Icom introduced a new general coverage transceiver this year at the Tokyo Hamfair: the Icom IC-7300.
Icom has released a preliminary spec sheet (click here to download), but no pricing information yet. The IC-7300 will most likely be the least expensive Icom transceiver with a full spectrum display.
At first glance, I like the form factor and touch screen display–the panel appears to be less cluttered than many other large-display models. The ‘7300 has dedicated knobs for passband tuning and AF/RF gain (major plus in my book). It also comes with a built-in automatic antenna tuner.
I’ll post more info once Icom releases pricing and availability.
You can follow IC-7300 updates by bookmarking this link.
Update :
Ham City in LA is advertising an introductory price of 1469.00 with disclaimer that price is subject to change according to Manufacturers final quote.11/6/2015
ya, nice – but hopefully they don’t blow it with the pricing “model”; ie: if the 100w unit is around 999$ USD MAX at release and “sale” LOL priced @ 899$ and say 599$ for the 10w unit their (the amateur radio manufacturers et al) finally are entering the 20th century (ya, git the gist it’s the 21st century!)
That’s the main problem with the manufacturers these days there trying to sell apples to apple farmers, this generation (my children now in college) and the prior (moi, not quite ready for retirement yet!) have grown up in a world inundated with 200$ computers and a new 100$ cell phone every year that would have 10 years ago for similarly equipped technology be 10x-15x in price and with inflation included, more like 20x. The oddacity of someone to put a 6-7,000$ price point on what in effect are off the shelf computer utilized SMD components and including the RF stage ad up to under 250$ – ad the box, knobbies, design engineers (who are already on the payroll), FCC specc’ing, lawyering legalese gibberish, packaging and paying the 3rd world country schmuck to watch the machine assemble it correctly for another 40$ – WTF? And they wonder why they can’t get “fresh blood” into the hobby???
Joe,
Your point is well taken.I think the price is going to be higher than you think, 1200 USD or more !
I also think that Icom will pull this off….to the dismay of many of us, because interest in the Amateur Radio Community is very high on this product and many are more than willing to shell out all the dollars Icom will ask for same.The Radio Communication/ SWL Market is a very small percentage compared to the Cell Phone Mkt and Manufacturers can make profits on smaller mark ups when selling millions compared to an Amateur Radio /SWL Mkt. selling thousands of units.Plus Manufacturers know that the Amateur Radio Community expects to pay high dollars for Radio Communication equipment,… because it has always done so. The SDR architecture in this new Icom 7300 costs less to manufacture than a corresponding super het rig but we, as Amateur Radio Consumers, should not expect to reap much of a corresponding cost benefit because Icom knows we will pay whatever they ask Too Bad for us !.
Dana WN6OHG 1965 Novice to Extra Class Op.
Mi futuro equipo.