The Radio looks and sounds like a great advancement in UHF / VHF/ SHF communication. The information was presented very well. I will probably find one on my shelf in the next 3 months. Thank You for your time and presentation John KD4NKU
Best review I've seen yet of the available features on the IC-9700. Great job Bob. I wasn't really considering the purchase of an IC-9700 until I watched your review. Thanks! 73, George K2WO
You are going to love it. Now plan on setting up some real UHF/VHF antennas with quality coax and connectors. Mine RULES on the linear satellites... and when the ISS comes over, everyone hears me!!!
Absolutely the best review I have seen on this rig so far. Quickly summarizes and demonstrates the main features from a practical usage perspective. Well done!
Thanks for a great introduction to the factory of functions for the ic-9700. your delivery and efficiency content delivery was spot on. You don't fluff like some other youtubers. Subscribing. Thanks 73, K3TEF
I know im randomly asking but does any of you know of a method to get back into an instagram account?? I was stupid lost my login password. I love any tips you can give me!
@Ridge Lachlan I really appreciate your reply. I got to the site on google and I'm in the hacking process now. Seems to take a while so I will get back to you later with my results.
@@flyingjeff1956 Picked up both to upgrade station and set up Sat capabilities... Now capable from 1.8 Mhz to 1.295 Ghz. Also, lots of value. Just about finished with a portable AZEL controller and need a decent radio. Added a DBA 270 mast head amp to help out. Interested in SAT communications. 73, KD0ZW
I have one sitting in its box waiting for me to figure out how to get it into my "shack." Excellent review, thank you. can you suggest antennas for the other bands? I already have Diamond X-30 for 2 meters.
Great review as always Bob. Questions: Does it have AGC in the TX audio path like the 2820 and 880 have (but forgotten in the 5100)? And, is the Speech Processor only working when in SSB or does it also stay active in AM or FM? Thanks!! 73's de N2VU
Robert Great review! Now that they are back in stock I might pick one up. Any chance you could provide information on the two GPS units you reference that work with the Icon 9700. I would like to get both, but it is very confusing when searching what products will work with the ICOM 9700 . Thanks
Robert thanks so much for this well made video. I never knew this and am just assuming based on the channels I saw on the memories...that you are in Arkansas. Hello from North Little Rock.
Robert Nagy thats cool. Just have a mobile and HT. But I’m hooked on the Icom products. Looking into seeing what I want to do for a base, a mobile radio (used as a base) or something like the 9700.
Yeah, I do. That said, It doesn't show on any other 2 meter radio I have. S meters are hard to get right on SDR's. It's not so simple as just tapping the AGC voltage. The meter in the 9700 is sensitive to wideband noise across the spectrum. As well, it is a "scotch" meter. None of the local line-of-sight repeaters gives me a full-scale reading. I'm sure there are calibration points in the factory setup. I'll be looking at how it is set up and I may mod it. Truthfully, almost no radios jive with each other, so I should have it like I like it.
Well, I've always called it 450... guess we could call it 430 too.. Just finishing the big rig shootout here - FTdx-101D VS. IC-7610..head to head.. posting it in 2 hours.
It’s really tempting, but based on your closing statement, I think an FT991A is a much better choice for me. I was seriously considering the 7300/9700 combo. But all I ever do is rag chew on HF and a few local repeaters. I’m really glad you made this review, and pointed out how sophisticated this radio is. It’s WAAAY to much radio for just hitting 2 or 3 local repeaters and literally NOTHING else. Thank you Bob. I think you just saved me about $1700. 73.
I don't know. If the radio is in storage for a long time, you might have to reset the clock. Out of the 1438 engineering elements they got spot-on, they had to leave at least one thing imperfect. True beauty always has a tiny flaw.
I am new to ham radio and was looking at the IC-9700 as a first base station with long term use with many modes, functions and uses. I was going to buy the IC-7300 but through research saw that the IC-9700 had access to more bands, etc.. and that sent me on a new path with more questions. Would the IC-9700 be a good option or is there a different set-up that I should look at?
James- No, go with the 7300. The 9700 is the next radio you might buy...but you need to get proficient on the HF bands first. Realize that antennas for the bands on the 9700 are much more difficult to install. The 9700 is for advanced operators...something you grow into. Buy a 7300 and just make a 139 ft loop wire antenna. Hang it as high as you can around the yard. Use RG-8X coax. The radio's tuner will make it work on all bands.
Is it true that you cannot monitor 2 frequencies of the same band at the same time? I read that on a forum and was wodering how that could be possible since it is dual watch with 2 recievers. Thanks
That IS correct. This radio is optimized for sensitivity and not just offering every possible combination. Even at this price point, they cannot give you everything!
