Hi Arthur, Two things: I really enjoy your videos on UA-cam. You nailed it in an earlier video when you spoke about radios being fun. My fun radio is the Yaesu FRG-7. Second, I think your upper light is burnt out. I heard the tones when you tuned above the frequency, which suggested that the upper was working, but the light wasn't lit. I have found the sync feature either makes a big improvement, makes no noticeable difference, or makes the signal more noisy. I think there are a lot of factors that play in to it's success or limited signal improvement. What I like about the SYNC: It helps with fading. If I'm getting splatter from below the frequency, I tune the sync to the upper side-band and it gets rid of the splatter. I have found that at times, it can dig a weak signal out of the mud (especially voice) other times it may make it worse. I find the frequency I wish to hear, push the sync button, then tune slowly above or below that frequency for best reception. If the lower or upper light engages, that means it's working. When I was young, I never had the money to buy this 2010. I used to look at catalogs for the Sony 2010 and the Grundig Satellit 700. When my finances were such that I could justify finally buying the 2010, I think I had unrealistic expectations of the radio and was disappointed. After setting the 2010 aside for a while, I kept going back to it. Now, it's one of my main radios. I use a 4-way splitter I made, so I can feed my Wellbrook loop to 4 different radios. I feed a SDRplay RSP1, a FRG-7, the Sony ICF-2010, and the Eton E1XM. Every radio has it's pros and cons, but the Sony 2010 is always either equal or in some cases better than my other receivers. Thank you for sharing your radio experiences with us. I hope I was able to give you some insight to the 2010, and it grows on you like it did me. Happy DX, Jim
James Townley Thanks- I’m emailing with a gentleman who is very confident he can repair it- and his rates are very reasonable. I’m confident he can fix it. Like the Grundig Satellit 800, I wish this one also had a noise blanker. To me, a much more useful feature than sync.
I had a guy from Michigan named Rod Wallberg go through both of mine. He adds a brighter LED for the display, and provides preventative maintenance as well. He'll also add the protection circuit so static discharge doesn't burn out the FET in the receive circuit. He's very reasonable and meticulous. Good luck.
Sync detection isn't controversial - it's just brilliant. It selects upper or lower sideband automatically. It simply just works. It's not about radio stations using USB or LSB. You just use it to reduce adjacent channel interference on weak signals.
I have a Sony icf2010 since 1985. i used to follow airplane flight from the middle of the atlantic through to my hometown airport. First i got on mwara nat shortwave frequencies the when the airplane was out of that range i'd switch to air and follow it home like i would with a scanner. I did this for six years before buying a Realistic Pro-2006 scanner. I still use them both to this day and the are still great.
I like the 2010, I don’t “love” it. It certainly is not without quirks. It’s not the best for listening fidelity, that’s for sure. For a portable, digging out weak signals, it is good. Sync detection is not the magic bullet that many try for characterize it as.
Thanks for the review! As this video is already 2 years old you probably already may know it. But in my (Dutch) user manual the Sync option is explained as follows: once you are on a weak or irregular station you can apply the Sync function. It will light up upper or lower sideband. Now you manually turn the wheel in "slow" position to the position you get the best result. This may be upper OR lower sideband. Both lights will never light up at the same time. For me it works perfectly. Reception gets often better, though not always. Btw you got the "error 3" code because you turned off the main power switch before turning off the power switch on the front. You should do it the other way around.
K.J. Walda The age of the video is irrelevant. The radio is how many years old? Yes, the feature “works” perfectly. Whether it’s effective or not is another matter. I have seen some leave it on, and tune all signals with it on. Not how it’s designed to work.
Congratulations on the radio. I love this Sony ICF-2010 radio, I have one I'm always listening to broadcasters on it. Oliveira . SP / SP Br Blog.QSL do Brasil
Hunter Micciche I am. They are good, not great radios. I’m spoiled with so many fine desktop radios. For a portable, it’s good, but it’s still a portable. I think it’s still heralded today based on nostalgia, more than anything else.
Nice radio indeed! 2010 and 2001’s are the same device, just different name depending on which continent they were sold. Did you check the led? You need good contacts at the poles of the AA cells compartment and the error3 msg should go.
