ICOM IC-400PRO

[Vin Rouge]

Hi, I'm new to Australia and fitting out my Land Rover Defender for off road use. 4WD Action issue 124 (October 2008) suggests that the ICOM IC-400PRO is a good buy. Has anyone actual experience of using this unit? Also, any views on what type of aerial should I consider. Again, the article seems to suggest 6db is a good compromise. I guess that I'll be using cb for club use (which has no really unusual demands) and also for solo use, initially in SE Queensland.

All advice welcome. Thanks

[dmdigital]

Pay the little extra and get the IC-440. its an even better unit and installation options are basically anything you could want as the entire controls, speaker and mic are all in the hand piece. The base can thus be installed anywhere and there is an additional extension lead for the hand piece that comes with the unit.

As for an aerial 6dB is a good all round, 3dB for hilly country. The RFI CD900 and CD5000 are the pick of them IMO. Make sure the aerial is ground plane independent.

[Xavie]

Well, i wouldn't go listening to that 4wd magazine as one month they are telling readers how good the icom is and the next they are telling people how good GME is. It depends on who has paid the most in the last month for sales and advertising I suggest.

However, I do ahve an ICOM and a great unit it is. Would go GME to save a few bucks if I didn't want the programability of the ICOM though.

[amtravic1]

I have had a 400 pro for quite a while. The advantage of the unit is that it is easily programmed for private channels and extra power. The disadvantages of the unit are nearly all controls are through a menu system which is harder to use than simple dials and buttons. For a first cb it may be a little daunting using the menu however I have found that once set the way I like it I rarely change it.
If you are not using a roof rack buy a small quarter wave whip (about 150 mm long) and mount it in the centre of the roof. It will outperform any other antenna you will buy and only cost about $30.00.

Ian

[Vin Rouge]

Thanks. I appreciate your views on magazine entries!

[jik22]

In my admittedly cynical opinion, magazine reviews tend to have more to do with who is supplying the item or sponsoring a given issue than the actual product itself! That said, the iCom is a very good unit and I run one myself. However, I'd be equally happy with GME or Uniden. The iCom is basically a commercial radio though, so it's light on front panel buttons for settings. I'd suggest you go to a shop which has a range to choose from and see which one you like - mounting position and size will also sway your choice, I suspect.

Aerial wise, 4.5-6dB is fine for general purpose use - just make sure you mount it properly, get one that is ground plane indepedent if it isn't going on your roof or other large metal surface (i.e. given a groundplane), and can withstand off-road use.

[Vin Rouge]

Thanks for the feedback and advice. Got a good deal from TJM ($499 for the complete set, IC-440 plus town & country antennas) and fitted today. Typicall, the first test receiving was some rather colourful language from a truck driver! Ah well, I'm sure it'll be used in earnest in a few weeks.

[dmdigital]

Describe or post up pic's of how its installed, might help others. Great unit isn't it:)

[Vin Rouge]

Sure, if this helps anyone.

Installation is pretty simple. I had a CB unit in the UK that was removed before shipping so I mounted the new unit in the same place, to the left of the steering wheel on the front of the parcel shelf - see pic. BTW mine's a Defender 90 300tdi. Power is taken directly from the main fuse box, although I left in place the in-line fuse that came with the unit. The mic extension came in handy. This simply runs from the main unit to a suitable position on the passenger side, again through the fuse box. The small connector is fixed with badge tape (heavy duty double sided tape).

I fitted the aerial to the nudge bar using a GME bracket. The cable was routed though the grill, along the front of the radiator and along the inside of the off-side wing, through the bulkhead to the back of the instrument cluster, then along the back of the shelf and down to the fuse box. One tip is to wrap the small plug with masking tape to keep it clean whilst shoving it through all those awkward places - it also insulates the metal against any potential shorts. Cable ties hold the cable in place and prevent chaffing.

Total time to fit, taking it gently, was about two and a half hours.

It looks like it's a great unit, although the instructions are overly complex.

[paul09]

does any one have the 400 pro software i heard it used to be on here but i cant find it

[amtravic1]

I think it used to be in the Files section but that now appears to be blocked. If you want the software send me an email and I will send it back to you.

Ian