One of the unique and exciting aspects of the Icom IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver is its ability to allow hams to experience operating up to 10 GHz with the optional Icom 10 GHz CX-10G Transverter.

In the video below, DX Engineering’s Michael Murphy, KI8R, with help from the active community of microwave operators and assistance provided by rain scatter propagation, makes two QSOs on 10 GHz—his first ever on the super high frequency bands.

You can watch both QSOs in action on the IC-905, along with tips on parabolic antenna positioning to maximize your receive signal, more about rain scatter, and some encouraging words on expanding your amateur radio horizons by giving these lesser-used bands a try.

“In the 40 years I’ve been in this hobby, this is probably one of the most awesome things I’ve ever done in ham radio,” KI8R said.

Also watch KI8R detail the many other features of the IC-905 in this video on DX Engineering’s YouTube channel.

The post Making Your First QSOs on 10 GHz Using the Icom IC-905 (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.

At the 2024 Dayton Hamvention in the USA in May, ICOM gave away some details about a new product called the 'X-60'. I covered this in an earlier post HERE 

In late August 2024, it was finally revealed by ICOM that the new product was the IC-7760, a fully featured HF & 6m transceiver with a 200-watt output power.

As can be seen above, the radio comes in two parts... a control head and a RF deck. These are the dimensions...

RF Deck - 425 × 149 × 442 mm (16.7 × 5.9 × 17.4 in)

Control Head - 340 × 118 × 103.5 mm (13.4 × 4.6 × 4.1 in)

The radio has two receivers which allows for the monitoring of one band while tuning another. The two receivers can also be locked to each other allowing diversity reception. It's possible say to listen to one receiver with a horizontal antenna and the other receiver to a vertical antenna. You can listen with headphones and hear the received signal with one polarization in one ear and the other polarized signal in the other ear.

The rear of the Control Head has a number of connections including a RJ-45 socket to connect a LAN cable to the RF Deck. This could be a few metres or up to 100 metres. The obvious attraction here is that the RF deck could be placed at the bottom of a mast and doesn't need to be inside the house. This obviously reduces the need to run coax cables into the house.

There is also provision for an external monitor to show the displays in more detail if required.

The front of the RF Deck is pretty bland while the rear panel has a host of connections.

The unit is mains powered which eliminates the need for a high power 13.8 volt supply. There are multiple RF sockets as well as multiple other connections.

There's no doubt that it's a superb looking radio with a lot of features but what about the price?

The current guideline seems to be around the $6,000 mark. In the UK, it seems to be about £5,700. WIMO in Germany are saying €6,600.

I suspect for most, this is an eye-watering price that is just way too expensive. After all, it is at the end of the day just a HF & 6m transceiver and any good operator could work 99% of the stations with a radio costing a quarter of the price.

I'm sure there are a minority though that could justify the price for a fully featured radio with a fully rated 200-watt output.

Over the weekend, WIMO Germany released this video previewing the new radio.

Remote Operation... One thing that is not totally clear is whether remote operation is possible? 

The one obvious thought is that someone might want to say put the RF Deck in a holiday home while keeping the Control Head at home and connecting the two over the internet. Apparently this is not possible due to latency issues.

ICOM's solution is to use their Dualwatch compatible IP remote control software to control the remote radio. As the chart shows below, the IC-7760 is a supported radio.

I would assume that this has more limited functionality as compared to a direct connection from the Control Head to the RF Deck.

For more information, have a look at the WIMO video above or go to the ICOM website... https://www.icomjapan.com/lineup/products/IC-7760/

Release Date: September 21, 2024 Here is a summary of the news trending This Week...

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This is a 1-hour version of the weekly podcast for This Week in Amateur Radio....

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Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Fred Waterer, who writes: I just rediscovered this 9 year old video. It may be old news to you, I’m not sure. An Icom display photobombs this Japanese music video, which up to that point I found, well, amusing on a number of levels. LADYBABY Nippon manju Music Clip […]

by Dan Robinson The explosions/detonations of HT radios targeting the militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon continue to make headlines, with latest reports digging into the origins of the units and containing reaction from ICOM.  This story is one of those rare occasions when the radio manufacturing industry is thrust into the spotlight. Reuters reported that: […]

Icom IC-V82 handheld transceivers designed for amateur radio use have been identified as the latest...

Regarding current media reports Earlier today in worldwide media, there have been reports that two-way...

The Japanese electronics manufacturer Icom said it stopped making the walkie-talkie model in 2014 and has warned about fake versions for several years

There are a lot of exciting things happening on the DX Engineering Facebook page and DX Engineering YouTube channel. Make sure to check in from time to time for product reviews, ham radio news, overviews of the latest equipment, and interviews put together by DX Engineering for the benefit of the ham radio community.

