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  1. Build your own Hytera cable — 36 comments
  2. Icom IC-9700 frequency modification — 15 comments
  3. Icom IC-9700 Power overshoot — 15 comments
  4. Icom IC-9700 and WSJT-X — 14 comments
  5. Hytera MD785(G) noise modification — 13 comments

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Spring in the shack

Easter. It means a long weekend off. Time for me to be busy in the shack. I started with a ride to SM/Ikea to buy some cupboards. One to the left of the desk to house the VHF and UHF amplifiers and rotators, the other one on the desk to make more room for radio’s. …

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The FT8 farmer

Did I already mention rule 1 till 3 if you transmit in digimodes? 1. Check your ALC 2. Check your ALC 3. Check your ALC Don’t be a farmer spreading out harmics on the complete spectrum like the guy below. Your ALC shout *not* come in red. Or even better: not giving a bar at …

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Icom IC-9700 Firmware v1.06

Icom just posted a new firmware version for the IC-9700. The version is v1.06 and has these improvements: Improved accuracy of the automatic reference frequency calibration. Fixed unintended indication on the DR screen. Eliminated RX audio gap when changing the IF filter in the DV mode.

Icom IC-9700 Inside Pictures

Today, Robin (G1MHU) posted some pictures on Facebook. Embedding the pictures doesn’t work but follow this link to see them. Looks like Icom already added a foam block on the TCXO for stability. But. There is enough room to add a heater, cooler, whatever inside the box.

Pluto SDR hack: Add a 2nd CPU core

The Pluto SDR is easily ‘hacked’ to extend the frequency range from 325-4000 MHz to 70-6000 MHz as described earlier. Another hack is to enable the 2nd CPU core on the ADALM Pluto. After logging in to the unit, ‘cat /proc/cpuinfo’ shows only one core. Now enter ‘fw_setenv maxcpus’ in the console and reboot the …

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Icom IC-9700 and 10 MHz GPSDO lock

Many people are confused about the 10 MHz reference lock input on the IC-9700. And so was I. While all of us expected the VCXO was locked to the 10 MHz input (which in most cases will be locked to a GPSDO) it isn’t. Unlike the new IC-7610, which is locked, the 10 MHz input …

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April 2019 NAC contest on 1296 MHz

Only worked for 1,5 hours. 8 QSO’s in 7 grids. ODX: SK7MW (617km). I had to run low power due to the IC-9700 Power Overshoot. 🙁

Icom IC-9700 Power overshoot

Damn you Icom. Again, and again, and again. Yes. Alse the IC-9700 is equipped with the famous ‘power overshoot’ or ‘ALC overshoot’ issue most modern Icom transceivers have. Apparently Icom can’t get a grip on this issue. Bad news for people using transistor based amplifiers (SSPA) in SSB mode. Since the IC-9700 had a ‘TX …

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Icom IC-9700 frequency modification

The first IC-9700 frequency modification appeared online. Marcus (PA2DB) from HamShop.nl posted this. The modification only works on European models and by removing 2 diodes the frequency can be expanded by a few MHz to the USA market. That means 2 MHz extra from 146-148 MHz (which is a welcome modification for UK users since …

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April 2019 NAC contest on 432 MHz

The most remarkable tonight were the very poor conditions. I was able to work Dan (OZ1BEF) as usual, but with 55 signals maximum, with the help of airplane scatter. Normaly his signal is always 59+. Another stations further away that should always be workable is SK7MW but tonight I didn’t hear the Swedish club station, …

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EAntenna 5070OWA9

April. The Sporadic E season is about to start. And since my last antenne for 50 and 70 MHz didn’t survive a storm it is time for a new one. This time I bought the 5070OWA9 fom EAntenna at the local Hamshop. It is a 4-element antenna for 50 MHz and a 5-element antenna for …

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Icom IC-9700 hidden telnet service

My Icom IC-9700 is connected to the network. And, as a freelance linux and infrastructure (security) engineer, I could not resist to do a port-scan on the box. The first result was port 23, used for the legacy telnet service. Loggin in was easy. No username and password required to get a shell. Quite shocking …

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Icom IC-9700 and N1MM+

The problem with new transceivers is the lack of support for drivers in programs like Ham Radio Deluxe, WSJT-X (OmniRig), N1MM+ and MicroHam drivers. Just to name some programs I juse often. After playing around I found a way using the IC-9700 with N1MM+ by emulating an IC-7300 wich has about the same architecture. All …

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Icom IC-9700 and WSJT-X

The problem with new transceivers is the lack of support for drivers in programs like Ham Radio Deluxe, WSJT-X (OmniRig), N1MM+ and MicroHam drivers. Just to name some programs I juse often. After playing around I found a way using the IC-9700 with WSJT-X by emulating an IC-7300 wich has about the same architecture. My …

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The new Icom IC-9700 is in

The frst batch of the new IC-9700’s arrived today at Hamshop. I was the first one to collect mine, ordered back in September 2017 hours after the announcement during the Tokyo Hamfest. After unboxing I notice the DIN connector is missing. From all Icom transceivers I’ve bought in the past, the DIN connector for accessoires …

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