The Icom IC-T90A is a tri-band 6M/2M/440 HT with tons of features.  It features  a solid cast-aluminum chassis and a durable stamped-metal faceplate.  Transmit audio is loud and crisp and receive audio is clear and readable, especially for such a small speaker.  Its standard 1350mAH battery provides long life and good talk times, even when heavily used.

The stock antenna leaves something to be desired.  For its length, it doesn't have very good gain.  An aftermarket antenna vastly increases the range and clarity of the signal.  I've mainly used the radio on 440MHz, and it is a solid performer.  2M performance is also exceptional, but the 6M band is completely worthless.  I've never been able to have a 6M QSO.

The wideband receive is also excellent.  I've used it as a receiver all the way down to the the AM broadcast band with favorable results.  Here in Southern California, I've even been able to pick up WWV broadcasts on HF.  The receive audio is good, especially for the small size of the speaker.

 The controls are easy to use, and the menus are easy to navigate.  The buttons have a very unique way of operation.  To access the secondary function of each button, you simply hold it down for 1 second, no function or "shift" keys required.

 The radio comes with two power settings. 500mW, and 1 Watt.  I found the low power setting to be too low, so I built an alignment jig based on instructions found in the service manual, and was able to adjust the low power setting up to 1.5 watts.  This provides the best balance between functionality and battery life.

I feel happy with my purchase of this radio and would recommend it.  It's a great first radio, as it is easy to operate and the performance is more than adequate.

73
KØZRO