The Icom IC-706 MkIIG was released in 1999. I got mine used with the IC-AH4 automatic antenna tuner. This radio does all-band, all-mode 100W HF/50, 50W 2M, and 20W 70CM. This radio does not feature a waterfall or other sophisticated display system, rather using a simple LCD screen. It is very easy to get set up on all analog modes but it requires considerable effort to get running on digital modes, though this is possible. My current antenna setup (For HF) connects to the AH4, which then goes out through a simple random-wire dipole. My 2M/70CM setup switches between a mobile Quad-band antenna and a directional "tape-measure" antenna. I also periodically take this radio camping for Parks on the Air (see my tutorial on Parks on the Air.
I highly recommend this radio for intermediate and advanced amateur operators (US General or Canadian Advanced) who are looking to get a reliable all-band all-mode rig at a lower price. It may be difficult to find these radios for sale in the future as they were discontinued more than a decade ago but it is still easy to find one currently and will probably be so for a while. This is also a good radio for operators looking to get a "shack-in-a-box" for mobile operations. Note that this radio, like most lower-cost rigs, is primarily menu driven and therefore it takes a while to get a good handle on the controls.
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