Gentlemen,
 
 Just for the record I would like to report a failure with my 
IC7000.
 
I use the radio in my car only, followed by a Henry SS750 power 
amplifier and a HiQ 5-80 center loaded vertical.
 
The radio went south during barefoot operation on 30 meter pactor.
The symptoms of a failed driver unit are no output power on any 
band (also 2 m and 70 cm since the driver unit is part of the power 
amplification train for those bands as well)
 
The driver unit is a small sub assembly on a seperate PCB, bolted 
to the chassis with two M3 screws.
In order to replace the driver unit one needs to remove the entire 
PA unit.
 
It is important to do this in the right order. First remove the 2 
small flat cables which terminate in connectors on the main unit, form 
side. 
Not doing this will result in pull out of these flat cables out of 
the connectors on the PA unit. This is no problem though, but during 
reassembly it is very easy to forget to reconnect these flatcables. Also
disconnect the coax cable on the main unit which connects 
main unit and PA unit.

To remove the PA unit one needs to desolder the 5 terminals of the
driver unit and the leads to the RF out connectors on the backpanel.

Now remove all the screws holding the final power output transistors 
after which the screws holding the pcb should be removed.
 
After removing the PA unit the driver unit can be removed by loosening 
the two M3 screws holding the driver unit heatsink against the diecast 
chassis. In my radio (a #2 version) the driver unit heatsink was NOT 
treated with thermal conductivity compound, contrary to the finals. The
MOSFET on the driver unit was totally wrecked, the case was partly split.
 
The great guys from the Icom UK Service department
(jamierose@... and virgil@... )were VERY fast in providing a replacement driver unit, they went the extra mile by sending the unit to my temporary address in France.
 
Reassembly goes in reverse order, before soldering the 5 terminals of 
the driver unit do NOT forget to check the position and seating of 
the 2 flatcables on the PA unit, front side.
 
Cheers, Dick Knol
PA3DUV
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Driver Board is smoked
Posted by: "Frank Regan" frank.regan@virgin.net marcscott31
Date: Tue Oct 3, 2006 6:09 pm (PDT)

Craig,
I had a similar experience with my 7000 in August. Icom UK were very
helpful and replaced the transceiver with a new one, as they did not have
a spare board in stock. The problem is, that the replacement may also blow
it's driver board after the guarantee has expired. Icom should tell us if
there is a problem with the driver board and come up with a fix. Frank,
G3RMD
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: n7xq 
  To: ic7000@yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, October 02, 2006 4:15 AM
  Subject: [IC-7000] Driver Board is smoked

  I beleive that the DRIVER UNIT ( Mosfet PD55015 ) went up in smoke on
  me, I had just made several ssb contacts and decided to give CW a try ,
  that lasted about 5 min. then a small ball of smoke rolled out of the
  top of the rig and All RF output, on All Bands and All modes stopped, no
  output at all, The recieve is excellent on All Bands and All modes .

  I will call Icom tomorrow and try to find out if this is a common 
  problem and if there is a fix for the Issue that Icom will provide.

  The Serial # of my Rig is 0503212. Has anyone else had this problem that
  wouldn't mind shareing there experience?

  73
  Craig N7XQ 
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