Depends on who you ask. You might want to look here: https://forums.qrz.com/index.php?se...&o=date&c[title_only]=1&c[node]=7&c[prefix]=1
An Icom IC7300 is an entry level radio. Once you have entered ham radio; Part 97 rules state that you MUST upgrade to something more expensive as quickly as possible.. Once you have upgraded you MUST ( again, part 97) continue to upgrade until you are radio poor; then use your credit card (if you haven't already.) Another obscure Part 97 regulation is: If you don't have one (of whatever) you need one. So you MUST buy one. Cant find the rule? It is in the same paragraph that states: If you have only one you don't have enough; buy two more. Those regulations are in the same paragraph that states: If you bought one (of whatever) today and something new comes out tomorrow. Sell what you bought today and buy what comes out tomorrow. If it's not type accepted, put a deposit on it today so you can have one of the first off the assembly line when it is type accepted. Hams always want the newest model with bugs in the hardware/software. Bugs make the transceiver much more valuable. Another part 97 regulation is: Sell it on eBay while it is still being manufactured. Price it at or $100.00 above the current full retail price; no matter how long you have had it. Remember, radios are like wine. The older they are, the more they are worth. Because of "parts swappers" You must sell ham transceivers in the "not working; for parts only, but it works great no returns because of parts swappers" category. Don't forget the most important rule in Part 97... Your wife won't divorce you for spending money on radios if she also becomes a ham. Remember... hams are ethical so we obey ALL part 97 rules and regulations. John K4AGO
All very plausible answers, but none are the REAL reason... "Original" IC-7300's contain a "Flux Capacitor" that is very expensive and hard to buy separately. The FluxCap is used in the "Temporal Mode" (hidden menu item #769) to talk to hams in the 1960's, which has proven to be pretty boring (mostly about tube problems, CW and about how great Solar Cycle 20 is). So it's been taken out of the newer rigs. Profiteering hams often buy the older rigs, take out the capacitor and sell the castrated rig to newbies for nearly full price. Then they make a killing selling the FluxCap, usually for about $19.55. (They're amateurs, after all, not entrepruners) The only other rig to have this feature that I know of was the Heathkit SBT-303, which looks a LOT like the SB-301, but with temporal TX/RX capability. You can see this older rig talking to itself across different time periods in the movie "Frequency". It's big problem was that it required a sonic screwdriver to adjust the decade transmitted to, and those are REALLY hard to come by! (Who do I get one from? Yep that's right - Who is right. What? No - I said W H O. What's on second!) See the following link for more details... https://www.k2dsl.com/2011/02/20/frequency-movie-with-heavy-ham-radio-theme/ Flux Capacitors have been identified as a major source of temporal pollution, causing everything from global warming to the recent serious political SNAFUs in the UK and USA. So I believe the EPA has banned further manufacture and is buying up old Deloreans (with also used Flux Capacitors in their navigtion system) and is scrapping them as fast as possible. I hope this definitively answers the question? Brian - K6BRN
Participating in this thread attracted a scam attempt. Be careful! I have for sale an icom ic 7300 transceiver in a perfect working condition. Comes with manual, shipping box, mic and power cable. Asking $750 shipped. Let me know if you are interested. Raymond Lau <n8tl5135@gmail.com>
I didn't mean that. I just meant it as a warning to others to watch out for this creep and don't get taken in.