Thanks for the review - you mentioned early "warts" and I wonder if the reported drifting has been addressed? Tough to do digital modes like FT8 or MSK144 if the radio drifts 73 de K1HC.
Oh, it was just nit-picking on the internet. The FTdx-101D is now being dis-assembled by the Internet crowd. If you key up the 9700 on full power - leave it on until it is very hot- then the fan comes on and it cools, the frequency would drift about 30hz on 1296mhz. Cut that to 10hz on 450 and 5hz on 2 meters. The only problem would be if you were doing telemetry decoding on satellites. So, Icom updated the firmware and it allows you to lock the radio to a GPSDO...little GPS 10mhz output gismo..not expensive. Now the rig is PERFECT.
It is a DeLuxe radio by anyone's standards....and really, not a beginner's radio. It takes advanced skills to utilize all it's features. I'd start with a simple FM dual-bander first..
call CQ then, A lot of hams just sit there listening and don`t call CQ, we get it in the UK "it's very quiet on the band" that's all we hear. And you're wondering why they want the bands its all your own doing really.
Hi there I like radios... I like to catch the hole world.... I want to buy a radio so which Mark is the best tecsun or purnus And which one? What do you think of)Lp 660
I'm a newbie, at 70 yrs of age I decided to get a new hobby, so I got my General ticket and I'm off to the races, right? No I find my new hobby to be expensive with big name brands, so I bought a nice Yaesu handheld and a cheap Chinese 10/12 meter radio. The IC 9700 and IC 7300 are great together but a sensible person that wants to do what these two can do for about 1/3 of the price could just buy a Yaesu FT 991A ( that's what I'm saving for).
The FT991A is a FANTASTIC shack-in-a-box for the North American market. If you are stateside, it covers everything you’ll need. The only thing it won’t cover is the obscure 220 mhz band and the 1200 mhz satellite band, which is the least common amateur satellite band. Great rig, and I can’t think of a better starting rig. Should you ever upgrade the home shack to a bigger radio, the FT991A becomes the DEFINITIVE standard for an RV mobile rig. Get one you will love it!
My problems with the 9700 and the reason why I sold it after 2 months. First, The usage of 1.2 gig is very small in my area, almost nothing and I would be MUCH more inclined to have 6 meters or even 220. Second, In my area the Pave Paws at the AFB wipes out 430 ssb, much more so then my 30 year old FT 736R. Third, the price. If This radio only gives me 2 meters to use for $1,500+ it was a waste of money for me. Also I must be the only Ham on the planet that does not like DStar. Don't like the audio and could care less about that mode. So my reasons might be different than others but for me this radio was a bust.
Great Review of the ICOM 9700 im going to get one to pair with my ICOM 7300 and get the 23cm and 70cm and 2mtr beams to get back into contesting again, Many thanks for the Review i think this radio new in uk is £1795, gives you all and more to play radio. 73 MIKE M1KEY M0FCG
I'm wondering about the 2 m 70 CM repeater memory? I spoke with Icom, they said I should be able to store every 2 m 70 CM repeater in the United States in there, and with the GPS antenna drive around and scan and use pretty much all of them. They said it would have about 2,500 repeater memories for this. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? (I intend to use the radio for many of its other functions also, but I drive a truck all over the country and would love to have this type of 2 m 70 cm repeater capability.)
Very different radios. I'm doing a 705 review next. The 705 does not do duplex for satellite. It does not have 1.2 ghz. It does have almost the same network and Dstar capabilities. The 705's standby current draw is WAY less. The 705 can run on it's internal battery. I would never take my 9700 out to a camping site. I use the 705 ALL the time with a 70W amp- running of LiPo batteries. The 705 is just as unique and just as worth of owning.
@@bobnagy9084 yep, got the 9700 as I was getting bothered with 'debagging' my IC705 for use in the QTH. I'm loving the 9700 and will be for sure getting more into the satellite side as my knowledge increases.
did you see the specs of the 9700 on the sherwood list? for example the dynamic range of it is only 74dB, that will not sound very clear, when signals are weak, spoken silables will then sound faded into one another and not intelligible anymore. that is not a very good receiver and for that comparably high price i would expect it to be. the bdr is low too, 111dB, strong signals on nearby frequencies will block the receiver. i would not buy it. the final transistors in that thing run at 100Watt out at their maximum powerlevel, i doubt that they would last long. i would rather have the Yaesu FT991A instead the 9700, the 991A is the comparably better radio.
