Both rigs cover up to 70MHz. I know the FT710 can be widebanded without uncasing. I am not sure about the IC7300mk2.
The Yaesu radio is considerably less expensive in the UK and comes with a Yaesu cashback. I think Yaesu offers a 3 year warranty.
I am sure both are good radios.
If I was ICOM develepment now I would be working on a true handheld version of the IC-705. They have the electronics, so just need to re-develop the mechanics. There has never been a decent replacement of the FT817 by Yaesu.
Should such a product come to market, ICOM could make a killing.
It is still in development, so we might see it in 2026. I have no idea about the sort of price.
There is a temptation to always lust after the newest shiniest transceiver.
Steve G1KQH was looking at the ICOM Japan website where they have announced the IC7300Mk2. I think I shall resist it and try to be satisfied with what I have.
With great fanfare the UK dealer MLS has announced that soon people who pre-ordered the rig will get deliveries after the first UK unit arrived.
I fail to see what the attraction is: it is £400 more than the ICOM IC-705 and, as far as I can see, offers less than the ICOM rig apart from 4m in European versions and the larger battery. The IC-705 is now several years old .
When I saw what was on offer I was seriously underwhelmed. In my view at under £1000 they might have stood a chance. At £1599, no chance.
People who must have a shiny new radio, maybe, but the vast majority will give it a miss at this stupid price.
If ICOM next make a true mutlimode, multiband portable, they could make a killing. In my view Yaesu has seriously "lost the plot"..... and the market.
In the USA the FTX -1 is now on sale.
People have reported some bugs with the Yasesu radio and I am not sure if these have been corrected with latest firmware. Certainly in the UK, the Yaesu radio is far more expensive that the IC-705.
In my view the ICOM IC-705 represents far better value. There is certainly (at least) one video on YouTube comparing the two.
I am definitely NOT rushing out to buy the FTX-1F. Personally, I still think Yaesu is floundering again.
My own view is this radio is far too expensive and lacks many essential features (you pay extra for GPS and it lacks wifi!! I don't think it has Bluetooth either).
The ICOM IC-705 looks far better value even before they dropped the price. Hopefully the price of the FTX 1F will soon fall so that it becomes a market leader.
I have the feeling ICOM will soon sell the IC-705A with some features that kill the FTX 1F. Often the price of radios drops before they sell a new version. If so, I think Yaesu is finished or soon will be.
Selling a competitor to the IC-705 with what seems like fewer features at a higher price? Are they stupid? If I was in charge of their marketing team I would sack the lot. In the last few years they seem to have made some daft decisions. They come across as followers rather than leaders, and poor followers too.
Many like it, so I have attached the video of it being unboxed.
I am losing faith with Yaesu, who appear to be drifting yet again. The last I heard was they were planning a worldwide launch after FCC approval. With the goings-on in the USA, I cannot see the FCC approving it soon. Also, Japan now faces a 10% tariff in the USA. I expect all Japanese manufacturers are revisiting their business plans. We have heard nothing more about this product since it appeared under glass last summer in Tokyo. I expect (if not withdrawn altogether!) Yaesu is trying to see which features will make it a real winner.
In my view the FTX-1F was put out in Tokyo to judge reaction. Unless it comes to market very soon, it is dead. It is interesting that we have not even seen updated specs!
Meanwhile, the IC-705 is already years old, has many features already and the only thing against it is price. Just imagine if ICOM dropped its price by £150. Yaesu would be scrabbling around in a right mess.
I am sure there are several programs, but I saw this one yesterday. It is not cheap at $36.99. There are versions for the Mac and iPad.
One could even control the radio over the internet.
As mentioned before, the Yaesu FTX-1F (due "early 2025") is meant to be the competitor to the ICOM IC-705 and the successor to the FT817/818 QRP radios. I have not yet heard any more details of specs or price. With the stiff competition, it has to be keenly priced.
I came across this video earlier. Many are trying to show what it can do, but without full specs there are lots of guesses!
A quick check at Ham Radio Japan (all in Japanese!) had no more details. I wonder if Yaesu was "testing the waters" to judge interest? It would not surprise me if Yaesu decided the competition is just too fierce to make any money and drop it even before it is launched. Do you have any more details?
I cannot imagine the IC-905 sells many and makes ICOM any profits.
