Icom IC-7300 HF/6m Radio FT8 and Review (
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 9 ต.ค. 2024
- NOTE: SPONSORED AFTER THE FACT BY ICOM AMERICA. This continues on from #200, and shows using FT8 on the IC-7300, some updates responding to comments on #200, and my review of the radio.
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I love that you write your notes with a typewriter.
Big fan of the 7300. The biggest issue I had was to get the radio setting right for running digital. Still an easy setup.
I am 77 yrs old. First licensed in 1964. Ham radio has been my life hobby. At my age I really enjoy watching and learning about the latest in ham radio from Dave. He is easy to understand. I have been using an Ft101e from day one. However thanks to Dave I added an ICOM 7300 to my bucket list. It will be up a running at the end of the month. Thanks Dave for the great advice. Last last thing on my bucket list is to watch all your videos.
Live long and prosper. Va3jt Jim.
Thanks again, Dave! Ray here - I live 10 miles east of Durango and got my general last year.
My son and I both bought Icom 7300s 2.5 years ago and love it. I've only been a ham for 3 years, but you and others have helped me learn a lot! I mentioned your TH-cam channel to our radio club here last night - DARC (Durango Amateur Radio Club). Thanks for keeping up your excellent vids. -Ray, Durango, W5AQZ (also my grandfather's call sign from 1929!)
You must live near Bayfield, Ray. :-) Very nice area!
I am a returning ham after 40 years of activity in other pursuits. I bought the IC-7300 a year ago after considerable on-line research. I have not regretted it for a minute. I had an independent transmitter and receiver in my novice, general and advanced days. The IC-7300 has every feature and function I could imagine or dream of then. The performance of every feature is 10 to 1000 X what those features back then could do.
Because I was familiar with what I didn’t have previously but wished I had, I could go through my wish list functions one by one, check them out and marvel at their utility. The manual has been a close by companion. Sometimes it will take several readings to fully understand it.
Next is familiarity. This comes with use and practice. Use the radio. Try new things. Try new modes. Try out how to make a signal sound better or pull it out of the noise or separate it from interference. Chase down all the ways the radio can help you better copy and better send communications.
Take advantage of the myriads of on-line information and TH-cam tutorials and reviews. Don’t stop at one. Each one gives a new perspective and uncovers another little known jewel about this rig. Ham Cured Smoke has an excellent series on the radio. Dave Casler has great videos among numerous others. Advice is often contradictory. Ask yourself why the difference and play detective. This is how you really learn.
I think this radio is fantastic for beginners. Reset the radio to factory defaults. This radio will receive SSB, CW and AM well with almost nothing changed but the volume control and the VFO dial. A beginners wonderland. You have to set power level and mic gain to transmit SSB. You need to set up straight key or paddle to transmit CW.
Then go back to what I’ve said above. Each day of use, expand your understanding of the rig. Find the section in the manual about storing setups on an SD card. At the end of each day, store your setup on an SD card. Files are automatically dated for you. If you ever screw up anything to where you think you can’t get out of it, load in a recent configuration where things were not screwed up.
Expand to digital modes and contesting later where you’ll need to explore the setup menus, memory features, dual VFOs, RIT and split operation, set offsets, tweak the filters, set up automatic messages, and bring in a notch filter or a noise blanker. A rank beginner can master this rig in less than a year and have a blast doing it, not only talking with the world but exploring its unknown features. Don’t expect to learn it all in a few days. Enjoy the experience of learning to use your IC-7300.
Dave, This is a wonderful video, as always of course LOL… This is mainly a post for people who would like to be ham operators, are studying for their license now or have an interest in beginning in the hobby as to costs to get your station on the air.
I am a “newly minted ham operator.“ My choice of transceiver was between the 7300 and the 3000. But it was a $1500 budget that limited me from buying the 3000.
I’m running the 7300, Simplex switching power supply, and a ZS6BKW antenna at 48 feet using an MFJ 1904 HD adjustable mast.
