Icom IC-F6023 UHF CB

[rochedalescan]

Icom's Latest released UHF CB Radio looks pretty decent and rugged.

IC-F5023 / IC-F6023
Features, performance and value for the everyday user.

Simple Operation
Compact design
Rugged construction (Die cast aluminium chassis)
Output power 25 Watts (3 Step Programmable)
128 Memory Channels with 8 Memory Banks
8-character Alpha Display
6 Programmable keys and independent volume knob
CTCSS/DTCSS/5 Tone/DTMF encode standard
4W (typ.) Front-mount speaker
MDC 1200 Compatible
Multiple 2-Tone and 5-Tone coding
Kill/Stun/Revive functions
Lone Worker Function
TX channel setting and Talk Back Function
Wide Frequency Coverage
Optional Internal Units
External memory channel control (With optional OPC-1939 cable)



Prestige have it listed for $439 http://www.prestigecom.net.au/index.php ... ts_id=2666

[Comint]

Not really legal for UHF CB with 25 Watts.

--
Comint

[Phantom]

Tis a commercial based radio, used for commercial operations only

That won't stop the idiots wanting to get caught using it illegally

[rochedalescan]

3 step programmable ? doesn't that mean you can select 5watt, 15 or 25 ? I think they are saying its a max of 25watt output same as alot of Icoms other newer CB Radios.

[Comint]

3 step programmable ? doesn't that mean you can select 5watt, 15 or 25 ? I think they are saying its a max of 25watt output same as alot of Icoms other newer CB Radios.

The F6023 is one of Icoms F6020 Series of LMR models which they have obviously decided to also market as a UHF CB. The "3 step programmable" spec refers to the whole F6020 Series.

The UHF CB Class Licence states the maximum power allowed is 5 watts, so I think Icom would be attracting the attention of ACMA if they were openly advertising a product capable of operating above this power level.

But then again, does the ACMA really care.

--
Comint

[alinco21]

They actually do.

[bananaman]

Yes you can run them on 25watts but they burn real quick

[Barny]

Hi Guys,

I have a few of the ICOM IC-F6023 radios (brand new), but I can't seem to reprogam them. Not certain which software to use : I have tried CF-F3160_F5060 (version 2.4) and CS-F3020+F5020 (Version 2.3).

Any suggestions ?

Thanks in advance.

[justbad4you]

i have the icf 6021 (same as 6023 ) thay do 5watts,25 wats.and 45watts.......i have the software if anyone wants a copy////pretty good radio....a little hard to program( but once done its easy the 2nd time around )had 5tone.2tone encode and decode........pretty gusty little radio and the 45 watts being 9x the legal power realy booms out.............has aan bigger heat sink than the icom 400.........................

[scorp]

Hi guys, I have recently purchased an Icom F6023 and am keen to program some extra channels into it, but have never done it before. I have ordered the required lead off ebay, but do not have the software. Can anyone help please?..cheers, matt

[scorp]

Thanks Warren, but cannot see anything relating to programming software for the F6023 on that Icom site at all...but thanks anyway, cheers, matt

P.S. I tried emailing 'JustBad4you' above, but have had no luck getting him yet.

[scorp]

Hmnn..I am still stuck. Cannot find the software needed to reprogram the channels...any help would be appreciated..cheers, matt

[Barny]

Hi Scorp,

Icom sell the software, so it can not be downloaded, from their site. Try searching for the file name. This link may help...
http://www.radioscanner.ru/files/icom/
Another alternative is to ask in the Icom Yahoo Forum site.

[scorp]

Oh ok, thanks Barny

[Shaker4x4]

i have the icf 6021 (same as 6023 ) thay do 5watts,25 wats.and 45watts.......i have the software if anyone wants a copy////pretty good radio....a little hard to program( but once done its easy the 2nd time around )had 5tone.2tone encode and decode........pretty gusty little radio and the 45 watts being 9x the legal power realy booms out.............has aan bigger heat sink than the icom 400.........................

