Hi Brett.

I can fill in some of the blanks here.  The Icom IC271 and 471 series 
radios used the EX310 voice synthesizer which is extremely difficult to 
find.  I ended up dumping my Icom radios because they were just impossible 
to find and it turned out that buying a used Kenwood TS790A and a VS2 voice 
synthesizer was the path of least resistance.  Other than the fact that 
there isn't accessible documentation anywhere for the '790, it is a pretty 
good radio--actually a bit more sensitive than the Icom 271H.  I never did 
a comparison on the UHF side before I sent the Icoms down the road.

The Icom 271 had an optional AG20 GaAsFet preamp, and I think there was 
another one available.  One could be installed in the radio, the other was 
a mast mount preamp.  Unfortunately, I had neither, but the Icom 271H was 
at least as sensitive as the Kenwood TS711A (I had one of those too) and a 
bit more sensitive than my old Icom IC290A.

Mutek Ltd made a replacement receiver front end board for the IC271 series 
radios which really brought the performance of the receiver in that radio 
up to a world class radio.  Perhaps the one that you heard had one of those 
Mutek frontends as they were quite popular with weak signal VHF enthusiasts.

73, de Lou K2LKK



At 04:21 PM 10/4/2007 -0600, you wrote:
>You are right but I too forget the model number.  Wish I had a pair or
>better yet the Icom of that era.  The receivers were reputedly  (by
>those in my area working weak signal satellite or moonbounce)better on
>the Icom but I forget if the 271 471 had speech.  I do think that they
>had a GasFet preamp option which explains the receiver difference. =20
>
>
>###
>BRETT WINCHESTER
>[log in to unmask]
>208-639-8386
>###
>
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: For blind ham radio operators
>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Miller
>Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 2:39 PM
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Antenna switches.
>
>I think there was a 6 meter version of that too but good luck finding
>one.
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Dave Marthouse" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 4:18 PM
>Subject: Re: Antenna switches.
>
>
> > The 711 is a two meter all mode rig.  Make sure the radio has the
>speech
> > board and the pl board.  I had one and its companion the 811 for 432.
>The
> > radios worked very well and were real workhorses.
> >
> > Dave Marthouse N2AAM
> > [log in to unmask]
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----=20
> > From: "Chris Schulte" <[log in to unmask]>
> > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > Sent: Thursday, October 04, 2007 4:12 PM
>
>
>
>--
>No virus found in this incoming message.
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>5:03 PM

Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
Home e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
Work e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
Work Telephone:  (585) 697-5740