ICOM ICR71A TRICKING THE ICOM R71A TO TUNE BELOW 100 KHZ The ICOM R71A general coverage receiver is designed for VLF reception down to about 97 kHz. The following steps will confuse the microprocessor- based controller sufficiently to permit reception down to 0.0 kHz: 1. If all 32 memory channels contain frequencies, use the FUNC and CLEAR buttons to clear a memory channel. 2. Place VFO/M switch into the M (Memory) position. 3. Using all the manual dexterity you can muster, rock the MAIN TUNING knob back and forth, while simultaneously rocking the MEMORY-CH rotary con- trol to switch back and forth between a memory channel with a frequency in it and a clear memory channel. Continue rocking both the controls until a fre- quency of 0.000.0 appears on the digital display. 4. Depress the WRITE button. This stores the 0.000 MHz frequency in a memory channel. You can now rotate the MAIN TUNING knob clockwise to tune up from 0.000 MHz to the frequency you want. Be careful: if you rotate the MAIN TUNING knob counterclockwise, the radio will immediately revert to 29.999 MHz. To tune below 100 kHz in the future, just recall the 0.000 MHz frequency from the memory channel and use the tuning knob to tune upward. That way, you don't have to use two hands every time you tune to a VLF fre- quency. I used a Wavetek 180 sweep/function generator to verify that the R71A is indeed receptive to signals below 100 kHz.