NEW ICOM IC-7100 in the works

[JPSan]

Probably will be some time before this hits the U.S. market, but here's what is claimed by ICOM.
It covers all modes on HF plus 6 Meters, 2 Meters and 70 cm. (The European version also has the 70 MHz band which is a nice add for the countries that have that band availability.)
The radio includes DV (D-STAR) modulation capability and has a new touchscreen user interface.
The slanted control panel is meant to make the touchscreen more accessible.

Download the attached PDF for pre release details.

[JPSan]

What the 7100 looks like. Appears that it will be a base rig.

[Rt169Radio]

Well that is a interesting look and design.

[W2NJS]

I like it. What do you guys think, about $1500 to $1800?
But multi-function buttons are still a memory buster (in the human sense) for me.

[W9BU]

It looks like Icom will market the IC-7100 as an upgrade from the IC-7000. I don't know if the 7000 is on it's way out or not.

The form factor is certainly interesting. I think Icom has mobile operation in mind, but it will be a challenge to mount that head in a vehicle. For now, I'll just call it a departure from the norm.

The big deal with this radio seems to be the touch screen. Many of the user interface functions are accessible on the screen. Touch the frequency display and a keypad pops up on the screen, etc.

I wonder if the radio will let you do D-Star digital voice on 10m or 6m.

[n2pqq]

Well here is the link from the universal web site.


Icom IC-7100, Icom 7100, ic7100

Here is a link to a you tube video from ham fair 2012 Japan


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9rd6nQKV9s

[prcguy]

If the 7100 is a replacement for the 7000 I hope they improve the receiver specs, the 7000 has a much worse receiver than the 706MKIIG that it supposedly replaced.
prcguy

[W2NJS]

W9RXR wrote:
I wonder if the radio will let you do D-Star digital voice on 10m or 6m.[/QUOTE]
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The data sheet would leave you to believe that the answer to the question is yes.

[990adv]

Is there some sort of marketing plan with releasing it now? Why not at Dayton? Will they display it next year at Dayton then offer it for sale shortly thereafter?

[n9mxq]

Head unit kinda reminds me of a Davis Weather Station..

[W2NJS]

Originally Posted by 990adv

Is there some sort of marketing plan with releasing it now? Why not at Dayton? Will they display it next year at Dayton then offer it for sale shortly thereafter?

Gigaparts is taking reservations at $20 a pop with delivery mentioned as January 2013 but no actual radio unit price quoted.

[W9BU]

Originally Posted by 990adv

Is there some sort of marketing plan with releasing it now? Why not at Dayton?

Not to be too sarcastic, but you do realize that the Japanese amateur radio market is huge for the Japanese amateur radio manufacturers. Japanese hams have just as much "right" to be the first to see a new product on their home soil as Dayton attendees.

But, this is not a new thing. The big 3 Japanese manufacturers have historically used both the Dayton Hamvention and the Tokyo Ham Fair as launching pads for new products. And, based on publicly-reported attendance numbers for 2012, the Tokyo Ham Fair beat Dayton 33,000 to 25,000. If you really want to stay on top of new products in the market, you have to attend both shows. Might even have to add Ham Radio Friedrichshafen (Germany) to that list.

[MOONBOOTS]

Years ago I had a friend "Yul" who was a flight attendant for one of the Japanese airlines. He used to pick up a Japanese QST type of magazine in Hong Kong, & bring it back with him, so we could all drool on the new radios that were out in Japan, but still unknown here. The local ham radio store bought a 1 year subscription to this magazine, so we all could see what would be on the shelves in 6 months. If someone wants to know what radio will be here in the future, this magazine would be neat to have. GARY

[w2txb]

Originally Posted by JPSan

What the 7100 looks like. Appears that it will be a base rig.

Very likely, as trying to use that control head while mobile may be somewhat odd; maybe a high degree of control from the microphone will be retained, as with the IC-7000 mic.Also, something better than a suction cup mount would make a mobile installation more functional and secure.

