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| Reviews Summary for ICOM IC-7700 |
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Reviews: 103
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Average rating: 4.6/5
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MSRP: $6999.95
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Description: Description: The ICOM 7700 200W HF/6M has been introduced at the 2007 Dayton Hamvention. ICOM has followed all the success of the beautiful IC-7800 with the smaller, single receiver IC-7700. It utilizes two separate 32-bit floating point TI DSP chips, has a 7-inch wide TFT display, built in RTTY/PSK31 receive and transmit using a USB Keyboard interface, external video connection, high res spectrum scope, plus high voltage MOSFET 200 Watt PA.
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://
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G0CVL
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Rating: 3/5
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Feb 1, 2012 07:11
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A sad tale
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Well, I have to say, that I'm sorry that I've been forced into getting rid of my 7700, and here is a brief summary of the reasons.
I bought the unit new, and after 2 months, the well known pa failure occured.
Fair enough, these things happen.
4 weeks after the pa repair, the atu didn't work correctly ( I don't use the atu by the way).
So, back to Icom.
Radio returns, with scratched top cover, rack handles and screen.
Icom says they will replace them.
Rear ext speaker jack goes faulty, and I notice that the writing is wearing off the left hand side tune, tx buttons, and the silver is wearing off the left side screen buttons.
HHhhhmm.
At this point, I raised the issue with Icom regards a replacement radio, and was flatly refused.
They extended the warranty, but said they would repair and that's it.
Ok, radio returned, replacements done.
I now feel nervous everytime I use the radio, waiting for the next occurence.
Well, 10 days before Xmas 2011, it happened.
The pa went again.
This time, on recieve !!
I was furious, and again tried to reason with Icom regards my "Friday afternoon" radio.
The best they suggested MAY happen was that they would refund me the value, minus "due usage and wear"!! Meaning, less than the retail value of a second hand unit.
Thanks !!
Radio returns just before Xmas, and I am informed that some "separation diodes needed replacing in the atu, as well as the pa".
Hhhhhmmm, seems to be a bit of a pattern here !!
Anyway, when the radio returned, I made the decision, that it was no good having a radio I couldn't trust, and it was detracting from the hobby I have enjoyed for 30 years.
It had to go.
The sad thing is, that in all these years, I've never had any trouble with the radios I've owned, especially the top end models from various manufacturers.
Talking to a lot of friends I know who own the radio, they have ALL had the pa go once, and one with a driver failure.
These are people who, are on the most part, technical people, and one a dealer !!
I think there IS an issue with the pa stages of this radio, and it would be better for Icom to hold their hands up and admit it. It would bring more respect from the owners I'm sure.
Performance wise, I was a little suprised when I got the radio, having previously owned a Pro III, and the other pro series from Icom (spanning ten years)that allthough the receiver was super quiet, that it didn't seem to be much better on adjacent signal rejection, on cw or ssb, which when you look, is bourne out, by the lab figures.
I was dissapointed.
The scope, whilst big and bold, has a limited viewing angle up or down, and I had to position the radio at eye level to view it in all its glory.
The screen is also not as good in strong light as the previous Pro III, and is not as well illuminated as the 7600.
Whilst it has a separate processor for the scope, Icom have chosen to regulate the refresh rate and span to their specs, and it is not as "techie" as I thought they might have made it. It also (on a side by side comparison) wasn't as "real time" as a ProIII, a fact I noticed, within a few hours of using the radio.
Overall, I think Icom in the UK, have a problem now, and that's PRICING.
The 7700 retails at the £6300 level now in the UK.
That is some £2000 more than when it was first for sale over here.
I honestly think it is now over priced.
Why ??
Well, the 7700 IS basically a 7800 minus second receiver. It has a faster dsp chip, but it is now technology is over ten years old.
Look at the competition.
The up conversion receivers days are numbered.
The future will be down convertion or sdr, or a combination.
As such, Icom need to review it's strategy regards models.
I have replaced the 7700 with an FTdx5000 Yaesu, a move I was VERY dubious about doing, due to owning a FT1000Mkv in the past, and not getting on with the receiver, BUT, it is a far, far better receiver than the 7700, and I was actually shocked at the difference in strong signal handling etc compared to the 7700, and the equallity of quietness and sensitivity.
So, a sad tale, but with a happy outcome for me.
Sadly Icom has lost a ten year standing loyal customer, and Yaesu has gained a fan of the 5000.
Pity that Icom told me "customer loyalty means nothing to them", or they still might have me.
Spike - G0CVL
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K3VR
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 1, 2012 06:37
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Excellent Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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No need to repeat the other FB comments here. Just wanted to give this fine rig a 5 Star rating for those who might be considering purchasing one.
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YO3FXF
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 1, 2012 00:53
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GREAT RADIO!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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...past almost five years...NO PROBLEM AT ALL!GREAT RADIO!Thanks ICOM!
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VK2YY
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 8, 2011 22:16
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Reliable & Excellent
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned the IC 7700 since July 2008
I have had no problems with the 7700
I've always receive favorable reports on the transmission quality - typical ICOM punchy, authoritative modulation (not wimpy like some).
