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Author Topic: Icom 718 on 630 meters?  (Read 3436 times)

VK6HP

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Re: Icom 718 on 630 meters?
« Reply #15 on: March 11, 2022, 07:51:48 PM »

The original post is an old one but the search for LF/MF capable radios is current, with plenty of CW and digital trans and inter-continental DX being worked.  In general, a credit card won't be enough to get you on the air on these bands and some experimentation is needed. There are a variety of antennas in use; in my case I re-purpose a ZS6BKW HF doublet as a Marconi-T transmitting antenna on the low bands.

Kenwood and a few other radios provide a 0 dBm drive output, separate receive antenna inputs and appropriate T/R switching.  A 150 W single FET Class E external power amplifier (for example) is easy to construct and works well. In my case I'm currently using a TS-890S with a 300 W push-pull Class D amplifier on 475 kHz and am about to try a similar system on 136 kHz.

To be attractive to the LF/MF operator a transceiver obviously needs to have good RF performance but also convenient digital interfacing, meaning a single USB CAT/audio connection.  With the IC 718 lacking the latter, I'd personally not find it worth the effort of a conversion.  It's galling to see Icom and Yaesu so assiduously ignoring LF/MF operators but the equipment list in the somewhat dated link by AA2UK is a good starting point.  For newcomers, a used TS-590S(G) may well be the lowest cost, decent quality, starting point. There are commercial and homebrew transverter options available as well, if you don't mind the extra complexity.

73, Peter.


« Last Edit: March 11, 2022, 08:06:07 PM by VK6HP »
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