I have both of them side by side here. The 991A doesn't compare with the IC-9700. People live and die by the Sherwood numbers. In this case, it just isn't that important. On HF we have to deal with nearby signals etc. Not on VHF/UHF. MDS is more important... and the 9700 can hear very well. Then there is the fantastic scope. The 991A scope is terrible. Then there is the unbelievable array of features and capabilities. Satellite operation is a dream on the 9700. Not really possible on the 991A. HF performance on the 991A is so-so. It is not a top performer. All the "shack in a box" radios are great compromises. The 9700 is a radio for a serious VHF/UHF/Microwave user. Performance numbers are actually best on it- on 1.2 ghz. The price is actually excellent too for the sophistication of the radio. Yaesu equipment is just not as polished and de-bugged as Icom. the FTdx-101D is FULL of engineering mistakes. I sold mine in 4 months and lost $1000. Kept my Icom Ic-7610...great radio.
@@Yavor54 the low spec numbers of your 9700 are unmistakeable, a receiver with a dynamic range of 74dB can never sound that clearly inteligible like you want to depict that 9700 here, its lacking and just isnt that very good. its an average or bit better than average radio.
Why couldn't Icom just have added 2m, 1.25m, and 70cm to the IC-7300? It's basically the same radio, it seems like it would be a simple software update (although I could be wrong). Maybe they could come up with a new rig that was a true all bander, that would be nice.
OMG, that is certainly not the case. The 9700 is chock-full of hardware dedicated to producing signals on 2/450 and 1.2ghz. Sure, they could have added 7300 receive capabilities beyond HF, but not with good performance. SDR is not a magic bullet capable of doing everything well with almost no hardware. The 9700 is a masterpiece of engineering. The sheer breadth of capabilities, it's operating system and the performance characteristics took every inch of the case space inside of the 9700. If they did do it (like the TS-2000) performance would have to suffer on each and every band (like the TS-2000). The combination of the 7300 and 9700 are a tremendous value and give one an almost complete ham experience capability.
@@laffontcompetition-arkansa2581 No disrespect Sir, but your reply is written in the style that you might expect from from somebody wants to "milk" the customer of ever penny they can. An all bander on this platform is not out of reach for Icom. They can and should strive to make that radio happen and I'd be glad to purchase one when it does. 73's
@@robertnagy2163 Sorry I may not have been clear with my question. Will it load FM repeaters using the near repeaters list? some radios only load DV repeaters while using the near repeater function. My ID51A and ID5100 will load FM with this feature so I would assume this would but just wanted to be sure.
@@ChrisCornell79 Chris- The repeater list contains FM repeaters, so I imagine it does as well locate them for you. I have never tried this though! I suggested this to Icom 10- years ago.
It isn't that. It is that on the two higher bands -if you were to transmit for a long time and the radio heated up to high enough that the fan came on, it would yank the freq. around slightly from the wide temp swing. We are talking just a little. I'm sure they use a TCXO, but for complete accuracy, you can use a GPSDO.
@@Yavor54 I should also have asked whether you feel an external clock is necessary to operate the 9700 effectively? Is the drift going to irritate if I buy one and use it without? Many Thanks.
The reason I sold mine after only one month is that $1,500+ for a single band radio is just not worth the price. Single band ? Well in Northern California where I live I'm close to Pave-paws at Beal AFB so 440 weak signal work was almost worthless. There is practically nothing, on 1.2 MHZ here. And to my ears D star sounded "wormy" and poor, did not like the audio at all. So for me the only thing left was 2 meters, that was great with the band scope and 100 watts but 15+K for only one band that I can use, nope just not for me. If it came with 220MHZ or even 6 meters instead of 1.2 I probably would have kept it. JMO.
Maybe a dumb question, but, since you can't put the same band on VFO-A and VFO-B, how does it do "split"? Specifically, on a 2m repeater how can you listen on the input frequency AND the output freq simultaneously?
well, I sure do hope that the 2m and 23cm won't get reallocated from amateur radio band plan because those beautiful radios are going to be worthless...
The new guy the president appointed as head of the FCC is all about the $$. He has been ruthless so far...so we have to be really ready to defend ourselves.
That's been quashed. 2 metres is safe, was never really in doubt. Best thing any of us can do is to actively use the bands, all of them. I'll be upgrading my 910H with 23cm for the 9700. The more pressing issue here in VK is that Kenwood have recently announced they are pulling out of our market. If we don't support the manufacturers this is what to expect, especially in a relatively small market like ours.
Oh, this radio is for advanced users! Don't run away so fast. 90% of Hams will never own a radio like this. The vast majority of Hams buy a radio, set it up and talk to their friends for decades. I've been a Ham for 52 years and only now have gotten into what a radio like this does.