I joined this forum for it's useful information as lately I've re-taken an interest in radios, more so since I'll be hitting the road with them. I bought one of these radios from Lakecomm due to it's rugged military spec and 25w tough circuitry. 5w is the norm and all I'll ever need, but wouldn't it be nice to have the option in case of dire emergency to be able to reach a repeater for help? The 25w F6023 is good, but the quote above regarding the F6021 would be a better option in this regard. I just saw on Ebay, one sent from the US at the current 94c US Aussie Dollar exchange rate and the 45w F6021 model is $340.08 at the time of this post. The F6023 25w model retails for $430AU so it's worth considering What I noticed however is the above Ebay link offered a good price on the Icom, but I noticed also he has one negative feedback out of not so many that the another Japanese brand was a copy made in China. Icom are well aware of fakes, so BEWARE of the mine field of Chinese inferior fakes being pushed onto the market. If you buy offshore, you have little recourse. It's good enough reason to buy from a reputable Icom dealer close to you.

As for the software for the F6023, I got it. There is a User and Dealer version, but do not be upsetting the ACMA and getting caught abusing dealer software and high power Tx settings or Tx on an illegal/unauthorized frequency, it's not a game! Personally, even if I were licensed to transmit 25w continuously I wouldn't on the F6023, maybe 15w max, but the F6021 no worries and it wouldn't fry. It's just a better radio and if I were to buy again and had of known, I would have taken the later option just so I know it won't burn out before my 4WD does even if it's just 5w Tx all the time pfff

Perhaps the IC-F6021 will be around well after the Zombie apocalypse or be seen having dust brushed off it in the next Terminator movie.

I bought an IC-41W as well, so dabble with that too. Love the Icom gear.

Cheers guys.

Edit. There has been a bit of misinterpretation of this post. This edit is to clarify that this post in no way indicates any willingness to break and rules, laws or regulations. Nowhere in text does it indicate I am willing to change settings on my radio to transmit more power, nor have the means to achieve that. Anything remotely close is merely speculating the ability of a particular radio here. Anything beyond such interpretations are accusations and shall be ignored in future. No text in my original post has been altered during this edit and edit again of this edit. People should read the wording rather than assume things. Thank-you.

[peteramjet]

High power or low power wouldn't make a difference with either the 6021 or 6023 - neither are approved for UHF CB use, regardless of the power output.

The chance of getting pinned is slim, but telling people on public forums like this you are using them incorrectly is one way to draw attention. You won't need to search far on forums to find those who have been caught because of info they posted on the net

[Shaker4x4]

High power or low power wouldn't make a difference with either the 6021 or 6023 - neither are approved for UHF CB use, regardless of the power output.

The chance of getting pinned is slim, but telling people on public forums like this you are using them incorrectly is one way to draw attention. You won't need to search far on forums to find those who have been caught because of info they posted on the net

Hi Peteramjet, I think you misinterpret my post and if you had of read thoroughly before criticism, you would see I don't condone breaking the laws surrounding CB. I merely, established the fact the other radio is much stronger and one can transmit for long periods every day on 5w for many years without a problem and if placed in a life threatening situation where a personal emergency beacon fails and all other avenues of communication aren't an option, you cannot be raked over the coals in a manner of common sense for bending a rule for the sake of preserving life (lets hope that never happens.) Otherwise, I did state 5w is all I or anyone else should use that is not licensed to transmit high power (if you read) or need to use period! Being a solo 4WD tourer, I'll be traveling the remote outback with a spot personal beacon, UHF radios and mobile phone only. I can't afford nor have the means to enjoy the luxury of HF radio.

The IC-F6023 (25w) is a dealer programmed to be Tx 5W only in Australia and can be 3 step programmable up to 25w (too much for it long term Tx use anyway) but is capable all the same if 'dealer programmed' [sic] and I say this because it's the authorized and radio licensed dealers that control these things because people can and do abuse the system, so changing power settings is not for those people and the ACMA don't want that getting out of hand either. Further more, just like the IC-F6023 is Tx power stage programmable, so too is the IC-F6021. Fyi, mine is set to LOW power @ 5w and I could program in the extra 10 or 15w if I really wanted to, that's common knowledge for anyone into radios and looks it up. Just because higher settings can get programmed in, doesn't mean you actually use them without license, that would be illegal. The 'if one is caught' argument is not relevant in what I am trying to say, ie: Programming higher power settings does not necessarily suggest intent to use and one must physically select that power setting and PTT in a two step process before it's obvious and deliberate intent. It's like having a set of flares which is legal. It's illegal however to set off emergency flares just for fun which in turn could raise alarm and mobilize emergency services, but in dire emergency where warranted, go for it, you can't be fined for raising an SOS or Mayday by any means available to you! Is the fire department going to issue you with a no burn fine because you didn't have a permit, but were sending SOS smoke signals up in the air? No, common sense would prevail and the issued fine would have no weight behind it in court if all you were attempting to do was preserve life.

