I have been using the IC-7300 for nearly four months now. While I love the radio, there are three features that I wish it had. They are:
- Video output. I’d love to be able to hook up my station’s video monitor to the radio and not have to squint at the tiny IC-7300 screen. I guess that thsi functionality is available with the RS-BA1 software, but that costs an extra $100.
- Automatic zero beat. The Elecraft K3 and KX3 have a nifty feature called CWT. What this does for you is to zero beat a signal for you automatically. Right now, the tuning process goes something like this: Touch the signal on the touchscreen that you want to listen to, then use the tuning knob to fine tune the signal. What I would like to able to do is tap on a signal on the touchscreen and then have it automatically zero beat the signal closest to where I’ve tapped. That doesn’t seem like it would be all that hard to implement.
- USB access to the SD card. To access files on the SD card, such as screenshots and setup files, you have to first removed the card from the IC-7300 and plug it in to your computer. What would be really nice is if ICOM allowed access to that data over the USB cable.
- Quieter QSK. I hadn’t really thought about this much until I worked a guy a couple of weeks ago who mentioned it. Because it uses mechanical relays, the IC-7300 is kind of noisy in full break-in mode as the relay clicks and clacks a couple times per character. It might have been nice if they’d used a reed relay or solid-state relay for this function.
My contact did clue me in on a simple way to quiet down the relays: Put a hunk of putty on the offenders! The video below shows how one ham did this:
Neal KD8NVN says
How about an Ethernet port! Serial/USB sucks in so many ways. With Ethernet, you can remote access via VNC. Transfer configurations quickly. Stream the audio or radio data to GNU Radio or GQRX. Etc, etc, …
Lex van der Lugt says
Hi Dan,
Your second wish is already implemented.
To zero in on cw use the autotune button left of the vfo dial.
check the ic-7300 manual on page 4-13
HPH & 73,
PA1LEX
gary says
Why on Earth can’t we re-transmit recorded audio files? The IC-7300 has the ability to record audio off the air so if the station I recorded wants to hear it back to see how they sound…there doesn’t appear to be a way to do it. I’ve seen one person on YouTube with a workaround by ejecting the SD card, putting it in the computer and copying files to another folder and then putting the card back into the radio. That’s ridiculous. Meanwhile the other station is sitting and waiting for you to complete all that fumbling around just to play back a few seconds of audio. Come on Icom. It’s just a simple basic function!
Jim says
Does the IC-7300 have a TUNE button available during any MODE? The KX Elecraft series has one and it is great for either tuning a manual tuner or an automatic one. I wonder why it took 40 years for transceivers to have such a button; maybe some did.
Dan KB6NU says
Yes, the IC-7300 has a TUNE button.
Pat KJ5Y says
HDMI video output would be great… and how about some configurable skins for like analog S Meter – like Yeasu does. Should I sell it and get a FTDX101D?
Dan KB6NU says
That depends on whether or not you think those features are worth about 50% more than the cost of an IC-7300.
SV says
FXDX10 has it basically for about the same price as IC-7300