rig. TS-430 is too old, it was a good choice 25 years ago. today I'd worry about blown caps and other troubles. |
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Posted: 11/10/2018 9:07:17 AM EDT
[#5]
Great choice for a first HF rig. It has a nice, clean interface and all the functionality you need to get started. Actually, it will last you long after you get started. I have a number of other radios with more features than my 718 but I'll still power up the 718 on occasion because it's such a nice radio to use. My 718 will always be a part of my shack.
73 |
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Posted: 11/10/2018 9:15:31 AM EDT
[#6]
I had one for awhile. For what it was, I really liked the radio. Took it to field day once and used it as a backup when the club/county IC-706-MkIIG's went to shit. After that I got burnt out on HF and sold the radio.
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Posted: 11/10/2018 12:30:53 PM EDT
[#7]
Great Radio.
Does it come with a power supply and antenna tuner? I use an LDG IT-100 tuner. Tuner is 'plug and play' there is a menu option for selecting the tuner. Works Well. ETA, HRO has them for $160.00, sure you could find a good used one pretty cheap. |
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Posted: 11/10/2018 3:20:54 PM EDT
[#8]
My only HF radio. Love it and they are a bargain.
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Posted: 11/10/2018 3:24:10 PM EDT
[#9]
I have a 718 here with the narrow ssb filter. Good solid radio as others have said. I figured out how to do most functions without the manual, as a testament to ease of use. Fixing to upgrade here but I’m torn on selling it
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Posted: 11/10/2018 6:34:34 PM EDT
[#10]
IMO get an IC7200 instead.
I never did figure out how to set up those damned boxes to do digi. I plugged my 7200 directly into my laptop and waas GTG off the bat. |
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Posted: 11/11/2018 9:10:47 AM EDT
[#11]
Great radio, I have owned one for many years without issue. When they were first released they sold for $500.00 then quickly went up to almost $700.00.
Fairly easy to program. I say grab it! Bill |
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Posted: 11/11/2018 6:04:27 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
IMO get an IC7200 instead. I never did figure out how to set up those damned boxes to do digi. I plugged my 7200 directly into my laptop and waas GTG off the bat. Damned if I know where I put it! Well, off on a 'Treasure Hunt' tomorrow, sure I'll find a bunch of other neat goodies! |
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Posted: 11/11/2018 7:56:45 PM EDT
[#13]
An excellent first radio with a tried and true design. It will require an external antenna tuner if you're going to frequency-agile, especially on the lower bands, though.
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Posted: 11/12/2018 10:53:07 PM EDT
[#14]
Thanks for all the input guys, I told her I would take it and she is gonna hold it for me until I have the funds for it secured. I have a really nice guitar I never use and I am going to list it for sale and hopefully pick it up soon.
It doesnt have a tuner, just the radio and mike as it came with when she purchased it new several years back. Looking forward to passing my general and getting on the air soon she is actually the VE for our club. |
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Posted: 11/16/2018 7:00:05 PM EDT
[#15]
Some people knock LDG tuners but I have a LDG IT-100 and it gets along well with the 718 for a very reasonable cost. Also a Heil IC mic that after a simple wiring mod works extremely well. It had a hum in it and a call to Heil got a cure by grounding a wire to the Foster mic connector.
If you wind up with a 718 and ever use one of the excellent Heil IC mics you need to look up the following: 1. Shielding of the Mic Connector We, here in the Heil Sound lab, have discovered a very interesting fact. Most of the major transceivers today do NOT ground their microphone shields! That’s correct – the mic connector shields FLOAT! Now wasn’t this one of the FIRST things we learned about building RF transmitters with speech audio sections? GROUND those shields!! So, we came up with a very simple fix that just about anyone can make to their rig. You don’t have to get inside the radio, so you don’t void any warranties. The fix is simple and effective. This applies to the 4 and 8 pin Foster (that’s the Japanese company that builds those dang little mic connectors!!) microphone connectors so common on today’s rigs. The fix is described on their website under "Tips". Look at "RFI Removal from Microphone Inputs". |
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Posted: 11/19/2018 1:31:21 AM EDT
[#16]
I had a couple of IC-718's (one my main rig in the shack, one for portable use) until Piccolo harangued me enough
to get an IC-7200. So I bought two and sold my two 718's Still, the 718 is a solid, reliable, and easy to operate basic ham transceiver. You could do much worse. But I agree with Picc, the 7200 is a better radio. You don't see many used ones for sale, but they are out there. Samlex SEC-1223, SEC-1223BBM, or SEC-1235M power supplies. All reliable. (Edit-I have all of these models.) Tuner - another vote for the LDG IT-100 tuner for the IC-718 or IC-7200. (Edit-I use IT-100s with both of my 7200s.) |
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Posted: 11/22/2018 1:02:21 AM EDT
[#17]
I vote not getting a brand specific tuner. With icom it’s not needed. Get an ldg at100 Etc and the cvi cable for it. Press tune on radio and the tuner does its thing. I’m switching over to a 7410 myself.
