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Icom Incorporated

Icom Inc. (アイコム株式会社) is a Japanese manufacturer of radio transmitting and receiving equipment, founded in 1954 by Tokuzo Inoue with the company's original name being "Inoue".[2][3][4] Its products now include equipment for radio amateurs, pilots, maritime applications, land mobile professional applications, and radio scanner enthusiasts.

Its headquarters are in Osaka, Japan.[4] It has branch offices in the United States (in Kirkland, Washington), Canada (in Delta, British Columbia), Australia (Melbourne, Victoria), New Zealand (Auckland), the United Kingdom (Kent, England), France (Toulouse), Germany (Bad Soden), Spain (Barcelona) and the People's Republic of China (Beijing).

Protocols

IDAS

IDAS is Icom's implementation of the NXDN protocol[5] for two-way digital radio products intended for commercial Private Land Mobile Radio (PLMR) and low-end public safety communications systems. NXDN is a Common Air Interface (CAI) technical standard for mobile communications. It was developed jointly by Icom and Kenwood Corporation.

D-STAR

The D-STAR open radio system was developed by Icom based on digital radio protocols developed by the Japan Amateur Radio League and funded by the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.[6] This system is designed to provide advanced voice and data communications over amateur radio using open standards.

Products

Icom manufactures two way radios and receivers for use in marine applications, Airband, amateur radio applications, land mobile applications,[7] and FRS / GMRS applications. Some radios made by Icom are compatible with Motorola and SmarTrunk trunking systems.

IC-V82

The Icom IC-V82 is a VHF handheld transceiver with coverage in the two-meter band (144–146 MHz) and a maximum output power of 7 watts.[8] It was manufactured and sold by Icom from 2004 to 2014.[9][10][11] Following its discontinuation, Icom issued an advisory warning about counterfeit radios, including the IC-V82.[12][13] In October 2018, the company issued a cease-and-desist order against a Chinese manufacturer suspected of producing counterfeit Icom products; it also noted that this was not the first time it had taken such steps.[14]

In June 2022, United Against Nuclear Iran, a U.S. advocacy organization, identified the Icom IC-V82 as being used by Hezbollah, a U.S. designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. It sent a letter to Icom outlining its concerns about the radios' dual-use capability (analog+digital[15]) and regarding Icom's business ties to Power Group (Icom's representatives in Lebanon) and Faza Gostrar, which claims to be the "Official ICOM representative in Iran".[16]

Many of the devices purchased by Hezbollah that subsequently exploded in the 2024 Lebanon radio device explosions, killing at least 25 people and wounding over 708, were reported as being IC-V82s.[17][18] Icom opened an investigation into the case on 19 September 2024,[19][11] while a sales executive at the company's U.S. subsidiary said the radios involved appeared to be counterfeit units.[20]

See also

  • Gold Apollo
  • Targeted killing by Israel

External links

References

  1. Company outline ICOM Inc., retrieved November 21, 2018^
  2. FIS - Suppliers - Company Details^
  3. About us^
  4. Sam Vigil. "Mr. ICOM," Tokuzo Inoue, JA3FA CQ Amateur Radio, CQ Communications, Inc., August 2001^
  5. Ilir Progri. Geolocation of RF Signals: Principles and Simulations Springer Science & Business Media, January 15, 2011^
  6. Steve Ford. ARRL's VHF Digital Handbook American Radio Relay League, 2008^
  7. Land Mobile^
  8. Icom IC-V82 rigpix.com, retrieved 19 September 2024^
  9. Laila Bassam, Maya Gebeily. Hezbollah hand-held radios detonate across Lebanon in second day of explosions Reuters, 18 September 2024, retrieved 18 September 2024^
  10. Japan firm says it stopped making walkie-talkies used in Lebanon blasts 19 September 2024, retrieved 19 September 2024^
  11. Regarding Current Media Reports (follow-up) Icom Japan, 19 September 2024, retrieved 19 September 2024^
  12. Doha Madani. A wave of deadly walkie-talkie explosions sweeps Lebanon day after widespread pager attack 18 September 2024, retrieved 18 September 2024^
  13. Countermeasures against Counterfeit Products Icom Japan, retrieved 19 September 2024^
  14. Icom Incorporated Actions Regarding Counterfeit Product Manufacturers Icom Japan, 10 October 2018, retrieved 19 September 2024^
  15. https://icomuk.co.uk/files/icom/PDF/productLeaflet/IC-V82leaflet.pdf icomuk.co.uk, 2024-09-22, retrieved 2024-09-22^
  16. "Risky Business: Icom's Two-Way Radios Landing In The Hands Of Hezbollah", United Against Nuclear Iran, 11 July 2022.^
  17. Christiaan Triebert and Aric Toler (18 September 2024. "The device blasts on Wednesday may have involved more explosives than Tuesday's, a Times analysis suggests", The New York Times.^
  18. Léonie Chao-Fong, Amy Sedghi, Martin Belam, Jonathan Yerushalmy, Léonie Chao-Fong (now); Amy Sedghi, Jonathan Yerushalmy (earlier). Dozens reported injured as new wave of explosions across Lebanon targets Hezbollah walkie-talkies – Middle East live the Guardian, 2024-09-18, retrieved 2024-09-18^
  19. Japan's Icom investigating radio devices carrying its logo after Lebanon blasts Reuters, 18 September 2024, retrieved 19 September 2024^
  20. Matt O'Brien. Walkie-talkie maker says exploded devices appear to have been knockoffs Associated Press News, 18 September 2024, retrieved 19 September 2024^