Contents of the KIT:

• LCD unit. New LCD on PDA Tech Center's IC-756 adaptor board.
  Note: leave the protective sheet on the LCD unless otherwise notified!
• A piece of thin wire.
• Sheet with tape.
• Link to the online manual.

Terminology:

• Front unit: the metal casing containing the control unit, controls (user interface) and display.
• Front cover: The plastic cover, covering the front unit, and basically makes the radio looks nice....
• Sub-Logic unit: the main PCB in the front unit. Most work is done on this unit.
• Display unit: the complete unit producing the image you look at.
   

Preparation:

• In the SET-menu, set the backlight and contrast both to 50%
• Get yourself a clean workspace, and some small containers for screws, knobs, and other small parts.
• Turn off the IC-756, and disconnect it from all cables.

Tools needed:

• Philips #2 screwdriver
• Cutters
• Small pliers
• Tweezers
• Soldering station with small tip,  capable of soldering SMD components.
• An 2 mm allen key (for the VFO knob) (Dutch: inbussleutel)
• An 11 mm socket wrench or similar tool for the hex nuts holding the potentiometers.
• A decent multimeter.
• A good magnifier glass.

Removal of front unit:

• Remove top and bottom cover.
• Disconnect speaker and adjacent audio wire.
• Disconnect LCD cable from the main unit, it is a good idea to mark this cable at the connector,
  with 'main-top'.
• Disconnect the front control cable from the main unit.
• Remove the 4 screws holding the front in place.
• Carefully pull the front unit from the main body.

Remove speaker cable, audio cable, LCD cable, and main control cable.

Mark the cables! Finally loosen the 4 screws at the side of the front.

Now set aside the covers, and main unit. All work is done at the front unit.
If you have choosen to send us the front to let us do the modification, you can stop here, and
prepare for packing. Remove the VFO-knob if possible, to save weight, and risk-of-damage.

Now for the SMD guru's and die hards we continue:

Dismantling the front unit:
 

• Remove main VFO knob. It is secured with an 2mm allen screw. Search for the hole under
  the rubber.
  Some Icoms have no allen screw, but a spring-clip. If that is the case, just PULL...
• Remove both screws holding the break of the main VFO knob.
• Remove all other knobs (simply pull).
• Remove the solder around the 2 contacts of the S-meter.
• Remove all flat cables, VFO dial-cable, and HV backlight-cable connected to the Sub-Logic unit.
• Remove the plastic front cover from the front unit. It is snapped in place with 6 clips.
  It can be tricky to complete this step. It is reported the S-meter can fall out. Be careful.
• Remove the flat nuts and rings holding the volume and balance potmeters.
• Remove the 6 screws holding the Sub-Logic unit attached to the front unit.
• The Sub-Logic-unit can now be removed from the front unit.

Remove VFO Knob, VFO Break, and buttons. Finally remove solder  around the S-Meter connector.

Disconnect all cables, be aware of the 2x3 clips holding the front plastic in place, finally remove the front cover.

Remove hex nuts, and screws, and remove the Sub-Logic unit.

Modifying the Sub-Logic unit:

If correctly done, the Sub-Logic is separated from the front unit. Set the front unit aside, and concentrate on the Sub-Logic unit (see pictures)
Remove the metal lids from the -5, and -30v PSU's, and HV-Power-supply.
We need to do a lot of  work on this board so take some time to locate the components on the board referring to the pictures.
We need to work on: L103, R203, R157, R161, R152, R153, and  J505 (Pin 21 and pin 22)
Place the  Sub-Logic unit on the workbench, oriented like on the pictures.
The top-left metal can is the -30v bias power supply (-30v PSU) for the original LCD. We need to disable this, since we don't need it anymore.
Next to the right you will find the -5v PSU. We leave this one untouched.
Below the 2 DC PSU's you will find the HV-Power supply (HV-PSU). This one generates the high-voltage for the CCFL lamp. We are disabling this one also.

Now you are familiar with the components, and locations, let's get started:
 

Picture 1 (Click to expand) Overview of Sub-Logic board.
 

• Locate L103, cut one side with cutters, this will disable the HV PSU for the CCFL backlight in the old LCD. (See picture 1)
• Next, locate R203. this one is harder to remove. It is a 1.5 ohm resistor in the -30 v PSU. By removing this resistor, we 
  disabling the -30V switch mode power supply. (-30v PSU) (See Picture 2, at the right side).
• Additional we remove R157, and R161, both are located near the connector. (J505)  (See picture2 for details).
• Now we take care of the backlight of the new LCD.  Just right to the HV-PSU, cut the trace, and connect a wire (W1) as seen on picture 3.
  Route the wire to pin 22 of the white connector (J505). There is a copper spot connected to pin 22 waiting for the wire. (W1)
  this completes the backlight modification.
• Near the connector (J505), cut the 2 traces marked with red X. Make sure the traces are fully cut, using an ohm-meter. Both traces are
  connected to pin 21 of the connector (J505) (Again, picture 2)
• Now routes a wire (W2) from pin 21 of the connector (J505) to the intersection of R152 and R153 (see picture 2).
  This completes the contrast and the BIAS power modification for the new LCD.

Picture 2 (Click to expand) Component locations.
 

Picture 3 (Click to expand) Component locations.
 

Modifying the front unit:

• Remove the old faulty LCD by removing the 2 screws holding it attached to the front-unit.
• Disconnect the flatcable, and connect it to the new LCD. It is a good idea to secure the cable with tape.
• Warning: the connector holding the LCD cable is the same type as on the old LCD. The connector holds
  the flatcable in place with a latch. The latch is pulled carefully sideways. It can be a bit tricky to wiglle the LCD cable
  in the connector. Just take your time, and take a close look how the connector works. Secure the latch when the
  cable is in place.
• Carefully place the new LCD in the front unit. make sure nothing is forced. Just take your time.
• Put the Sub-Logic unit back in place using the 6 screws, and connect all flat cables. Make sure not to force the cables, and
  seat them properly into the connectors. I've seen faulty transceivers with loose, or improperly seated cables.
• Solder the 2 connections for the S-Meter.
• Fasten the potentiometers to the front unit. 
• Remove the protective sheet from the LCD.
• If you want, you can use the sheet of black tape to cover the shiny edges of the new LCD.
  the top side cannot be seen through the window, but the left side, right side, and bottom side does. 
  If taped black, the edges optically 'dissapear' behind the tinted window.
• Reseat the plastic front cover. Make sure, no dust, or hairs are between the LCD and the front cover!

Picture 4 Black tape on three edges.
 

Be sure to reseat all cables. Special the cable running to the front button bar, and the cable from the LCD itself.
Reinstall the front unit, and all 4 cables running to the main unit. Secure it with the 4 screws.
At this stage you can test the new display. Apply power to the IC-756, and turn it on.
If everything works correctly (contrast setting, and backlight setting), you can re-assemble the IC-756.