One of the most popular shows is the Manufacturer’s Showcase hosted by Tim Duffy, K3LR, CEO of DX Engineering. Tim has interviewed dozens of representatives from the manufacturers whose products you’ll find available at DXEngineering.com. You can listen to these insightful interviews live and send questions in real-time Thursdays at 2:30 pm ET or visit YouTube to watch the archived videos, along with hundreds of other videos from DX Engineering—everything from instructional presentations on weatherproofing coaxial connectors to FM satellite etiquette.

Also, don’t miss Tim’s Weekend Special on Facebook Fridays at 4 pm ET, featuring interviews with hams on rare DXpeditions, innovators in the amateur radio community, youth operators, and more.

Today, we’re excited to feature K3LR’s interview with Ray Novak, N9JA, senior sales manager at Icom America.

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Here are some of the highlights:

• Details about the upgraded Icom ID-52A PLUS VHF/UHF Multi-Function D-STAR Handheld Transceiver with enhanced Bluetooth, dual operation of terminal mode and simplex/repeater operations, and updated USB-C charging/data port for faster connections and charging.
• News about the very cool 60^th Anniversary Limited Edition model of the ID-52A PLUS with metallic-colored body, exclusive embossed hand strap, and commemorative box.

(Please check on the availability of the ID-52A PLUS and Limited Edition model at DXEngineering.com.)

• The plug-and-play reliability of the IC-905 VHF/UHF/SHF All Mode Base/Portable Transceiver for super high frequency operating and all the fun you can have on the microwave bands, POTA activations included. You can watch a great overview by Michael, KI8R, of the IC-905 on the DX Engineering YouTube channel.
• IC-905 accessories: 2.4 GHz, 5.6 GHz, and 10 GHz colinear antennas; and 10 GHz parabolic antenna

Visit DXEngineering.com for the full lineup of Icom products, including the IC-705 HF/50/144/430 MHz All Mode Portable Transceiver, AH-705 Antenna Tuner, SP-38 Base Station Speaker, and more.

The post Icom USA’s Ray Novak, N9JA, Discusses an Upgraded Icom HT and the Fun of the IC-905 (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.

The Unicom Radio Club (URC) is hosting its inaugural URC DX RTTY Contest to be...

Three new radios were introduced last month at this year’s Japan Amateur Radio Leage (JARL) Ham Fair, including:

• the Icom IC-7760
• the Yaesu FTX-1F
• a new mobile VHF/UHF transceiver from Kenwood

Icom IC-7760

Icom tried to get hams talking about the new IC-7760 by displaying a bunch of prototype board under a plexiglass case at the Dayton Hamvention. It generated some buzz, but in general, most hams here in the U.S. took a wait-and-see attitude.

When it was finally unveiled, many were disappointed, mostly because of the price, I think. DXZone reported that “the initial price in Yen was approximately $6000 or 5400 €. Just a few weeks later, European dealers began publishing the official IC-7760 price at around 6650 €, significantly higher than the original estimate.” None of the U.S. dealers has published a price for the radio yet.

The radio does have some interesting features, including:

• 200 W output
• Separable control head and RF deck
• In-house remote operation through a wired LAN
• Two displays, 7-inch wide and 2.4-inch

The question is whether theses features justify the high price. Members of the IC-7610 mailing list don’t seem to think so. One of them noted, “I think the biggest competition to the 7760 will be the 7610, at nearly half the price and with very similar features, my guess is that few will opt for a 7760 unless they ‘just have to have one….'”

Yaesu FTX-1F

The FTX-1F is Yaesu’s replacement for the very popular FT-817/818. Its features include:

• SSB, CW, AM, FM and C4FM digital modes
• SDR technology and 3DSS (3-Dimensional Spectrum Stream) on a 4.3-inch high-resolution full-color touch display panel
• Two independent receivers for true simultaneous dual-band operation, whether in the same band or in different bands.
• USB ports support CAT operation, audio input/output and TX control
• 9 hours battery life on HF bands, 8 hours on V/UHF bands

Like the IC-7760, it’s not currently available from U.S. dealers, so the pricing isn’t set yet, but the word is that it’s going to cost around $2,000 when it’s finally released sometime in 2025. That’s quite a bit higher than the price of the FT-817/818, but it does have more features, and presumably, better performance.

Like the IC-7760, the question is whether these features justify the higher price. There are lots of interesting comments about this on qrper.com.

