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write your own review of the Icom IC 703.
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KA2IBN
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 17, 2009 18:54
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Price
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The 703 is a fantastic rig (I own one without 6 meters) however the price today is too high for a unit that only has 10 watts of output. Go to the HRO page a 703 plus cost $765 while a Yaesu 857D sells for $730. I paid $400 (closeout) for my 703 without 6 meters which I felt was a reasonable price. I own both a 703 and 857D and I'm very happy. I recommend both just make sure before you submit that purchase. The 857D is my main rig while the 703 is my deck and portable rig.
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WB0FDJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 17, 2009 18:34
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A good, solid radio
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Researched this purchase for a long time. I've been an FT-817 owner now for several years and have no complaints but really want something that will actually serve as my "main" radio. Two things helped me, the ARRL review of the newer 703plus, which was complimentary, and looking at the performance numbers. Check out the two tone third order IMD results: 74 without preamp. Not a K3 or Orion but very respectable compared to many other QRP radios. (817 is 62). So thats what the labs says...
The radio itself has enough features to make it attractive to diehard QRPers who consider such things as RIT a luxury. The DSP is useful and most effective if kept on the lighter settings. A CW filter, at the least, is a requirement. I got mine through W4RT and went ahead with the one board, 2 filter deal. While I hate menus the Icom menu on this rig has at least been thought out. It has all the "usual" stuff, RIT, bandpass, built in keyer, etc. It has excellent full break in and this comes from a Ten Tec man!
Overall it's all about how it drives when you put the phones on your ears and turn it on. Nice sound, even without DSP. Easier to listen to for long periods that my 817. Large display. All the buttons easily accessible with one hand. With the 500 hz filter and a little DSP it sounds as nice for copy as rigs costing twice as much. The additional SSB filter, which replaces the Murata ceramic filter, give clean crisp reception (not enough SSB QSO's yet to comment on Xmit). Overall the actual experience of the rig matches the labs numbers. It's a great buy. And ask any QRPer, 10 watts is plenty of power. Oh; first QSO.....W1AW. A good omen.
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KF6NTE
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 17, 2009 14:05
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Outstanding
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I plugged my 703+ to a Diamond HV7A HF mobile antenna mounted on my car with a 20m coil, tuned in to 14,288Mhz and heard a japanese station calling QRZ all the way from California. With the output HF power set at 10W, I Hit the tune button, clickety-clackety, I gave my callsign a couple of times and jimminy crickets he came right back with a 59 !.
What can I say, I was amazed !.
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AD5VM
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 21, 2009 20:11
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Just right.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've had em all, settled on this one. 10 watts with a good compressor is really whats needed for QRP SSB. The antenna tuner, DSP, low RX current and great receiver are just IC-ing on the cake.
Get the CW filter, a 7Ah gell cell and a Par Electronics End Fedz 10/20/40 meter dipole and one of those 33' telescoping fiberglass poles from ebay.
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SQ5OBP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 5, 2009 02:00
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Great TRX
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Having both the FT-817 and IC-703+ I must say the receivers are very comparable, but Yaesu doesn't have DSP built-in and ready to use. Icom is bigger and I like it. FT-817 with its small knob, keys and display started to annoy me. Icom's built-in ATU is another advantage and has greater tuning range than advertised.
If you hesitate between these two rigs, try them both and see what suits you better. My FT-817 has been sold. Icom is a keeper!
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NA7US
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 4, 2009 13:47
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IC 703 Plus - Great RIG
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Excellent all around QRP radio. I also own the FT-817 and this radio is much easier to use, large screen, and a built in antenna tuner. In addition, it has DSP built in and I believe a better receiver. Definitely add a CW filter and it is superb.
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NS5U
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 13, 2009 13:12
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Iam keeping it forever
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The radio draws 300 to 350 ma as advertized and functions on voltages lower than many rigs will tolerate.
That said it is not a SW40+ with less than 40ma rcv requirement.
The DSP can be turned off to save juice.
This is a great all round radio. I have no need for 100watts and if I were to use it for SSB much I would install an Icom SSB IF filter. I have a 250hz filter which works fantastically. I also changed out the "roofing filter" to 9khz and for AM a 6khz Murata.
This is a lot of radio.
The IC-703 can stand on its own merits and sales numbers.
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K6YUM
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 28, 2008 09:56
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Great Rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned an Icom 703 (not the plus) for 3+ years. It is my main rig in my QTH. I use the 703 with a K4POZ screwdriver antenna, 3 meters up with 7 long, variable length, ground radials/with ground rods.
At 10 watts I can work Europe, S. America, and the west coast of the US and Canada on SSB. There are times of course when I cannot work these areas but if conditions are reasonable I can. I do have a small linear amp I can also use if needed. On CW, contracts on QRP power are common normal.
The rig failed within 3 months of purchase. The Icom service chap in Anderson, SC corrected the problem and made all the modifications needed in rapid order. He was most helpful.
I am very pleased with the quality of the Icom 703 and really enjoy the rig. I obtained my license in the 1950s and have had a good number of rigs in that time. I have 3 HF rigs now. The Icom 703 is by far my favorite.
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N2WJW
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 28, 2008 08:06
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Great little rig
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Got the IC-703 (not plus) about 4 months ago and have been giving it lots of use, amazing what ten watts can do on CW and the bands are not even in good condition. After reading about blown finals with this rig, I checked the driver bias voltage and was right on the money. The auto tuner is a big plus, tunes just about anything I put into it and the best part is the receiver section, quiet and nice audio on SSB and AM, great for general coverage listening, nice size display for a small rig. A lot of rigs come and go in my qth, this one will stay for a long time. This is a good all around rig that deserves a 5.
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LU5DDX
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 15, 2008 15:40
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exelente
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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realmente el mejor de los equipos qrp que opere en los ultimos aņos tuve las dos versiones el 703 y el 703plus y son muy buenos equipos --
pros :
**trabajar con menos de 12 v en ocaciones cuando la bateria que usamos en portable cae de tension este equipo anda hasta con 9.4v .
**el dsp es mejor de su clase en AF .. mejor aun que el 706 .
**el AT es un lujo , sintoniza practicamente cualquier cosa desde 3.5 o aun mas --
**el consumo es muy inferior a los de su clase
cont:
**sera mucho pedir 144mhz en el??
no lo dude exelente equipo para qrp ,portable vacaciones etc .. saludos jorge
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