My QTH is Independence, Oregon about 40 miles east of the Pacific ocean and 50 miles south of Portland. So far, I’ve reached as far east as Massachusetts as far south as Los Angeles, as far north as Anchorage and as far west as Japan. Never at higher than 50 watts. I love the 7300! It’s been an amazing transceiver.
For you aspiring ham operators out there,. Keep studying, and don’t put limits on what you can accomplish! As the Bible says “you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength.“
Am I going to “win any contests?” with my current set up? It’s hard to say... probably doubtful because I don’t have a directional beam and amplifier to help me.
However...
I didn’t get into this hobby to win contests,
I got into it because I’m fascinated with radio and how doing something yourself can give you so much satisfaction seeing it work and meeting new people from all over country and the world. And they’re really nice people... always willing to help new hams out. Just like Dave does with his hundreds of videos he’s painstaking put together.
For those who are studying right now for their license. Keep studying and work hard! You can do it! was blessed to pass all three exams the same day. But I’d be lying if I told you I didn’t put in an incredible amount of hours studying to do so.
Being a licensed ham radio operator is an honor that’s been everything I expected it to be and so much more. I promise you, it’s worth every minute of your study time.
Again, another great video Dave!
73!
Larry
AG7UM
Dave, momentary press the MULTI knob to adjust power, mic gain, compression. 3.9 in the manual
I had the 718 for over ten years and I still love it. It was my entry level radio. I now have a 7300 as well and it is definitely a step up.
Hi Dave: I have watched a few of your videos (I have been continuously on the air for 64 years) & I compliment you on your style & objectivity in your discussions, & the help you give to many people. Thanks for your efforts.
Hi, Dave. I'm a new ham and happened to also have worked J68HZ out of St. Lucia on my 7300 a few days ago. In fact he was my first real DX. Enjoy your channel; I learn a lot from it and you.
Nice review. Just bought a 7300 (ordered it) today. Your review was very helpful. Thanks!!
Dave, to expand the filter, set to USB-D and press-n-hold on "FIL1" at the top. A display shows at the bottom. Select "BW" and then turn the tuning knob up to 3.6K. Then hit exit twice. You should be good to go at 3.6K bandwidth for FT8. To return to the filter to default width, instead of selecting "BW", press-n-hold "DEF". Keep up the good work.
Yep, you nailed it
Dave, at 7:15 in the video, you mention about not having a knob to adjust the power. Well, there is. Press in on the Multi knob (to the top right of the display) and then twist the multi knob to adjust the RF power.
(The multi knob also controls the Mic gain, Compression and Monitor.)
The pronunciation for for DX contact is St. “LOO-SHA”, which is in the eastern Caribbean.
Hey Dave, Thank you for all the great content!! We have recently started our channel and we know how much hard work that comes to putting all this up for people so we really wanna say thanks!!!
Hi Dave. Great video. the 7300 is my shack radio and just love it. I keep an SD card in the radio and then created different configurations, FT-8, SSB, CW. This includes different power setting. Each one fine turned for the particular configuration. Off to Monument Valley via Laughlin tomorrow. Take care. John (The guy from Lompoc) Aah, you just talked about the SD card.
Recently discovered your channel while looking for information about learning Morse code. Very glad I did. Great content, and you keep it interesting. I have had a Tech license since 2012, but only ever listened, never broadcast. I just recently became interested again, and am now studying to get my General. Thanks for all the great information!
1. The speech function starts out with reporting the "S" level.
2. If you press the bandwidth on the scope portion of the screen (left side or right side) it will scroll through different widths.
3. Sometimes the Computer or Radio will "react" when TX. The Radio may lockup on TX Mode, get stuck, so keep an eye out, and sometimes the PC will behave nefariously when TX, sometimes it disconnects the USB port. Most times it works fine.
4. Once get used to the Menu layout and repetitive functions, the Radio becomes very user-friendly.
5. It's a great Radio, especially for the price. It also has a built-in Antenna Tuner and for those interested, it does the MARS mod with the simple removal of a resistor right on top. (lots of videos showing how online)
6. ICOM Radios do not support DMR in their native state.
The last contact I made was in Texas. The operator said, "I throw a nickel into an old bucket every time I make a contact with a station using an IC-7300"..."and I have to get another bucket!" -'73.
