[Elecraft] IC-7300

[Michael Aust]

Phil, Wayne and others
My Best SDR radio with super Blocking range, Sensitivity is a K3 with the KSYN3A board and new PreAmp/XV Interface boardmodule board from Elecraft
Added an Asus I/Q external sound card box, netbook computer, PowerSDR and a Larry Phillip's LPPAN-2 and beats everything out there !
As I change button on the K3, the Power SDR software followsor vice versa.
Really performs well, the Up front filtering in the K3 withe the super Low Noise LOPhase Noise with the upgraded K3 ( or new K3S )  makes the best of both worlds,conventional and SDR world's ( A hybrid so to say ) . The LP-PAN2, since done at IF is protected that strong signals. Make some of my $expensive Big Box radio's look bad !
Just my $0.02 two cents opinion about all of this hype on the IC-7300, it not goingto be anywhere near a hybrid in performance. You can not beat the K3/KSYN3A or K3Sfor performance.
A high performance back end I.F. SDR with your K3 or K3S is the way to go !
73 MikeWB6DJI 


>Thanks for the explanation, Wayne. Funny thing is 
>that I never think of the K3 as *functionally* an 
>SDR radio, I guess because I don't have access to 
>the I/Q signal -- unless it accessible in some 
>sneaky way I don't know about.  OTOH in principle 
>it seems one could take the I/Q output of the KX3 
>and build their own "back end", playing all sorts 
>of games -- not that I plan such an adventure. 
>However, last Summer I did build one of the Tiny 
>Python Panadapters in the April 2014 QST which was 
>a fun project made possible by the KX3's I/Q port, 
>though I soon replaced it by the much more capable 
>PX3.

>Aside from its "cosmetic" features, which don't 
>particularly appeal to me, the Icom-7300 looks 
>like a radio not well suited for operation in 
>crowded bands, DX pile-up situations, a 
>strong-signal environment or Field Day. It will be 
>interesting to see what the QST and Sherwood tests 
>reveal.

>There are some SDR dongles which will provide a 
>"look at multiple MHz of bandwidth" at very low 
>cost :-) Such a capability can be useful in 
>monitoring a band you're not currently operating.

>73, Phil W7OX