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Old 5th Jan 2021, 4:28 am   #1
Hobooldman
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Default Icom 271e advice please.

Hi
I am new to the forum and very new to ametuer radio.
Recently I acquired an Icom 271e and I'd like to get some advice, tips and tricks etc as there is very little information I can find on youtube or google.
She came with a user and service manual and she looks very clean and tidy for such an old girl. The Gentlemen I acquired it from had it sitting unused for a number of years so my plan is to have it serviced just to be sure its operating at it's best. I would crack it open and have a go but to be honest I am not that technically competant and I think I would do more harm than good.
Does anyone know of a good technician around the Surrey and Home Counties that would service her and ensure she is working at peak performance?

One strange thing I notice with her is that the meter moves to around 3/4 fsd and hardly moves at all whether it receives a strong or weak signal. The meter light does not work either so I was wondering if this may be the reason the needle is remaining static. I have fiddled with RF gain, Squelch and power settings but no joy.

I'd appreciate any advice, tips and tricks etc on operating her. Your experiences, no matter to what degree, would be useful in order for me to get the best out of her. So far I have only used her on FM simplex but have had a couple of good qso's which was fantastic. I love the tone of the transceiver and the fact I can adjust it with the rotating knob. A real step up from my trusty UV5!!

My current temporary installation is a Diamond X200n at 4m above the ground using Ecoflex7 and Messi and Paolini connectors. As soon as the weather improves I will move it to the top of the house for better reception. Has anyone used this antenna and how does it perform for you?

I like the fact that she has USB/LSB. I will have to sort out a horizontally polarised yagi to work those modes however that's not too much of an issue and it gives me stuff to do project wise while shielding on lockdown! This could be an opportunity to build myself one.

Any advice you good people have to share with me would be fantastic. I have lots to learn and I'm listening.

73 for now.
Hobooldman
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Old 5th Jan 2021, 4:09 pm   #2
ex seismic
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

A friend of mine takes part in the Tuesday night 2m contests (SSB) using a vertical aerial. Obviously not as a good as a steerable beam but he enjoys it. Try it before investing in a beam and rotator and possibly a stronger mast! Or cobble something together and put it in the loft where it doesn't have to be wind or waterproof or very expensive. Yes, you will lose a bit of signal but not as much as you might think.

Gordon
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Old 5th Jan 2021, 4:50 pm   #3
G6Tanuki
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

From memory, there's some vertically-polarised SSB around 144.250 - could be worth a listen?
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Old 5th Jan 2021, 7:19 pm   #4
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

Hi Hobo, welcome, and I'm glad you are enjoying your radio.

As the radio has apparently been quite well looked after and stored carefully while it was not used I would usually say 'if it isn't broken, don't fix it'.

However it does sound as though you have a minor niggle with the S-Meter. When the radio is receiving a steady off-air transmission you should be able to make the meter reading and the strength of the received signal vary by turning the RF gain up and down - you're saying that is not happening?

You could try 'exercising' each of the switches and rotary controls back and forwards a hundred or so times - if they have not been moved for many years the contacts may have tarnished or the grease which was often put on the sliding contacts may have turned to goo.

If the meter dial light is out on a radio from that era, it's usually going to be just that, a blown bulb.

For SSB operation with horizontal polarisation there is always the omnidirectional 'Halo' type of aerial or just a horizontally polarised dipole, which will be 'bidirectional'.

Last edited by SiriusHardware; 5th Jan 2021 at 7:32 pm.
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Old 6th Jan 2021, 10:58 am   #5
Jon_G4MDC
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

It has a front panel switch labelled Meter. I'd suspect that first.
Does the meter behaviour change between SBB and FM modes when in RX? They usually do.

Some warn about them having a battery backed RAM which contains the operating code.
It's bad if this goes flat. I'm not sure if the battery can be replaced. It could be one those integrated blocks, memory battery and all. Apparently there is (was) an EPROM based replacement for it.

https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?thr...c-271a.508248/
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Old 6th Jan 2021, 4:18 pm   #6
Hobooldman
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

Thank you for your replies Gentlemen.

Ex Seismic Thanks for the SSB net heads up, Ill scan for that to be sure.

G6Tanuki Ill be sure to have a look at that freq.