Hi Arthur, greetings from Scotland. I really enjoyed your video, as I too have just taken delivery of a used example of the venerable ICF-2010. My previous was the Sangean ATS803A, a good radio but this is better still. It is very sensitive indeed. This afternoon/evening, I 'caught' VOA Botswana and China Radio from Kashgar. The Synchronous detector works ok on mine. I use it for adjacent channel interference. I was used to this from the ICF7600 that I had before it died from the dreaded leaky capacitor syndrome. Good luck to you.
Jim Gordon Greetings, Jim. I like the 2010, just not in love with it. Like the Grundig Satellit 800, I think it’s taken on a myth that exceeds its true performance. If you haven’t done so already, hope you’ll subscribe. Cheers, Arthur
Your upper Sync LED could be burned out. Try pressing the USB button when not in Sync mode to see if the LED works atr all. It should light up in Upper sideband mode for SSB reception
A help Friends my Sony ICF-2010, there appeared a problem. I need to call and charge 3 times for it to work. But only FM, Air and AM does not only tune in. Someone in the group already had this defect in your Sony? I've already looked into batteries and support connectors, flat cabol power supplies. The display module already tested is ok. Does anybody know of any tips to help which component is faulty. I would appreciate any tips. Thank you
Hello perhaps the food is just burnt out. This radio is very much overrated. Check out the tecsun pl 680 and you will see a great syny. Frankly the xhdata is a better radio then both the grundig 800 mill. And the Sony icf 2010. I also like the Sony stooge better than both the grundig and the Sony. I know what the Chinese haters say . but I think the new dap radios are just more sensitive. If you are ever in the Springdale pa area please stop bye for a visit. I have 41 receivers for us to work on. Best regards. Ron Z.
Thank you for sparing us the unboxing ritual.
Hi Arthur, Two things: I really enjoy your videos on UA-cam. You nailed it in an earlier video when you spoke about radios being fun. My fun radio is the Yaesu FRG-7. Second, I think your upper light is burnt out. I heard the tones when you tuned above the frequency, which suggested that the upper was working, but the light wasn't lit. I have found the sync feature either makes a big improvement, makes no noticeable difference, or makes the signal more noisy. I think there are a lot of factors that play in to it's success or limited signal improvement. What I like about the SYNC: It helps with fading. If I'm getting splatter from below the frequency, I tune the sync to the upper side-band and it gets rid of the splatter. I have found that at times, it can dig a weak signal out of the mud (especially voice) other times it may make it worse. I find the frequency I wish to hear, push the sync button, then tune slowly above or below that frequency for best reception. If the lower or upper light engages, that means it's working.
When I was young, I never had the money to buy this 2010. I used to look at catalogs for the Sony 2010 and the Grundig Satellit 700. When my finances were such that I could justify finally buying the 2010, I think I had unrealistic expectations of the radio and was disappointed. After setting the 2010 aside for a while, I kept going back to it. Now, it's one of my main radios. I use a 4-way splitter I made, so I can feed my Wellbrook loop to 4 different radios. I feed a SDRplay RSP1, a FRG-7, the Sony ICF-2010, and the Eton E1XM. Every radio has it's pros and cons, but the Sony 2010 is always either equal or in some cases better than my other receivers.
Thank you for sharing your radio experiences with us. I hope I was able to give you some insight to the 2010, and it grows on you like it did me.
Happy DX,
Jim
James Townley Thanks- I’m emailing with a gentleman who is very confident he can repair it- and his rates are very reasonable. I’m confident he can fix it. Like the Grundig Satellit 800, I wish this one also had a noise blanker. To me, a much more useful feature than sync.
I had a guy from Michigan named Rod Wallberg go through both of mine. He adds a brighter LED for the display, and provides preventative maintenance as well. He'll also add the protection circuit so static discharge doesn't burn out the FET in the receive circuit. He's very reasonable and meticulous. Good luck.
James Townley Thanks- I’ve already emailed with Rod, and sending the radio to him this weekend. Cheers, Arthur
Sync detection isn't controversial - it's just brilliant. It selects upper or lower sideband automatically. It simply just works. It's not about radio stations using USB or LSB. You just use it to reduce adjacent channel interference on weak signals.
I've still got mine bought it in 1984 still working perfectly takes some beating.
I wish it had better, richer sound. Having a blast with an ICF6700W, which you can see in a couple of videos here. Now that’s a great sounding radio.
I have a Sony icf2010 since 1985. i used to follow airplane flight from the middle of the atlantic through to my hometown airport. First i got on mwara nat shortwave frequencies the when the airplane was out of that range i'd switch to air and follow it home like i would with a scanner. I did this for six years before buying a Realistic Pro-2006 scanner. I still use them both to this day and the are still great.
