This is interesting!

I have used both a hand mic, and my new Heil ICM mic made for Icoms, and
have always kept the 718 mic gain at mid-scale.  Maybe I ought to crank it
up all the way sometime, and see what happens.

The other problem I have is that it's hard to know when the compressor is on
or off, so I just leave that alone--hopefully in the "off" position.

Best 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Miller" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 7:12 PM
Subject: Re: icom ic-718


> The one I had, I had the mic gain wide open, with the hand mic, but put an
> SM-8 or something on there, you have to cut back the mic gain, that's what
I
> used on my 706, I don't like hand mics though I live with it on my 2 meter
> radio due to the keypad being there. The 718 I didn't have very long so I
> think I lived with the hand mic on it too, or I might have put an SM-8 on
> it, anyway, that's when you want to adjust the mic gain down a little, I
> don't change that much on my radios, it's the power that annoyed me.
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "gale conard" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Saturday, March 06, 2004 7:05 PM
> Subject: Re: icom ic-718
>
>
> > Well, I have been using an IC-718 for about six months.  I like it very
> > much, once I got used to the menus.
> >
> > I agree that it is very accessable, when you have the manual and
> > quick-reference, which are available on
> > icanworkthisthing.com.
> > I don't have the mic gain problem.  According to all reports, the audio
is
> > best with the gain at full, and the compressor on.  That sounds strange,
> but
> > I have bugged various friends numerous times, and the conclusions are
> always
> > the same.  Of course, it might be due to an ideosyncracy of my
particular
> > 718.
> >
> > I work a lot of CW, and I have decided to use an external keyer or
> > straightkey at home.  I don't like having to go into the menus to change
> > keyer speeds.  I have used the built-in keyer, and it works fine,
although
> I
> > would prefer a little more flexibility in the weighting adjustments.
> >
> > Again, this might be an idiosyncrracy of my particular unit, or
something
> to
> > do with the two different manual tuners I have tried, but I find tuning
> the
> > antenna at the low end of 160 meters, and 40 meters is quite critical.
> The
> > power output will suddenly drop to almost zero if one of the tuning
> > capacitors is just slightly off of the 1:1 point.
> >
> > Sorry, I can't figure out how to explain that better.
> >
> > Overall, I do like the IC-718, and find it comfortable to use.
> >
> > Good luck.
> >
> > 73,
> > Gale
> > [log in to unmask]
> >