Damn you Icom. Again, and again, and again. Yes. Alse the IC-9700 is equipped with the famous ‘power overshoot’ or ‘ALC overshoot’ issue most modern Icom transceivers have. Apparently Icom can’t get a grip on this issue. Bad news for people using transistor based amplifiers (SSPA) in SSB mode. Since the IC-9700 had a ‘TX …
Category: hardware
information about Ham Radio equipment
Apr 13 2019
Icom IC-9700 frequency modification
The first IC-9700 frequency modification appeared online. Marcus (PA2DB) from HamShop.nl posted this. The modification only works on European models and by removing 2 diodes the frequency can be expanded by a few MHz to the USA market. That means 2 MHz extra from 146-148 MHz (which is a welcome modification for UK users since …
Apr 07 2019
EAntenna 5070OWA9
April. The Sporadic E season is about to start. And since my last antenne for 50 and 70 MHz didn’t survive a storm it is time for a new one. This time I bought the 5070OWA9 fom EAntenna at the local Hamshop. It is a 4-element antenna for 50 MHz and a 5-element antenna for …
Apr 05 2019
Icom IC-9700 hidden telnet service
My Icom IC-9700 is connected to the network. And, as a freelance linux and infrastructure (security) engineer, I could not resist to do a port-scan on the box. The first result was port 23, used for the legacy telnet service. Loggin in was easy. No username and password required to get a shell. Quite shocking …
Apr 03 2019
Icom IC-9700 and N1MM+
The problem with new transceivers is the lack of support for drivers in programs like Ham Radio Deluxe, WSJT-X (OmniRig), N1MM+ and MicroHam drivers. Just to name some programs I juse often. After playing around I found a way using the IC-9700 with N1MM+ by emulating an IC-7300 wich has about the same architecture. All …
Apr 03 2019
Icom IC-9700 and WSJT-X
The problem with new transceivers is the lack of support for drivers in programs like Ham Radio Deluxe, WSJT-X (OmniRig), N1MM+ and MicroHam drivers. Just to name some programs I juse often. After playing around I found a way using the IC-9700 with WSJT-X by emulating an IC-7300 wich has about the same architecture. My …
Apr 03 2019
The new Icom IC-9700 is in
The frst batch of the new IC-9700’s arrived today at Hamshop. I was the first one to collect mine, ordered back in September 2017 hours after the announcement during the Tokyo Hamfest. After unboxing I notice the DIN connector is missing. From all Icom transceivers I’ve bought in the past, the DIN connector for accessoires …
Jan 19 2019
Counting down till IC-9700
In a few weeks from now, the new Icom IC-9700 will arrive. The local HAMShop gave an estimate of beginning 2019. The Japanese manual is ready, but I’m still waiting for a translated English version. I had some questions about the new rig, but most of theme are answered. It does have +12 Volt bias …
Sep 08 2018
DVB-S with ADALM PLUTO SDR
Peter (PA3PM) started to do some experiments with the ADALM SDR. This type of SDR is available for about $100 and capable of transmitting and receiving – even full-duplex – between 70 MHz and 6 GHz with a bandwidth up to 56 MHz. It’s capable to make DVB-S (and DVB-T) transmissions out of the box. …
Jul 23 2018
New amp coming in…
Today I’ve ordered a new SSPA amplifier. Now it’s for the 144 MHz band. I already bought a Gemini 180 Watt amp for 23cm in the past with the DXshop in the UK. After experiencing some issues with it, Roger (GW4WND) the owner of the shop, provided more than excellent service. And providing good service …
May 14 2018
New 23cm antenna
Last week a new antenna for 23cm arrived. It’s the SHF-design 67-element (5 meter boom) from Wimo. It should give about 20 dBd gain and will replace the borrowed 23-elements Tonna. I hope that this beam, in combination with the Gemnini amp, gives me enough punch to work stations more than 500 kilometer away. I …
Jan 20 2018
Storm :-(
Last week, storm hit the Netherlands with speeds up till 128 km/h. My temporary mast went down. A new base is ready to be mounted. This time with more counterpose and guy wires. The Moxon for 50 and 70 MHz needs some new aluminium. Besides that (and the bent platform) no damage to the roof.
Jan 13 2018
Buying 23cm transceivers in Japan
Last week I’ve received a shipment with several 23cm capable transceivers from Japan. One was the Kenwood TM-541 and two others were Kenwood TM-833’s. The 833’s are quite unknown since there are only brought to the Japanese market. basically it’s the more familiar dual-band 733 but now with the bands 70cm/23cm.
Nov 04 2017
23cm receiver PI6NOS
I’ve build an extra 23cm receiver for the regional 23cm repeater system PI6NOS in Hilversum. Building was quite straightforward. Just take a Raspberry Pi, an RTL-SDR stick and connect it to an antenna (using a band-pass filter not to overload the RTL-stick with crap). The repeater system is based on an svxlink controller so just …
May 11 2017
Preparing 23cm station
I’m preparing my 23cm station. Last weekend I’ve made some QSO’s during the May contest but with a very limited set-up. Time to have some more punch. Onboartd is a Gemini SSPA easily capable of delivering 180 Watts. More than enough for the 120 Watt limit here in the Netherlands for bands above 1 GHz. Also …