Thanks for the great review and analysis
Hi Dave, the advantage of the RS-BA1 software is that it allows complete remote control of the radio over the internet, but of course it requires the connected computer to be switched on. I believe that the 7610 and upwards have this functionality built in and require neither the software or computer.
ATT does attenuate, but it can be unnoticed if RH gain is up and AGC is on. I use it when a nearby ham is operating.
i have got the icom 718 a few month ago, after 1 week i get the 7300. i did look at the 991 but the 7300 does it all for me.
i do not want 2 and 70 on a hf radio, it does 4m and 6m and the power level is easy to change.
i just use it for DX and with the RS BA1.
the s/w was easy to install and makes the 7300 more user friendly.
i have a desk mic and this is my 3rd HF radio the 817 being my 1st.
i thing the 817 is a great starter HF radio but i think the 7300 is great for old and new hams.
like you said,,,, no one will regret buying one
i have only had 3 HF radios and if the 7300 was my 1st i still would only have one.
the 817 is now just for portable and i do not think i will ever use the 718 again.
7300 is well set up, easy to use and with the RS BA1 s/w it save you buying a second HF set for another location, i can use the 7300 from my shack pc, laptop, phone or tablet anywhere i have wifi
73
de
M6CTP
i wish i got one years ago
Great video Dave I have used ic-7300 for all most 2 years and your are right operation is fairly easy to use (but) ever few weeks I learn something new on it people who say it is so simple to run are not using but about 45% of what it will do it is a great radio thanks again for video
The 7300 also has band stacking registers on the touch screen as well as direct frequency entry.
The IC-7300 looks like a very nice rig. I ended up getting a cheap FT-991, but I still think one day I'll upgrade to the 7300. It just lacked 2m/70cm for me (which of course is now in the 9700)
This was my second radio and part of me wishes i’d have got the 7300 first. As a newbie I found it really good to use and easy to learn.
Comprehensive review. Wish I had the money. I too am a Yaesu fan. Still plugging alone with my FT857D both mobil/portable, and when I carry it in the house, as base.
Hello Dave. Thank you for all these videos. With your help, I just passed my general test today/. I would love to get your review on the Yaesu FT-991A. Any possibility of doing the review? It seems to be a good starter all in one radio.
The two reviews are great in helping me making my mind up, Thanks 73s Dave
Thanks for the long explanation Dave. 73S TI2GBB-Greg
To see the whole band on the scope, press menu, scope, then cent/fix on the touchscreen toggles between the entire band or centered on the width you choose.
As the comments show, the longer you use the 7300 the more you'll be impressed by it. I've had mine for nearly 2 years and I'm still learning new capabilities. Pretty much everything you think it's missing is actual there, and one you get used to it you won't think twice about accessing the controls. 73!
Dave, thanks for the video. I am new to HF and bought this bad boy. I have found it super easy to use, but I have not grown accustom to another brand or radio, so this one is pretty easy.
Dave you also left out really describing the excellent twin passband tuning function. with the FILx setting being the maximu bandwidth you have set up for each mode, you can instantly change that bandwidth on the fly by adjusting the twin knobs of the PBT control. SO for instance in CW mode maybe you would have FIL1 set to 1200hz and FIL2 set to 500hz and FIL3 to 250hz you can instantly change either one of them by turning the high and low cut of the twing PBT knobs you will get a graphical display of what you are doing for a couple of seconds on the display as well as a rough display of it in the upper line of the display. You can also turn them together to cut out a low or high offending station. You also didn't go over the press and hold functions of the notch filter and how to observe the notch placement using the multiknob and the 4khx audio scope brought up in the lower part of the display You will be able to see the offending carrier and the notch "hole" you created by choosing on the multiknob mini menu your placement of the "hole" likewise the multiknob context sensitive mini menu is for adjusting things like CW keying speed power and other parameters in a context sensitive fashion. You have missed these things intirely. I assume your 202 review of the 7300 is just around the corner. :) 73 James K0UA
It's a sophisticated radio. I've had my FTDX3000 for a couple years and I'm still discovering new functions.
