ICOM 2730 VHF/UHF Dual Band Ham Radio

ICOM 2730 VHF/UHF Dual Band Ham Radio

Click here for: Transcript of the YouTube video tour with still images

Here is the ICOM 2730 VHF/UHF Dual Band Ham Radio. It has a detachable front panel and dual VFOs as you can see here. The first VFO has been selected as the main band and has been tuned to 145.450 MHz on duplex mode with negative shift of 600 kHz, and saved in memory channel 5. It is VU2MJJ repeater frequency, with the repeater located on a hill, a little over 30 kM from here. Power output has been set at the mid level and can access the repeater comfortably using a CP22E external antenna kept at about 9 m from the ground level. The second VFO has been set at 437.900 MHz which is the downlink frequency of International Space Station, hoping that some day it might be audible using the simple external antenna!

It is possible to switch between the two VFOs as the main band for transmission using the button named MAIN BAND on either side. So far only one QSO with a station at 1 kM has been made on UHF, that too only after fixing a schedule on VHF. That is because the SWR is 2.25:1 on UHF with the CP22E antenna, though theorectically a VHF antenna should resonate on UHF being third harmonic. SWR on VHF is only 1.1:1. V/MHz/Scan button on either side has multiple functions. It can choose the VFO on either side as well as change the tuning step to MHz instead of kHZ, for quick change over a large range. Scan button can scan the whole band or specified regions.

MR/CALL button below that can be used to recall the programmed memory channels. The small yellow push button at the top can switch on and off the radio on long press and mute on short press. Volume control is seen just below that. Rotary switches labelled DIAL on the bottom can change the memory channel as well as acts as the tuning knob. SQL is the squelch control. The advantage for all the controls, except the power button is that they are available on both sides for independent control of the two VFOs, which can be tuned to any of the available frequencies on UHF or VHF.

MONI/DUP button allows easy monitoring of the reverse channel while on duplex operation with repeaters. Pressing this will go to the receive frequency of the repeater so that we can check the reverse copy of the station being heard on the repeater and give them a report on reverse copy if present. This will also tell us whether we can move with the station to simplex operation on another channel when a local net is going on in the repeater. Pressing the LOW/DTMF button toggles between LOW, MID and HIGH powers easily, which you can use when the copy is difficult for the other station, to see if copy improves by increasing power. It is also helpful to find the minimum required power for a good contact.

MENU button gives access to the programming menu for programming the memory channels and numerous other functions which are difficult remember and is better done with the manual at hand! The hand mic with PTT has a keypad which can be seen partly in this video clipping. It can be used for keying in the frequency and many other functions which can be found from the operating manual. The detachable front panel enables mounting it in the dash of the vehicle conveniently while the main part of the radio can be at any other part with access to the battery. Antenna socket at the rear panel is an SO 239 connector.