New Icom X60 Mystery Radio - What Could It Be? 

This is the best X60 coverage I've seen so far. Everyone who was there obviously didn't have time to do this much analysis so you've got one good thing out of not going :)

The one thing it will definitely be is expensive.

I have been saying on all the other videos that it's a 7851 replacement. 200 Watt output, dual receiver circuits, 4 antenna ports. On the antenna board there are actually 8 relays. 4 big black ones and 4 smaller white/cream colored ones. The connector you couldn't name is a Taiko Denki TMP connector. The only thing that throws me for a loop is the accessory board with snap out daughter boards. They only show 4 controls, 2 double controls with push button, one double control and a rotary encoder, headphone jack board and SD card board. That's basically what a 7300 / 9700 have. I "assume" they just are not showing anything else to keep people guessing. They are also not showing the tact switch boards (push button) circuit boards. If we could see how many push buttons it has that would be a huge giveaway as to how big the faceplate would be.

Id like to think this was indeed a deliberate exercise to engage in some discussion with ideas from other amateur operators to gauge some extra input into design. Car manufacturers do something similar with concept cars at motor shows.

Here comes the 4-5 thousand dollar Icom radio!

For the transistor not having HF info in datasheet, well, that's sort of the norm. If you take a look at the datasheets for transistors in IC-7300, they also don't have much HF info. My guess is that the actual HF frequencies aren't really all that interesting to the RF world in general any more. For the missing markings on the chips, well, those chips look like they have the RF shielding material on top of them. Such material can be also seen in IC-7300 and IC-9700 too, but there they have larger pieces, instead of the smaller ones covering only the chips. Also, the IC-7851 has been discontinued in Europe for a several years already.

To solve that mystery around the DVI Port. Icom has a strict and fundamental rule not to pay ANY licences fees. In reality, the licence for HDMI costs 20$ct, whereas the DVI connector costs significant more. But, japanese companies have strict rules with no exclusions

OK, I'm placing my bet that is the following: It is a direct competition for the Flex 8000 and Anan 7000/G2 radios. It is an 18 bit dual ADC chain stand-alone 200W SDR. Yes, a black box. Beyond the circuit boards, you have to look at the market. They are fully capable of matching or beating Flex and Anan at their own game. They recently added pre-distortion to the 7610 and it will be in this radio. The only area where they will need to really work is the noise blanker and the DNR circuits. Anan is the leader in this and it will be hard to beat. I think price class will be between $2700-$3200. On the upper end with an ATU. A control head with knobs may be offered like the Maestro...but later. Bet I'm right!

No signs of Yaesu coming up with an SDR qrp rig yet.... More chance of seeing Half Life 3 at this point.

HDMI can supply the radio with voltage back and can blow stuff up. There was a video on it a while ago from one of the manufacturers... apparently. Lol

This was a great marketing trick to keep customers attention on ICOM and away from other makes .... If I had to guess I would say this looks like a new top if the range MF - HF - 70Mhz. Another thought is ICOM approaching 60 years of being in business? In which case this could be a limited sales 60th year edition of the 7851. "7860" perhaps? 73 Ed.

I’m a Icom dealer and even I’m in the dark on this one.

10:24 Those are lan jacks, given away by the ATPL-361R chips right behind each of them. My guess would be these go to external transverter modules to add SHF/Microwave bands like with the IC-905.

It’s the ic705mk2 QRO Edition. With the optional tuner, MSRP 26,999.95. With the optional expansion board you can insert your credit/debit card right into the radio (don’t worry you won’t be needing it anymore) and it’ll siphon your monthly subscription right off your account (Icom will be using this model to introduce their new Ham Radio As A Service pricing model…) 😛 /s

That board with 4 large coax connector lands needs a big rear panel like the 7850.The 7850 was the 50th anniversary model released a decade ago. My bet is that this is its refresh, likely called the IC-7860. It will be the 60th anniversary model to tackle the hugely popular FTdx101.

I can't believe I didn't see this at Hamvention 🤦‍♂️. I spent a lot of time talking to Wayne Burdick N6KR and him taking apart the radio to show me how much he squeezed into that tiny radio (the KH1).. Thanks for doing this deep dive into the x60. Interesting stuff.

The HDMI organization is a real PITA. They like to make life hard for manufacturers. Even if it was free (as in gratis) to use it would still be unappealing. If you need to use HDMI you can use a cheap adapter.

The button battery is the size of a 2032, much bigger than the tiny battery in the 7300 , and this is easily replaceable.

Its obiously a new HF SDR based rig The filter gives it away rather than that driver..you can use a higher freq LDMOS at lower frequency....Icom need to get rid of the IC-7100 and make a good HF/VHF/UHF mobile prefferably SDR based and something that you can actually mount the head in a car. Not like the 7100 head

IC-7860

New 7860 flagship HF 4 6 base 200w very expensive big box radio.

