Icom IC-PW2
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| Frequency | 1.8-54 MHz (HF + 6 m, incl. WARC) |
| Bands | 160m, 80m, 40m, 30m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m, 6m |
| TX power | 1000 W (1 kW output on 200 V AC mains; 500 W on 100 V AC mains. Solid-state - instant full power, no warm-up) |
| Modes | SSB, CW, AM, FM, RTTY, Digital |
| Weight | 22 kg (48.5 lb) |
| Year | 2024 |
| input | 2 radio inputs (SO-239) |
| output | 6 antenna ports (SO-239), fully automatic switching |
| control | LAN (Ethernet) for remote operation; external bandpass-filter connector |
| power req | 200 V AC (for full 1 kW) or 100 V AC (500 W) |
Icom's modern solid-state legal-power-class amplifier: a full kilowatt on HF and 6 meters from a single rugged LDMOS device, with instant-on operation and zero tuning ritual. The detachable 4.3-inch color touchscreen, six automatically switched antenna ports, two radio inputs with SO2R support, built-in auto tuner, pre-distortion and LAN-based remote operation make it as much a station hub as an amplifier - the worthy successor to the much-loved IC-PW1.
It is expensive (around $5,495) and needs a 200 V AC supply to make the full 1 kW - on a standard 100 V outlet it manages 500 W. Like the PW1 before it, 1 kW is below the 1500 W US legal limit, so it is a 'kilowatt' amp rather than a maximum-power one. At ~22 kg it is large and heavy, and its deep integration is at its best with a matching Icom radio.
The flagship modern Icom amplifier and the heir to the legendary IC-PW1: solid-state, automatic, 1 kW on HF and 6 m, and packed with station-hub features. For an Icom-centered station that wants instant full power and hands-off automatic operation, it is the obvious - if premium - choice. Those needing the full 1500 W legal limit must look to a 1.5 kW amplifier.
The Icom IC-PW2 is the company's modern solid-state flagship amplifier and the long-awaited successor to the legendary IC-PW1, the 'automatic' amplifier that defined hands-off, no-tuning operation for a generation of Icom stations. Where the PW1 used a pair of MOSFET modules, the PW2 produces its full kilowatt across HF and 6 meters - 1.8 to 54 MHz, WARC bands included - from a single 65-volt LDMOS power device, NXP's MRFX1K80HR5, mounted on a forced-air-cooled pallet. There are no tubes, no warm-up, and no tuning ritual: power it on and it makes full output instantly.
What sets it apart from a plain amplifier is how much station it packs around the RF deck. The front panel detaches and carries a 4.3-inch color touchscreen that graphically displays which of the six antenna ports is in use; two radio inputs with fully automatic antenna switching and SO2R support make it a natural hub for single-operator two-radio contesting; and a built-in automatic antenna tuner does double duty, tuning your antennas even when the amplifier section is bypassed. Pre-distortion cleans up the transmitted signal, an external bandpass-filter connector supports multi-station setups, and LAN control allows full remote operation - the same remote philosophy Icom builds into its modern transceivers.
The honest caveats are price and power. At around $5,495 it is a premium purchase, and the full kilowatt requires a 200-volt AC supply - on a standard 100-volt outlet it makes 500 watts. And like the PW1, its 1 kW output sits below the 1500-watt US legal limit, so it is a 'kilowatt' amplifier rather than a maximum-power one. For an Icom-centered station that values instant-on solid-state operation and deep automation, though, it is the obvious choice. The automatic tube alternative is the ACOM 2000A, and the simpler manual route is an amp like the ACOM 1000.