*Product Review* IC-7000 Transceiver
August 1, 2009 by Darren
My purchase of a new IC-7000 transceiver a few months ago was made with a view to modernizing my portable station in time for some of the DA-RC contests later in the year. Ultimately, poor propagation on 11m in the Pacific area over the southern hemisphere winter has meant that everything will need to be working at optimum level on the rare occasions when band openings do occur as we meander into Cycle 24!
In addition to ‘sexing up’ my portable station in order to cash in on DX opportunities in the upcoming summer, another reason why I splashed out on the IC-7000 transceiver is because similar rigs with a cheaper price tag required optional ‘extras’ that would no doubt see their lesser price skyrocket.
Although I bought this one especially for portable use, I decided to set it up in the shack alongside a borrowed Icom 706MKIIG before I installed it in the car. In point of fact, the IC-706 shares some likeness with the IC-7000 as far as navigating around the controls and menus go. It’s roughly the same size also and has a similar layout, though the buttons are slightly larger to aid channel flicking in the mobile which is handy while you’ve got two eyes on the road. These similarities, as well as my familiarity with the IC-706, helped BIG time when it came to exploring some of the other IC-7000 functions too!
Another reason I grabbed the IC-7000 transceiver ahead of those like the TS-480HX (which is also terrific for portable use) is because the IC-7000 is lighter at 2.3 Kg and has a smaller control head. It therefore fits into my car’s dashboard better and so will be easier to slip into the suitcase should I wish to take it on a dx adventure in the future.
Generally, from a user perspective, there isn’t much to be repulsed by with this new addition. The front panel layout seems to be well thought out and is ultra easy to use; the push buttons have a nice tactile feel; it has four concentric easy to access knobs — two of which have indents — and it has a face prettier than a high school cheerleader! The 2.5 inch colour LCD display is bright, clear, easy to read and shows tons of info. It displays power level, ALC and compression level of the speech compressor and SWR too which I found useful for tuning my antenna. It also comes with 3 attractive background colours and 2 font styles to give the rig an individual touch.
On this note, one of the more DXciting features in my eyes is the band scope which I was able to magnify using a 21 inch Dell ultra sharp external monitor from the rear video jack. The colours are tremendous and everything is super sharp, crystal clear and ultra big. The large screen makes the band scope very usable indeed.
While the internal speaker is not what I’d call too flash, the RX audio is first class if hooked up to a quality external speaker or listened to through my Sennheiser HD 280 Pro studio headphones. On this note, this radio really likes to have solid grounding as without it there was more noise than a room full of complaining YL’s. Out of the shack, proper vehicle bonding and RF grounding, in my experience, is a much underestimated aspect of mobile operations too so I’ll be sure to do a good job on this when the time comes.
Based on radio reports from local ops and a couple from DA members on small Pacific Islands, I also find the IC-7000 TX audio through its original hand held mic to be very good — despite what I’ve read about the original mic on some of the ham forums. Of course, if I was to continue using the rig as a base station though I’d give it an injection of Behringer EQ to make it punchier and give it more of a boom! But then again, I do that will all of my rigs lol.
One criticism of the IC-7000 transceiver from where I sit is that the back of the radio does get toasty after long transmissions. In fact, if you listen for long periods as I often do, you could cook an egg on there as the fan only runs when you key the mic. Having said that, the rig still doesn’t miss a beat and the warmth is pretty handy when the mercury drops below 10 in the shack. There’s a temperature gauge on the rig too and I’d guess it would cut the fan in if it got hot enough…?!?!?!?!
One of my fave features is the digital voice recorder (DVR) which enabled me to record my CQ call in 4 transmit playback memories with alphanumeric labels. This will be especially handy come the DA-RC World Contest later in the year or the Oceania Contest in early January when the throat tends to get a bit sore from continuous CQ calls. A front panel REC control also allowed me to record incoming signals for up to 25 minutes and a couple of these were added to the DA-RC site!
