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ICOM IC7300
10 April 2018 | by 
Probably the best commercial radio available to radio amateurs currently is the IC7300. However, its price is still set by market forces: it could still be profitable at a much lower selling price.
Whether prices drop depends on many factors, but there is no doubt that the price is what it is largely because people are still prepared to buy at this price. If the dealers can still make a killing why would they reduce prices? Also, currently there is no real competition.
See https://icomuk.co.uk/IC-7300/Amateur_Radio_Ham_Base_Stations
10 Responses to “ICOM IC7300”
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Just a heads up… Tom, VA3FSQ, the creator of Win4K3Suite and Win4Yeasu is a few weeks off from releasing Win4Icom. This program will give full CAT control for both the IC-7300 and IC-7610. It has 6 virtual ports for all your favorite programs. The big PLUS for 7300 owners is the added spectrum scope/waterfall that will give the end user a nice looking a fully functional larger scope that plays will with you computer mouse for fast QSY. Lots of other nice features, including being able to remotely turn your radio on and off if you have loaded Teamview.
I am a beta tester and have spent most of the day ringing out a few issues. I am sure as a 7300 owner you find this program outstanding a must have.
As far as the pricing of the 7300, it is supply and demand and the demand might be lower then last year at this time, but I suspect not by much. This is one outstanding radio and for the money a great value. How low will it go? If I were to take a guess, maybe around $900 on sale.. I would be shocked if it would go much lower and hurt the IC-7100 and IC-7200 sales. Icom is not that foolish. What I am curious to see is a IC-9100 replacement and maybe a IC-7700, 200 watt replacement using direct sampling. As far as the IC-7851, it will be a while. That radio has a whole lot going for it and it would be stupid to replace it at this time… Maybe once the FPGA, ADC and DSP take another major jump in performance, but not now… Buying a IC-7300 now, new or used, at this time IMHO is a great investment for many years to come…
I home my OT dealing with the new Win4Icom was not out of line… After playing with 3 beta test versions today, I guess I a bit excited and wanted to share the news..
Harry, I went with one of the first Software Defined Radios in 2010, and liked it. I have had a Flex 3000, 1500 and now an Anan 8000. My display is a 23 inch monitor, great stuff. The 7300 and 7610 are getting you there and you still have the knobs to tweak. Most of those adjustments I don’t use much once I get them set. SDR is where I want to be.
73, Larry WB8LBZ
El Paso, TX
great radio the ic 7300 it would be my radio of choice, within days of sitting for the general test expect to pass, I will wait for Hamventure to perhaps make a deal on a ic 7300 I like the Icom line I own three Icoms the ic 7100 is my favorite.keep the airwaves active and have a good day 73 bob dalley n3uas.
I think a good part of the success of the Icom 7300 is its price (vs. performance) and I see no evidence that the market is setting the price. Icom has hit the biggest home run by putting the price where they did. The other manufacturers get all they can (what the market will pay). For its performance, 7300 could have been priced $1000 higher. So the elephant in the room question is – what will beat a 7300? How low would a Elecraft K3S have to come down?
My bet/hope is Icom will beat it by offering a next gen 7300x with 2 and 440 and maybe 1296. Keep the candles lit for that and until then I think the market bows to Icom. Its 7300 is done so, so right. I’m still in wow land.
I’ve use the IC-7300 almost exclusively for HF for the past 5 months. It maybe be the best value for features currently available for a HF radio but “best available” I really question. My main two dislikes is reducing the RF gain does not reduce the audio gain noise. And reducing the RF gain also reduces the S meter level. I will recommend the FT-7300 to anyone only wanting a HF radio in it’s price range but if there is also an interest in V/UHF I’ve found no faults with the FT-991.
Dex
HAVE BEEN IN THE GAME FOR MANY YEARS.,TOO MANY TO COUNT. tHE ic7300 IS THE BEST BY FAR AT A REASONABLE PRICE FOR WHAT IT OFFERS
Harry K7ZOV, how cruel to mention that Win4Icom is in the offing.
There is nothing much about it on the web either. I hope you have not broken an NDA in spilling the beans.
Off to look at Tom’s other programs to see what could be available.
73 de Guy G4DWV 4X1LT
Hi Guy… No NDA… I have signed many dozens over the decades. Tom almost done. He has a couple of bugs to fix and last night informed me of one more new feature. By looking at the Win4Yeasu you will get a good idea of the Icom version. I am very excited about this version since it makes life easier getting around the radio features and being able to link the program to third party programs. I have used the Win4K3Suite with my two K3’s, K-Line and KX3 and KX2 for long time. I recently did a trade and got a new FTdx5000 shortly after he introduced the Win4Yeasu. Adding my SDRPlay RSP1 to the IF gave me a great spectrum/waterfall that is not common for that radio. So all that said and knowing how well Tom supports this products, I just wanted to give a heads up for those who are looking for a great radio interface product and those who want a larger scope that makes nice to a mouse for fast QSY.. I give him a couple of more weeks..
73 Harry K7ZOV
I was a bit surprised by Dex W4DEX comment on the background noise the 7300 exhibits. The 7300 is one of the best radios I have ever used except for the noise issue Dex mentioned. The surprise is that more 7300 users don’t complain about it. This noise is not reduced much while using the ATT & RF gain. It is reduced by employing a lot of NR reduction. Even tho the NR is very good, I still don’t like the digital sound. I hope Icom addresses the noise issue with updates or the 7310. Lastly, I know of other users who also experience this background noise. 73 Bob
I need to upgrade from my 25 year old IC728 and I think this will be the rig for me. But I wonder if there is a narrow cw filter fitted? I installed one – a physical block – in my rig many years ago and cannot be without it now. Is there a narrow filter in the 7300 or is it somehow selectable by soft settings?