flloyd@L1-A.West.Sun.COM (Fred Lloyd SUN Phoenix SE 602-275-5537 x17) (05/02/91)
I'm afraid that my article on the W2A has left some folks believing that the radio has a problem with front-end overload and intermodulation problems. I just wanted to clarify my position on this a bit... The IC-W2A does have a sensitive front end. So does about any other late model handheld transciever that I've seen or used in the past couple of years. The IC-W2A is not remarkably different in this area than any of the rest that I've seen. If you're currently considering purchasing an IC-W2A, there's no need to be concerned that some other brand might have a better (less suceptible) front-end - chances are that it doesn't. Most of the newer hand-helds are very competitive in price and performance and there's not a lot of difference in their operational abilities in the RF spectrum. You'll find most of the differences in the features (bells and whistles) which they offer. As long as wide (e.g. non-ham) band receive capabilities continue to be "featured" selling points, and as long as micro-minature construction and rediculously small rubber duck antennae continue to be in vogue, the "intermod problem" (as it's often called) will continue to persist. Anyway, I just wanted to make sure that I hadn't scared anyone off from the prospect of getting a W2A, it's a fine radio and you'll like it a lot. In my opinion, it performs at least as well as any one of the other major brand dual band handhelds. -fred AA7BQ -- | Fred Lloyd AA7BQ Fred.Lloyd@West.sun.com | | Sun Microsystems, Inc. ...sun!flloyd | | Phoenix, AZ (reality -- what a concept!) (602) 275-4242 |