Which HF Ham Radio is Right for You? Thoughts for the Newly Licensed 

Nicely done video! Very crisp, clear audio and video. You made some very good points and were fair to all three radios, thus giving a new HAM some insight on which radio is for them. I have owned a couple IC-7300's and loved them. But on the other hand, even though I have had a dozen other radios and can have any radio I want, I have a fond spot for the IC-718 too. It has been around a long time and is a good performer in it's price range. Plus I think too many bells and whistles can create too many headaches with more to go wrong. I have been a licensed HAM for 29 years so I simply have a nostalgic attraction to the more traditional radios...lol! Now subbed!

Perfect and thank you. I was first licensed, General class. in 1962. Returning from the world of tubes and home-brew rigs after 50 years is pure culture shock. Your video and comments here just made the "time traveler arrival" much easier. Kudos.

Been doing my research for months for my 1st HF radio. Your video cinched it for me. 7300 it is. Thanks, both of you.

Thx for the very comprenshive comparison. I'm a starting HAM and this helps a lot. 73

Exceptional video Sir! I am a new ham with TYT9800 for local repeaters/nets...I am learning HF on a vintage $300 Icom725... when i study more and earn my GENERAL License im thing ICOM 7300 or Yaesu 710... thank you for posting such an informative video that a new rookie can relate too! Mike. 73s...KK7TPQ

I like your stuff. 73.

Outstanding Video share Thank you

That was a very good video, as it answered all of my questions. I have been doubting my choice of the 7300. I still have a couple of weeks before it is delivered, and I was hunting for something cheaper because I am not even convinced that I will even do much hamming, even though I have studied and passed both my technician license test and the general license test in the last 6 months or so. I will stick with the 7300 because it may entice me to get more involved in it all. Thanks!

The 746pro was a grail radio for me in the 90s as a new ham. I finally got one in about 2009. I still have it. I got it out this week for the first time since 2012 (move a lot) and realized just how good that radio still is! Receive and filtering is something hard to master and these high end radios of the 90's still kill it on receive! 3 antennas, tuner, built in digital decoders, simple scope, lots of mods plus a simple pc interface allowing all the new radio features makes it still one of the dest all time radios under $1000. Today, even under $600 in some markets.

This was helpful, thank you.

I just pulled my ICOM IC-718 back into service and I'm shocked at how many bells and whistles that contains. Set it all up and then you can run it very simply but it is a small radio that has everything that the big ones have just not a separate knob identified with the various functions. It is amazing what you get for a little dollar outlay. The IC-7300 is it brand new winner radio what's a touch screen of all things! This radios new price around USD$1000 is wiping out the used market for good old radios and it's a good set and forget radio.

I just found your yt channel and I like your content. I can't don't subscribe. Greetings!

I have the icom ic 746 and it is a brilliant Radio I love it thanks for the video good job well done ✔ 👏

Thanks...good coverage on the 2 radios i was pondering the 718 and 7300....I already have a good tuner but the filters and band scope are worth the extra $400 to me,....

There is a big difference between operating local repeaters with a dual band mobile radio and a multimode HF-VHF shack-in-a-box radio. While you can certainly do repeaters with the shack-in-a-box type rigs they are not as convenient to use for this as a good dual-band mobile and it ties up an expensive radio doing something that a much less expensive radio could be doing. The shack-in-a-box rigs are better suited for SSB on VHF/UHF than they are for FM repeater work, while clearly the dualband mobile is only set up for FM and possibly one of the new digital voice modes the user interface is more optimal for that purpose. Even the antennas for VHF/UHF SSB and FM are different - FM is generally vertically polarized while SSB is generally horizontal. SSB and FM are somewhat different specializations within the hobby. For most people an HF rig and a separate dualband mobile is a better solution. Being able to monitor the local repeaters while doing other tasks with the HF radio is the normal use-case. Tying up a shack-in-the-box station listening to a single repeater is not as optimal. SSB and CW on VHF/UHF is a more specialized pursuit with a smaller set of participants. 73 de w6akb.

The UHF/VHF capability is why I purchased the 7100. I definitely will be getting a 7300/9700 combination in the future. The 9100 is cool but a bit dated. Since I already have most of that with the 7100... I will stick with that and use it mobile. Love how short and to the point these videos are!

Great video. I scored my 718 for $200 at a local club. So it's totally worh it. Especially since the 7300 was out of my budget. It motivated me to get my General ans I've recently pulled the 718 out with a new antenna and have started making contacts. :)

I have the 746 too. It's a more robust radio than the small ones and I believe it can handle higher duty cycles. For SSB it's not important but for RTTY and FT8 thermal capacity can be important.