Any high power model is legal to use providing it is set to 5w output upon transmission or upon user license to transmit higher power

With that said clarifying my original post regardless of being a public post or email to the Queen, I'm not concerned and nor should you be. Again, I do not condone anyone breaking the rules and adhere to them firmly and I have not said anything here to the contrary ok? Same things were suggested my previous post in it's entirety.

Thanks,

Shakes.

[peteramjet]

Hi Peteramjet, I think you misinterpret my post and if you had of read thoroughly before criticism, you would see I don't condone breaking the laws surrounding CB....

Shakes, I never said you condone breaking any laws - in fact I didn't even quote your post, and there are plenty of others who posted having purchased the IC-F6021/3. The topic is "Icom IC-F6023 UHF CB", and that is what I was referring to. However having read your comments re 5W/25W in the context of your reply to me, it can only be taken that you were eluding to operating on UHF CB channels. We're not talking brain surgery here mate. I don't care either way, each to their own, but I was suggesting it may not be the best idea to state on a public forum as others on here have been spoken to and cautioned by the ACMA for using UHF CB channels on commercial radios (if you search you will find the posts).

Regarding emergencies, you are better off having a good quality, well positioned antenna (centre roof) on 5w than having an option to use 25w with a poorly positioned antenna any day of the week. No point putting out more power to call for help if you can't hear the person replying Better still purchase an EPRIB, it is guaranteed to get you help. I assume the SPOT would work in a similar way. I also do plenty of outback and remote 4WD travelling (Simpson and CSR in the last 12 months), and I would never reply on UHF CB for emergencies as it is line of sight only, regardless of how much power you put out.

Any high power model is legal to use providing it is set to 5w output upon transmission or upon user license to transmit higher power

That's not correct. A radio operating on UHF CB channels must be type approved for that operation. The IC-F6023 is a commercial radio and not type approved for UHF CB - so regardless of transmit power programmed it cannot be used. Again, I don't care either way, but I was suggesting it may not be the best idea to state on a public forum if you choose to do so.

[Vkfour]

This old sausage has been banging around for a long time. Mr Peteramjet is absolutely correct, a device must be type approved for the service for which it is to be used. There are numerous posts about this in this forum, as well as details of what has happened to people who have been caught. Not surprisingly, some of them have been caught by posting on this forum. If you want further details of what can happen, let me know. As a barrister I have TRIED to defend some of them over the years.

[Shaker4x4]

I believe it would be. ACMA Standards are a bit disjointed and difficult to understand I admit. Even a six page Standards Explanation is of little consolation What they have done to ease confusion and it's a bit of a band aid approach when it comes to an ordinary person looking to understand device compliance reasons is to place a C-Tick of compliance.

My IC-F6023 (25w) has that C-Tick labeled to the bottom of the set and is dealer locked into 5w without access to software to alter than DEALER PROGRAMMABLE is the term they use to regulate compliance concerns. Seems fairly straight forward. My IC-41W also has the same tick lable affixed to it's packaging and on the radio under the battery. It looks like a black circle broken off at the top right with a no-ink rounded shaped tick and has (possibly the applicant number) N33 next to it. The text relating to this compliance reads, "This device complies with Standard Australia Specification No. AS/NZS 4295: 2004, AS/NZS 4365-2002 (40 Channel CB) & AS/NZS 4365-2011 (80 Channel CB.)"

I have also taken the liberty on contacting my Icom Dealer in regards to this compliance concern, which to me is not a problem. Perhaps things have changed, but as long as a set running on a standard CB license has the AVAILABLE (is the term the test standard uses) capability of 5w and nothing more, then it would pass test and user allowed to carry on is what I can interpret from documents.

The solid black circled C-Tick I refer to can be used until 2016 and is the third sybol down >this page<.

You have my leg pulled there for a while. I was actually concerned my radio was not compliant Misleading much? I hope not. Awaiting further confirmation anyway...

EDIT: Icom dealer replied to my email and informed me my F6023 is type approved for 5w power output and programmed as such.

Shakes.