@@Yavor54 to be more specific, I was wondering if the keying relays are very loud. The last Icom I had sounded like an impact wrench at higher speed transmit.
If it was as easy as a blender, it wouldn't be any fun! You can operate the 9700 very simply in about 5 minutes- but since it is $$ and has so many capabilities, it would be a waste to do so. Knowledge is power....and since nobody can focus longer than it takes to download a phone app, knowing this technology converts you from an appliance operator to an electronics expert!
There are incremental licensing steps. Start at the bottom and work your way up at your own pace, to what ever level you're happy with. Needing to know morse code demotivated me from becoming a ham decades ago. Morse isn't required at any level these days. When I found that was so a few years back, I got inspired to get my licence and now have a full call and have been learning morse code, not because I have to but because I want to. Funny how that works. Seek out an amateur radio club, or operator in your area and get the ball rolling if you're interested. There are also plenty of excellent learning resources on the internet and youtube. It's really not that difficult to get started.
I'm tired of the complications and issues with Icom radios when it comes to repairs. I'm going back to transverters and simpler radio designs that are easier to fix. I will not buy a 9700.
Icom has dropped the ball one more time. They made this fancy radio but it cannot cross been repeat. What a crock of pig food. I was all set to give up my 5100 in my go box and put this in because I thought surely such an advanced machine would still have Cross Band repeat. But it does not. Once again Icom has almost reached the brass ring but in this case has fallen flat on their no cross band repeating faces. End of discussion
Doc this radio was designed primarily with weak signal work and amateur satellites in mind. Like Bob stated it’s overkill for most standard VHF/UHF FM operators.
@@docpearson no problem, a 5100 is a nice rig. It wouldn’t surprise me if Icom didn’t come out with an upgraded 5100 that has a color screen like the new ID-52A handheld.
I bought one find it clumsy to use...sorry I purchased it. Don't enjoy it all. What you want it to do it does not do. Useless without the Pre amps ON> Really silly how to program channels with PL tones.
Everything from the this to that except.... No 220. No sale. No general receive, get more from a china radio. No sale. The only advantage I see is all mode and satellite.
Except that China cannot produce this radio. Baofeng, Xiegu, Anytone...etc. use stolen technology and the companies are subsidized by the communist government specifically to kill off Yaesu. Icom, Kenwood, Elecraft and Flex. It doesn't cost $22 to steal the design, build the handi-talkie, ship it over an ocean, give a dealer profit and ship it free to your door. Plus, their engineering and quality control is very poor. For $30 you can get a Baofeng HT with 220/450/145mhz. It's basically poison candy for Ham radio.
@@robertnagy2163 Yea china radios are cheep there is no doubt. I do not buy them. I also feel that china is a giant thief factory that steels proprietary technology. BUT>>> My statement stands firm. No general receive, No 220. 1.25 meter is big around here Chicago and South Bend area. Kinda dumb to leave it out. Plus since it is an SDR, some simple software is all it takes to add general receive even if it is not filtered the best. P.S. MY ft-65 Yaesu HT is Made in China. Do not talk to me about it, tell Yaesu. ft-65. If I would have know I would not have bought it.
@@robertnagy2163 But most of the components are Chinese, LoL. Did you see the sticker on the back of the main fan..."Made in China". Of course, if the components were made in the US, the price would probably be 6K or more.
NOPE I will keep my ICOM 910H & ICOM 821H.The 9700 is a lot of HYPE that is overrated & overpriced.I paid less than $1000 for the two that I have for BOTH combined.
The Icom IC-9700 is a "Drift-O-Matic", overpriced door stop. I purchased an Icom IC-9700 brand new and when I contacted the manufacture about the drifting, I was told I needed to install a stable 10 Mhz reference signal from a GPS or some other source to keep it from drifting! I had VHF/UHF equipment over 40 tears ago that didn't drift like the Icom IC-9700...
I'm wondering about the 2 m 70 CM repeater memory? I spoke with Icom, they said I should be able to store every 2 m 70 CM repeater in the United States in there, and with the GPS antenna drive around and scan and use pretty much all of them. They said it would have about 2,500 repeater memories for this. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? (I intend to use the radio for many of its other functions also, but I drive a truck all over the country and would love to have this type of 2 m 70 cm repeater capability.)
I'm wondering about the 2 m 70 CM repeater memory? I spoke with Icom, they said I should be able to store every 2 m 70 CM repeater in the United States in there, and with the GPS antenna drive around and scan and use pretty much all of them. They said it would have about 2,500 repeater memories for this. Does anyone have any knowledge about this? (I intend to use the radio for many of its other functions also, but I drive a truck all over the country and would love to have this type of 2 m 70 cm repeater capability.)
