INTRODUCTION:
I have one IC-706MKIIG along with an IC-706MKI.
I’m currently using the MKI for my remote station connected to my TH5-DX tribander yagi and I have the MKIIG in the rental appartment connected to the endfed wire in the balcony.
I bought the MKI first and the MKIIG later, both in the second hand market and in absolutely perfect condition with not a minor scratch or sign of wear, just like they were brand new ones.
QUESTION:
I find annoying that when inserting the typical 3.5mm stereo jack of either my earbuds or headphones on my MKIIG, I can only hear on the left side, while doing that same thing on the MKI provides perfect audio on both sides. The problem of having audio on one side only when plugging the stereo jack on the MKIIG would be easily solved by inserting a stereo-to-mono converter jack but I find weird that such a thing be needed on the MKIIG when it isn’t needed on the MKI, so before purchasing one I wanted to ask you.
Do any of you have that same problem with your MKIIG?
Do you use a stereo-to-mono converter jack or have you solved the issue in some other way?
Thank you.
73,
Hi Guru,
I’m certain that my 706iig produces left and right audio in my stereo headphones. I would suspect an incorrect connection, dry joint or corrosion on the connector if I heard only one channel of audio.
73 Andrew VK1DA/VK2UH
Thank you Andrew and Geoff for your feedback as it made me find the solution.
After having inserted a piece of string and moved it gently inside the headphones socket without success, I removed the control panel to check how easy or difficult it would be opening the case to access the headphones socket inside. Then I saw that, at the back side of the removable control panel of both the MKI and the MKIIG there is a sliding switch and the reading is Phones for one side of the sliding switch and Speaker for the other side.
This switch was on Speaker for the MKIIG while it is on Phones for the MKI.
As easy as switching the MKIIG to Phones and the audio came out perfectly on both earbuds.
I remember having seen this sliding switch when I first bought the MKI but never used it and I had completely forgotten about it.
It’s good that I asked the question here because your answer made me remove the control panel and find the solution.
Thanks very much guys!
73,
WOW !! - I’ve had this same issue on my 706 MKII and couldn’t figure it out. Thanks for letting me know about that switch which I had not noticed! I flipped it to “Phones” and problem solved…
I’m very glad to read that speaking out my problem and my finding to solve it has been of help to you Joe. It’s always a good thing putting in common ones experiences as they may serve well to others, as it’s been now the case.
Regarding this post from John #G4YSS in other thread,
I believe the Speaker position of that switch is for connecting an external speaker when in a car, for instance, you have removed the control head from the rig body, you have the control head near you at the dashboard and you may have the rig body in the boot compartment, having both parts connected with the Icom cable for such purpose. In such configuration, the speaker of the rig will be in the boot and you wont be able to hear very well the sound coming from the radio, so you need to plug an external speaker to the control head you have with you at the passengers compartment. I guess the switch is for the rig providing a more powerful (stronger) audio signal when Speaker is selected rather than for Phones, which typically needs much less audio power.
73,