VK Logger Ham Radio Forum Archive

FYI.
Icom recently published the official IC-9700 pre-release brochure - see PDF attachment below.

For those who have been away on another planet since September 2017, the IC-9700 will replace the aging IC-910H 2/70/23 tribander.
Finally!

For those thinking of entering into VHF and UHF and possibly 23cm, we should expect to see the second hand market flooded with the older IC-910H radios, as owners upgrade to a new IC-9700.
We can expect to see an IC-910H optioned with the 23cm module in good condition for as little as $1,000 by mid 2019.
Be patient!
It will be a buyers market.

This will be great opportunity to get involved beyond HF and 6m.

Watch from about 0:50 onwards:

Hi Adam,

The IC-9700 looks great, and it even has a 10MHz reference input, a change from the first version we saw.

PS. Thanks for getting the forum going again Adam, much appreciated, for better sharing and discussion.

73

It's interesting to see the progression from the 2017 prototype to the current pre-production model.
Have added some arrows to indicate the visible changes.

Now we can actually toggle between Main and Sub bands.

Another little video on the up coming IC9700 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_D9VM0cnBw

Hi All
now if you look closely at the video on the link posted by Jayson, at two minutes in the RF power setting shows it is set to be a certain level on 1200 MHz, so from this quick glimpse it is implying that power setting is per band in use and not a global setting.. wish, hope, pray

Looking at the IC-7300 block diagram offers some clues as to a possible implementation..
7300 TX driver amp stage is ultimately controlled by a R2A20169 DAC.
Other than saving a few lousy bucks in manufacturing costs, there is no reason why there couldn't be three DACs for independent power control of each band.

I'd expect this implementation also avoids the dreaded ALC power "spike" problem in previous transceivers.
(When power is set to low, there was a momentary spike at full power, before throttling back to the users set power level)

I think it's a safe bet, there will be many old IC-910s up for sale mid next year.

Another IC-9700 video.
How's your Japanese?

More examples of how the touch screen user interface works.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKfwBsK8HjQ

Good find Adam!

My wife can speak a bit of Japanese, I'll see what she can understand.

I did notice at the 2min mark that while 23cm was selected for the top VFO, he tried to change the bottom VFO to 23cm and it didn't let him(?). Does that mean that it won't be able to do true dual watch (both VFO's being on the same band at the same time)?

I really really hope the price point of this radio is reasonable. If it is, ICOM will make an absolute killing out of the IC9700 and IC7300 duo.

My expectation is the IC-9700 is priced around AUD$3200 - $3500.
More than an IC-7300 but less than the IC-9100.

Anything less will be a pleasant surprise.

VK4GHZ wrote:My expectation is the IC-9700 is priced around AUD$3200 - $3500.
More than an IC-7300 but less than the IC-9100.

Anything less will be a pleasant surprise.

I expect it to be around that price, at least it will be a far superior radio to the IC-910H I owned which cost around that price. I cant work out why the 910H has almost a cult following? Noisy receiver, no variable RX filters, no variable TX bandwidth, no bandscope, no voice keyer, come to think of it, it was a couple of tiers backwards in technology. I sold my 910H as soon as I could find a cult purchaser

Cheers

Tony
VK2TS

Icom America now has it listed on their web site as 'coming soon'

http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/ ... fault.aspx

No indication of price yet.

Very nice radio, afraid the lousy exchange rate for the Aus dollar will not help. Still it's good to see interest in a dedicated higher band radio rather than some h.f thing with 2M/UHF tacked on as a sales gimmick afterthought.

I note the brochure claims all new PA stages but they still produce 75 watts 70cm and 10 watts on 23cm.
Would love to have seen 100+ watts on 70cm and maybe 50 watts on 23cm so I guess I'll stick with my IC9100.

De
ZL2FAE

revamped 910
waiting for the gps locked vhf uhf offering
but like all predecessors will reserve my judgement
$$$ to spend of kids money

VK4GHZ wrote:My expectation is the IC-9700 is priced around AUD$3200 - $3500.
More than an IC-7300 but less than the IC-9100.

Anything less will be a pleasant surprise.

Wait a year and it will drop except on VKham 2nd hand (see a 910H for $2200?)
if you can wait that long

price is what you pay

Hello Steve,
if you had read all the material you would know the current pre-release unit has a SMA connector on the back panel for 10MHz in, which is also documented in their pre release PDF document... stop wasting your money on oil for the sports car

VK3ZAZ wrote:revamped 910
waiting for the gps locked vhf uhf offering
but like all predecessors will reserve my judgement
$$$ to spend of kids money

A little bit more info on the 9700 - possible release date of Feb 2019

https://icomuk.co.uk/News_Article/2/1284/

VK4GHZ wrote:My expectation is the IC-9700 is priced around AUD$3200 - $3500.

Not a bad guess.

1,800 UK Pounds is around AUD$3,200.
Then add the 'Australia Tax'.

Pretty much hit the nail on the head

It'll be interesting to see how much Australia will get it for.

Some say that it'll be higher, some say it'll be lower. If it settles at around the $2800 mark after the initial rush of sales it'll be tempting.

All will be revealed in February

I'm wary about any information emanating out of the UK.

It was a UK dealer who started dis-information over a year ago, where 23cm was an optional module.
They simply assumed it would follow the 910, 9100 modular structure.
You would have seen endless references to this on various Facebook groups, another great source of dis-information.

If you check the other eight official Icom web sites, the IC-9700 release doesn't rate a mention.
Icom Canada don't even list the IC-9700 at all.
Icom USA have the usual disclaimer about not being for sale until FCC approved.

And yet, the Poms seem to know something the rest of the World doesn't.
Again.