Icom IC-R8500 Shortwave AM FM SSB Receiver 100Khz - 1999.99 Mhz ***UNBLOCKED***

Description

Please Note:   In order to be able to mention other brands and models referenced in this listing, we have made use of an asterisk
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This sale is for an Icom IC-R8500 that is used and you will find a few small marks from previous ownership, but nothing truly outstanding.  Please look at our pictures for specific cosmetic detail.
Operationally, the receiver has been fully tested and performs very well with excellent sensitivity on its various receiving bands.  We did not notice any issues or shortcomings electronically and this receiver should serve its new owner with many hours of listening enjoyment.
The receiver covers an exceptionally wide swath of frequencies ranging from 100 KHz to 1999.99 MHz and is referred to as a DC to Daylight receiver which we describe in greater detail below.
The selling price of this receiver reflects the desirability and the fact that it is a coveted unblocked version, and thus, receives from 100 KHz thru 1999.99 MHz with no gaps in coverage (see the picture showing reception in the normally blocked 800 MHz portion of the band).  If you are in government, you could formerly purchase such a receiver for 00 and the receiver was not available to non-government private citizens.
This receiver is supplied with:
AC adapter (we can credit to you if you do not need this 120 VAC adapter)
copy of the user manual
copy of the service manual
copy of the brochure (4 page color)
Monitoring Times review August 2004
Passport review 1998 (Passport to World Band Radio)
Passport review 1999
Passport review 2009
Icom catalog page 2004 (color)
QST review April 1997 (amateur radio magazine)
WRTH review 1999 (World Radio & Television Handbook)
WRTH review 2004
EEB 1997 catalog page copy (Electronic Equipment Bank)
Passport 1997 advertisement
Universal Radio catalog page
CD which contains a block diagram, the schematics, and both the user and service manuals.  This CD is to assist in the use of the receiver and to enable the owner to keep the receiver operating for many years to come.  While the R8500 is very reliable and repairs are few and far between, the PDF of the service manual will be handy should its use ever be necessary.  The CD contains about 550 MB of documentation.
When interviewed about what would be their ideal receiver, most people would mention that they want one that is sensitive, selective, can pick up all the transmissions regardless of broadcast spectrum.  They would want to be able to get amateur bands and hear virtually everything during an emergency.  And not only a receiver, but they would like to have scanning features and a lot of controls to assist with reception and to help find unknown frequencies.  They would be describing a receiver / scanner as the Icom IC-R8500 and such a receiver would be attractive to amateur radio listeners, preppers, DX signal chasers, and radio enthusiasts who enjoy listening to the wide variety of signals that can be gathered with the proper antennas.  Thus, this receiver appeals to casual listeners or those who desire an excellent emergency receiver.
This R8500 is what is often referred to as a DC to daylight receiver.  This term is meant to describe a wideband receiver that picks up the low end of the spectrum in the longwave frequencies, but then extends up thru all the useable broadcast, amateur, marine, emergency and satellite frequencies.  This Icom IC-R8500 picks up 100 KHz on up to 1999.999.99 MHz (less cell bands) and, if living within the receiving range of a transmission and using the proper antenna, will pick up virtually all transmissions.  If you were to look for a do-it-all receiver, you would have very few choices.  Most HF band receivers do not pick up the public service frequencies.  Most higher band VHF and UHF and above receivers do not pick up the lower HF frequencies, or if they do, it is done very poorly.  This Icom IC-R8500 is a nice receiver that allows the user to have access to the full range of usable frequencies and not compromise reception on one end of the spectrum at the expense of reception at the other end and adds scanning features as well.
Let us explain what you can do with a powerful wideband receiver.
This receiver is comprehensive and can receive the following analog signals if using a decent antenna and within receiving range:
longwave
AM radio broadcasts
aircraft and ground control
fire
police and other emergency personnel
security (campus, hotel, stadium, auditorium, etc)
wireless microphones
railroads
road crews
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Service weather broadcasts
FM commercial radio
all Ham radio bands
TV audio channels 1 thru 69
CB radio
air to ground telephone
marine radio broadcasts
US Coast Guard
MRS (General Mobile Radio Service)
FRS or family handheld units
military emergency guard and strategic air command
search and rescue
helicopters and unicom
business frequencies
drive thru fast food
Border Patrol
news media
US Customs
ATF frequencies
FBI
A few years ago, we owned an Icom IC-R1 handheld unit.  It did not have the range as the IC-R8500, but with that little hand held unit, we picked up Lifeflight helicopters, Rockview State Prison chatter, Lock Haven University's Maintenance Dept., Penn State University's football stadium security, and even Air Force 1 in addition to all the typical communications. That's right, a few years ago, when Bill Clinton was in office, AF1 landed at Centre Community Airport on open channel.  Just before AF1 landed, all the bands went dead as everyone went silent for security reasons.  Ground communications with the Secret Service were encrypted so we could not receive them.  But soon after landing, the channels were all alive once again. That was on a tiny handheld unit that did not have the sophistication of this R8500 receiver.  This Icom IC-R8500 can receive so many broadcasts that you will sit for hours and listen in to a world that you never knew existed in radio reception.