Kenwood mobile transceiver

The last announcement from the JARL Ham Fair is a new mobile radio from Kenwood. Details on this radio are sketchier than for the other two, but hamlife.jp reports the following:

• Compatible with D-STAR and APRS. 
• Separate controlunit and RF deck.
• Built-in GPS receiver
• USB ports on both the control panel and the radio body.
• Currently developing it for release in 2025.

They also report that, “Price is expected to be higher than the TH-D75.” That puts the price north of $750.

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The question that I have with regard to these new radios is are they making ham radio better? This is only a partly-baked idea, but please stick with me on this. I can see where these new radios might make Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood more money, but I don’t really think that they make ham radio better.

First, how many hams can actually afford a $6,000 radio? And of those, how many will actually buy one? I’d love to see Icom’s marketing study for the IC-7760. Same goes for the Yaesu FTX-1F and the yet-unnamed Kenwood radio.

Second, I teach a lot of ham classes, and work with a lot of new hams, so I have a particular point of view here. That being the case, I’m not so sure that I’d counsel a new ham to buy one of these three radios. These are not radios for people just getting started in the hobby.

I think that what we need are more radios like the HF Signals sBitx. The sBitx is a reasonably-priced radio that offers reasonable performance at a price that’s affordable. And, it’s hackable, too!  It’s not the perfect radio, but it’s certainly more accessible.

As I say, this is just a partly-baked idea, so I’d love to hear what you think. What features should a radio have to make the hobby better for all radio amateurs.

It’s hard to keep up with all the new amateur radio gear you’ll find at DX Engineering! The latest products from leading manufacturers are being added weekly to the 30,000-plus ham radio items—from more than 175 top amateur radio providers—available at DXEngineering.com.

OnAllBands is dedicated to making sure you’re not missing out on that station addition that will improve your contesting scores, help you work more DX, upgrade your emergency preparedness, and enhance your 0verall enjoyment of the world’s greatest hobby.

DX Engineering has you covered with a bunch of new products you’ll want to add to your amateur radio must-have list, from premade coax assemblies to a new Icom handheld receiver. DX Engineering’s Michael Murphy, KI8R, highlights a few of the latest offerings in the video below. 

Like what you see? Click on the links below for all the details. 

Icom IC-R15 Wideband Handheld Receiver

mAT-TUNER mAT-1500PRO Automatic Antenna Tuner

mAT-TUNER mAT-50 Automatic Antenna Tuner and Coupler Packages

Times Microwave LMR® 400UF Ultra-Flex Coaxial Cable Assemblies with DX Engineering PL-259 Connectors

InnovAntennas 50-LFA-4-LN 4-Element 50 MHz Yagi

bhi NCH-W Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones

Hi-Z Antennas Manual Directional Control Consoles

DX Engineering AVA-3 Active Matching Unit

The post New Products Spotlight: Antenna Tuners, Wireless Noise-Canceling Headphones, and More at DX Engineering (Video) appeared first on OnAllBands.

This livestream recording is from September 1, 2024 – the NW7US Radio Communications Channel Livestream.  We do this livestream every Sunday at 21:15 UTC.  Here is the link to the livestream from this past Sunday: The livestream list is here: https://www.youtube.com/@nw7us/streams I hope to see you in our livestream live chat, during the next session […]

This livestream recording is from September 1, 2024 – the NW7US Radio Communications Channel Livestream.  We do this livestream every Sunday at 21:15 UTC.  Here is the link to the livestream from this past Sunday: The livestream list is here: https://www.youtube.com/@nw7us/streams I hope to see you in our livestream live chat, during the next session […]

Vom 24. bis 25. August fand die bedeutendste Amateurfunkmesse des Jahres statt. Wir haben für euch die spannendsten Neuheiten und Highlights kompakt zusammengefasst. Am 24. und 25. August 2024 öffnete die weltweit bedeutendste und größte Amateurfunkmesse Asiens erneut ihre Türen. Allerdings gab es in diesem Jahr eine wichtige Veränderung: Nach 21 Jahren im internationalen Messezentrum … Tokio Ham Fair 2024 – Kenwood, Icom, Yaesu, Azden, … weiterlesen

 The news is out the new Icom IC 7760 is out with a bit of a lunch bag letdown feeling among hams.  As Rob Sherwood put in on the 7610 groups io site:"Unless I am missing something, why would I "upgrade"  from a 7610 to a 7760? With mini...

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Join us, every Sunday at 21:15 UTC (5:15 PM, Eastern Daylight Time, 4:15 PM Standard), for an informal livestream chat session about: – current space weather — the Sun/Earth connection — including sunspot activity, solar x-ray flares, and geomagnetic activity, as well as, – current radio signal propagation conditions on the shortwave (high-frequency, or HF) […]

The big three amateur radio transceiver manufacturers each featured new transceivers at Ham Fair in...