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ICOM IC-705: A slightly different perspective

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by OH8STN, Sep 24, 2019.

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  1. N2VIP

    N2VIP Ham Member QRZ Page

    The fascinating feature that has gone undisclosed so far I'd the built in WiFi - Icom is promising smartphone apps to control the radio, meaning you can have the radio in a man pack-type install and operate the front panel on your smartphone (Icom promises iOS and android apps). So what? Well, that means you can power down the big, beautiful touchscreen display and save power.

    Also, speaking of power consumption, the IC-7300 and IC-705 use different RF sampling chips, presumably to lower power consumption. The IC-7300 is a direct sampling radio up to 4 meters, the IC-705 uses direct sampling up to 25 MHz, then employs downconversion for 10m - 70cm.
     
    KO4ESA likes this.
  2. N2VIP

    N2VIP Ham Member QRZ Page

    Icom is promising smartphone apps for wireless control if the rig, that removes the need for the USB cable you mention for man pack portable operation and reduces power consumption by powering down the touchscreen display.
     
  3. KJ4PBW

    KJ4PBW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well it was a big enough deal for Icom with the 703+. I'm keeping mine.

    Theres some nifty new features but I'm in wait and see mode. Maybe the final release will have a tuner.
     
  4. N2VIP

    N2VIP Ham Member QRZ Page

    The radio will not ship with a tuner, it isn't a debatable option, Icom has stated this repeatedly.

    At a minimum, Icom will release an adapter cable to allow use of an AH-4 compatible ATU on the 3.5mm ATU jack, or they may introduce a new external ATU that plugs in to it, perhaps with a duplexer to allow dedicated HF and VHF/UHF antenna jacks, but that is pure speculation.
     
  5. KJ4PBW

    KJ4PBW Ham Member QRZ Page

    First ive heard. Last I saw was specs weren't final.

    But if that's the case, ill pass.
     
  6. NX1Q

    NX1Q XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I've had a 991, and now have a 7300. I barely even used the NR on the 991, but use it on the 7300 about 90% of the time. I have an 891 also.

    My reason is that on the Yaesu rigs, while the NR is amazing, it's just heavy, even on 1 or 2. I feel like the weaker signals are being squashed. But on the 7300, it's more even from 1-10, gradually increasing. I use 4 most of the time. The Yaesu on moderate to stronger signals is amazing and takes 90% on the static out.

    Are you using the Contour feature as well ?
     
  7. W4EAE

    W4EAE XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    I never had the 7300 and the 991 side-by-side. I did have the 891 and 7300 at the same time. Weak stations on the 891 were 'muddy' using NR, but weak stations on the 7300 were just lost in the noise. (This was easy to test at the beginning of my state 80m traffic net when the same five or six QRP guys check in). I returned the 7300 and bought the FT-991A as a sort of 'souped-up' 891. All in all, I have not been disappointed.

    DNR, NB, contour and width are all used variably on SSB for any frequencies lower than 10MHz. On AM--where I am mostly an SWL--the DNR really takes away the higher fidelity which is possible on AM; so I don't use it there.

    I really do like the IC-7300, it just didn't fit into my station. Actually, my basic experience with the layout and controls of the 7300 helped me make the decision (after much saving) to purchase the IC-9700--which is my most-used radio at the moment.

    My savings at the moment are toward the 705. With the amount of travel I do, it will get a lot of use.
     
  8. NX1Q

    NX1Q XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Ryan,

    Thanks for the response.

    Okay, fair enough. I guess for me the 7300 is the keeper....at the moment. Just hooked on the scope and...I don't know, but the weak signals just seem better. Though I can't say I totally remember now how good the 991 did with weaker signals. I know it was good, but I never had it side by side with a 7300. What I would really like now for home use is a SDR. Apache or flex mid level. I like portable and mobile, so it's a budget issue as I'm already geared for that.
     
  9. W4EAE

    W4EAE XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Maybe its not what you are looking for, but developments in hardware and software mean that you might only be a few hundred dollars away from an excellent SDR receiver.

    The big reason I have no interest in Flex is that I do not use Windows. I am not going to spend several thousands of dollars for a radio that I then have to write software to use.
     
    WN1MB and KR3DX like this.
  10. K9GLS

    K9GLS Guest

    Or be one forced update away from a disaster. An expensive disaster. No thanks.
     
    WN1MB and KR3DX like this.
  11. K3UJ

    K3UJ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Unfortunately no longer in production, but rugged was the SGC SG-2020. Had a few bells, no whistles, and HF only but you could drive over it and not break it.
     
    K8PG, F8WBD, KR3DX and 1 other person like this.
  12. EI3IBB

    EI3IBB Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yeasu have a great transceiver, the FT-891, can run 5-100 watts and is remarkably compact for a 100 watt rig.

    I love my 7300 but for Portable, the FT-891 is in my opinion, unbeatable, can run 1oo watts and is very compact and has a great receiver and it has a very useful and convenient scope.

    The 705 , while it looks good used a very over priced battery that can only supply 5 watts, for the same price as that ridiculously over priced 705 battery I can get a 45 Ah 12 V car battery that can run the FT-891 for more than a day @ 100 watts.

    Yeah try bring a 45 ah car battery in a back pack, sure I get it, then I would bring a 10 Ah 3 S LiPo pack , the Beauty with the FT-891 is that I can run the power I need, low power tiny Lithium or 100 Watts , cheap car battery or I could get a 10 Ah LiPO pack from Hobbyking. ~

    The IC-705, fancy screen and limited to 5 watts with ridiculously expensive battery and if you got to take an external battery for 10 watts might as well take the FT-891 and LiPo.

    OK, sure if you need the extra bands that's a different story, currently I'm only interested in HF.
     
    Last edited: Oct 5, 2019
  13. W7RY

    W7RY Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    Fix the antenna if its broke!
    Balanced resonate antennas just WORK BETTER than random wires. PERIOD! End of story.
     
  14. W7RY

    W7RY Premium Subscriber QRZ Page

    The same was said about SSB when it came out. "it will never last". And you forgot to add P25 to the mix of digital modes. Digital modes (on 2 meters and 440) are really taking off all around the country.
    73
    Jim W7RY
     
  15. AD7VB

    AD7VB Ham Member QRZ Page


    D-Star is open source and designed for amateur use. D-Star, Fusion and DMR all use the AMBE codec for voice.
     

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