[ICOM] ic-703 vs ft-817?

[NA4FM (Buck)]

I did not work with both rigs.  I did own an 817 for a short while. It
was great.  The internal batteries can be changed out for larger
capacity batteries or you can connect an external battery to it.  From
what I read, it draws less power than the 703 on receive.  

I now own a 706MkII which is similar to the 703 in operation.  While I
found the 817 much more difficult to learn how to use, I did learn.  The
Icom is much easier to learn how to use, at least it was for me.  One of
the 817 features is that the display light is easy to turn on and off.
The Icom requires that the rig be turned off, the light adjusted to hi,
lo, or off, and then turn it off and on again.  This is the most
ridiculous thing Icom did with this rig.  It is also, to me, it's
biggest nuisance.

www.mods.dk is a good place to look also.  It will reveal the
modifications users find useful.  You can see in this site where the
downfalls of the rigs are and what might be of benefit to you,
especially if you don't want to modify a rig.

The 817 has a tiny display and is not as "finger-friendly" as my Icom
is.  Several buttons I most often needed were located so close to the
tuning knob or other buttons that I had to be very careful about what I
was doing.  The Icom has a larger face and, in my opinion, a much easier
to read display.  

They both have similar menu design, but the Icom was much easier to
understand and learn than the Yaesu.  The Power level and several other
settings are much more clear on the Icom as well.  The Yaesu has a knob
that turns you through the menus.  The Icom requires you to push a
button, but the Yaesu menus are much larger where the Icom doesn't have
more than 4 choices for 4 menus.  

The Yaesu has 200 memories and the Icom has 99.  I don't miss the extra
memories.  

Search the internet.  I remember reading where someone identified the
current usage on the Yaesu.  It used less current on one antenna output
than the other.  

I like the fact that I can sit away from the Icom and read the display
easily.  Your vision may be better.  

>From what I can tell, there is no functional difference between the two
rigs.  The internal battery in the Yaesu and the larger display on the
Icom and other nit-picky things might improve your operation a bit, but
I don't believe you will miss anything on your trip with whatever rig
you take.  

Good luck and 72.

Buck


> -----Original Message-----
> From: W5FKX - Don [mailto:w5fkx at cox.net] 
> Sent: Wednesday, June 09, 2004 9:10 PM
> To: icom at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [ICOM] ic-703 vs ft-817?
> 
> 
> I'm looking at the IC-703 vs. the FT-817ND for a qrp rig to 
> take on a remote fishing trip next month. Battery drain is a 
> consideration, as I will have only solar panels for charging. 
> Wonder if anyone has any comments about either rig?
> 
> Don W5FKX
> 
> 
> ----
> Your Moderator: Dick Flanagan K7VC, 
> icom-owner at mailman.qth.net Icom Users Net: Sundays, 1700Z, 
> 14.316 MHz Icom FAQ: http://www.qsl.net/icom/
> 
> 
>