[ICOM] Re: Icom IC-718 Review

Wed Dec 28 11:55:28 EST 2005

I got it done.

I modified the BUXCOMM RASCAL and it is now keying the CW
JACK on the back of the IC-756PRO as though it was
originally designed to.

I added a *very* simple little circuit to the box which is
comprised of a general purpose NPN a 1K ohm resistor and
that was all it took. Now it takes the keying relay to
ground.

I opened the jacket of the cable going to the serial port
just enough to find the DTR line and connect it to my
little circuit.

After doing so I then ran a line from pin 5 ground and the
collector (center pin) of the CW KEYING JACK and it is
working flawlessly.

All other functions work perfectly also. The buxcomm box
still looks like brand new and all there is now is a new
cable running to the CW KEYING JACK from the same bundle
as the others.

Now I am on to build a CAT circuit for the computer
control aspects of the rig.

I ordered a MAX233 chip from MAXIM/DALLAS fro the CAT
design and have a design I gleaned from the Ham Radio
Deluxe PDF that tells it all about how to kit it and put
it together.

Should have it all going by the end of the week thanks to
you guys and helping guide my thinking.

Now I am armed and dangerous, Hi Hi

Thanks to one and all for your time and help on this
project. I now understand a lot more about how this
process it taking place.

  73 fer nw,
Bob AD5VJ

10X# 37210, FP#-1141, SMIRK#-5177
http://www.n5iet.com/
Code may be taking a back seat for now,
but the pioneering spirit that put the code
there in the first place is out front of it all.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net 
> [mailto:icom-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
Thomas Giella KN4LF
> Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2005 8:49 PM
> To: icom at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [ICOM] Re: Icom IC-718 Review
> 
> 
> Steve,
> 
> I had an IC-701 back in 1988-89 and that llittle rig was

> built like a tank! 
> I bought my IC-718 for digital operations only and have
the 
> W4RT board 
> installed in it that allows me to select filters for 1.8
kc 
> and 500 hz, plus 
> the normal 6.0 and 2.3 kc filters.
> 
> Weaknesses:
> 
> Without the W4RT board you can select 6 kc, 2.3 kc and
either 
> a narrow SSB 
> filter or CW filter but not both. The RF processor is
fixed 
> and you have to 
> pop the cover to adjust it. The AGC time constants are
fixed 
> too, with the 
> AGC on SSB to fast but a mod will correct it. The
transmit 
> audio is a bit 
> pinched too because of the 2.3 kc SSB filter. No DSP
transmit audio 
> tailoring. It has the one 13 pin DIN plug for all
connections.
> 
> I wrote the following short review of the strengths of
IC-718 back on 
> 10/8/05 and will repeat it here.
> 
> 
> Strengths:
> 
> It puts out 150 watts PEP out of the box.
> 
> The rig is very small and light at approximately 8 lbs
and 
> would make an 
> excellent mobile or field day rig.
> 
> The rig has allot of bells and whistles that the Yaesu
FT-840 
> does not have; 
> to include full break in on CW, adjustable CW keyer, RF
gain control, 
> preamp, tunes in 1 hz intervals and shows the 1 hz digit
on 
> the digital 
> readout, that is very easy to read without glasses, 
> adjustable AF DSP, DSP 
> auto notch, VOX, direct frequency entry via keypad, 
> adjustable wide/narrow 
> noise blanker, built in SWR bridge, settings menu system

> similar to the 
> IC-756 series, front firing speaker, stock 6 kc AM
filter, 
> plus lot's of 
> other more common stuff like RIT, IF shift, split
operation, 
> 101 memories, 
> frequency scanning, etc. It's amazing how cheap the rig
is 
> ($544.95 at 
> Universal) considering all the useful bells and whistles
built in.
> 
> On receive it's surprisingly good, very impressive
actually. 
> Yesterday 
> evening on the longwave band I had easy copy of European
and African 
> longwave broadcast stations with no IMD. On the MF AM 
> broadcast band it's 
> also very sensitive but with no IMD. On SW broadcast
it's 
> very sensitive 
> with no IMD, including the ham bands. Yesterday evening
I 
> listened on 20 and 
> 80 meters SSB where many strong signals existed and
could 
> detect no IMD.
> 
> The rig is considered only average on 160 meters due to
MF AM 
> broadcast band 
> station breakthrough, because of high sensitivity on the
AM 
> broadcast band 
> but I could not detect any IMD on 160. Of course I don't
have 
> allot of 
> nearby high powered MF AM broadcast band stations
either. I 
> have one 5 kw 
> daytimer on 1430 kc approximately 5.5 miles away but
nothing 
> greater than 1 
> KW at night. A true 160 meter test will be the first SSB
or 
> CW contest this 
> fall.
> 
> BTW I added the INRAD 1.8 kc SSB filter which has a real
good 
> shape factor. 
> The stock AM filter is a little to wide at -60 db but
the 
> stock 2.3 kc SSB 
> filter seems to have a pretty good shape factor too.
> 
> Comparing the Icom IC-718 to the Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V
and FT-840.
> 
> On the LW band the IC-718 is better than the Mark V and 
> FT-840 as far as 
> sensitivity and IMD.
> On the MF band the IC-718 is much better than the Mark V
and 
> better than 
> FT-840 as far as sensitivity and IMD.
> On SW including the ham bands it's tied with the FT-840
and 
> down a smidge 
> with the Mark V as far as sensitivity and IMD.
> 
> 73 & Happy New Year,
> Thomas F. Giella, KN4LF
> Lakeland, FL, USA
> Grid Square EL97AW
> 27 57 26.5 N 81 56 46.6 W
> kn4lf at arrl.net
> 
> PODXS 070 PSK Club #349
> 
> KN4LF Amateur & SWL Radio History:
http://www.kn4lf.com/index.htm
> 
> From: Steve Rodowicz <Stefan.Rodowicz at verizon.net>
> Subject: Re: [ICOM] IC-718 Memory Management Software
Found
> 
> Hello Tom,
> 
> I've noticed your inquiries regarding the 718.
> 
> There are some here in New England that are suggesting
that 
> its a good 
> choice
> for emergency communications. Certainly the price is
inviting!
> 
> I have no experience with the radio, have used various
other 
> Icoms tho, 
> (ic-701,
> 746,756, 781 and the others)
> 
> What as your experience been with the 718?
> 
> How do you primarily use?
> 
> What strengths and weaknesses have you noted?
> 
> Hope I'm not too inquisitive, but I would appreciate
your comments
> 
> Have a good New Year.
> 
> 73,
> 
> Steve - N1SR 
> 
> 
> 
> -- 
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> 
> ----
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