I love this radio I am seriously thinking of buying it as my main rig....here as a base station... the SWR sweep the touch and go feel of the radio you can not ask for better for the money.
ThankYou David!
Super review dave
Select FIL 1 and press it to get filter display. Select BW and turn the main tuning knob to widen the bandwidth.
Thanks for another great video! I hope to see you at Hamvention on Saturday, KY4CKP.
As you now know the filters filter 1 filter 2 filter3 are unique for each mode So you SSB filter settings are different than the USB-D mode settins and the CW settings etc. Set your filter 1 for upt to 3600kz on USB-D will set you up for ft8. There is a simple know for setting the power called the multi knob. just press the multi knob, and the RF power scale is there your you to adjust for by rotating the multi knob.
These days I hear that 10 meters is very active. I need to get one of these radios, and honestly, this doesn't make it easier for me!
Dave, You need to do one more step in the connectors settings. Go into CIV usb port and select "Unlink from Remote". This will give you additional menu items for control of the USB cable and also be able to use a higher baud rate. You will also then have an additional com port using a separate CIV Cable along with the USB cable. This can be very handy for doing things like keying FSK RTTY with the USB cable and using the CIV port for Rig Control. Watch some of the Video's from K0PIR's Channell.
73 Dan AI4RJ
Great ham radio video Dave! Mike N6IMY
Sounds like pretty much a miracle radio.
If you're looking to buy within this price range, I'd say this is the way to go.
Maybe next year Dave I'll see you at Dayton. (I want to stop at Fairradio on the way too).
One concern I wonder, once a ham buys one of these, does he ever go back to superhets? Another ham channel I watch clearly has gone to the point of no return...
PS, maybe an AskDave Saturday live stream live from Dayton!!!??
Maybe a livestream from Dayton...
Love my 7300
Great video. It was very useful for me. Thanks a lot.
I remember when everyone had a ts520 back then you had to learn how to tune the output kg6mn a ft991 user
Hey David,
have you got your hands on IC-9700 ?
I would like to hear your review of using the 7300 with a large screen monitor and how well that works. Getting older, I like things that are large!
73's
WD6FIE
I post my videos in full HD (1080p), but it appears from TH-cam analytics that less than half my viewers watch on a computer screen. Most use mobile devices.
@@davecasler, sorry if I wasn't clear Dave. What I meant was viewing the 7300 screen on a large monitor. I've seen a couple of ways to do it, but I don't like what I see -- some delay in the screen showing the signals and using an SDR instead to monitor the frequency/band of choice. Great job doing your videos, BTW. I really enjoy them.
73's
WD6FIE
all I want to know is how to turn the volume up or down ? Im sorry about this question but it is all new to me. I had a net on there and it sounded good.
Dave, I get the same noise/static on my 7300 when working ft8, both radio and the PC are grounded. Did you get to the bottom of this?
No, I didn't. I had to give the radio back before we took off for Dayton.
Dave you still need more time on this radio as you have missed a lot of the simple ways to operate this machine. I agree with you it isn't really an entry level radio, and it takes some time to fully understand all of its functions.
I love my IC -7300 would not trade it for the world. I use a g5rv about 35 foot pluse a foot or more from the ground ..i love it..i use a mfj deluxe versa tuner ii ...kg5cuo i like the options and for my first real hf rig as a tec i uae it on 10 and 6 and cw on other bands we have permission to use or bands..Kf5cuo.
Also i run my g5rv north west and south east tied down to a tree and a cover gurage in the back yard.
THE USB and the remote jack DO NOT essentially do the same thing. the USB is capable of up to 115200 speed and sends audio and will also allow true CW keying over the USB jack. YOU MUST unlock the USB and remote using a menu setting. The remote jack will only go up to 19200 and is an older simpler data interface.