The IC-7000 has lots of bells and whistles in my opinion, but the main one that helped separate me from my cash a few months back was the IF-stage digital signal processing: clearly much improved over the already excellent IC-706 MkIIG. For my part the receiver is awesome and is light years ahead of something like the IC-706MKIIG. The filtering is first class and the notch filters both manual/automatic are an impressive feature. Furthermore, the noise blanker really works, as does the DSP noise reduction too. I love having the ability to adjust the filters as well!
In conclusion, this transceiver has mobile-operation written all over it and is one of the sexiest little rigs I’ve ever met. What’s more, its performance when given a thorough testing in the shack was something to tell the friends about! No doubt it will also kick ass in the field!
*Product Review* bhi NES-5 Noise Eliminating Speaker
March 28, 2009 by Darren
The NES 5 Noise Eliminating Extension Speaker by bhi Ltd UK is a loudspeaker with built-in DSP filter. Having owned a NES 10-2 model for some time, I was interested to see how the less expensive ‘little brother’ would stack up in the noise cancelling stakes when I saw one for sale ‘as new’ at a recent Ham fest in VK2.
As you’re probably aware of by now, I’ve loved everything that has hit my radio shack bench top in the past from noise cancelling specialists bhi Ltd and I was convinced that this would be no different.
In previous product reviews for DA-RC I’ve made reference to the fact that my QTH is within 1000m of gigantic telecommunications towers which stand like a row of giant grey dominoes against the horizon. I’ve also complained that these steel monstrosities have been the cause of much hobby angst ever since I moved here from the Western Torres Strait Islands (OC-138) a few years back. Nothing’s changed either.
Each day in the first few months, for instance, was spent dreaming of ways to prevail over this great burden on my hobby…with S-7 static ruining any chance of working weak stations on any band.
More often than not, after lengthy periods working DX (or more correctly in today’s conditions ‘chasing dx’) I was pretty wiped out due to the harsh listening conditions I had to endure, particularly if the NES 10-2 switch was in the OFF position. Some days, for instance, I walked away from the shack with my ears ringing and a bloody great big headache – all because of the white noise and static crashes emanating from my Kenwood TS-2000’s chassis top speaker.
Just like its big brother the NES 10-2, the moment I’d connected the NES 5 model for work on HF frequencies and others where I spend the majority of my listening time, the clarity and intelligibility of my RX audio was radically enhanced.
The S-6 static, in fact, dropped to an S-4 which is an amazing 33.3% reduction, thus greatly improving the signal to noise ratio. Straight away I was able to make more contacts and more contacts were easier on the ears as well. I challenge anyone to name any other non-bhi product that would achieve that same result!
What I concluded was that these loudspeakers are ideal for HF operations such as those on 26-27-28 MHz frequencies, to lessen static and background clatter caused by plasma televisions, refrigerators, car engines and other electronics devices. Did I mention telecommunications towers? Well them too! Unfortunately, it doesn’t reduce background noise created by kids or the YL however I am yet to find one on the market which does.
In contrast to the NES 10-2 version donated by bhi Ltd UK for this year’s Oceania Contest, this model comes with the DSP filter at a fixed level. It comes with a two metre audio lead with a 3.5 mm mini plug (mono) and a DC cable too. The supplied mounting bracket is helpful for installation in a car or at home and I was fortunate in that the original mounting bracket also came with this second-hand purchase.
In conclusion, the NES 5 Noise Eliminating Extension Speaker is recommended for use in many applications where extreme background noise and interference mean that you cannot clearly hear what is being said. It’s just the thing for improving SSB and FM/AM use too!
Though not tested on this occasion, suitable applications where the speakers have proven to be of great benefit to the user include radio amateur base stations, citizens band radio, transport base stations, two-way radios, HF radios, marine communications, scanners, emergency vehicles, telephone extension speakers, taxi base stations and hands-free car kits.
The NES 5 Noise Eliminating Extension Speaker normally retails for around £80.00 or around $150 AUS but unfortunately the bhi Ltd UK website says that they are currently out of stock. If you’re still keen to add a noise cancelling product to the shack, however, and can’t get one of these little gems second hand, then I recommend the NES 10-2 DSP Speaker MKII, a pair of noise cancelling headphones or one of the ANEM Noise Cancelling Modules. They will well and truly do the job!
