Icom: IC-705: New QRP rig from Icom in the works

[wb4sqi]

wb4sqi, I ordered the 705 yesterday. Passed on the 599.

I believe you will be happy with the 705. I use mine daily connected to my hotspot but when my Bioenno battery arrives I plan to test some hf antennas, mostly verticals and an Alex Loop. Hope to test some end fed wires with different Unun ratios on a different day.

Thinking hard about building a Hard Rock 50 with ATU as a winter project. This time reminds me of when the HFPack group was so popular about 10 years ago. The only advantage I see with the Lab599 radio is manufactured ruggedness.

 

[DVE]

The first alpha version of my Raspberry Pi based recorder is ready. Works well actually, it's a portable device that can be powered by any power bank, and only the USB cable to the 705 is needed - both the sound and frequency are transmitting.



Some recordings from IC-705 and a balcony antenna AOR SA7000:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/pn21w4qf1fbn0e7/IC-705_20201025_194522Z_738kHz_AF.wav?dl=1 - AM broadcast
https://www.dropbox.com/s/g45n1atqcpnpppv/IC-705_20201025_195515Z_6205kHz_AF.wav?dl=1 - DRM, can be opened by Dream directly
https://www.dropbox.com/s/hk27z89a4a4xl9c/IC-705_20201025_194829Z_14278kHz_AF.wav?dl=1 - 20M ham radio
Files can be played using HDSDR.

I'm pretty happy with it, next week will try to make a field test. With 10KHz bandwidth, it's possible to write many signal types, not being limited by sh*y 8000s/r Icom recorder.

By the way, it should work with Icom 7300 or any other transceiver that can produce USB sound card access. Beta-testers are welcome

 

[bearcatrp]

wb4sqi, I am hoping i made the right decision. I only listen. Should get off my arse and take the test again and get going getting ticket. Missed it by 1 question last time I tried. May years ago. Always been looking for the ultimate HF receiver to listen to HF. My R30 does ok but the band scope and other bells and whistles on the 705 should make it more enjoyable. Being battery operated, can sit in my recliner instead of my computer desk and scan the bands. Doubt I will take it out of the house since I have a R30 for portable listening. Am hoping The 705 and R30 use same file system so I can copy what I have saved on my R30 and put it in the 705. From reading the advance manual, seems they are the same but not sure yet.

 

[wb4sqi]

Am hoping The 705 and R30 use same file system so I can copy what I have saved on my R30 and put it in the 705. From reading the advance manual, seems they are the same but not sure yet.

Not sure about the file system but if you can save the R30 as a csv file you may be able to import it into the 705.

 

[prcguy]

Here are my new IC-705 mic settings. I have a couple of local friends who help me set up my transmitters as they know my voice well and they know what I am looking for during transmit, loud, punchy, clear audio that is well suited for QRP weak signal and also acceptable for rag chewing. Ok, maybe rag chewing with a bull horn, but I don't get any complaints from the rag chew crowd. We spent just a little time with the 705 but got it sounding much better than stock. If you have a very weak signal these settings could make the difference between being heard or not. For SSB here are the settings:

TX BW Wide
Mic gain 70
Compression 5
Bass 0
Treble +5

We found you could go to 100% on the mic gain and it still sounded great but it picks up a lot of background noise. With these settings there is no distortion or angry processer sound, its just loud, crisp, clear and very punchy compared to stock. If the compression is turned up any more it can start to sound a little angry with these mic gain settings.

For FM the stock settings of bass and treble at 0 seem to be best but it is better with the 70% mic gain over the stock 50 %.

For AM the compression is out of the circuit and there is no TX BW choice and we found with a mic gain of 70% a treble boost of 1 is about the best it sounded.

The 705 adjusts out very similar to my IC-7300, IC-7610 and IC-9700 which all have the same settings. They also have a different microphone than the 705 and I think the stock speaker mic on the 705 is holding it back some. But its still really good and better than most radios can sound, even with aftermarket mics.

