Greg Ordy
My current HF radio is the ICOM IC-756PRO. It has been in service since February of 2000. Up to that point, I had been using a 756 standard. Both are very good radios. I have written up some comments and observations on these radios, and they can be found on another page. Another good source of 756PRO information is the website site of Gary, VE3SOU.
All of the 756PRO front panel jacks are used. Microphone, CW paddle, and headphones. I have found that the internal speaker is simply too small and tinny sounding, and I use an external speaker when the headphones are not used.
My 20 through 10 meter (20, 17, 15, 12, 10) antenna is a Sommer XP-504. It is turned by a Yaesu G-800SDX rotator. The control box is in the lower left corner of the picture. The antenna load is at the upper end of the rotator specification, but I have not had any problems in several years of use. One feature of the controller that I really like is the Preset button, which will automatically turn the antenna to the bearing indicated by the preset direction knob. When rapidly retuning and redirecting, I get the rotator going automatically, then I have my hands and eyes free to adjust the radio and amplifier. This is an improvement over most controllers, which require a direction button to be pressed continuously while watching the direction indicator reach the destination.