ICOM IC-705: out into the real world.

Over the coming weeks, I'll be doing a 'real world' review of the much-anticipated IC-705 as they start to roll off the production lines.  Appearing first in a leading UK magazine, there will also be reports published on this blog in due course.

I very much see the future of amateur radio, as no doubt does ICOM, in very lightweight, portable equipment.  This allows for easy travel with your radio when going on holiday abroad, and for easy, regular transport to a location nearer home that isn't blighted by RFI.

Just what many of us want: the upcoming IC-705.

 

As digital modes have developed and the use of SSB fallen away sharply, the standard 100W transceiver has started to become something of an anachronism.  From home, I rarely use anything above 25-30W  from both wire and directional antennas.  From the beach, 5-15W is usual, but 5W and below is slowly becoming my regular setting range.

So the advance of digital modes goes very much hand-in-hand with lower power transceivers like the IC-705, whilst yielding home Yagi-beating performance with simple vertical antennas from suitable locations.

The future of radio - away from home RFI, and no need for expensive, large antennas.

I very much feel that the days of fixed, home operating are numbered as the result of the rapid increase in RFI.  For sure, I would never again start investing thousands of pounds into home-based radio; the ease with which it can all be rendered useless is too high a risk for that now.  That, and the fact that even an expensive tower-and-Yagi system is often outperformed by a wire vertical from a beach or even a freshwater lake location.  And you don't need planning permission for a vertical used out in the open!

So, we will see how well the IC-705 fares when put through its paces, out in the salty and sandy open air, where it is (hopefully) designed to operate.