This new breed of Icom radios starting with the 7300 can out talk just about anything without any artifacts or splatter or anything bad. We've looked at the transmit signals very carefully and its very clean and only as wide as the transmit BW setting, or about 2.8KHz wide, even though its louder than other radios that can splatter.

So try these settings and experiment. My similar settings for a 7300 have been used by many people and its always sounded great and were hard to improve on.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Here is one site with info on the mod. *Modification* IC-705 MARS/CAP

Performing this mod is a challenge. Several flat cables need to be disconnected, a couple of really small coax connectors, a shield, then flip it over to remove the two diodes.

The same two diodes are removed for the U.S. version as the 'E' version.

 

[prcguy]

I tried doing the mod and could not find one for the US version. The radio is easy to take apart and the cables pop out and back in easily. I forgot to take a picture of my diode matrix but one of the diodes listed for the European version were already removed along with some others. Since the diodes are really hard to put back I'm waiting for specific instructions for the US version.

Performing this mod is a challenge. Several flat cables need to be disconnected, a couple of really small coax connectors, a shield, then flip it over to remove the two diodes.

The same two diodes are removed for the U.S. version as the 'E' version.

 

[prcguy]

After getting a few more on air comments I changed a few things for SSB and here is where I'm at now for slightly better transmit audio that pleases the masses.

TX BW Wide
Mic gain 70
Compression 3
Bass -1
Treble 5

Here are my new IC-705 mic settings. I have a couple of local friends who help me set up my transmitters as they know my voice well and they know what I am looking for during transmit, loud, punchy, clear audio that is well suited for QRP weak signal and also acceptable for rag chewing. Ok, maybe rag chewing with a bull horn, but I don't get any complaints from the rag chew crowd. We spent just a little time with the 705 but got it sounding much better than stock. If you have a very weak signal these settings could make the difference between being heard or not. For SSB here are the settings:

TX BW Wide
Mic gain 70
Compression 5
Bass 0
Treble +5

We found you could go to 100% on the mic gain and it still sounded great but it picks up a lot of background noise. With these settings there is no distortion or angry processer sound, its just loud, crisp, clear and very punchy compared to stock. If the compression is turned up any more it can start to sound a little angry with these mic gain settings.

For FM the stock settings of bass and treble at 0 seem to be best but it is better with the 70% mic gain over the stock 50 %.

For AM the compression is out of the circuit and there is no TX BW choice and we found with a mic gain of 70% a treble boost of 1 is about the best it sounded.

The 705 adjusts out very similar to my IC-7300, IC-7610 and IC-9700 which all have the same settings. They also have a different microphone than the 705 and I think the stock speaker mic on the 705 is holding it back some. But its still really good and better than most radios can sound, even with aftermarket mics.

This new breed of Icom radios starting with the 7300 can out talk just about anything without any artifacts or splatter or anything bad. We've looked at the transmit signals very carefully and its very clean and only as wide as the transmit BW setting, or about 2.8KHz wide, even though its louder than other radios that can splatter.

So try these settings and experiment. My similar settings for a 7300 have been used by many people and its always sounded great and were hard to improve on.

 

[Hit_Factor]

... one of the diodes listed for the European version were already removed along with some others...

I wonder if this is how Icom makes the different versions.

I have verified the TX capability: 1.6 to 54 MHz, 68 to 74.8 MHz, 118 to 174 MHz, and 400 to 470MHz. At least, this is what the rig thinks it can transmit on. I don't have a proper dummy load to try it all out.

RX is .03 MHz to 200 MHz and 400 MHz to 470 MHz, no change this is the same as what is published in the basic manual.

 

[AK9R]

Here are my new IC-705 mic settings.

Maybe you said it and I missed it...Is this with the stock microphone?

 

[prcguy]

Stock speaker mic.

Maybe you said it and I missed it...Is this with the stock microphone?

 

[prcguy]

Did you mod a US version with the EU instructions where there would be only be one diode to remove?