Okay, so the speeds are different. The manual gives the same functionality for both.
@@davecasler The USB has ADDITIONAL functionality. True RTTY FSK on the USB port, and also TRUE CW keying on the USB port. Also since the USB port will run at 115200 it allows the N1MM software to display a waterfall and spectrum scope along with DX telnet spots on your computers monitor. As large as you have a monitor to display it. ALSO the USB port will send audio both ways (transmit and receive) for digital modes or for that matter to use for computer modulation of your transceiver for instance using N1MM to call CQ or send a contest exchange. SO NO the functionality is NOT the same for both ports. Dave the problem is you had the 7300 for a few days, and did not even scratch the surface of the capability's of this rig. You need much more "seat time" on it. You did a fine job for the short time you had it, but some impressions you passed along were just wrong, and might give prospective buyers the wrong impression. This is why I am trying to correct some of these errors. It is not to criticize your work. Again you did a fine job for the time constraints you had.
one thing that I'm worried will really bug me about the 7300 is that there is only the one key jack ON THE BACK of the radio. I'm just used to easily swapping what I've plugged in... I suppose I could get around that with a 1/4" male to 1/4" female "extension" cable to pull a plug-in-point out to the front but......... /shrug/ Otherwise I'm really close to swiping the debit card.
I've never seen a perfect radio--there's always something that your old radio did better. I don't think you'll regret the 7300.
Dave - If you where purchasing a new HF rig would you purchase the Yaesu FT DX 3000 or the Icom IC-7300
Michael VA6XMB
The radios are really in different classes. I think the direct competitor to the FTDX3000 is the Icom 7610. It would be a hard choice.
I was going to ask the same thing. Sadly I don't have the opportunity to see and touch these radios before purchase and rely heavily on yours, and other users reviews.
Waterfall and knobs aside I'm leaning towards the Yaesu... But its a hard choice as they are literally AU$500 apart in price.
The thing that would away me is the reciever, if I could get a real world, definitive answer on that, I'd buy one or the other on Monday.
Love your work Dave, excellent content.
Cheers VK4IM
I took the jump, but I'm not sure that I did a smart thing. I have a five 90 kenwood. and I don't know if I made the wright decision.
I need to work on my setup... I currently keep changing the data mod to USB then back to mic mod for voice. Just not enough time to properly learn my setup. (If set to USB and MIC, that could be the noise you see in FT8 tx)
I think I had it set just to USB.
In speech mode she said "S0 then the frequency, then the mode. The S0 was the signal strength. OF COURSE you can look at the entire band. one of several ways by simply opening up the span on the scope by pressing the span or using the center function of the scope and setting the band edges. It is in the manual.
I said I wished my FTDX3000 would cover the entire band.
Anybody with the guts to choose a thumbnail that reveals the look of a crazed badger deserves a click. ☺
The speech gives the signal 1st
Dave, too bad that you did the review without you first reading the manual (RTFM) or at least having someone there that could keep you from making some obvious wrong statements, such as no knob for adjusting power, increasing bandwidth for DATA or lack a stacking registers for each band that keeps your parameters. It is obvious by this review that you are a Yaesu Fanboy. The FTDX-3000D has over 100 menus that you have to go through and I noticed that you did not mention that the IC-7300 has the better receiver based on Robert Sherwood's list of receivers. Also you did not mention how much smaller the FT-991A's screen is compared to the IC-7300. I will no longer take what you say on your reviews as facts now that I know that you do not really research the product that you review and that you are very biased. I have compared the the FTDX-3000 directly with the IC-7300 (A/B) and found that the Icom hears better, is quieter and easier to use. No looking through the menus for everything. The third order transmit harmonics on the Yaesu FTDX-3000 are not near as clean as the Icom IC-7300. Ham since 1976, 73 Ray AA4EZ
St. Lucia = Saint Loo-Sha.
FT8 is perfect for those to LAZY to work them with phone or CW.
Different doesn't mean better or worse. Just different.