What a coincidence! I have all three of these units. I bought the 7300 new about a year ago, then picked up a good used 718 in excellent condition also. Then I just recently acquired the 746 Pro. The 7300 is my favorite and most used radio because of all the excellent features in this nice "Touch-Screen" model. The 718 is used for other locations and is small enough to be used as a mobile or for field days. I'll post again when I get used to using the 746 Pro, with all its many features and extra 2-meter band, along with the 6-meter operation (like the 7300). I know it's older school, but not near as vintage as all the Yaesu FT-101 series, along with a couple of older Kenwood models I've owned. All these transceivers are excellent choices for beginners and pros alike!

Very helpful!

Chris I’m on my sons account responding to this video and I want to say the shack in the box with 2 meters and 70cm. Can be used for ssb contesting and the gentleman that said tying up an hf rig for 2 meters and 70cm forgets that kenwood and Yaesu made a dual vfo radio for doing both hf on main vfo and fm repeaters on sub vfo so although the Icom doesn’t give you that capability the Yaesu ft-847 and kenwood ts-2000 will let you do that and the ts2000 will let you crossband repeat over to hf with a dual band ht. So don’t discount a good shack in the box. One thing though is today’s shack in the box radios do not do what the ts-2000 and ft-847 do. Keep up the good work 73’s

I have 2 VHF-UHF radios and the IC7300. One VHF-UHF has DMR, the other I do Winlink and other things! I am glad that my HF and VHF-UHF are in different radios. I don't know where it would be better to have them in one would be better to have them all in one box the way I do things. When we have a hurricane coming there many place to get information,

I had to get on the air, and on a fixed income so my choice was made for me. I love my ic-718 and I bought a cheap 2 meter 70 CM it works for me.

I have the 7300 and believe it's probably the best bang for the buck of almost any radio out there right now.

Good video 👍

Don't forget the importance and difference of the receive capabilities across these 3 radios. Receive can make or brake your day! The 7300 and 746pro are on different playing fields in this category. Like majors vs grade school baseball.

Nice video, but the one I would choose is the Icom IC-7000 or IC-7100 if you want Digital voice with an Openspot3 or Openspot4 Pro for cross mode dv modes.

thanks nice review 73 from kb2uew

question for you Sir. I have the 718 because its what I could afford at the time. I also have a tuner. (LDG IC 100). So my question is does anyone make a waterfall display that can be used independently of the radio on my desk next to it/ or run into the same port as the dsp unit???

I heard some people said that icom 7300 is a 100 percent SDR radio, while older Icoms like 718 are still superheterodyne analog that makes them earpleasing to listen especially for hours. Do I have to care about this before deciding to buy? This video is great. Thanks 73.

One thing you did mention is weight. By today's standards, the Pro is an anchor. But it seems the Pro has build quality the other two do not have. They have Icom quality, but just not like the Pro. To me, the band scope is a destraction outside digi modes. I prefer one freq at a time. And that peak on the scope on SSB could be some sort of QRM. Another thing one should look at is power usage. The Pro is a power hog. Uses 25 watts even at qrp. Killer on battery power. 703 sipps power bit built for >10watts. Saves me during Uri Ice storm in H-Town. 703 is QRP of the 706. Seems the 706/746/756 families of Icoms were great for the time, and nice even for today.

I'm not yet a ham (just starting to study for my exam) but as a longtime SWL I'm a firm believer in using the KISS Method (keep it simple, stupid) when selecting your first HF rig whether it be a transceiver or general-coverage base station receiver, then spending time learning how to use it effectively. You can always upgrade to a fancier rig later once you're more experienced and either pass your beginner's rig on to another new ham/SWL or keep it. (I wish I still had the Kenwood R-1000 I bought used from Ham Radio Supply in Seattle around 25 years ago. No bells, no whistles, but it Just Worked.) Meanwhile you'll have a blast with your rig without breaking the bank.

I often hear reviewers mention that it is not good to have “all eggs in one basket” with a VHF and UHF band in your HF radio. I look at this from the the opposite side. My primary VHF and UHF are dedicated mobiles and portable radios with the VHF/UHF in the HF rig as a backup. And this can be worth a lot depending on what your comms goals are. By Including the UHF and VHF bands, it gives us options and makes the radio that more versatile.

A good option for cheap is the Yaesu 2980R....VHF, 80 watts and it has an excellent receiver and I get out on bad days 40 miles on simplex, I can hit repeaters 50 miles plus with ease...Im using a Diamond X300-A antenna...Downfalls to the radio are no 440 capabilities but for under $200 new its a great compliment to your HF rig if it doesn't have VHF....

The 746Pro has the PS2 port, and works well with the Signalink.