I like the 2010, I don’t “love” it. It certainly is not without quirks. It’s not the best for listening fidelity, that’s for sure. For a portable, digging out weak signals, it is good. Sync detection is not the magic bullet that many try for characterize it as.
Thanks for the review! As this video is already 2 years old you probably already may know it. But in my (Dutch) user manual the Sync option is explained as follows: once you are on a weak or irregular station you can apply the Sync function. It will light up upper or lower sideband. Now you manually turn the wheel in "slow" position to the position you get the best result. This may be upper OR lower sideband. Both lights will never light up at the same time. For me it works perfectly. Reception gets often better, though not always. Btw you got the "error 3" code because you turned off the main power switch before turning off the power switch on the front. You should do it the other way around.
K.J. Walda The age of the video is irrelevant. The radio is how many years old? Yes, the feature “works” perfectly. Whether it’s effective or not is another matter. I have seen some leave it on, and tune all signals with it on. Not how it’s designed to work.
@@ArthurJS123 a discussion about a radio of almost 35 years old (at least mine is)... Sony must have done sómething right haha...
K.J. Walda Dont get me wrong, I like their stuff. It’s just that a lot of what’s out there is based on nostalgia, not performance. It’s getting old.
@@ArthurJS123 totally agree!
that is a beautiful receiver wow. have fun with it. congrats on the purchase.73,KB3AUM
Congratulations on the radio.
I love this Sony ICF-2010 radio, I have one
I'm always listening to broadcasters on it.
Oliveira .
SP / SP
Br
Blog.QSL do Brasil
Nsn do Brasil Thanks for the nice worlds, and for subscribing! Cheers, Arthur
I just picked up TWO ICF-2010's! Also, you must be an MA native! Hoping to get the one(s) I have working! 73's DE KC1IEG!
Hunter Micciche I am. They are good, not great radios. I’m spoiled with so many fine desktop radios. For a portable, it’s good, but it’s still a portable. I think it’s still heralded today based on nostalgia, more than anything else.
Nice radio indeed! 2010 and 2001’s are the same device, just different name depending on which continent they were sold.
Did you check the led?
You need good contacts at the poles of the AA cells compartment and the error3 msg should go.
I think I know this. Yes, it’s all set.
@@ArthurJS123 Oops I’m sorry mate, I just discovered your channel. 🙏
Excellent Indeed,Arthur!
Hi Arthur, greetings from Scotland. I really enjoyed your video, as I too have just taken delivery of a used example of the venerable ICF-2010. My previous was the Sangean ATS803A, a good radio but this is better still. It is very sensitive indeed. This afternoon/evening, I 'caught' VOA Botswana and China Radio from Kashgar. The Synchronous detector works ok on mine. I use it for adjacent channel interference. I was used to this from the ICF7600 that I had before it died from the dreaded leaky capacitor syndrome. Good luck to you.
Jim Gordon Greetings, Jim. I like the 2010, just not in love with it. Like the Grundig Satellit 800, I think it’s taken on a myth that exceeds its true performance. If you haven’t done so already, hope you’ll subscribe. Cheers, Arthur
I have one.
Your upper Sync LED could be burned out. Try pressing the USB button when not in Sync mode to see if the LED works atr all. It should light up in Upper sideband mode for SSB reception
Radio Nut These lights are for Sync, not SSB.
Sorry, I assumed they had a double function
Radio Nut They don’t. But thanks!
A help
Friends my Sony ICF-2010, there appeared a problem.
I need to call and charge 3 times for it to work.
But only FM, Air and AM does not only tune in.
Someone in the group already had this
defect in your Sony?
I've already looked into batteries and support connectors, flat cabol power supplies.
The display module already tested is ok.
Does anybody know of any tips to help which component is faulty.
I would appreciate any tips.
Thank you
Hello perhaps the food is just burnt out. This radio is very much overrated. Check out the tecsun pl 680 and you will see a great syny. Frankly the xhdata is a better radio then both the grundig 800 mill. And the Sony icf 2010. I also like the Sony stooge better than both the grundig and the Sony. I know what the Chinese haters say . but I think the new dap radios are just more sensitive. If you are ever in the Springdale pa area please stop bye for a visit. I have 41 receivers for us to work on. Best regards. Ron Z.