{"id":30724,"date":"2018-02-04T09:07:46","date_gmt":"2018-02-04T13:07:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=30724"},"modified":"2018-02-04T13:15:46","modified_gmt":"2018-02-04T17:15:46","slug":"guest-post-a-review-of-the-icom-ic-r8600-wideband-sdr-receiver","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2018\/02\/guest-post-a-review-of-the-icom-ic-r8600-wideband-sdr-receiver\/","title":{"rendered":"Guest Post: A review of the Icom IC-R8600 wideband SDR receiver"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to SWLing Post<\/em> contributor, Dan Robinson, who shares the following guest post:<\/p>\n

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ICOM\u2019s IC-R8600:\u00a0 \u00a0Can this mega-radio stay in the ring with big gun \u201clegacy\u201d receivers when it comes to shortwave band reception?<\/h2>\n

by Dan Robinson<\/strong><\/p>\n

When ICOM rolled out its new wideband receiver, the IC-R8600, I immediately took an interest in it. \u00a0I have been primarily a hardcore DX\u2019er and SWL and avoided purchasing wideband receivers, including the predecessor IC-R8500, because they were limited in areas such as selectivity.<\/p>\n

My experience with ICOM includes owning a IC-R71A and R72, both of which I found to be strong performers, as well as a IC-R75. \u00a0The R75 as everyone knows established a reputation as an excellent receiver that delivered bang for the buck, including for example 1hz readout and extreme stability.<\/p>\n

In its design decisions with the 8600, ICOM clearly intended to hit it out of the park, taking a huge step from the 8500. \u00a0That can be seen in the amazing color 4.3 inch LCD display with fairly fast spectrum scope and waterfall displays, coverage from 10 kHz to 3 gHz, decoding capability in multiple protocols, (Baudot RTTY, D-STAR\u2122, NXDN\u2122, dPMR\u2122, DCR (Digital Communication Radio) and APCO P25, and the combination of SDR and superheterodyne circuitry, with 2000 memories.<\/p>\n

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The new Icom IC-8600 at the 2017 Hamvention<\/p><\/div>\n

At this point, there have been numerous reviews of the 8600, and videos are all over YouTube showing the basics of its operation and features. \u00a0It has numerous flexibilities selected from the front panel and within the menu system. \u00a0The ability to record directly to SDHC cards eliminates the need to attach an external solid state recorder (over the course of my DX career I accumulated many of these). \u00a0I can\u2019t say enough about this capability which automatically keeps fully labeled logs.<\/p>\n

Other features include ICOM\u2019s wonderful Twin Passband Tuning, combined with the ability to adjust filters 1\/2\/3, adjustable attenuation, Digital AFC, tone controls, noise blanker digital noise reduction, speech enunciator, main tuning dial tension adjustment, synchronous L\/U\/Double sideband, adjustable panel brightness . . . in short, just about everything one would think should be included in a 21st century receiver of this kind, ICOM put in the 8600. \u00a0The firmware update released recently (1.30) added the capability to use the radio\u2019s IQ output with HDSDR software, which means that the receiver is now not only a standalone but also functions easily with a PC.<\/p>\n

Since the 8600 has been on the market for some time now, I discussed with Thomas Witherspoon of SWLing Post<\/em>, the idea of obtaining an 8600 for the specific purpose of comparing it to some of the top receivers in my collection.<\/p>\n

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JRC\u00a0NRD-515<\/p><\/div>\n

At the current time, that list includes a JRC NRD-545<\/strong>, the Drake R-8<\/strong> (original version purchased in 1993), JRC\u00a0NRD-515<\/strong>, Watkins Johnson 8718A\/MFP<\/strong>, Cubic R-2411<\/strong>, and a McKay Dymek DR-33C<\/strong>. \u00a0All of the radios in my shack use a Wellbrook 1530 loop<\/strong>, fed through a RF Systems DA-8 Distributor\/Amplifier<\/strong> which maintains signal levels from all outputs.<\/p>\n

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Watkins Johnson 8718A\/MFP<\/p><\/div>\n

A surprising outcome of my comparisons of the 8600 to these radios is that my appreciation of the qualities of these older receivers was actually re-ignited–so much so that some that had been on my \u2018to sell\u2019 list are now back in the \u2018keepers\u2019 column. \u00a0This is not as much a criticism of the 8600, as it is a reaffirmation of the quality that was built in to some of the great receivers of yesteryear.<\/p>\n

Because my collection actually extends across 2 or 3 rooms, moving the 8600 away from my central receiver \u201cstack\u201d was not possible, so testing comparisons were limited to the sets mentioned above. \u00a0I would have liked to compare the 8600 with, for example, some classic tube receivers (HQ-180A, Eddystone 830\/7), but they have been mostly inactive and located away from incoming antenna inputs.<\/p>\n

Here in Potomac, MD outside of Washington, DC, the addition of the Wellbrook a few years ago, after years suffering with long wires, fundamentally changed a difficult situation. Signals were boosted, noise reduced. \u00a0I wish things had continued this way. \u00a0Unfortunately about a year ago, my area began to be plagued by a troubling ignition-type buzz, source unknown, targeting 11,500 to 12,100 khz though noticed elsewhere in the shortwave bands. It has continued, usually worse in summer than in winter.<\/p>\n

I begin with this to underscore what I noticed as a high point for the 8600: \u00a0its Noise Blanker and digital noise reduction are in my opinion quite effective, so much so that when properly adjusted, they can eliminate troublesome ignition-type noise. \u00a0While NR is useful, as noted in other reviews it needs to be used carefully so as not to introduce too much digital suppression.<\/p>\n

Here is an example of NB and NR in use against severe ignition-type noise at my location:<\/p>\n