R8600 Icom R8600: What Are You Monitoring?

[vince48]

Question R8600 owners. How many of you use the "pre-amp" when monitoring HF? Just curious.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Question R8600 owners. How many of you use the "pre-amp" when monitoring HF? Just curious.

Have it on all the time.

 

[palmerjrusa]

Was monitoring a numbers station today at 11635 kHz.

 

[vince48]

Have it on all the time.

Thanks, What about your RF Gain?

 

[palmerjrusa]

Thanks, What about your RF Gain?

It's set at 100%

 

[vince48]

ok,
Great, that is what i'm using currently. Happy Holidays

vince48

 

[palmerjrusa]

ok,
Great, that is what i'm using currently. Happy Holidays

vince48

You too!

 

[prcguy]

When I use inefficient antennas like a passive loop or the equivalent of an AOR SA7000 I will use the preamp and sometimes on the 10m band with large antennas. You should never need the preamp on lower HF bands when using a large wire type antenna like my 130ft OCFD.

Ever since I got a W6LVP active loop a few weeks ago my HF reception has been spectacular on the 8600. VLF through 6m and no preamp needed. I use RF gain occasionally when listening to 80m and 40m nets adjusting so the noise is about S1 and signals pop out of a fairly quiet noise floor.

 

[vince48]

Thanks,
Happy Holidays

 

[palmerjrusa]

When I use inefficient antennas like a passive loop or the equivalent of an AOR SA7000 I will use the preamp and sometimes on the 10m band with large antennas. You should never need the preamp on lower HF bands when using a large wire type antenna like my 130ft OCFD.

Ever since I got a W6LVP active loop a few weeks ago my HF reception has been spectacular on the 8600. VLF through 6m and no preamp needed. I use RF gain occasionally when listening to 80m and 40m nets adjusting so the noise is about S1 and signals pop out of a fairly quiet noise floor.

I'm using a AOR SA7000 with my ic-r8600.
That W6LVP active loop looks interesting!

 

[prcguy]

I put off getting an active loop for years and am kicking myself for not trying one sooner. Its mostly been the price that kept me away and the W6LVP is half the price of its competitors and I'm told there is no perceivable difference in performance with its two major rivals.

I'm using a AOR SA7000 with my ic-r8600.
That W6LVP active loop looks interesting!

 

[toad99]

The only way I have been able to get direct DSD+ decoding of DMR from the 8600 is to use WFM. I know it's way too wide, but this mode will not filter the audio as bad as FM will. I use USB audio from the 8600, with AF output selected. The DMR decoding is not perfect, but the error count is pretty low. Maybe fiddling with other settings such as output level or using the audio out jack may improve decoding. For me, the easiest DMR decoding is to use my BCD536HP scanner; I find DMR signals on the 8600 and then tune them in on the 536. Just using the rotary dial on the 536 doesn't work so well for just tuning up and down - you have to pause on a signal in order for the DMR decoding to start, and I don't want to have to leave the squelch open while tuning.

 

[palmerjrusa]

I put off getting an active loop for years and am kicking myself for not trying one sooner. Its mostly been the price that kept me away and the W6LVP is half the price of its competitors and I'm told there is no perceivable difference in performance with its two major rivals.

Thanks for the info, I may be taking the plunge.

 

[palmerjrusa]

I put off getting an active loop for years and am kicking myself for not trying one sooner. Its mostly been the price that kept me away and the W6LVP is half the price of its competitors and I'm told there is no perceivable difference in performance with its two major rivals.

Does the W6LVP Amplified Receive-Only Magnetic Loop Antenna come with the clamp securing it to the balcony that's shown in the pic here:

https://www.w6lvp.com/product/amplified-receive-only-mag-loop-antenna-with-power-inserter/

 

[prcguy]

The regular loop has a short plastic mast about 1 1/2" dia. The picture show the loop on a TV rotor and all that is optional.

Does the W6LVP Amplified Receive-Only Magnetic Loop Antenna come with the clamp securing it to the balcony that's shown in the pic here:

https://www.w6lvp.com/product/amplified-receive-only-mag-loop-antenna-with-power-inserter/

 

[n2pqq]

The only way I have been able to get direct DSD+ decoding of DMR from the 8600 is to use WFM. I know it's way too wide, but this mode will not filter the audio as bad as FM will. I use USB audio from the 8600, with AF output selected. The DMR decoding is not perfect, but the error count is pretty low. Maybe fiddling with other settings such as output level or using the audio out jack may improve decoding. For me, the easiest DMR decoding is to use my BCD536HP scanner; I find DMR signals on the 8600 and then tune them in on the 536. Just using the rotary dial on the 536 doesn't work so well for just tuning up and down - you have to pause on a signal in order for the DMR decoding to start, and I don't want to have to leave the squelch open while tuning.

Very interesting
It works good on a single channel DMR station.

 

[Ubbe]

I hope you use dsdtune.exe to get the parameters adjusted to the audio source for DMR. I have several startup icons for dsd+ with different settings depending on which scanner I use as a source.

It's actually also slightly different parameters for different systems. Probably if it's a Hytera or Motorola system that are monitored.

/Ubbe

 

[N3CI]

I will second the comments on the W6LVP loop. When I can’t use my long wire, I have been running the loop on the 8600 for HF and it works great. Mine is indoors and is very capable throughout the spectrum.

 

[brandon]

I am using my 8600 to listen to federal comms. Lately its been CBP air assets monitoring the migrant caravans hanging out in Tijuana and the border here in CA. The P25 audio is superb with this receiver.

 

[iMONITOR]

This question goes to the capabilities of our rig. I use this highly capable rig just as I used the R71a it replaced-HF utilities and SW broadcast. But I know my habits are not doing this thing justice. What are you guys with R8600s using yours for? I don't think there are any R8600 owners near me save for one person but I'd like to expand the horizon on the higher frequencies. I've used it for marine and VHF/UHF police stuff but what else can I chase with this thing on my D130J? What's out there that I can sink my fangs in? I've got the Lambo but I don't know where to drive it

Poke around at the link below and you find some interesting frequencies to monitor!

The Fed Files Blog
The Fed Files Blog