Yaesu said the same thing about HDMI, but even incredibly small volume devices have it. I think its like 50 cents per unit. There really is no excuse for it these days

IC-X60. 200w 160m-6m, 100w VHF/UHF, 25W 1.2GHz, all mode, 10k MSRP. 9100 replacement with optional D-Star module $1k USD. Or maybe I’m just hopeful lol

DVI is an industrial standard, HDMI is a "Consumer" standard. The US Military in fact still orders new computers and monitors with DVI as a requirement. It's robust and far more durable and has better shielding than a HDMI or DP port does. Also easier to fix cables, and make custom cables for.

I would love it to be a 7100 update, with remote head like a 705/905, sdr tech etc etc. However 200w, dvi, and 4 multiantenna ports make it unlikely... hmmm

The button battery is NOT on the 7300. The 7300 battery is soldered on the board. Button battery is much better!

7:32 That "only one" might be two. There's plenty of LDMOS devices that incorporate two into a single case. ST makes a few of those like the RF3L05150CB4. This won't be the device used in the X60 but its datasheet is nice and includes interesting pictures and descriptions for this technology.

Just look at the back of the 7851 and compare ports to see what's what, and what's different.

Display port (Dp) does not have the license. And, DVI is more rugged. Not aeronautical rugged, but it will survive rougher handling than HDMI or Dp. What you called an unmarked CPU may be an FPGA, which could include a CPU. But the heatsink is interesting. Could be a CPU or an FPGA. Too big for anything less than a "7860". The 4 antenna connectors are like the 7851. Yeah, IC-7851 replacement.

The IC 7851 was the 50 year anniversary at one point so this might be the 7851 60th anniversary

It's a 7860. Start saving your pennies. You'll need over a million of them.

(Sing along) How much is that Icom in the window? (dit dit) The one with the missing detail. (dit dah) How much is that Icom in the window? (dit dit) I'll mortgage my ham shack today. (dah dit)

it has 3 Ethernet jacks, maybe in ic7100 replacement with external Display via Ethernet. Hopefully with VHF/UHF, then we got a deal.

Very interesting 🤨 I agree with ur assessment 7860😬☺️

From what I can see it's an expanded version of the 7100! its gonna be a hf to 1 gig radio!

On the antenna relay board - J101 is to power the relay. J102 is an antenna port. Robert KD4YDC

Modern displays and computers are using Displayport. HDMI is on the way out, DVI is grandfather level and VGA is Great Grandfather level. A supercap is only good for a while but could help you keep your settings while changing battery.

Sounds like a hybrid exercise between teasing the market for ideas and getting HAM's to suggest a feature set for their next radio. Note that one of the chips on the main board is a USB 3.0 interface buffer - not much sense for control/audio (don't need that bandwidth) but would be an excellent idea if delivering a connection to a PC to operate as an SDR.

OMG.. Icom really know how to market! Everyone will be surprised at Japanese HAM show 😀

That J102 socket on the antenna switch PCB is a connector for transferring RF from one PCB to another - you can see it in every multi-PCB radio, and that RCA is a PTT out for remote devices like power amps - taking it out of the ACC socket is a painful experience.

Maybe a 9100 replacement

I definitely have high hopes.

I would guess that it is the same concept as the IC-905 but for an high end, high power all bands transceiver.

I'm thinking it's going to be a higher powered 9700/905 based on that driver

Just so you know, Raspberry Pi made a deal with HDMI licensing because the original idea was to get a computer into the hands of those that can't afford one.

@10:26 There are two RJ45 Ethernet ports, DC port, 1/4" headphone jack, two RCA, two XLR plugs, USB-B, and I'm assuming a reset button. So the logic board requires a power supply and has RJ45, yet so does the main board. I believe this is a two box setup.

As soon as I saw this I knew this couldn’t be a replacement for a 7610 because I don’t think all those boards could fit into something like that. I immediately suspected it was a replacement for the 7851. I had missed the 200W on the PA board so as soon as you showed this in the video it sort of reinforced my speculation on this. To me it would make sense that Icom would release a new flagship radio on their 60th anniversary.

DVI is more robust. This is a 7851 replacement base radio...A "SDR" version of the IC 7851..

My thoughts about this is: a 200W - HF with 100W - VHF/UHF support up to 1.2GHz? High End... Not cheap.

