Also known as: ID-5100A, ID-5100
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The Icom ID-5100A is the de-facto D-STAR mobile: a 50-watt 2m/70cm transceiver controlled entirely from a large 5.5-inch touchscreen head, with DR-mode repeater databases, built-in GPS, and internet-linked D-STAR via its gateway and access-point modes.1 Introduced in 2014 and — unusually — still in production in 2026, the Deluxe package runs around $465 and remains the standard answer when the question is “which mobile for D-STAR?”
Key takeaways The D-STAR mobile. 50/15/5 W on 2m/70cm, FM + D-STAR DV with DR-mode repeater lists, a 5.5-inch touchscreen head (the RF deck hides under a seat), dual watch, built-in GPS with D-PRS (not FM APRS), and terminal/access-point modes for internet-linked D-STAR. CHIRP-supported. Quiet, clean Icom receiver. The 2014 DNA shows: resistive touchscreen, monochrome UI, one D-STAR decode at a time. ~$465. Transmitting needs a ham license; listening doesn’t.
Overview
The ID-5100A is a head-only design: the big resistive touchscreen controller mounts on the dash while the RF deck mounts remotely (the separation cable is included). That makes it one of the cleanest mobile installs in ham radio — and also means there is no speaker in the control head, so plan for the body speaker’s location or an external one.
The receiver is classic Icom: quiet and clean. Dual watch covers V/V, U/U, and V/U, though only one D-STAR decode runs at a time. You get 1,000 memories, voice recording to microSD, optional Bluetooth (the UT-133A module, standard in some Deluxe bundles) with Android app control, and ~13 A of draw at full power. No cross-band repeat.
Its age is the honest knock. The resistive touchscreen is dim in sunlight and doesn’t pinch or scroll like a phone; the monochrome UI feels a decade old; and Icom’s DR-mode setup menus intimidate newcomers. None of that has dislodged it, because nothing else in the mobile market does D-STAR this completely.
Modes & features
- Analog FM and D-STAR DV, with DR mode driving repeater selection from a database that covers essentially every D-STAR repeater — the feature that makes D-STAR usable on the road.
- Built-in GPS with D-PRS position reporting over D-STAR. To be clear: D-PRS is not FM APRS — if the local APRS network on 144.39 is what you want, buy a Yaesu FTM-500DR or AnyTone AT-D578UVIII Plus instead.
- DV Gateway / terminal and access-point modes — internet-linked D-STAR through a phone or PC when no repeater is in range.
- Wide dual-watch coverage, 1,000 memories, microSD voice recording, optional Bluetooth with app control.
Programming
Well-served, and the friendliest of the digital mobiles here:
- CHIRP — supported (ID-5100 driver, clone mode; D-STAR fields with caveats). Free.
- Icom CS-5100 software plus the SD card.
- RT Systems for the polished paid option.
GopherTrunk alternative
GopherTrunk receives; it cannot transmit — it is not a substitute for an ID-5100A. It is, however, the cheap way to answer the question this radio poses: is D-STAR actually active where you live? A ~$30 RTL-SDR running free GopherTrunk monitors your local repeaters and digital ham traffic, and records and logs what it hears, so you know which digital network your area really uses before committing $465 to Icom’s camp. Listening needs no license at all; transmitting on ham bands requires an FCC amateur license (Part 97, Technician minimum). See best SDR for GopherTrunk to pick a dongle.
Who it’s for
- Buy the ID-5100A if D-STAR is active in your area and you want the definitive mobile for it, with the best-integrated repeater database in the business. View on Amazon →
- Buy the IC-2730A for the same Icom RF quality minus digital, about $130 cheaper.
- Buy the AnyTone AT-D578UVIII Plus if your area runs DMR, or a Yaesu FTM-500DR for C4FM and true FM APRS.
- Rankings and rivals: the 10 best mobile ham radios.
Sources
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Icom ID-5100A product page — Icom America, on D-STAR DV/DR mode, the 5.5-inch touchscreen controller, GPS and D-PRS, gateway/terminal modes, and power specifications. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Is the Icom ID-5100A still in production?
Yes. As of 2026 it is still current on Icom America’s lineup and stocked new at the major ham dealers — remarkable for a radio introduced in 2014. The Deluxe package runs around $450–480, varying with Icom promos and rebates.
Is the ID-5100A the best D-STAR mobile?
It is the de-facto D-STAR mobile: the big 5.5-inch touchscreen, DR mode with huge repeater databases, GPS, and gateway/terminal modes for internet-linked D-STAR make it the standard choice. Its age shows in the dim resistive touchscreen and monochrome UI, but nothing else in a mobile does D-STAR better.
Does the ID-5100A do APRS?
Not FM APRS. It does D-PRS position reporting over D-STAR, which reaches APRS via gateways but is not the same thing — FM APRS users should look at the Yaesu FTM-500DR/300DR or the AnyTone AT-D578UVIII Plus instead.
Can I program the ID-5100A with CHIRP?
Yes — CHIRP supports the ID-5100 in clone mode, including D-STAR fields with some caveats. Icom’s CS-5100 software with the SD card and RT Systems are the other options.
Do I need a license to use the ID-5100A?
Transmitting requires an FCC amateur license (Part 97, Technician class minimum). Listening requires none — and a $30 RTL-SDR running free GopherTrunk can tell you whether D-STAR is even active in your area before you spend the money.