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Contents
What is the IC-R5? What's its overall frequency coverage? What receive modes does it tune? What tuning step sizes are supported? Does it support CTCSS? Does it support DCS? Does it have a backlight? What color is the backlight? Is the key beep adjustable? Does it have weather alert? Does it have a computer interface? Does it support computer control? What is cloning? Are there errors in the Owner's Manual? What does it cost? What does the radio come with? Can its cellular coverage by opened up? What about importing a foreign model? Are there better antennas available? What are the important "numbers"? Are there any undocumented key presses?| Q: | What is the IC-R5? |
|---|---|
| A: |
The IC-R5 is a wide-band scanning receiver which allows the user to listen to
most agencies in the HF, VHF and UHF spectrum.
Based on the highly popular IC-R2, the new IC-R5 is more of a receiver than a scanner but should provely highly popular with the radio monitoring crowd due to its overall size, audio, tuning range, receiver performance, construction, and feature set. |
| Q: | What's its overall frequency coverage? |
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| A: |
In a nutshell, the R5 can tune from 150 kHz to 1309.995 MHz.
In the US version, the cellular telephone ranges (824-849 & 869-894 MHz) are blocked. There are also several blocked ranges in the French and Japanese versions due to government radio restrictions as well. |
| Q: | What receive modes does it tune? |
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| A: |
The R5 can tune signals using AM, FM and WFM receive modes.
AM is used for shortwave signals (below 30 MHz), and civilian (108-137 MHz) and military (225 - 400 MHz) aeronautical bands. FM is used for most public safety agencies and basically almost everything above 30 MHz. WFM (wide FM) is used for tuning the broadcast FM band (88-108 MHz) and the TV audio channel frequencies (located within 54-72, 76-88, 174-216 & 512-806 MHz). |
| Q: | What tuning step sizes are supported? |
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| A: |
The R5 can tune in 5, 6.25, 8.33, 9, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 30, 50 & 100 kHz
step sizes.
Unfortunately the R5 does not support the US's latest 7.5 kHz step size as mandated by the FCC to make more room in some of the public safety bands. |
| Q: | Does it support CTCSS? |
|---|---|
| A: |
Yes.
The R5 can be programmed to use CTCSS to enable the squelch so that only signals with matching tones are heard. The R5 also includes a CTCSS tone search feature allowing the user to help identify if any tone is being used on a particular frequency. |
| Q: | Does it support DCS? |
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| A: |
Yes (although Icom likes to call it DTCS).
The R5 can be programmed to use DCS to enable the squelch so that only signals with matching tones are heard. The R5 also includes a DCS tone search feature allowing the user to help identify if any tone is being used on a particular frequency. |
| Q: | Does it have a backlight? |
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| A: |
Yes.
The R5 comes with a backlight used to illuminate the display only. This light can be programmed to be off, on or light for 5 seconds whenever a key or control is activated. |
| Q: | What color is the backlight? |
|---|---|
| A: | Green. |
| Q: | Is the key beep adjustable? |
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| A: |
Yes.
Not only can the key beep be disabled, there is a separate setting which allows the user to manually adjust the volume of the beep. |
| Q: | Does it have weather alert? |
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| A: | Yes, but only on the US version. |
| Q: | Does it have a computer interface? |
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| A: |
Yes.
The earphone jack of the R5 doubles as the interface for a PC connection (using an appropriate cable). |
| Q: | Does it support computer control? |
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| A: |
No.
The R5 can only have its programming data read or written by PC software. |
| Q: | What is cloning? |
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| A: | Cloning, when referring to the R5, is the ability to copy the entire contents of one R5 into another. This is done by connecting the two R5s together using a special cable and then activating the cloning feature. |
| Q: | Are there errors in the Owner's Manual? |
|---|---|
| A: | Unknown at this time. |
| Q: | What does it cost? |
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| A: | Unknown at this time. Probably around $225 USD upon first release. |
| Q: | What does the radio come with? |
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| A: |
This depends on the country in which it is sold.
The Japanese version is supplied with an AC adapter (with RF choke), belt clip, SMA antenna, hand strap, 2 AA NiCd batteries and Owner's Manual. |
| Q: | Can its cellular coverage be opened up? |
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| A: | While anything is likely given the expertise and patience of the right individual, the US version of the R5 can not easily have the blocked cellular telephone ranges "restored." The FCC mandates that all receivers sold in the US be unable, by any means, to tune within the cellular telephone ranges and even the act of doing so is federal crime. |
| Q: | What about importing a foreign model? |
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| A: |
US citizens eager to acquire an R5 so that they can tune within the cellular
telephone ranges do have the option to order one from a foreign country.
However, it is illegal to do so and recent changes to federal laws provide
harsh penalties (like tens of thousands of dollars in fines and several years
in jail) if anyone is caught doing so.
Besides, most cellular phones in the US are digital these days and no scanner has the circuitry which would allow you to turn such digital signals into analog so that you could hear the voice audio. |
| Q: | Are there better antennas available? |
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| A: |
Of course.
The antenna it comes with is quite capable for local signals but to get the most out of the R5's receiver performance, a better antenna can be used. The R5 uses an SMA antenna jack due to its small size which does limit the number of available choices (most scanning receivers use the BNC type which has created a large market for such antennas). While there are other SMA antennas to try, there is also the option of using an SMA-to-BNC adapter which would allow the R5 to use a BNC antenna. The only caution here is to make sure that by doing so, the antenna used does not cause undue strain on the R5's antenna connector due to its larger size and weight. Too much strain over a period of time will likely break an internal connection thereby requiring a costly visit to the radio shop. |
| Q: | What are the important numbers? |
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| A: |
Power: 6.0V DC, 170 mA Audio output: 100mW Size: 2.3 x 3.4 x 1.1 in (WHD) (58 x 86 x 27 mm) Weight: 6.5 oz (185g)
Power jack: TBD
External speaker jack: 1/8 inch (3.5mm), 3 conductor
Channels: 1000
CTCSS Codes: 50
Scan rate: 20 chan/sec
Receive modes: AM, FM & WFM |
| Q: | Are there any undocumented key presses? |
|---|---|
| A: | None are known at this time. |
| Copyright © 2002 by Richard J. Wells |
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