R8600 Using the Icom R8600
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TailGator911
Silent Key/KF4ANC
I have been a long time lurker in this conversation and a prospective buyer of this radio for a while now and have enjoyed the reviews and comments about it in this great thread. I have the R75 hooked up to an end-fed PAR wire from my antenna mast to a tree in the backyard w/about 35-ft coax feed, and I also have an around the room random wire indoors which I switch with old school and new school HF receivers - the Icom R75 and the Yaesu FRG-7. While satisfied with both excellent radios, I have always yearned for the 'do-it-all' receiver and have had my sights set on the R8600 since before it was released. My question is - would the antennas I have be sufficient for the R8600, or should I step up? Been thinking on doing that for a while anyway, but I value antenna suggestions for the R8600 here from some of you 8600 owners and look forward to any and all suggestions. I plan to pull the trigger sometime in Jan 2019. Thanks!
JD
kf4anc
JD
kf4anc
JD
I also have the end-fed PAR antenna, but because the my HOA, i cannot get it in the air. It is attached and runs along my fence in the back. I also have about 75' for feed to my "radio room". I use a Watson W-889 connected to my Strindberg 4 port indoors for over 30 mhz monitoring.
Even with these meager performance antenna's the IC-R8600 is a great wideband receiver IMHO. I had a pristine AOR 5000+3 that I recently sold a a very nice gentleman and i do not feel i miss the 5000+3 at all.
I also use Simon's SDR Console V3, which in my opinion, greatly expands the IC-R8600 usefulness. Think about it and Happy Holidays.
vince48
I also have the end-fed PAR antenna, but because the my HOA, i cannot get it in the air. It is attached and runs along my fence in the back. I also have about 75' for feed to my "radio room". I use a Watson W-889 connected to my Strindberg 4 port indoors for over 30 mhz monitoring.
Even with these meager performance antenna's the IC-R8600 is a great wideband receiver IMHO. I had a pristine AOR 5000+3 that I recently sold a a very nice gentleman and i do not feel i miss the 5000+3 at all.
I also use Simon's SDR Console V3, which in my opinion, greatly expands the IC-R8600 usefulness. Think about it and Happy Holidays.
vince48
palmerjrusa
Member
"Even with these meager performance antenna's the IC-R8600 is a great wideband receiver IMHO. I had a pristine AOR 5000+3 that I recently sold a a very nice gentleman and i do not feel i miss the 5000+3 at all."
Ahhhh, you sold your AR5000+3!!
I also have a pristine AR5000+3, I don't think I could ever part with mine, even though it's currently in the background since my ic-r8600 arrived a few months ago. The AR5000+3 is an incredible receiver, it must represent the pinnacle of traditional receiver design technology.
Ahhhh, you sold your AR5000+3!!
I also have a pristine AR5000+3, I don't think I could ever part with mine, even though it's currently in the background since my ic-r8600 arrived a few months ago. The AR5000+3 is an incredible receiver, it must represent the pinnacle of traditional receiver design technology.
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- Dec 19, 2002
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I would advise if you can put up outdoor antenna get a loop
I had a par wire antenna,once I replaced it with a loop
I just disposed of the par.
So far I have used two loops to my ear they are the same.
I started with the RF-PRO-1B after a several years in extreme weather
it stopped working .
https://www.dxengineering.com/searc...b&sortby=BestKeywordMatch&sortorder=Ascending
I am currently using a MFJ 1886
MFJ Enterprises Inc.
For above 30 MHz I use a create log-periodic antenna.
https://www.dxengineering.com/searc...toview=SKU&sortby=Default&sortorder=Ascending
You really can't enjoy the full potential of the radio without really
good antennas
palmerjrusa
Yes, i sold my AOR 3000+3. Yes it was a great wideband. Some of the best NFM audio i ever heard. However, time to move on.
The IC-R8600 is a worthy replacement IMHO
Yes, i sold my AOR 3000+3. Yes it was a great wideband. Some of the best NFM audio i ever heard. However, time to move on.
The IC-R8600 is a worthy replacement IMHO
I would definitely second the comment about the loop. I have an RF-PRO1B in my attic on a small rotor. I had an issue with my 1B a few months ago and found some bad solder connections on the jacks on the amplifier box. No problems since. The ability to rotate the loop and cancel or minimize noise is vital in today's RF noisy environment. Also have the Par antenna, which actually works better for below 300 kHz or so. Compared to the loop, it just picks up more noise on HF.
A great accessory to the 8600 is the West Mountain Radio CLRdsp box. It does a great job of removing signal noise for MW and HF listening, much better than the noise reduction built into the 8600. All of my 8600 audio goes through mine.
A great accessory to the 8600 is the West Mountain Radio CLRdsp box. It does a great job of removing signal noise for MW and HF listening, much better than the noise reduction built into the 8600. All of my 8600 audio goes through mine.
TailGator911
Silent Key/KF4ANC
I am in loop search mode, thanks for the suggestions on that. I think the PAR end-fed wire antenna is a good performer. I run it into an old Grove TUN-4 pre-amp pre-selector and switch it on to pull in faint signals, doing a balancing act with the lever/signal knobs, lots of fun to play with.
Thanks guys!
JD
kf4anc
Thanks guys!
JD
kf4anc
My W6LVP active loop works better than any antenna I've tried for below 300KHz stuff, and way less noise than the highly acclaimed AMRAD active whip. Its also surprises me every time I use it for general HF reception, its a great performer. Plus its half the cost of the RF-PRO1B.
Antennas for the 8600
I run my R8600 on an end fed antenna out in the open, about 25 feet high, or a W6LVP loop inside the house. The 8600 works great with both antennas. The outside antenna is also used for transmitting and it is very effective in that mode so it also works great in receive. The loop, however, is still a bit mind-blowing to me. I had rather poor luck with an expensive loop I bought to be a backup transmitting antenna. It never worked that well in any mode. Once I bought the W6LVP loop, I installed it inside to use when we have bad weather and I have to ground my outside antenna. The loop worked so well inside that I have never moved it. I use it everyday for utility monitoring and the reception is excellent.
Good luck.
I run my R8600 on an end fed antenna out in the open, about 25 feet high, or a W6LVP loop inside the house. The 8600 works great with both antennas. The outside antenna is also used for transmitting and it is very effective in that mode so it also works great in receive. The loop, however, is still a bit mind-blowing to me. I had rather poor luck with an expensive loop I bought to be a backup transmitting antenna. It never worked that well in any mode. Once I bought the W6LVP loop, I installed it inside to use when we have bad weather and I have to ground my outside antenna. The loop worked so well inside that I have never moved it. I use it everyday for utility monitoring and the reception is excellent.
Good luck.
tonycart
Member
DVE
Newbie
First install PothosSDR package from here: Index of /builds/PothosSDR
The dll is available on github: https://github.com/dmitryelj/SoapyICR8600/tree/master/release. Take icr8600Support.dll and place it to the "C:\Program Files\PothosSDR\lib\SoapySDR\modules0.7" folder.
tonycart
Member
DVE
Newbie
I forgot to mention, Icom USB/IQ drivers should also be installed: https://www.icom.co.jp/world/support/download/firm/IC-R8600/dll1_01/
tonycart
Member
Hello,
The developers of SDR# would have to do it. The driver has to be on their approved list to have full functionality in SDR#. It is too bad that ExtIO support was removed and SDR# was basically turned into a RTL-SDR/AirSpy only product.
73 Eric
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