Ham Nation’s George Thomas Explores the Radio Possibilities with the IC

Sep 21, 2023

Icom America Inc. is a part of Icom Incorporated, a world leader in communications since 1954. One of a few organizations that manufacture a total radio line-up of Land Mobile, Marine, Amateur, Aviation, and Satellite radio, Icom's technological prowess is legendary. Icom continues to lead global industries with the development of digital technologies toward the future in radio communications.

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Ham Nation is over 20,000 strong on YouTube. For those looking for the latest and greatest in ham radio operations, the Nation’s covered it with over four hundred videos, including plenty of details on Icom’s IC-7000. And for Ham radio enthusiasts looking for even more community, Ham Nation’s YouTube page features the popular TWiT Tech Podcast Network and Ham Radio Crash Course channels that boast over 250,000 subscribers.

Amateur radio may sound niche, but it’s growing in popularity, and Ham Nation co-host George Thomas can relate to the enthusiasm. He’s been “hamming it up” for over thirty years, and lately, his go-to radio is the Icom IC-7000.

“Back in 1991, as a new ham, I bought my first Icom rig, really my first handy talkie altogether. That was the Icom IC24AT, a great little compact handtail, much smaller than anything else on the market at the time and about the size of the smaller radios today. Compact had many great features; it was a dual-band rig, and I used it to cross-band repeat and talk to all my friends; great times. But then I didn’t have any Icom radios for several years. Our local ham radio dealer didn’t sell Icom radios, so we mostly had another brand.

About 12 years ago, I had lunch with Ray Novak. When we finished eating, he walked by my truck, looked in, and noticed that I had two other brands of radios in there but no Icom. And he asked me, ‘George, do you even own any Icom radios?’ and said, no, I don’t. I have had one before, but I told him I didn’t have any now, and it had been years since I’d used an Icom rig.

Well, I ended up getting an IC-7000, and boy, let me say, that really changed my opinion. Not that I had any negative opinion of Icom before, but after using that rig and comparing it to the other two brands that I had, there was no comparison. The IC-7000 outdid the other radios, and since then, I’ve been exclusively Icom. With my HF, dual bands, mobiles, and hand-helds, Icom always seems to lead the field. Icom radios have become an essential part of my ham radio story. Why not write a new chapter in yours?”

Article by James Kent

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