The reciever is magic and when I first turned it on I had to check all of the setting as it was just so quite.
The DSP based NR and NB prove themselves to be effective against a variety of nuisance noises that are typical of suburban locations (plasma TV's). The manual and auto notch filter is impressive. The antenna tuner is quick and very quiet in operation.
Ergonomically the unit is well thought out.
The radio is very easy to use and its not that often I need to pull out the user manual. The 7700 may be the easiest to configure considering everything is right at your fingertips with a very logical menu system. I have done the firmware upgrades and each has made improvement in an already superb radio.
I am very pleased with the brightness and contrast capability of the 7” COLOR TFT LCD display.
The user interface is pure ICOM immediately usable by anybody that has owned an ICOM base station before. The unit provides the impression of quality in the touch and feel department as you would expect from our Japanese friends. There is so much functionality provided in the radio and still from time to time I learn more about the 7700.
I have no reason to upgrade this radio as I believe there is no upgrade at this time.
73s Chris vk2yy
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PY1BR
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 19, 2011 08:21
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Still a great rig
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought my IC-7700 at Dayton 2009. It’s Still a great transceiver. I had only one problem: I used a P2-USB Chinese cable to connect PC to radio. It worked normally sometime but one day, all of a sudden it got hot (small box of the cable) and the interface has stopped working. It blew-up one resistor and two transistors in the Logic-Unit. I could fix it and fortunately it was only that. Now everything works just fine. Now I am using the original Icom CI-V interface. Be careful about cheap USB cables with USB converter to P2. Never more.
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OE1TRB
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 10, 2011 22:07
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Great radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The IC-7700 is "the" transceiver where I can say - I stopped searching for better ones !
I like to have a high tech radio and a simple to use - this is it ! No deep menu wheeling , a great DSP , high power and a display with all what I need. I like that unit very much , compared to my IC-781 which makes a bit better sound - this rig is one of the most innovative products from Icom ( USB usage , PSK/RTTY built- in ) One part I would see as a future tech improvement , to get a built in LED backlight like the IC-7600 has.
All in all - waiting for the next high end transceiver generation from IC with colour disp ... 73 de Thomas OE1TRB
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WP4O
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 17, 2011 09:45
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Best radio for me
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Gang I am going on over a year and a half with my Big Radio,and its been nothing but fantastic on HF and especially 50 mhz. my other runner up is Kenwods TS 590, once you adjust the audio both TX and RX it holds it own on HF and 6 Meters.
73
Ed Wp4o EL 87rv Tampa Florida
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SV8FMV
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 20, 2011 01:46
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Great rig, Best Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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A Great transceiver, the receiver is a verry good the DSP is a best, the filters work wonderful and the transmiter just simply the best (But is not TS-950SDX).
The only problem ........is to expensive (the Permanent problem with all Icom like a gold!!!).
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VK5NJ
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Rating: 5/5
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May 5, 2011 23:06
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Incredible Transceiver
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Bought this (approx June 2008) for a present for myself after putting spare $$$ away for a while and then sold Ic-756 PROII ,then took the 5 and a half hour drive to Strictly Ham in Melbourne and was overwhelmed by the box size, back home and unpacked and set up and had late night.
Firstly,i just couldnt get over the quiet receive on this radio, i actualy went out side to check that my 160mx dipole with open feeder had not broken outside somewhere, again rechecking SWR showing 1.1 , tuned around the 17mx band and made contact to IK-3 / EU areas and had glowing reports, then 40mx made several great qso's to USA and ZL , all comments were on outstanding audio and nearly three years later still the same reports, i use the SM-20 and also have the SM-30 which works nearly as good , slightly different audio response from this mic, we are lucky where we live on a 50 acre property and zero noise levels, just occassional band crahes on low bands,wire antennas are 160mx dipole and a 2 wave length LOOP for 160mx with open feeder being contructed now,
just had the latest 1.21 firmware update done and radio was given clean bill of health when taken for check up at ICOM AUSTRALIA (got to say a very pleasent bunch of people), is a long term keeper me, forgot to mention that 6mx works well many vk states and Zl and JA and south east Asia. The PSK31 & RTTY is a pleasure.
Like others mention , Big - Heavy - $$$ not cheap , but you get what you pay for, have had couple other late model radios that friends bought around and must say its the most quiet on RX and some other brands seem to have slight white background noise , but are nice to have on bench as well.
We got to play with the IC-7600 and must say very good also.
JOHN -- VK5NJ
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N0HRM
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 8, 2011 21:02
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Fantastic Complex instrument of Ham Radio Excellence
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Bought this for my birthday present at the beginning of March 2011. It has been a joy to use (albeit complex enough that I'm still learning how to best use it).
I seriously doubt these reviews below mine....I mean, are you guys dealers for the competition, or what? Unbelievable.
This radio is exceptional at receiving. The many features let you extract signals on 80m at night despite heavy static levels and create armchair audio. Static be gone! Big, yes. Heavy, yes. Expensive, yes. Worth it, yes.
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