I wonder if this is how Icom makes the different versions.

I have verified the TX capability: 1.6 to 54 MHz, 68 to 74.8 MHz, 118 to 174 MHz, and 400 to 470MHz. At least, this is what the rig thinks it can transmit on. I don't have a proper dummy load to try it all out.

RX is .03 MHz to 200 MHz and 400 MHz to 470 MHz, no change this is the same as what is published in the basic manual.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Did you mod a US version with the EU instructions where there would be only be one diode to remove?

A friend did it for me, I asked if it was the same diodes as the EU link I sent him, and his reply was yes.

 

[prcguy]

With a little help from a friends PM I did the mars mod and its working fine. When I powered up the radio all the menus were in Japanese. Ohhh Sh*******t!

I had saved the setup before I did the mod and was able to stumble through the menu from memory and recall my old file. All is good now and I don't need a crash course in Japanese to operate the radio.

A friend did it for me, I asked if it was the same diodes as the EU link I sent him, and his reply was yes.

 

[vagrant]

すごい！ (Great!)
日本のガールフレンドのルーターのプログラミングは難しかった。(Programming an old girlfriend's router in Japan was a little difficult though.)
Wait, you can translate stuff on the fly these days using an app on your phone. You just aim the camera at the text and it will translate it in real time. I tried it once or twice recently and it mostly works.

 

[bearcatrp]

Wow Icom. No cable to charge the radio. Thank god I had a mini USB cable from my labradar to charge it. Battery charger isn't out yet to buy. Looking at the battery charger on Icoms web site, doesn't seem right. Seems to open for just the battery to sit in it. Talking about the BC-202 listed as an accessory. If I read it right, it charges only the small battery, not the bigger one. Unless I am reading it wrong from other sites.

 

[bearcatrp]

Forgot to mention, Am complaining about no cable since my power supply died a few days ago (see other thread).

 

[Hit_Factor]

Wow Icom. No cable to charge the radio. Thank god I had a mini USB cable from my labradar to charge it. Battery charger isn't out yet to buy. Looking at the battery charger on Icoms web site, doesn't seem right. Seems to open for just the battery to sit in it. Talking about the BC-202 listed as an accessory. If I read it right, it charges only the small battery, not the bigger one. Unless I am reading it wrong from other sites.

Brand new radio and the lack of a cable you had laying about anyway is what you post about? These cables are universal, so are the chargers. Just watch the amp rating on the chargers, if you cheap out, it will be slow to charge.

The BC-202 handles the 1150 mAh BP-271 and 2000 mAh BP-272, with or without the ID-51 attached.

The new BP-307 can be charged with BC-202IP2, BC-202IP3L and VE-SP1.

The BC-202 and BC-202IP2 look the same, other than the model number on the charger itself.

 

[bearcatrp]

Spending this kind of money for this radio, am leary on trying 3rd party stuff. Looking at the rapid chargers, they look similar to my charger for the R30 that you put the radio in the charger to charge the battery. DX Engineering shows a ship date of November for the bigger battery. I didn't see the charger listed on IcomUSA web site for the bigger battery. Thanks for posting that info.
For the short time I played with the 705 last night, all I can say is wow. This is a sweet radio. Love the touch screen.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Spending this kind of money for this radio, am leary on trying 3rd party stuff. Looking at the rapid chargers, they look similar to my charger for the R30 that you put the radio in the charger to charge the battery. DX Engineering shows a ship date of November for the bigger battery. I didn't see the charger listed on IcomUSA web site for the bigger battery. Thanks for posting that info.
For the short time I played with the 705 last night, all I can say is wow. This is a sweet radio. Love the touch screen.

I am enjoying it as well. I also have IC-9700 and IC-7300, so it's all very familiar, yet different.

The R-30 uses the BC-233 charger, it's slightly smaller in width and the BC-202/BP-272 do not fit.

When it comes to USB there really isn't third party. Just don't buy the junk stuff at Truck Stops.