[Elecraft] Icom IC-7300

[Phil Wheeler]

Joe,

Thanks for addressing what to me is the core issue 
with any rig -- performance. A "bells and 
whistles" user interface -- and that can be a 
matter of personal preference -- may sell a lot of 
rigs, but to me performance is key in selecting a 
base station transceiver. I can compromise 
performance for special applications like portable 
ops, QRP, etc. but I want my main station radio to 
be near the top of the list in the Sherwoodian sense.

After looking at the information here 
http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/amateur/hf/7300/default.aspx 
an in the pdf file linked here: 
http://www.icomamerica.com/en/downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?Document=746
  and from the general appearance of the Icom-7300 
(ports, controls, etc.) I don't expect it to be 
near the top when Rob Sherwood tests it. Of 
course, it hinges on a number of factors -- 
including those you brought up below -- and I 
could be surprised. Even so, while I'm not 
spring-loaded against SDR rigs (the KX3 is 
basically an SDR radio, after all, and I enjoy 
mine), I can do without a touch-screen interface.  
But I've been at this for 62 years now, so maybe 
I'm just "old fashioned" :-)

73, Phil W7OX

On 9/3/15 1:39 PM, Joe Subich, W4TV wrote:
>
>> I think this is Icom's way of dipping their toe 
>> in the water and not
>> upsetting their fan base by introducing an SDR 
>> in convention looking
>> hardware. I am confident that they will be 
>> releasing a whole line of
>> stand alone SDR rigs...
>
> The question will be what quality ADC Icom uses 
> in the front end of the
> 7300 and how clean (phase noise) they can make 
> the synthesizer (clock).
>
> If they have enough ADC bits to provide dynamic 
> range, their claimed
> synthesizer phase noise comparison should put 
> the 7300 at about the
> same level as the Ten-Tec Eagle in the Sherwood 
> "chart" (e.g., 92-95
> dB IMDDR3, -134 dBc @ 10 KHz phase noise, 
> 125-130 dB 100 KHz blocking
> [ADC limited]).
>
> If Icom "cheaps out" and uses an ADC with 
> limited resolution (number of
> bits) like some of its commercial products, the 
> 7300 is likely to fall
> way down the list - into the neighborhood of the 
> IC-7000 or FT-2000.
>
> 73,
>
>   ... Joe, W4TV
>
>
> On 9/3/2015 3:19 PM, Wm Robert Leschyna wrote:
>> Personally I feel that a touch screen is a must 
>> in a "stand alone" (no pc
>> needed) SDR, as it allows the future 
>> development and or creation and use of
>> soft keys for functions that we may not even 
>> think of today. As for the
>> IC7300, most of the time  you will likely be 
>> using the most commonly used
>> functions which appear to be tied the physical 
>> knobs and buttons, and not
>> have to touch the screen that much.
>>
>> SDR is the way of the future, heck it is the 
>> way now, and I think this is
>> Icom's way of dipping their toe in the water 
>> and not upsetting their fan
>> base by introducing an SDR in convention 
>> looking hardware. I am confident
>> that they will be releasing a whole line of 
>> stand alone SDR rigs...
>>
>> I have owned a K2 a couple K3s and KX3, I love 
>> Elecraft and love supporting
>> a made in North American brand, but frankly am 
>> confused as to why Elecraft
>> isn't leading the pack on stand-alone SDR?
>>
>> 73
>> Bob