The N1MU Icom HT Museum
With a focus on the IC-2A, IC-2AT, IC-3AT, IC-03AT and IC-4AT models You may wonder what would possess someone to curate a museum of Icom HTs. I wonder the same thing, but here it is and here you are reading this. I’ve acquired several Icom IC-2As, IC-2ATs, IC-3ATs, IC-03ATs, and IC-4ATs. Other models may be considered in the future. What’s the allure? Maybe it’s that unique sound they make when you turn them on. 4/20/2016 – KJ4XM IC-2AT “Unit 11” Acquisition from Craig Cecil.Craig graciously contacted me to offer this transceiver for the museum. This is SN 85373 and Craig also provided 4 battery packs, a battery eliminator, a microphone, and 3 aftermarket antennas all neatly packed in his go kit. Craig gave me some memories with this radio which I quote below. While I had done a
lot of shortwave listening, this Icom 2AT was my
first amateur radio transmitter. Until I got base and mobile 2 meter rigs
several years later, this handy talkie served as both my base and my mobile
unit. I had a magnetic mount antenna on my car as well as a hand held
microphone. I remember talking with fellow hams on the drive to and from work
each day in middle Tennessee. I was also a member
of ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service) back in those days and was very
active in storm spotting. I put together a quick “Go” kit in the cardboard
carrying case that I sent these items to you in. It had all the various
antennas, AC/DC adapters, battery packs, etc. that I might need. If anything
happened, I could just grab it and go. You never knew when a severe weather
outbreak would occur or when a hiker might get lost. I remember many evenings
spent checking into the weekly emergency net test. I can remember how
cool it was to be able to bring up the auto-patch and make a phone call from
handy talkie! That was back before car phones and cell phones. Technology
sure has come a long way!!! It sure has, Craig!
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3/20/2013 - KA6YGI IC-03AT “Unit 10” Acquisition from Steven Andres.This very clean unit, SN 04754, belonged to the late Cristina Andres of Arcadia California. Manuel and Cristina Andres are shown below. Their son Steven contacted me to offer the HT for inclusion in the museum. Please read the news article Steven shared with me about his parents. It is very heartwarming and should inspire one and all to act in kind when the need arises. |
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10/7/2010 – QST IC-2AT Review
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MUSEUM HOLDINGS |
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IC-2A, IC-2AT
Here they are, Units 1 to 4 from left to right. |
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Unit 1 – SN ?
This unit is an IC-2AT, but with a later style touch pad. I acquired it on eBay. It came with a dead BP-3 for which I have ordered a replacement NiCd insert from W&W. I’m swapping this original Icom battery pack with the OEM battery pack from Unit 3 because Unit 3 will be the “museum piece” of the group. Unit 1 also has a Communication Specialists SS-32SMP PL tone encoder board inside. It came set to 94.8 Hz, but I changed it to 110.9 Hz. This unit is in good working order and will be my everyday work horse. Unit 4 – SN 51823
This unit is an IC-2AT, a gift of |
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Unit 2 – SN 03347
This unit is an IC-2A. I also acquired it on eBay. It came with two BP-3 NiCad packs and a DC-1 Battery Pack Eliminator to allow plugging the unit into 12 VDC directly. Both battery packs were dead and physically damaged. One looks like someone exceeded the voltage limit or reversed the polarity when they connected it because the electrolytic cap inside the pack has exploded and melted the plastic of the case. I combined the good pieces from these two BP-3 packs to form a new one in good shape. I need to order another BP-3 insert. This unit is in good working order. It will be a loaner for any new Hams I know who need to borrow a radio before they get one of their own. |
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Unit 3 – SN 14965
This unit is an IC-2A, SN 14965, and it’s in almost mint condition. It will be the “museum piece” of the group, in other words, it will be like the classic sports car that only comes out in the best weather for show. It still has the plastic faceplate protector sheets over both switch plates and the serial number plate. I acquired this unit on eBay as well. It came with an external PTT switch, a BC-30 charger base, the manual, a Yuntong OEM battery pack, and the original wall adapter. This unit is in terrific cosmetic shape and is in good working order. In the manual I found the original purchase receipt from Electronic Equipment Bank in Vienna, VA from 9-4-82. That’s the year I started high school. The original owner of this unit appears to have been Elizabeth Zandonini, W3CDQ, although the person I bought it from said that Margaret Mollat, WA3IWK, was the previous owner. I am swapping the OEM battery pack with the re-celled original Icom pack from Unit 1 since it’s in such good shape. |
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Unit 8 – SN 12482
This unit is an IC-2AT, a gift of Jeff Ach, W2FU. It came with another dead battery pack. Sorry, no photos yet.
IC-3AT, IC-03AT
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Unit 7 – SN 05705
I purchased this unit on eBay. It is in nice condition except for some pronounced scratches on the front and sides. The case has a newer appearance otherwise. |
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Unit 9 – SN 10272
This is an IC-03AT I purchased on eBay for WAY too much. It looks and works great. |
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IC-4ATs
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Unit 5 – SN 07008
This Unit is in good shape and works well. It’s modeled here by Griffin (no call yet). I obtained this IC-4AT at the Rochester Hamfest from a guy who had four or five of them for sale. This was the best one. It still has the plastic on the metal label plates. |
Unit 6 – SN 04300
This one is fancy, but has a DEAD TRANSMITTER. I got it at the Rochester Hamfest from a ham who said he was from Ottawa, Canada. I’m pretty sure he knew it was busted, but he didn’t say so. What a crook. Maybe I can repair it. It has a very nicely installed DIP switch for setting the PL tone. Here is a table of the switch settings for the PL tones that can be set.
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Restoration
To restore these units, I wiped them with Clorox wipes and used a toothbrush to remove grit. As mentioned above, inserts for dead battery packs can be obtained from W&W. Here is a photo of a refitted BP-3. To remain true to the original design, this pack got a NiCd insert, not an NiMH insert. It should last several years with proper care. For other dead packs, I will most likely use NiMH inserts. |
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Other Topics
Icom
Japan has almost any manual you could think of on their support page.
The
IC-2A manual and schematic are available from http://www.mods.dk/.
The IC-4A/AT schematic and layout is
The
product review is available to ARRL members at http://www.arrl.org/. It’s a good read!
The
schematic for the BC-30 is available from http://www.cqham.ru/sch_eng.html.