[ICOM] IC-7700 - dual watch, analogue meter

[Alex]

Hi Adam,

>Icom appear to have used the IC-7800 RXPLL-A module as the IC-7700
>receiver/synthesiser. To add Dual Watch, they would need to redesign the
>board to add a splitter, combiner, secondary 1st mixer and associated
>circuitry. They would also need to design a separate synthesiser (PLL) board
>for the secondary channel. All this costs R&D funds and development-cycle
>time. 

I would fully agree with you if the rig was designed from the ground up. But it's a stripped down version of the IC-7800, so there is not as much R&D involved. And as I said before, they have the expertise which is reusable. Sure it would add some cost, but a lot has already been saved by reusing knowledge already.

I wouldn't even be surprised if they came out with a dual receive option as Yaesu did for the 9000C. If that's true, then the rig was already designed to implement dual receive and the design costs for that would already be included in the $6K.

73,
--Alex KR1ST
http://www.kr1st.com