Icom IC-705 Update, antennas & portable power

I have it on order when it gets here I will posts a video comparing them. I to run digital modes and contest on occasion.
Will have to see how good the receiver is because the KX3 is not that far of my Flex 6700.
It takes 2 RCA cables and 1 USB to use the the KX3 not a big deal hookup in 30 seconds.
Ian
KM4CQG

 

yeah the fact its a 1200 dollar radio and noone wants to the pay that for a portable... maybe icom needs to rethink there pricing a bit..

 

Do we know the actual price yet or is it all speculation?

 

So, Icom is marketing some kind of backpack and whip to go in it as a porta-pack...

The decision to leave out an ATU is mind boggling in that regard.

I've been doing QRP with an old 817ND for a decade now and it is limited to 5W PEP and has no ATU, no DSP, heck, I don't even have the optional filters! Its not a fancy rig at all, and I still have a lot of fun with it, though its getting long in the tooth.

I have even worked 2m ssb with the ND on a mountaintop, how fun!

I don't see the benefit of a waterfall when I'm getting blasted by old Sol on the hilltop, but the ATU would have been nice.

I can't pick the winner here. Elecraft and Icom are tops in the category, the Chinese radios are filling in a low cost void, Yaesu with the 6W 818, what a missed opportunity.

See you on the hilltop this summer... stay well everyone.

 

I don’t understand the anger over a missing ATU. you can get one that fits in a tiny space and you can even run it off a transistor radio battery. This is such a minor inconvenience in the grand scheme of things.

 

Inefficient antennas are not good for QRP. If you NEED a tuner, you are doing QRP wrong. Plus, I never use the internal ATUs on my radios as I prefer to use external matching networks. I'm not defending ICOM or this radio, but cannot understand the heartburn over a missing ATU.

 

Elecraft should design a tuner that will fit in the 705 case and charge $500 for it. That way they make money which ever way you go

 

I agree on the resonant antenna argument while doing QRP, that is why I have worked with only the 817ND and hand-tuned (no matching network) antennas, nothing else. Its bad enough working QRP phone, it would be worse adding to its futility with some hokey-dokey antenna system.

On the other hand, I still think an ATU should be in a $1,200 portable rig. At least as an option. Adds to the "shack-in-a-box" mentality. Carrying a buttload of spare parts only leaves room for something missing or going wrong.

 

Having a KX3 already and a 705 on order I emailed Elecraft and suggested that it would be a missed opportunity on their part if they don’t start to design an adapter for their T1 tuner that would allow the 705 to auto tune with that tuner.

For those of you that don’t already know, Elecraft already makes a cable that connects between the Yaesu FT817/818 that automatically tunes when you QSY around the bands. Not sure if this would require a new firmware chip for the T1 or they may already be able to do it. I would think that they would sell a boat load of T1 tuners if they can accomplish this. Likewise LDG should be jumping on building a tuner for the 705. Based on all the people that I read who have preordered this radio someone could tend to make a decent buck on the quantity of tuners that will be sold for this radio.

 

I hate to sound Pollyanna-ish, but why can't they both be winners? The ICOM isn't for me because I want light weight, low power drain and a tuner for random wire set ups. But it is a very nice looking radio and it will be the perfect thing for some people.

 

So look at the X5105 I mentioned in the thread, China is now coming up with some interesting innovation, HF + 6, internal ATU, 5 to 8 watts opt, all mode, superb build quality, lightweight, includes antenna analyser, 3.8 amp internal power unit, die-cast chassis, rf gain, attenuator, preamp, filtering, but most of all use a 49/1 that will give you several resonant bands from 1 piece of wire and costs about 15 USD to make for low power. IC-705 will retail at £1200 in UK inc VAT about 1000 USD in USA, X5105 is about 450 USD. Also look at the G90 model, all mode, internal ATU, 20watt pep, requires dc supply, under 1/2 the price of the Icom. www,rfcomms.co.uk

 

What ?

 

Except none of those mentioned include VHF /UHF & DV. Plus the build quality of Corona Virus rigs are nowhere near those of the main three or the USA alternative.

 

Me too.

 

The X5105 is die-cast based not PLASTIC like the 705, buy one! get it in you hands and then report back here.

Don't mention Corona Virus! that's uncalled for in this present climate.
I did mention that the 705 is VHF/UHF but most hilltoppers will want HF. We have done lots of commercial tests on the new breed of radios from China so don't knock em yet until you have tried and tested them, some perform better than the big boys and no doubt China will produce even better products just like S Korea has done in the electronics game over the past 25 years. Just look at the MAT-10 ATU made in China, half the price and better built than the Elecraft unit in a die-cast case with 1.2 amp power unit included. www.rfcomms.co.uk