HTX202 Greetings HTX-202 Fans: It seems that human nature dictates that every major item we purchase be "hot rodded" into something other than what the manufacturer intended. Our first car, our first radio, and now: the HTX-202. Regardless of the total lack of necessity for most owners, everyone wants to broad-band the 202. Perhaps in our evolution, there is a little CB radio mentality left under the surface. Who knows? But hopefully, I can answer a few questions which have yet to be answered to the ham community. The HTX-202 is based on the ICOM 02AT with certain design modifications besed on Tandy's specs. These variations include encode/decode, additional memories, and a full width LCD display. Contrary to rumor, no part of the radio is Kenwood or Yaesu! ICOM sold the rights to their design to Tandy to do with what they would. Whan Tandy sought to produce the unit, they went to their usual Korean source for cheap gadgetry: MAXON. Maxon then built the 202 for Tandy, under license from Icom. The HTX-202 is surprisingly sturdy, and well constructed, considering that Maxon has the worst quality control in the industry. Be that as it may, before Tandy would produce the 202, certain specs had to be met. Foremost, after the repercussions from their 10-meter rig, Tandy insisted that the 202 NOT BE CAPABLE OF MODIFICATION! Period. This worked out well, as the tighter bandpass gives the 202 it's exceptional selectivity and immunity to intermod. When you brag to your friends about your tight front-end, just remember that the cost of this important function, is the lask of ability to kerchunk your local police department's repeater. Why complain anyway? Most 202's will not take a BP-7 Icom pack. The BP-8 usually works well. If the Zener diode in the bottom-feed circuit is bad, only a 9.6-vdc pack or less will work. A minor headache at the very least. ALWAYS: Slide off your NiCad pack when using external DC power from your vehicle or a power supply! Leaving the pack on while mobile puts too much burden on the Zener diodes, and generates heat at twice the normal rate. Save your radio... Take off the pack! Unlike it's Icom brother, the 202 will not top charge an Icom pack while on external DC power. Refer to the warning above! HIDDEN FUNCTION: Holding the <F>unction button while depressing the <L>ight button will cause the display lighting to remain on until the <L>ight button is pressed again. HELPFUL HINT: Discard your belt clip... Install a commercial H.T. "D-swivel" available at any FM 2-way Business Radio dealer. Add the mount to your belt, and VOILA... No more dropped radios. WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO BOTTOM-CHARGE THE STOCK NICAD PACK IN AN ICOM BC-35 OR CLONE CHARGER. NEVER, NEVER, NEVER! DESIGN FLAW: Some early production (S/N 2500 and down) radios had the NiCad Zener Diode located too close to the finals, causing final transistor failure when used on external DC with the pack in place. This was remedied in production, and Tandy will remedy under warranty. Hopefully, this will address all remaining questions and rumors in regard to the HTX-202. It can't be modified. Big deal! It is a sturdy, well- built, dependable radio and a bargain at the price. Be happy with a great deal on a great radio. My HTX-202 got me through in an emergency situation, where my 800-MHz commercial trunked radio failed... That's more than enough for me! ----- 73 de Jim. N9PEK @ WB9SLE.IL.USA.NA P.S.: TNX Tandy... For once, I'm a happy customer!