ICOM IC-705 Review and Full Walk Through

Many if not most contacts of QRP stations are with big guns because other stations don't hear them. .
Big gun and QRP form symbiotic relationships.

When I operate QRP portable, I am happy to make any contact. When I am working KW with 100ft tower, I am happy to give QRP contacts. Often they are well heard with 100ft high beam, marginal with 40ft high beam, and not heard on a dipole.

KX2 is about an ideal QRP rig, aside from weak speech processor. 705 adds panadapter but no ATU. Having panadapter for QRP portable has limited utility.

So 705 begs to be used with an amp. With Expert 1.3k-fa it can easily produce a KW and be a basis for an effective portable contesting station, where panadapter is a plus and ATU is not needed.

Ignacy NO9E

 

Each to their own... That's part of the hobby.. Choice. I guess QRO gives that instant gratification, without the need for skill or patience...

 

Great post! Love it.
Yup, anyone can do great QSL's with a Yagi up at 50+feet and a solid-state 1000 Watt amp. That takes tremendous skill....not.

I loved it when I got through pile-ups using 20 watts from my pool deck with my FT-891 and a wire dipole.

I always wonder how many people who shame FT8 because it is so easy have never bothered learning Morse Code or use it for contact....hmmmm

 

90%? I doubt that very much. I know a ton of other people who run QRP and few if any are searching for amps. Most of my operation is QRP CW and I have absolutely no problem filling my log most days. What is it with some people and QRP anyway? It's like they're threatened by it...... I build a pile of QRP rigs and accessories; I have fun operating them and I sure don't worry about operators who don't run QRP. Get over it!

 

I HATE repeating myself.Life is to short for QRP.QRO all day every day or not at all.

Clayton
W4KVW

 

Guess I look at this differently. If a DX station is wasting long periods of time trying to work a QRP station then shame on them not the QRP station. All it takes is a "sorry no contact try later" and off to the hundreds and hundreds waiting so patiently. Conversely if a DX station wants to try for 8 hours to work that one QRP station then that's their choice isn't it. Not everyone can be as efficent and thoughtful as you. Especially those darn foreigners.

 

I’ve been working the NAQSO party with my 705 running five watts and made two dozen contacts from coast to coast. It’s fun and a challenge, although it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. It’s a big hobby with something for everyone.

 

This review is pretty late since many of us have had one since November.
Also note that there is a software upgrade
https://www.icomjapan.com/data/Firmupdate_IC705_7300_9700_A4.pdf

 

QRP or QRO???

What difference does it make if you are enjoying the hobby?

Nice review.

 

very rare to win a pile up with 5 watts... why struggle? Life it too short for QRP! Run a kilowatt and a big antenna!

 

Why struggle? Why not? Power is no substitute for skill.

 

Let us see here:

"review and full walk through"
"detailed review"
"covers essentials of the operator's manual"

Icom basic manual is 96 pages. Advanced manual is 218 pages.

Video is 36 minutes in length.

Something(s) doesn't (don't) compute...

 

Bonsoir, après 3 mois de fonctionnement sans problème, voici la première panne d’écran.
73 de F1HCN

 

Bonsoir, après 3 mois de fonctionnement sans problème, voici la première panne d’écran.

 

That is the second update for the IC-705, no? If so, that is a good thing, as I prefer to wait until after the first software/firmware update before buying; waiting for (or at least knowing that it is pretty much "in the pipeline") the second one may be even better.

Just spoke with a nearby ham who received his IC-705 last week. He is having fun with it and is learning its features. His first HF contact from central NY was on (I believe) 20-M SSB with a guy in Florida... nailed it with a good signal report.

I am running the numbers now and may buy one soon.