[FedCom] WARNING about new ICOM receivers.

[Rankin, Robert L]

ICOM's new IC-R-1500 and IC-R-2500 receivers are widely advertised as covering 10 KHz. to 3.3 GHz. with only cellular coverage deleted.  This advertising is misleading.  I was thinking about getting one of the radios and checked the frequency coverage in greater detail.  There are a number of frequency gaps described as "minor" in the GHz. ranges covered by the 1500, and, astonishingly, 867-869 MHz. are also missing!  These are maybe the most important 2 MHz. of the 800 segment.
 
The IC-R-2500 is even worse, although it does have provision for a P-25 digital board.  Several parts of the milair band have been chopped out, the bottom 2 MHz. of the new 380-400 MHz. military land mobile band are missing, and 412-415 MHz. are gone.  860-869 MHz as well as 915-960 MHz. are chopped out also.
 
These listings may possibly be for the radio that is marketed in Japan, but if the numbers are accurate for the U.S. version, then it would be pretty much worthless as a radio here.  
 
IC-R-2500 and PC-R-2500 coverage.
0.010 - 252.899mHz
255.100 - 261.899mHz
266.100 - 270.899mHz
275.100 - 379.899mHz
382.100 - 411.899mHz
415.100 - 809.899mHz
834.100 - 859.899mHz
889.100 - 914.899mHz
960.100 - 1300.000MHz
1300.000MHz - 3299.999MH Z

If you're thinking about one of these radios, I'd be very careful about verifying the coverage before leaving the store.

Bob, w0nxn