IC-703+ at full power

[KE5IUN]

I have had a 703+ for a number of years but have not used it very much. I am planning a trip to Hawaii in the near future and would like to take it along with a multi band end fed to do some time on the beach. I have never operated around salt water before and am looking forward to trying it. I do a lot of digital and was wondering if the 703 will do high duty cycle of PSK31 at 10 watts out. Expensive radio and I don't want to damage it. Thanks!

[WA9UAA]

Hi OM,
If the rig is rated at 10W PEP you will want to run 5 watts or less. Look for a small QRP amplifier to go with the IC 703. 73, Rob WA9UAA

[KE5IUN]

Excellent, thanks so much for the response, kinda what I was thinking but just wanted to be sure.
Bill
KE5IUN

[KB1GMX]

Set the radio for max power and adjust the volume to what gets you clean signal reports likely
under or around 3-4W.

If you try to run full power out with PSK31 you will be splattering and will get really poor IMD
reports.

That limits your power more than what the radio can safely do.



Allison

[K5LXP]

I've made a ton of contacts with my PSK-20 rig which barely puts out 3W using a battery fresh off charge.  Same goes for QRP CW, and with a decent antenna 10W SSB is workable.  Take the rig and an efficient wire antenna and I'll bet you can make all the contacts you want.

Mark K5LXP
Albuquerque, NM

[KE5IUN]

Thanks Mark, I will probably take a Par EF10-20-40 as it is pretty compact. I have a PSK20 that I built but still have not got it working, that would have been really nice to take along.
Bill

[KC9UNL]

I have used a Ic-703+ for over two years running PSK31 and JT65. I used 10 Watts output and made sure that I was showing no ALC on the meter. This produced a clean signal and the unit worked perfectly.  The key is to adjust your interface or sound card so that you get no ALC showing on the meter.

[KB1GMX]

Yes, a few watts on PSK 31 works well. 

I have a PSK20 I use from time to time and with a PAR EF40/20/10 at about 30ft
I've worked a lot of stations all over the world.

Same antenna 40M/20M/10M SSB has been great at 4W (8PEP).


Allison

[KE5IUN]

I use a Signalink interface on my IC-7200 and always adjust the ALC down to zero when I start a transmission. I was mostly not sure if the IC-703 should be operated at 10 watts output for the long duration of a PSK31 transmission. I sometimes make contact with ops that actually don't mind carrying on a conversation instead of swapping a signal report and saying 73 and moving on.
Bill