Equipment / Handheld · Icom
current

Icom ID-52A

$$$$$

2m · 70cm
Bands
5 W
Output
2021
Introduced
FrequencyTX: 144-148 MHz (2m), 440-450 MHz (70cm), RX: 88-174 MHz (FM broadcast + VHF + AM airband) + 225-374.995 MHz (military airband AM) + 375-479 MHz (UHF)
TX power0.1 / 0.5 / 1 / 2.5 / 5 W (5W / 2.5W / 1W / 0.5W / 0.1W — FIVE selectable levels.)
ModesFM (analog), DV (D-STAR digital voice), AM (airband + military airband receive)
BatteryLi-ion 1880mAh / 7.4V
Weight295 g (10.4 oz) - ~295g (10.4 oz) with battery and antenna. Dimensions: 61.1×121.6×29.7 mm.
ConnectorSMA-Female on the radio body - takes SMA-Male antennas
Year2021
Connectors
antennaSMA-Female on the radio body - takes SMA-Male antennas
speaker micIcom proprietary (NOT Kenwood compatible)
usbmulti-function USB port (charging, programming, microSD, Terminal/AP, CI-V, audio)
ext dcexternal DC power jack (10-16V)
microsdMicroSD card slot (up to 32GB)
bluetoothBluetooth (audio, data, headset, VS-3 PTT, Android)
power reqBP-272 Li-ion 1880mAh (standard, included). Optional slim BP-271 1150mAh. Optional BP-307 3150mAh (IC-705 large battery!). External DC 10-16V.

Estimated (unverified): AMATEUR (ham) radio - FCC Technician-class license or higher required (NOT GMRS/license-free). D-STAR (Icom digital voice/data) + analog FM - NOT DMR. Dual-band 2m/70cm; 5W (5 levels). FULL-COLOR 2.3in TFT with color waterfall (industry first). GPS/GLONASS; Bluetooth; microSD; IPX7; dual D-STAR decode. Wide RX incl. UHF military air band (225-374 MHz) - unique vs ID-50A/ID-51A. Base ID-52A = Micro-USB (~2020/21); ID-52A Plus = USB-C + wireless Terminal/AP (2024). BP-272 1880 mAh.

Icom D-STAR flagship handheld — the premium D-STAR experience INDUSTRY-FIRST: 2.3-inch full-color display with color waterfall band scope (find activity visually!) D-STAR DV: digital voice + data + text messages + GPS + photos over the D-STAR network Share Picture: send and receive photos via DV mode (via ST-4001A/I/W app) Bluetooth: audio + data + headset pairing + VS-3 PTT button + Android device connectivity military airband receive 225-374.995 MHz (AM — unique among D-STAR HTs) AM airband receive + FM broadcast + weather channels (USA) 80% louder audio vs ID-51A — 750 mW speaker output built-in GPS: D-PRS position reporting, Near Repeater Search, GPS log, grid square display DR mode + Terminal Mode + Access Point Mode (build personal D-STAR gateway) dual-watch V/V, U/U, V/U — including dual DV signal decode IPX7 waterproof (submersible 1m/30min) 1000 memory channels + repeater list + callsign list + GPS memory MicroSD card slot (up to 32GB — QSO recording, TX voice memory, photos, GPS logs, firmware) multi-function USB port + USB host function (charging, programming, microSD, Terminal/AP, CI-V, audio) 5 power levels: 5/2.5/1/0.5/0.1W three battery options: BP-272 1880mAh (standard), slim BP-271 1150mAh, BP-307 3150mAh (IC-705 battery!) external DC 10-16V power jack CS-52 programming software + RS-MS3A/W app support ID-52A PLUS is the enhanced successor: USB-C, wireless BT Terminal/AP mode, enhanced BT, dual Terminal+simplex
Strengths

The D-STAR flagship. The 2.3 in color waterfall band scope lets you see activity visually instead of scanning. Share Picture sends photos over D-STAR, and Bluetooth pairs with headsets, the VS-3 PTT, and Android devices. Military airband (225-375 MHz) receive is unusual. Audio is 80% louder than the ID-51A. It is IPX7 waterproof, with GPS and Near Repeater Search, Terminal/AP gateway modes, and a BP-307 (3150 mAh IC-705 battery) option for long runtime. A MicroSD slot stores everything, with 5 power levels down to 0.1 W for QRP.

Weaknesses

Serious money for a handheld. Runtime on the standard BP-272 (1880 mAh) is modest in heavy DV use, so the 3150 mAh BP-307 is a popular upgrade. D-STAR has fewer repeaters than DMR in many areas. No DMR. Icom proprietary accessories are expensive. The ID-52A Plus, for a bit more, adds USB-C and wireless Terminal/AP. It is larger and heavier than the ID-51A (295 g vs 255 g). The original ID-52A uses USB micro-B, not USB-C (the Plus adds USB-C).

Verdict

The D-STAR flagship. The ID-52A's 2.3 in color waterfall band scope changes how you operate, letting you see activity rather than scan for it. With Share Picture, Bluetooth, military airband, GPS, and D-STAR gateway modes, it is the most feature-rich amateur handheld from a Japanese manufacturer. It is expensive, but little else matches its feature set.

The Icom ID-52A is the flagship of Icom's D-STAR handheld line, and its headline feature was an industry first: a full-color display with a color waterfall band scope, in a handheld. It is an amateur radio for the 2-meter and 70-centimeter bands, requiring an FCC Technician-class license or higher to transmit; it is not a GMRS or license-free radio. It uses D-STAR, Icom's digital voice-and-data mode, not DMR, alongside analog FM.

Beyond the color screen it offers built-in GPS and GLONASS, Bluetooth for wireless headsets and app control, a microSD slot, and a wide receiver that uniquely extends up through the military UHF air band (225 to 374 MHz) that the cheaper Icom D-STAR radios lack. It transmits 5 watts across five power levels, can decode two D-STAR signals at once, and is rated IPX7. The line comes in two versions: the base ID-52A with a Micro-USB port, and the newer ID-52A Plus, which upgrades to USB-C and adds wireless Terminal and Access Point operation over Bluetooth.

Both versions are current production and sit at the top of the D-STAR handheld market, priced accordingly. The mid-tier, monochrome ID-50A is the more affordable sibling; the discontinued ID-51A is the older classic. Kenwood's TH-D75A is the main competitor, adding APRS and a third band.