IC-R8600 Memory Channels: Groups, Writing & Editing

Summary: How the IC-R8600 stores 2,000 memory channels in groups, and how to select, write, copy, insert, clear and name them.

How Memory Is Organised

• Groups 00-99: 100 groups of up to 100 channels (00-99): up to 2,000 channels in total.
• A: Auto Memory Write – channels A000-A199 (200), filled automatically during an Auto Memory Write scan.
• S: Scan Skip – channels S00-S99 (100) used to skip frequencies during VFO scans.
• P: Program Scan Edges – P00A/P00B to P49A/P49B (50 pairs) for the lower and upper edges. They’re pre-set with the same pair of frequencies and can’t be cleared or left blank.

A channel stores the frequency, receive mode, IF filter width, tuning step, DUP direction and offset, P.AMP on/off, ATT setting, antenna, IP+ on/off, tone squelch/DTCS setting, digital squelch settings, memory name, skip setting and select setting.

Selecting a Group and Channel

• Push V/M for Memory mode, then push the group keys (only groups containing a channel can be selected; blank groups can be selected in VFO mode), or touch the channel number, touch GROUP and choose 00-99, A, S or P.
• Rotate the MAIN DIAL (or push the memory channel dial key and rotate it, or turn DIAL C) to choose a channel; only channels with contents are shown.
• Keypad: touch the memory channel number, choose the group, touch CH-INP, key the number and touch [ENT].
• To move through channels across all groups, QUICK, Channel Select Group Range, All Groups.

Writing a Channel

Set the frequency, mode and other settings, then push memory write (MW MENU):

• Write to a New Channel – the first blank channel in the selected group.
• Write to the Selected Channel – overwrites the selected one.
• Select the Channel and Write – on the CH SELECT screen (one option inserts a new channel without overwriting).

Hold memory write for 1 second to write to a channel directly.

Copy to VFO, Copy, Move

• Copy to VFO: in Memory mode, hold V/M for 1 second.
• Move or copy a channel: MENU, MEMORY, choose the channel, push QUICK and choose Move Channel or Memory Copy, then rotate the MAIN DIAL to the destination and push it.

Clear, Delete, Insert

Touch the memory channel number, select the channel and:

• M-CLR (touch for 1 second): clears the contents, leaving a blank place holder.
• M-DEL (touch for 1 second): deletes the channel completely.
• M-INS (touch for 1 second): inserts a blank channel below the selected one.

You can’t clear program scan edge channels.

Names

Channels and groups take names (see IC-R8600 Menu, Function Screen, Quick Menu & Entering Text for the 16 or 10 character inconsistency). Group names: touch the channel number, GROUP, select the group, push QUICK, Edit Name. Memory names: MENU, MEMORY, choose the channel, touch the memory menu, Edit Name. You can’t rename groups A, S or P. Memory Name (Set, Display, default ON) shows the name above the frequency, and Group Name Popup shows the group name when you change groups.

The MEMORY Screen

MENU, MEMORY lists channels with group and number, frequency, mode, name and a select icon. The memory menu offers SKIP, Edit Name, Memory Write and Memory Clear. The select icon assigns Select numbers 1-9 used by the Select Memory scan.

Skip and Select Settings

See IC-R8600 Scanning: SKIP or PSKIP for a channel, and select numbers 1-9.