IC-R8600 Installation, Power & Antennas

Summary: Where to put the IC-R8600, how to power and ground it, how to fit the fuses, and which antennas suit it.

Location

Choose a spot with good air circulation, away from heat, cold, vibration, direct sunlight, dust, humidity and electrical noise (between -10 and +60 C). Don’t place it against a wall or put anything on top of it, as that blocks airflow and can overheat it. The receiver has a fold-out stand for desk use: pull it until it locks. Never carry it by the stand, dials or controls. The optional MB-123 carrying handle is available.

Grounding

Ground the [GND] terminal to prevent electric shock and interference, using a heavy gauge wire or strap to a long ground rod, as short as possible. Never connect the ground to a gas or electric pipe.

Power

• 13.8 V DC (+/-15%), negative ground, using the supplied DC cable (red to +, black to -) from a user-supplied supply. Standby current is about 1.8 A and maximum audio about 2.0 A.
• Or the optional SP-39AD external speaker with built-in supply, or the AD-55NS power adapter (15 V/2 A), with the short connector in [DC 13.8 V].
• Never apply AC or more than 16 V DC to the [DC 13.8 V] socket, never reverse the polarity and never remove the cable’s fuse holder.
• Turn it on with POWER; hold it until “POWER OFF” shows to turn off.
• Disconnect power and the antenna during lightning storms, and when not in use for a long time.

Fuses

The DC cable has two 3 A/125 V fuses; inside the receiver is a circuitry fuse APS 3 A/58 V. Disconnect the DC cable before replacing any fuse, use only the specified type, and use long-nose pliers. To reach the circuitry fuse remove the ten screws and the cover.

Antennas

The antenna is the most important element in reception: use suitable antennas and coax of the right impedance. ANT1 (N-type) covers the whole range; ANT2 and ANT3 are for below 30 MHz.

• The manual’s diagram shows a long wire (as long as possible, at least 10 m/32.8 ft, for short wave), wire dipole, T2FD folded dipole, Yagi and discone. Connect each to the connector that matches its impedance and frequency range.
• Icom’s options include the AH-710 folded dipole (2-30 MHz, 24.5 m elements, 30 m coax) and AH-8000 super wideband discone (100-3300 MHz).

Outdoor antennas need proper lightning protection and grounding.

Selecting an Antenna Below 30 MHz

Set a frequency below 30 MHz and touch the antenna indicator under the mode icon to cycle ANT1, ANT2, ANT3. The receiver remembers the antenna for each frequency range. See IC-R8600 Meter, Locks & Antenna Selection.