I think I will hang on to my IC-7000 for a while yet, as it has been a very solid HF radio that performs really well. Being a guinea pig for a new radio is not something I normally do, although I broke that personal rule recently with another radio (yet to be delivered).

[n2pqq]

Originally Posted by MOONBOOTS

Years ago I had a friend "Yul" who was a flight attendant for one of the Japanese airlines. He used to pick up a Japanese QST type of magazine in Hong Kong, & bring it back with him, so we could all drool on the new radios that were out in Japan, but still unknown here. The local ham radio store bought a 1 year subscription to this magazine, so we all could see what would be on the shelves in 6 months. If someone wants to know what radio will be here in the future, this magazine would be neat to have. GARY

Your post made me search for ham radio magazines.

with this result

List of amateur radio magazines - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Is it just me or does it seem Icom is getting away from the tft color screens and using blue on a lot of there new radios.

[w2txb]

Maybe the somewhat monochrome displays are being adopted for their better visibility in sunlight. While the color display (i.e., on the IC-7000) is nice and otherwise very clear and visible, the newer type of display may be even better in more types of light

[SOFA_KING]

Well maybe better in day, but really hard on the eyes at night. My IC-9100 is hard to look at in a dark room, even with the brightness turned down to 1. I wouldn't want that thing glaring at me in a dark car! I'm no fan of these monochrome displays.

Besides, the IC-7000 color display can be reversed with a bright background and dark numbers (and feature icons) for day use with a simple menu selection, so there is no reason for this monochrome downgrade. And no bandscope? (I use mine on my 7000) And no 2m/440 AM TX? This is just some of the stuff you would be downgrading by "upgrading" to a 7100. What would I gain with a 7100 over a 7000? Just D-STAR and a USB port for remote control. And how would I mount that odd shaped thing in my SUV? It wouldn't work.

The one advantage I see is that I believe it will let you set any band/mode in a 99 channel memory bank (looks like the same 5 bank arrangement the 7000 has), which means you could scan any band/mode you want at the same time. I wish my IC-9100 could do that! The 9100 is way limited, being locked into one band per display at a time. I'm missing one thing or the other all the time. Like no listening to 2m and 440 D-STAR (with analog mixed in) at the same time. That sucks! The 7100 would solve that problem. But no internal tuner, so it would be back to the LDG AT-100 Pro II.

I'm a remote control user with the RS-BA1 software. I like remote operation with the 9100, but feel I miss to much while operating at home. So, although I would not replace my IC-7000 and ID-880H in my mobile with a IC-7100, I am thinking of replacing my IC-9100 at home with a IC-7100 for the "any band/mode scan"...and then adding an IC-7600 for the color screen, bandscope, and all the cool stuff that radio offers (PSK31 & RTTY etc.). That may be the only way to have my cake and eat it too.

[N2PYS]

Well just to let people know there are nice legs on the rear of the face snf there is also a tripod like bolt that you can mount the head with,and yes with this Radio ICOM brings DSTAR to all bands not just VHF/UHF but to all bands HF ,and yes you will be dancing your thumb across your Mic because a plethora of controls are right st your thumb tip. And the radio does the negative and positive and color features on the screen as the 7000 does. It also has all of it filters built in all you have to do is activate the one you want and dial in the amount of that filter you want applied and it will do so. what remains a mystery is how hot the receiver is and does it represent an evolution from the 7000 or is it just a newer more expensive box.The 9100 was a rip off i have what it evolved from the IC 910AH VHF/UHF 6 Mtrs All Mode 100 watts output I love this radio then they added hf and DSTAR and a 700$ radio shoots up over 3100$ and has a display that can be seen from the I.S.S. thats not right,there are better radios with calmer displays in that price range like somebody mentioned get decent hf radio and a free standing 2/440 that does DSTAR If you can't live without it. So the 7100 has great potential or it can fall flat on its face

[Fuzy_GSXR1000]

Did you say $3100.00? Oh my!!!

[N8IAA]

Originally Posted by Fuzy_GSXR1000

Did you say $3100.00? Oh my!!!

He's talking about the 9100. Not the 7100.
Larry