The Icom IC-705! HF-UHF SDR Radio - An initial review

Correct.
This rig would nicely drive W6QPL's 1KW SSPA, requiring some amount of attenuation or padding. For 5 and 10 Watts, this would be in the order of 4 to 7 dB!
https://w6pql.com/1_kw_sspa_for_1_8-54_mhz.htm

I wonder if the IC-705 does QSK and provides QSK-capable PTT keying for an amp?

 

There is no doubt that Elecraft builds fine rigs. But the ATU is an option for this rig, and if one buys the factory assembled versions it runs to what, almost $1400 for a 10W rig? Pretty pricey, if you ask me.

 

I sure liked my IC-745. Compact, lightweight, built-in PS. Didn't have an antenna tuner built in but that never bothered me. It didn't balk at a little bit of SWR like my newer rig does.

 

The IC-745, and especially the IC-740, were wonderful little rigs for their time. Quality stuff...

 

Well, the KX3 is 15W on an external supply, or 10W on internal batteries. In both cases, it has a 5W advantage over the Icom.

The KX3 with tuner runs $1,300 factory assembled. The 12W KX2 with tuner runs $990 factory assembled.

There are plenty of ways to get rigs that are cheaper per watt than the KX3. Prices don't seem to have been announced, but I'm betting the Icom won't be the lowest dollar per watt rig out there, either.

 

Not a really valid comparison, though (and I have a KX2).

The new Icom IC-705 covers 2m and 70cm in addition to 160 through 6 meters. The KX2 is 80 through 10m only. The KX3 adds 160m and 6m, but is $300 more expensive.

 

If i had not just bought a 7300, I would buy one of these when released. But I guess in 2 years time when its ready to go, i might just be in the market for one for portable use. This little radio will also be the perfect IF for microwave use, replacing the 817/8 many are using. With the 818 being over 20 years old now?? Icom i think is going to do very well out of this. It should sell like hot cakes.

 

The K2 does not do 6m 2m and 70cm and the K3 does not do 2m and 70cm. If you are a Sota guy in the EU these are very handy bands to have. If all you are after is HF then the Elecrafts come into the mix, but an all mode all band shack in a box, the only real competitor to this is the 818 and its a potato.

 

I think you meant the KX2 and KX3, not the K2 and K3.

The KX3 can do 2m, but it's optional. You're correct about the KX2's band coverage.

It's clear that Elecraft and Icom make radios that are different from one another in many ways, and targeted at different customers. If you want 70cm or digital voice, you can't get it from Elecraft. But if you want an internal wide-range antenna tuner in a portable rig of that size class, that doesn't seem to be available from Icom.

 

Icom used to make another 10W portable rig, the IC-703 which was very much like the IC-706 but only 10W.

They sold a lot of them. They're actually still in demand (out of production many years) by SOTA enthusiasts.

This new one should be far better, and if it sells in the same price range as an FT-818, I think Yaesu sales will suffer a lot.