£619.99 for a hand portable? Hmm. A lot more than I would pay, although I expect some will pay up for a fairly unique transceiver. Look for the ID-52 anniversary edition.
On John's blog he mentions a new concept radio from ICOM called the X60. This is on show at the Dayton Hamvention this weekend. The main unveiling will be at the Tokyo Ham Fair later this summer.
The Dayton Hamvention is probably the biggest amateur radio show in the world.
I have not yet heard if Yaesu will announce anything. Personally, I think they are in a total muddle and it would not surprise me if Yaesu and Kenwood leave the amateur radio market within 5 years.
I wonder if a new version is coming?
The latest RadCom has a review of this ICOM microwave transceiver.
At £3549.95 without the 10 GHz transverter I cannot see them selling many, let alone make a profit. It would not surprise me if this product quietly disappeared in 2024. There is a theory that this product is a free trial for a later commercial product. Watch this space.
It is an interesting product, but would you pay this much to cover essentially line of site and rain scatter QSOs? Perhaps "appliance operators" with deep pockets might buy as the latest toy. This is not for me unless a fairy godmother waves her magic wand, HI.
Both are excellent radios.
On the Sherwood tests the FT-710 came 4th, which is very good. It is disappointing Yaesu has chosen to, effectively, ignore the QRP market it once dominated. It is almost as if Yaesu has given up.
The FT818 was really about component obsolescence and really had none of the features expected in a modern QRP rig. To many, it was a total disappointment.
Yaesu introduced the FT-710 which is SDR based. Personally, I found the ergonomics easier than on the IC-705. The FT-710 includes 4m, but does not do 2m and 70cm which I missed. It also has an auto-ATU.
ICOM launched the IC-705 some years ago. It is a 10W portable unit covering 160m-70cms, all modes, but it omits 4m and the auto ATU. It is also too expensive. Having tried 4m both in the Es season and before, 4m has proved a disappointment. Personally, I was expecting more from the band.
In the end, I went back to the IC-705 as I missed 2m and 70cm more than I missed 4m and the auto-ATU. It is a 10W radio and far smaller. As a QRPer, 10W is quite enough, especially on FT8 and WSPR. On its battery it is a 5W radio. Had Yaesu announced a new QRP rig, I might have traded my FT-710 in for one. Sadly, I see no new QRP rigs from Yaesu on the horizon.
Personally, I give Yaesu a maximum of 36 months in the amateur radio business.
As a Yaesu fan of old, I very much hope I am wrong. They have had chances and blown them. To my mind, they are a company floundering.
On Amateur Radio Weekly there was a bit about the future plans of ICOM.
Amateur Radio Weekly comes to me each Saturday as a free email newsletter.
The IC-705 is a great rig, although it did have noise issues when a USB cable was connected between the rig and a PC. This issue was overcome with a decent, filtered, cable, but this was a design fault that should have been fixed.
I am still surprised Yaesu seems to have dropped out of the HF QRP market when they were clear market leaders at one time.
See https://sites.google.com/view/g3xbm4/home/hf-mf-and-lf/commercial-rigs/icom-ic-705 .
At this price, I really cannot see huge sales. Remember the GPS receiver and a 10 GHz transverter are extras on top. I cannot see change from £4000. This sort of price is only for the well off. Also, microwave antennas are on top as well!
No, I predict this will flop and be withdrawn within 2 years.
ICOM make some very good products and I really hope I am wrong. Sadly these manufacturers and dealers are, ultimately, in business to made profits. I just cannot see how this will make them money. They will sell a few to the well off, but I cannot see this ever becoming a mass seller.
See https://www.hamradio.co.uk/icom-ic-905-vhf-uhf-shf-transceiver-deposit-only .
This is the new radio announced by ICOM. I have serious doubts about it ever making it to market.
It is meant to cover 2m-3cm with a control head based on the IC-705 and an RF unit that could be mounted next to the antenna.
It looks expensive and I just can't see it selling in huge volumes. Also, I cannot imagine it being low cost.
If it ever gets to market I can see this being a flop. Nice idea, but unlikely to make them rich.
MLS, one of the large UK distributors, is selling the DX Patrol Ground Staion for QO-100. I guess you have to add a GPS external reference, ...
