Warnings from Icom [12 February 2012], from 'eham.net'.

A snippet of the original post:

Just a few warnings from the manual of my IC-7000 MOBILE radio.

Icom: WARNING HIGH VOLTAGE! NEVER touch an antenna or internal antenna connector during transmission. This may result in an electrical shock or burn.

Icom: NEVER apply AC power to the [DC13.8V] socket on the transceiver rear panel. This could cause a fire or damage the transceiver.

Icom: AVOID using or placing the transceiver in areas with temperatures below –10°C (+14° F) or above +60° C (+140° F). Be aware that temperatures on a vehicle’s dashboard can exceed +80° C (+176° F), resulting in permanent damage to the transceiver if left there for extended periods.

Icom: AVOID placing the transceiver in excessively dusty environments or in direct sunlight.

A selected portion from the posted replies:

Warnings from Icom
by K9MHZ on February 12, 2012

">>>>Icom: NEVER apply AC power to the [DC13.8V] socket on the transceiver rear panel. This could cause a fire or damage the transceiver.

Dan: Seriously?<<<<

I was in a ham store a while back, and a guy brought in a Yaesu mobile HF rig, plopped it down on the counter, and said "damn thing don't work....I want a refund".

The employee asked the guy simple questions about his antenna, how much power it measured when connected to a dummy load, etc. The genius customer just kept repeating "huh?", and "I ain't got no way of doin' that", etc. A valid Technician licensee, apparently.

After this idiot was shown that his radio was fine, via a power supply and dummy load, he was actually even more upset and demanded a refund again. The employee calmed him down and convinced him to have it sent to Yaesu for "repairs" and that was enough to get this guy and his 350 lb wife out of the store.

I asked the employee about the kinds of things he's had to deal with, and he said that this was a mild case. He described several instances of AC power being applied to the DC power cables of new equipment.

So, Obama just gave states relief from No Child Left Behind....if the minimum is too tough, lower the minimum.

America today.

Warnings from Icom
by VE7OTH on February 12, 2012

"Perfectly acceptable considering the dumbing down of America that's taking place in our schools and the litigious society in which we live in. I was a Service Advisor at Icom in Bellevue for a period of time and trust me when I say that our community has't gotten a lot smarter as the years have gone on and at times I really had to stop myself from asking "How the hell did you pass your FCC test when you are asking questions like that?".. I heard some pretty shockingly dumb comments, questions and still do on the air... "which wire goes to the positive, red or black", can i use my cb antenna on two meters if I talk quickly"... you think I'm joking.... I'm not.... slam me if you want people.... other than the Internet and HOA/CCR's, I think the thing that's hurt Ham radio the most and will be it's demise was the introduction of no code tech licenses....... I never had anyone over 35 years of age or a code Ham ask me if they could use a plastic cutting board as a ground plane or if Icom would install a roger beep in their 706 for them.... sadly I did here [yes, he meant 'hear'] these..."

73, Jen

Warnings from Icom
by G6NJR on February 12, 2012

"Well i am a memeber of several mailing lists and user groups and have to say from what i have seen on some of the Icoms warnings do not go far enough. I have seen questions asked that make you wonder just how the license was acquired in the first place. Maybe, in a box of Cornflakes or something."

Warnings from Icom
by KA2DDX on February 13, 2012

"Years ago I worked for a ham radio dealer - a young man, who was an extra class licensee, came into the store and had his transceiver with him. He wanted it repaired. Asked what the problem is, he said radio stopped transmitting. Got the rig on the bench, opened it up and observed the charred ruins. Circuit boards, resistors, everything around the finals, all smoked and burnt. Asked him what happened and he said all he did was try to transmit and the radio blew up. We then asked what kind of antenna he was using and he said it was the cold water pipe above his bench in the basement.

A week later his mom came in and stated that she expected us to put a priority on the repair ahead of everything else in the shop that came in before his. And, she wanted to know, why wasn't this being covered under warranty?"

Warnings from Icom
by WB4TJH on February 13, 2012

"Believe it or not, I know of one idiot who actually soldered a 110 volt A/C plug to a DC power cord of an expensive HF transceiver and plugged it into the wall and the radio caught fire. He then tried to tell the dealer that there was something wrong with the radio. The dealer laughed him out of the store when the fool told him he had carefully followed instructions in adding the A/C plug. There is NO excuse for this degree of stupidity, but it does happen."

Warnings from Icom
by WB6SN on February 13, 2012

"I worked in a 2 way radio store for years as a salesman and technician and remember a poor operator who came into the store after installing his radio and said he couldn't talk more than a block on it. So I went out and checked his rig. He ran out of RG58 about half way to the trunk and spliced in lamp cord to make up the difference. HA HA HA. He was also using a CB antenna on his 2 meter radio. Double HA HA HA"

Warnings from Icom
by K9MHZ on February 18, 2012

"I don't know, bro. If they've been Techs for a while, there's generally a reason why. You should hear the local machine here in Indy where they congregate. Beautiful machine, exceptional coverage, and each transmission is more stupid than the previous. Throw in some truckers with their CB lingo, and you have to look at your radio to be sure it doesn't say Cobra instead of Icom on the front.

It's definitely a different world now."