SiriusHardware I agree with if it aint broke dont fix it. I am unfamiliar with the radio and don't know if it's broke though!
If we were able to go out I'd take it to my local club and plug it in and let some of the professionals have a drive.
With regard to the meter, I realised I hadnt tried it on SSB yet so I gave it a whirl and found the meter will go to 1/2 fsd. Thats a result eh! Imm moving forward.
I did spend a considerable time last night excercising her knobs and it doesnt seem to have made any difference so I assume all is good on the knob front.
This morning, after speaking last week to Rob at ICOM spares, a new bulb arrived along with a pen and coffee mat. What a nice surprise. I will have to work out how to fit them into the rig!!

For the SSB operation I quite like the Dipole option, it should be small, quite easy to make and tune now my daughter has given me her tinyVNA. The last vertical i made, a colinear, and tested had a very wide curve on the SWR function which I am led to beleive means the antenna is not very efficient, something I will have to research which is cool.


Jon G4MDC The meter switch does change the operation of the meter between modes. It's supposed to be a "discriminator" when pushed in, again more research required.
As for that battery...Hmmm. Yes I have read about that. Apparantly it can be changed providing a substitute is temporarily soldered to the board to keep the eprom running. I have the document in my folder for future referance. TBH, thats one of the reasons why I would like the rig serviced.

So all in all I think with your kind input guys I am moving forward.
I just need to get down the shack and play with her to become more familiar.
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Old 7th Jan 2021, 10:00 am   #7
Andrew2
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

Jon is right about the battery. If it goes flat due to lack of use, the operating system can lose its marbles and the radio becomes useless. AFAIR, the radio had to be returned to Icom to be re-programmed and a new battery fitted.
Later, a non-volatile memory mod was available, but I can't recall if this was a genuine Icom mod or a third-party item.
However, the fact that your radio seems to be behaving in a generally sensible fashion sounds like good news.
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Old 8th Jan 2021, 3:28 am   #8
Hobooldman
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

Good morning Andrew2.

Yes that is what I have understood about the battery. Eeekkk. Don't even want to go there.
I researched this issue and found that the board is still available from Roberto Nardo IK2RND in Italy. For the small price of 64 Euros he will send one air mail. Thats a very small price to pay for the security of knowing that the volatile memory will never fail.
The board does have a small button battery however this is for the retention of the 32 memories only and that is not really a hassle to reprogram myself. It is supposed to last 5 years so around the time I renew my licence with Ofcom! Additionally it will slightly expand the operating frequencies so I am looking forward to seeing that.

I may do a short you tube video on this because there really is not much out there relating to this model, it will make life a little easier for others.

I'd like to find a CTSS board too. I'll have to save the pennies for that one though.

I am in the process of replacing the meter bulb that I got from ICOM UK. They said it was not an exact replacement as it has no grommet, the same size and bulb wattage though and I found that by snipping wires close to the old bulb I could pull the grommet off and thread the new wires into the original part.
On inspection of the caps, resistors etc I could find no trace of burning, warping or oozing. She looks very clean and surprisingly NO DUST. I don't think I'll bother with a service. The nice old fella who had this before me really did look after it.

So, all in all I seem to be racing ahead and certainly feeling better about the whole thing.

I sincerely thank you kind gentlemen for you help.
Stay safe my friends as it's time for bed.
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Old 9th Jan 2021, 4:29 pm   #9
SiriusHardware
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

I think that price for the replacement non-volatile memory board is a fair price to pay for peace of mind, as against the constant risk that the radio will turn into beautiful looking expensive scrap if the battery retaining the firmware contents ever runs down. An unusually terrible design decision by Icom. I suppose that originally, they might have meant for the firmware to be easily upgradeable.

I would be inclined to get one of those upgrades ASAP because with low volume, limited run items like that you can never be sure how long the person who makes them will keep making them for - usually it's just a technically minded enthusiast who did the initial work for themselves first, and then decided to make it more widely available. Someone like that is under no obligation at all to keep the supply going indefinitely.
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Old 10th Jan 2021, 7:41 pm   #10
Hobooldman
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Default Re: Icom 271e advice please.

SiriusHardware, I contacted the chap by email and he has one and will be sending it ASAP. He replied by email with the instructions for fitting etc and its a straight swap. Just got to solder 2 wires to the logic board for a small single push switch which I have in my spares box already although Im a little nervous about that aspect.
Might wait for my daughter to come home and get her to do it for me, better eyes than me and her hands dont shake!

As for the CTSS, well my local ham chaps sent me a link to a diy board that might just work. http://www.zl2pd.com/CTCSS_encoder.html
Will have to have a good look when its all quiet tonight.

Will keep you posted with the RamBoard.
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