All in one remote radio VP8A 73

Radio companies dont forget that most people live paycheck to paycheck so we cant afford really anything over 1000 dollars even that price could take us a while to come up with. Its important for businesses to sell a lot of stuff, not 1 or 2 here or there. Now i know you get what you pay for but again the economy and inflation and so many dont have great credit and lots of money laying around to buy a radio that cost anywhere from 5000 to 26000 dollars. Also they take forever to come up with a new radio. New phones come out once or twice a year. Id love to enjoy a high tech radio but ill never have thousands of dollars laying around.

It's all PsyOps!

Imperial Star Path Unit

I think it's a Kenwood 😃

I'm guessing all mode kick-ass rig. Guessing exxy, but hopefully not too exxy.

Maybe this is a new kit.😂👍

I think it is a replacement for the 7851. That said the 7851 is out of pocket range for most hams. This makes me wish it had been a 7610 replacement or upgrade to a 200-watt radio with a few more bells and whistles. This might increase their sells making it fall into the pocketbook range of more hams than the current 7851.

X60 will be a replacement for 76xx maybe 6xxx in a slightly less featured form, 7300 is due to tech refresh, maybe see a 7310 come out next year using newer sdr thinking and better duty cycle for transmitter.

1:45 DVI to HDMI Converter - NXT Technologies NX50637 0.5' HDMI/DVI-D Video Adapter, Black, from Staples 3 USD.

Alonf 7300, 705 there is also 7100 back in production

I was at the show and looked it over, but your analysis is awesome and indepth. Many things I did not see. I think it is a HF radio with a remote-able head via Cat6 cable. However the possible 4 Antenna outputs throws me a bit. 4 different antennas would lead me to believe a new high end radio? If it is not 4 HF outs, does it do 2 meter and 70 centimers as well? Time will tell

Why not Video over USB-C ? I'll never deal with bulky DVI adaptors again!

It’s a Radio with computer integrated .

Looking at the power board I was surprised the PA was not a push pull so I doubt it’s 200w. Looking at the form factor it could be a mobile.

HDMI is about 10 times the cost of DVI licensing that’s the reason and it’s all to do with how many they think they’ll manufacture

This is really not even much of a mystery at this point. It is clearly the 7851 replacement. The question is how current will the SDR in the sense of a Hybrid SDR with roofing filters, etc. One other interesting point could be if they make it up to VHF/UHF/SHF. That would be a pretty big shack in the box.

Noo transceiver😮 Who knew? Is it NEW?

Yep Licensing fee

IC-7651: 200W ?

Either way, I will stick with my qcx mini, 5w cw which worked France from zl earlier, what more is required in our simple hobby. 73 zl3xdj.

Who really wants or needs these over sized radios. Who really wants or has the money to spend thousands. The market is flooded with HF radios, yaesu has a stack of them, tons of SDR options etc. Let's see an upgraded with 7610, add 8 and 4M bands or 100w IC705 with 4M. How about the replacement ic7100?

This is to compete with the Flex Radios. Software controlled.

Icom IC-7760

The HDMI Fee Structure High-volume (more than 10,000 units) HDMI Adopter Agreement - $10k/year. Low-volume (10,000 units or less) HDMI Adopter Agreement - $5k/year + flat $1/unit administration fee. The annual fee is due upon the execution of the Adopter Agreement, and must be paid on the anniversary of this date each year thereafter. The royalty fee structure is the same for all volumes. The following variable per-unit royalty is device-based and not dependent on number of ports, chips or connectors: US$0.15 for each end-user licensed product. US$0.05 - If the HDMI logo is used on the product and promotional material, the per-unit fee drops from US$0.15 to US$0.05. Use of HDMI logo requires compliance testing. US$0.04 - If HDCP is implemented and HDMI logo is used, the per-unit fee drops further from US$0.05 to US$0.04. Display Port DisplayPort Product (without regard to number of DP applications in a single product) $0.20 Maximum royalty/year/legal entity $7,000,000

It's interesting with all the ethernet ports on it

an updated 7300 that does 200 watts out? they will take my money if it's priced right.

7860

I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! I know! Overpriced.

Its a up grade 7610 big deal... they did same crap with the Pro series. This new radio I think is going to be there flagship radio to replace the 7851 My dollar to your dime bet. to be called 7651..or 7660 SDR....no one going to spend $10K for HF radio these days Price guess $3999. ................Icom 7651 SDR. or 7660 SDR

Who cares? It'll be too expensive anyway!

Very poor roll out of a product. I am not at all interested or impressed in the stupid game they are playing. Look here is a box of resistors and capacitors ouuu cool no thanks. You can keep your Sand box. Not interested

"What are your thoughts?" Uhm, well, you clearly don't really know what you are looking at or talking about 😂😂😂

I think its going to be an all band sdr rig. Likely something to try and blow the doors off the Yaesu FT-710.

Cool