Someone on the list mentioned the new icom talkie a while back, and I read
a small bit some time back as I recall on handihams.  Well, I had a chance
to play with one today at a e s.  Icom representative was there so I asked
a lot of questions, and here are my impressions, such as they are.  On tv,
it really kicks but.  Channel 33, a weak one here in town, couldn't be
heard at all on the th-f6.  Full quieting on the icom.  I  even swapped
antennas.  I took a look at specifications, and the icom does list being a
little more sensative, but i suspect icom has taylored this thing for
optimal band width of 15kc in the tv stuff, I think the kenwood is too
wide in wide mode, and of course, too narrow in n fm mode.  On the weather
channels, strangely enogh, the kenwood had the edge, just a little.  The
cw feature when she turned it on was really cool, speed is adjustable from
ten to 25 wpm.  Now, here is the sad part.  You'd think they'd build in
other beeps and such to make this thind useable, they don't.  The rep
couldn't figure out a ay either.  Here is how this thing works as I
understnad it.  To set, say the tone or the cw speed, you push a set key
which puts into a set mode.  You then must select what you want to set,
speed, tone, dcs, and so forth.  No way at all as near as we could tell
how to tell where you are in this menu, and no reference beeps on tones.
Also, no beep on memory 0, although you can select memories from the
keypad.  Anyone else played with tis thing and have any comments?

I love the kenwood, but really really disappointed in its performance on
tv band.
73s
Butch Bussen
wa0vjr