IC-R15 Getting Started: Accessories, microSD Card & First Steps

Summary: Fitting the antenna, strap and belt clip, inserting and formatting a microSD card, switching on and saving your settings for the first time.

Attaching Accessories

• Battery pack: with the receiver off, attach it and lock the latch (see IC-R15 Battery, Charging & Power).
• Antenna: screw the supplied antenna onto the SMA connector, holding the base to tighten it.
• Hand strap: attach it, and never swing the receiver by the strap.
• Belt clip: slide it on until it clicks; to remove, lift the tab and slide the clip off.

Inserting a microSD Card

Turn the receiver off, open the [microSD] slot cover, and with the terminals facing the front push the card in until it clicks. To remove it push it in until it clicks and pull it out. Don’t touch the terminals, don’t force or reverse the card, and don’t remove it while it’s being accessed (the data can be corrupted or deleted). Close the slot cover firmly.

Usable cards: microSD up to 2 GB or microSDHC up to 32 GB. Icom tested SanDisk cards (2, 4, 8, 16 and 32 GB, as of February 2024), and the list isn’t a guarantee. Format every card in the receiver before use, even a preformatted one. Bigger cards take longer to access.

Turning On and Setting the Level

• Hold [POWER] for 1 second to switch on (the opening message and battery level show, then the frequency), and again to switch off.
• Rotate [VOL] to set the audio level.
• Set the clock. The IC-R15 can’t set the time itself: MENU, SET, Time Set, Date/Time (date range 2020/01/01 to 2099/12/31, 24-hour time). Set it again if the battery has been out for more than a day. The CS-R15 software can set it automatically.

Formatting the Card

MENU, SET, SD Card, Format, then YES. This erases everything on the card, so back up a used card first.

Saving Your Settings

Saving the factory-default data is recommended. MENU, SET, SD Card, Save Setting, <<New File>>, then ENT and YES. The file is named SetYYYYMMDD_xx unless you change it (up to 20 characters, none of / : ; * < >). See IC-R15 microSD Card: Backup, CSV Import/Export & SD Card Mode.

Next Steps

Read IC-R15 Menu System, Quick Menu & Entering Text and IC-R15 Receiving: Dualwatch, Squelch, Modes & Tuning.