We
have sat in our office and played with a similar, but older receiver, the Icom IC*R7000, and gone from a NOAA weather broadcast on 162.400 in State College, PA, to TV channel 10 In Altoona at 197.750 to the local State College Ham 2 meter on 146.850.  During snowstorms, we dial in the PennDot (Penna Dept. Of Transportation) road crews on 47.300 chatting about road clearing during the storm.  A few minutes into my playing, the local fire whistle went off so we tuned into 154.070 to get information on the Nittany Valley Fire Company call out.  We hen punched in the frequencies for the local PBS station at 91.5 Mhz to get the news.
The IC-R8500 is not only a receiver, but a scanner with 1000 memory channels.  You can spin the dial to get a frequency, direct dial with the keyboard, or access via memory.  Since you can scan, you can locate unknown transmissions or enter known frequencies that you want to monitor by setting band parameters and scanning for signals.  There is a priority channel that will come alive if you are listening elsewhere when a signal is transmitted and you also have scan speed and delay knobs at your disposal.  Much of the owner's manual is dedicated to explaining the wealth of scanning features.
Anyone who owns an Icom unit will tell you how well made they are.  This receiver feels like a tank...only a bit of plastic on the face, but otherwise metal and reminds me of military spec equipment. Since this receiver was a popular one for Icom, many past users have played with their R8500's to tweak it's features.  There are modifications online (MODS) to allow you to experiment and improve the receiver, if you are inclined.  These MODS are free to those who search for them in Google and generally will give you a step by step through the MOD process. This unit has not been touched so it is open for MODS, if desired.
Over the years, it has been our pleasure to own some of Icom's finest units.  As licensed ham radio operators (KB3GGC & KB3GGD), we formerly owned a Icom IC*737 transceiver that was an excellent unit.  It was sold when my (KB3GGC) father gave us his newer Kenwood transceiver a couple of years ago.  In addition, we have owned the IC*R75 receiver and also the IC*R9000 receiver that is probably one of the finest units ever made by anyone.  This IC-R8500 follows in that tradition and was produced from 1996 for a little over 16 years available to consumers.
This R8500 is loaded with features that will enable you to enjoy virtually anything you chose to hear. Let me take some time to list them for you below:
Picks up modes of AM, FM-n, FM-w, LSB, USB, and CW
Bandwidth of 150 KHz / 12 KHz on FM and then widths of
12 KHz /
5.5 / 2.2 KHz on AM and SSB
Sleep timer function shuts the unit off after preset time
Record jack for external recording
Headphone Jack
3 tuning rates
BFO
Noise Blanker for removing pulse type noise interference
AGC (automatic gain control) circuit to minimize the effects of fading
IF Shift to move the receiver's IF to avoid adjacent channel interference, esp. on SSB
Auto Peak Filter that aids in signal intelligibility and sound improvement
Attenuator of -10db to -30db
Tuning Steps of 10 Hz, 50 Hz, 100 Hz, 1 KHz, 2.5 KHz, 5 KHz, 9 KHz, 10 KHz, 12.5 KHz, 20 KHz, 25 KHz, 100 KHz and 1 MHz
1000 channels are available organized in 20 banks of 40 channels, plus 100 skip channels and 100 auto write memories
Display lamp dimmer
Tons of scan features
RS-232C input to allow for computer control with available software
This thoroughness of this receiver is somewhat deceiving as many of the features are hidden and not on dedicated keys.  It is assumed that many of these features are not used on a regular basis and the folks at Icom have added them by hitting a button and turning the memory dial to access them.  Once accessed, the operator would turn the main tuning dial to alter the settings.  This keeps the front panel clean and uncluttered with infrequently used controls.
If you would like to read more information on this receiver, you may find some info in the following links.  Ebay no longer permits us to post active links so you will need to cut and paste the links into your browser:
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/IC-R8500
Comprehensive all around great link
http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mtscan0804.pdf
Excellent review of this receiver in pdf format
At this point, we believe we have conveyed all the pertinent information to allow you to make an informed decision.  However, we are happy to answer any questions if you feel that we have overlooked anything.  Most questions will likely be with regards to shipping.
If you live in the USA, you may use the shipping calculator to get your cost.  Insurance is required and is included in the cost of shipping.
Those buyers living outside the USA are welcome to purchase this receiver.  Please use the shipping calculator to determine your cost.  We regularly ship items outside the USA and have successfully shipped items to 105 countries during the past 22 years of selling on Ebay.
Please keep in mind that this shipping cost does not include any import, duty, customs, or VAT fees.  If unaware whether you will need to pay additional money for such fees, we ask you to contact your local post office prior to purchase.
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