Out of those three radios, if anyone has an opinion on to how wide the tx audio and rx audio are. Ssb, and am modes preferred. I like to experiment with audio gear. Looking for a new great sounding radio. I know ssb can not be over 3khz. Just looking for a radio that comes as close to that as possible. Some rigs are so narrow and cheap 1927 telephone sound over the air. In my past purchases I have found that Just because a rig can operate on certain modes doesn't mean it performs well. I appreciate any input someone has to offer.

I think the 718 has a scope but not a waterfall. You can use a websdr for a waterfall.

Hi there. Thanks for the great reviews. Do you have to have a power inverter to run these? They are built to accept 13.8 VDC correct?

Thank you for the video! Here in Canada the IC-7300 is 1499 CAD and the IC-718 is 799 CAD, do you think the IC-7300 is worth more than 2X the IC-718? It would be my first HF radio. Thank you! 73

I'm torn between the Icom 7300 and The 718. The 7300 is a lot of bang for the buck and the 718 has a proven track record for reliability.

I have a 706 and the 7300 I like the 706, but really don't care for the 7300, I guess I'm spoiled by the kenwood 590

Yes, One radio may be described to be better than another. Understanding the various ways this might be said is not always black and white nor an exact fact when tested by YOU!. A good operator using any radio must first figure out or in out other words needs to learn by time invested upon it to find the limits of that radio also perhaps yourself in exploring all the features and become steady in control moment being one with it as you can. It depends very much on what you are trying to do, how many bands and modes. Jack of all trades master of non or become a master of one. Over the years many different radios have come out new only to be recalled within months, think about! And all electronics do age. Some age better than others. Simple can be good in ways and tons of features can reveal a radio's weakness by some of those features had. A few 70's 80' radios collected over years for ssb I enjoy using perhaps more than today's offerings. Them still working well says something about that time. The newest radio here is an IC 7300. Although today's radios have more features they do not receive a weak ssb signals any better than my older radios providing all is fair between both being in their design specs the old ones. Band noise continues to rise over the the years. It boils down to what you can afford and still get as much as you believe you need however prepare to move on when they die and the new ones for sure will too.

I would not want to have my VHF-7HF in the same as my HF. First many of the VHF-UHF radios have different digital modes. ICOM digital mode is Not the digital mode I want. Also where I am when we have a hurricane I want to be able to hear and talk on HF,VHF and HF all at the same time! My Anytone 878UVPlus can hear UHF and VHF at the same time and I can switch between them to talk. I think if you got into VHF-UHF you will love it and maybe your wife will get into it. The smaller very easy to use radios are liked more by the ladies.

oh the seventy 7300 is a great radio, but tiny. I said I'm spoiled with the kenwood.

The 718 is cable of two separate antenna connections, (1) long wire (2) coax. Thank you for posting.

i heard a few icom ic-718 on 40m in LSB, they sound well modulated, well intelligible, i liked that. the transmitt bandwidth is limited to 2.4khz by the narrow IF-filter, that doesnt sound really nice but nevertheless the modulation is done well. i would replace the narrow transmitt filter by a 2.8khz wide filter, the modulation will sound much better. often people increase their mic gain to much with the compressor, that sounds then to pressed. i wonder how the 718 will sound with the mic that comes with thw 7300. the receiver of the new 7300 has a higher dynamic range, it will sound clearer and weak signals will be more intelligible, i would rather get a new 7300 for that matter. i heard icom made a hardware update in the 7300, is that true? it had problems with qrm from strong nearby signals, allegedly because of some bad pin diodes and that is fixed in the new 7300, so far i heard. maybe someone can tell.

Anthony Edwards!

Adding an SSB/CW radio for VHF/UHF is not that trivial unfortunately

I broadcast all band oo mhz to beyond

This guy buys a 7300 for about a thousand dollars and seems to imply that a dual band uhf and or vhf mobile would be a hardship.

This should be very informative to new ham ...but HOLY COW Can't afford a 2 meter radio . .fm 2m... They are cheap . I actually got my first 2m radio damn near gave to me . I have a couple I am going to give away to some new local ham ... Many hams do this to get newbies active on .. worse case scenario you can get a cheap Bao Fang . To the new hams watching this , get involved with your local club . cheap radios are there to be had from thoughtful ham ... for cheap or free.

You can afford 3 HF radios but you can't get a power pole crimper? That is to funny! Sub who loves the channel. 73 HF0ALT

I have the 718 and (2) 2m/70cm mobiles im my shack. In my little world its the perfect setup. The price of the 718 makes it very attractive.

Never put all your eggs in one basket,learned it the hardway,if you have hf and wanna go fm,buy separate vhf/uhf radio Hf 718,vhf 28h,uhf 48h,i love vintage icoms