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ARCHIVED TECHNICAL INFORMATION
This DockSide Radio page is maintained for historical and technical reference. Product configurations, accessories, installation requirements, and model availability may have changed.
For current Icom marine SSB products, programming, and technical support:
Marine SSB at SeaTech Systems

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Customization
Replacing an installed  M802 with an M803

 

Whether or not lightning "took out" your M802, or you're just upgrading to the M803, here are the issues to consider when replacing your existing  M802  with an M803:

  1. If the M802 control head is flush-mounted, the existing hole into which the M802 control head fits will have to be enlarged about 1 7/8" in length, and about 1/8" inch in height. 
  2. The molex-style connector on the radio end of the M802 antenna tuner control cable will need to be changed to a 4-pin in-line molex-style connector, or the cable will have to be replaced with an OPC-1465 Antenna Tuner Control Cable.
  3. I suggest that you keep the SP-24 M802 speaker (I don't like the sound quality produced by the built-in speaker) Like the M802, the  SP-24 plugs into the M803 Main Unit.

Other than the issues cited above, making the change is basically plug-and-play:

  1. The existing AT-140, AT-130, or AT-120, tuner works properly with the M803 (no need to buy a new tuner unless it's lightning or water damaged).
  2. The existing M802 DC power cable plugs directly into the M803 (no rewiring required)
  3. The M803 main unit is built on the same chassis & case as the M802 (It fits where the existing M802 Main Unit is mounted).

Historically, DockSide Radio also reprogrammed the User Group frequency database, enabled speech compression, and adjusted several key radio settings when preparing M803 radios for customers. The factory channel database may not include all marine and amateur frequencies desired by a particular operator.

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