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Posted: 11/26/2018 1:43:43 AM EDT
[#18]
thanks for all the suggestions guys, should have it in a couple weeks!
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Posted: 11/29/2018 11:31:55 AM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
thanks for all the suggestions guys, should have it in a couple weeks! several under $100. https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/mics/2168.html You will also need the #0108 CC-1-I cable for 8-pin connection with the above mic. This one is designed especially for Icoms and comes with the correct cable and plug. https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/mics/3224.html When I added the Heil mic to my old 718 I was asked by some other hams that I regularly held QSO's with, "What did you do? Buy an amp?" And even though it has a Noise Reduction circuit, the 718 can use the help of a good outboard NR system. The West Mountain Radio CLR Speaker (Clear Speaker) has it's own built in audio amp and noise reduction circuit that is VERY effective. I'm currently using a Heil HM-12 with my Ten-Tec Jupiter. https://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/speakers/4964.html And yes, the $200 or so cost of the Clear Speaker sounds expensive, but once you hook it up and use it, you'll know it was money well spent. It does require 12v but I think they now come with a Powerpole already installed. |
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Posted: 12/3/2018 1:16:22 AM EDT
[#20]
I was talking to a local ham in the radio club Friday and Saturday at work he dropped off an old TS 430 to me and said I could have it. It needs the relays cleaned, also needs a power cable and prob a couple other things but he said do with it as I wish he forgot he had it. I am prob still gonna buy the IC 418 from the other Ham in the same club and work on this one off and on until I get it going good. I told him after I am finished with it it would be a spare if anyone needs to borrow it that may be down a radio due to lightning or something unforeseen. My dad has had a TS 440 for years and still uses it to this day and it is highly modified.
It was very nice of the guy to give it to me but he isnt radio poor by any means, lol |
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Posted: 12/3/2018 11:35:45 AM EDT
[#21]
That's Awesome!
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Posted: 12/4/2018 11:31:55 PM EDT
[#22]
no transmit on the TS-430S
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Posted: 12/4/2018 11:52:49 PM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
no transmit on the TS-430S Do you hear anything when it keys ? Does the "on air" LED lite up ? are you on LSB or USB, . . . . it doesn't have a carrier on sideband what are you using for an antenna or dummy load ? |
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Posted: 12/6/2018 10:18:16 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: details? Do you hear anything when it keys ? Does the "on air" LED lite up ? are you on LSB or USB, . . . . it doesn't have a carrier on sideband what are you using for an antenna or dummy load ? |
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Posted: 12/14/2018 5:07:36 PM EDT
[#25]
relays cleaned, all connectors checked again. I suspect something is amiss in the final or some cold solder joints have failed. I'll begin the slow process of pulling the boards and re-soldering most of it.
On a good note I picked up that Icom IC718 today! She threw in an MFJ 993B Intellatuner to sweeten the deal! |
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Posted: 12/14/2018 9:26:18 PM EDT
[#26]
Congrats on the new rig!
ETA -- How and what are you using to troubleshoot the 430? An external power meter and dummy load are optimal for transmit of course, but the receiver just needs a length of wire into the center of the coax connector (NO TRANSMIT). Tell us how you are determining the low output/RX please..inquiring minds want to know. 
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Posted: 12/15/2018 1:42:33 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Congrats on the new rig! ETA -- How and what are you using to troubleshoot the 430? An external power meter and dummy load are optimal for transmit of course, but the receiver just needs a length of wire into the center of the coax connector (NO TRANSMIT). Tell us how you are determining the low output/RX please..inquiring minds want to know. |
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Posted: 12/15/2018 11:53:56 AM EDT
[#28]
bad info 73, Rob
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Posted: 12/15/2018 2:10:53 PM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
bad info 73, Rob |
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Posted: 12/15/2018 3:08:07 PM EDT
[#30]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I have a 10m and an 80 m dipole that I listen on, to transmit I took it over to my dads and he transmitted to test it since he has been a General for years Before you go to the trouble of re-soldering the boards, you may want to try opening it up and tapping on the boards with a wooden or plastic dowel to isolate the problem board. Freeze spray works wonders to locate cracked solder joints. |
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Posted: 12/16/2018 12:20:35 AM EDT
[#31]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
bad info 73, Rob 73, Rob |
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Posted: 12/17/2018 11:42:27 PM EDT
[#32]
Thanks guys i'll look into all suggestions, gonna take my time with it as I am a newbie as far as radio repair. In the meantime ill be listening!
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