IC-705 QRP SDR Transceiver update, available in Japan around April 2020

IC-705 QRP SDR Transceiver update, available in Japan around April 2020

There has been massive interest around the world about the new IC-705 QRP SDR transceiver since a concept model was shown at the Tokyo Hamfair 2019

This new portable HF/VHF/UHF has many great features. Some of these are, an SDR platform, internal battery, GPS, Bluetooth and D-STAR, all in a compact and lightweight body. The Icom IC-705 uses the same 4.3″ colour touch screen display as in the IC-7300 and IC-9700 featuring real-time spectrum scope and waterfall display.

Ian Lockyer, Marketing Manager of Icom UK said, ‘We promised to keep everyone up to date with the latest news about this much anticipated radio. Yesterday Icom put a statement on their website with a projected home market release date of April 2020. At present, we have not had a production schedule for this model for outside of Japan but we expect it follow very soon. We anticipate a price of around £1000.00 excluding VAT, but that is subject to confirmation.’

He added, ‘If you want more information about this model, please click on this downloadable pre-release leaflet . There is also a video about the 705 which we published earlier this year on our YouTube channel. You can view this by clicking on the following link: Video: Introducing the IC-705 VHF, UHF, HF, D-Star all-mode 10W QRP portable SDR transceiver .’

Ian finished by saying, ‘Demand for this model is proving to be exceptionally high, so get into contact with your authorised Icom Amateur radio dealer now to get your name down and avoid disappointment.’

http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2019/december/ic-705-qrp-sdr-transceiver-update.htm

 

April 2020. Approx 1300 USD. Pass my income tax refund check.

 

Gee whiz...

It looks like my car radio front dial from 1974.....

Weird!

Jammed packed with goodies though.

Really a game changer!

;-)

 

imagine if they bring this out and then integrate some of the goodies of the IC-705 into something like a full power IC-7300 MKII and add VHF and UHF... 100W HF, 50W VHF / UHF. Oh wow. The 705 will be another game changer for sure.

 

How about a PW-705, 100 watt 160-6, 144, 440 MHz companion amp?

 

Band conditions what they are, qrp just doesn’t make the grade. 100 watts just barely. Very expensive toy radio.

 

I'm not sure how solid that estimated price is, but it's a bit higher than the <$1,000 price that was bandied about earlier this year. For me, it may tip the balance toward a new KX3, which would have a built in ATU for around that price and is lighter at 18 oz vs about a kg.

 

I am an owner of a kx2 an kx3; generally quite happy.

Although it may seem natural to some to compare the IC 705 to those fine radios, I can tell you just by looking that is not the case.

The IC 705 is clearly designed as a radio that works base, portable AND remote, over most ham bands. I mean, look at it: it belongs in your shack! The point is that a full -featured 'shack' radio has been miniaturized and weight-lossed to be a practical portable solution.

The KX2 really was designed the opposite way around, for example.

The only thing I don't see is a port to key an external amplifier. Maybe I just missed it in the videos...

$1300 is an amazing price for this swiss -army- knife- of a radio, and that's why they will sell lots and lots.

73
Chip W1YW

 

To be honest, it does look like a good option for a new Ham that wants to get into HF without needing a ton of installing to do. I mean, other than this you need an antenna, which with the ton of design and construction option that there are, can be made cheaply and storable...
I might be wrong, but honestly for 1000 bucks or even 1300 bucks its a good deal in my opinion. Get some mind to it, and you can have backpack capable to transmit and receive anywhere from 100m to 70cm from the middle of nowhere. Heck, using a simple cable you can hang it and have a functional vertical antenna that can be stored in a backpack's pocket.

(If I'm wrong feel free to correct me, I'm new to the hobby)

 

Heck, for all we know, they could very well selling them almost at cost knowing almost every outdoorsy ham and their mother will buy it...
I'm new into the hobby and I can tell you, I NEED this, this is EXACTLY what i wanted to find. a portable and power independent radio that can do HF, capable to have longer distance comms even while in the middle of nowhere. I sometimes find myself 100 kms from the nearest person while on hikes, and many times alone with my phone as only comms. Now, I got a handy radio exactly for this, being able to communicate even if my phone dies.
Having said that, I could very well have HF, VHF and UHF, with this and only having to worry about finding a tree from which i can hang a 10m cable acting as an antenna (which to be fair, is not that of a Tall order while in a forest or even a hill riddled area)


Having gone through all of that.... I bet you that with just a little effort, scout troops could begin buying these as again, a relatively easy way of communicating, of doing JOTAs plus allowing the scouts to get to know Ham Radio. you got outdoor people, people who travel a lot, etc or even people who want to start their shack with a jack of all traits that can be picked up and moved on a moment's notice. Therefore, even if they sell it cheap, they could quickly sell a ton

 

We shall see. I have my deposit on one and I’m sure that other ops will get their hands on it before me and will be anxious to give their opinions. It also seems like this radio won’t be in the US or elsewhere until next summer.

 

Hi!

No one else talk about those very important accessories for portable operation.

1- Internal antenna tuner "10-1" like the one we can find into the KX3, it would be much easier to tune some wire antenna.
and you do not have to carry a small external tuner!!

2- How about CW selectivity ? The best filter is one like the KX3 ROOFING FILTER!!

3- As an option, a touch-tone mic, which is very useful , when you take with you a list of the nodes
of the different repeater hook up to IRLP or ECHOLINK. If you cannot have connection with your cell phone,
when you are 100 kms from the nearest tower, like it is,very often here in Canada.-


It could be more complete.-

72, Mike
VE2TH
56 Years of QRP fun

 

No built-in ATU in a $1300 (or more?) QRP portable is a huge oversight.

No Dual-Watch receive or APF (at least none that I could see in Icom’s released info) is not particularly helpful to me as a CW op. These are features that I use all the time.

No roofing filter *might* not be a big issue for QRP ops, since we tend to use simple wire antennas. Not a lot of microvolts at the front end, so getting by without a roofing filter will probably not be too difficult. Time (and Rob Sherwood) will tell!

The biggest question mark for me is battery life. The 1880 mAh battery pack might be a bit of a current hog with that fancy fish-finder display. Again, time will tell.

On the other hand... I like the Bluetooth connectivity. I don’t understand why Bluetooth isn’t a standard feature in every new radio designed this decade.

 

Does it have bluetooth too? It would be awesome to sync my AirPods pros with noise canceling to it.

 

And the very curious, and rather naughty thing is that the price is given ex-VAT (tax) This is not in keeping with the rules when the overwhelming majority of purchasers will be individual consumers, not VAT-reclaiming businesses.

So the price in the UK will actually be about £1200. The doors are wide open for those who can produce something similar, but a lot cheaper. I was interested, but I'd go for a Elecraft now the price is out of the bag.