Just check out the bhi website at http://www.bhi-ltd.co.uk/ . If you can leave the site without buying something for the shack then you’re a better man than me.
73 de Darren 43DA010/001Kenwood MC-90 Review
December 13, 2008 by Darren
Being somewhat of an audio religion extremist, I’ve used a number of tremendous desk microphones with my Kenwood TS-2000 in the last couple of years in search for that elusive ‘perfect’ combo (if there is such a thing of course)! Yaesu’s YD models and the Heil Heritage have been the front runners to this date and as such received favourable reviews on other forums, but this next microphone ranks alongside them and is perhaps even better – probably because it was designed specifically for DSP (Digital Signal Processing) rigs in the first place.
Manufactured in Japan (25 Division), the Kenwood MC-90 is a high quality DSP-compatible desk microphone which is not only great looking (a darker shade compared to the MC-60A) but also a perfect match to the DSP feature in the Kenwood TS-2000. On SSB, for instance, the wide response of the MC-90 works well with the audio settings of the 2000 and I have had a lot of fun interchanging between the transceiver’s Conventional, Bass and Hi audio menu options and testing the sounds via the radio’s monitor. With the MC-90 mic, the Hi audio selection is my favourite!
Weighing in at 1.1 kg, which is equivalent to about 2 stubbies of beer for some DXers, the MC-90 is supplied with two interchangeable heads that have different tonal characteristics. One has a flat frequency response for good overall performance when talking locally, while the other offers exceptional clarity and an output level characteristic that peaks at around 3 kHz, making it superb for DX work. (Note: These are not separate cartridges like with some mics, but 2 separate ‘shells’ that screw on the end).
Featuring PTT Lock, up/down controls, and measuring approximately 90 x 205 x 175mm, there is also a 3-position (M, V1 or V2) EQ switch on the base to tailor low-range cut-off frequency to suit the operator. Another option I suggest is using an EQ instead for a tailored response. I have found that the MC-90 works extremely well into my Behringer Ultragraph DEQ1024 EQ, for instance, with or without amplification.
Another positive is that the MC-90 has a Cannon XLR connector instead of the old 12 pin on the MC-60. This way you can use other mics on the base or use the MC-90 mic with a regular mic cable.
Most owners agree that the MC-90 is not appropriate for use on FM due to the deliberate lack of sensitivity by design. I had the idea of building a small amplifier which fitted internally giving about 20db boost without any noticeable degrading of quality. This actually worked well on all modes but was still too quiet for comfortable FM use having to close talk to stop stations with no volume control whinging about quiet audio.
Considering the basic specification and the fact that it’s only useful on SSB, it’s difficult to justify the expense for this microphone, but when you’ve got a TL-922 roaring away in the background (which I don’t) or a noisier XYL threatening divorce proceedings for excessive TITS (Time In The Shack) that’s where it pays dividends.
In my opinion, though, it truly compliments the DSP machine giving beautiful audio with the unwanted extraneous sounds drastically attenuated and completely removed when using an EQ noise gate.
73 de Darren
TS-2000 Commemorative Rig
November 23, 2008 by Darren
Ask most DXers what the latest premier rig release for Amateur Radio Communications giant Kenwood was and chances are they’d say, “The TS-2000.” They’d be half right too – a magnificent, top of the range transceiver with dual DSP performance cased in a striking grey chassis and ideal for DX adventure.
What most DXers do not realise, however, was that Kenwood actually released a limited edition black version of the All-Mode Multi-bander as part of its 60th anniversary celebrations back in August 2006 and that this particular rig remains one of the most sought after rigs in modern times!
Kenwood launched the sale of its TS-2000 black commemorative model during a period of global implementation of various business promotion programs and brand strategies in accordance with its birthday festivities. The company positioned these 60th Anniversary Models as a prestige series, equipped with the highest performance and class, built on the full range of technology and expertise accumulated over the years in the fields of ’sound’ and ‘wireless radio’, as well as Kenwood’s consistent core competence since its foundation.
As a leading manufacturer of amateur radio and audio equipment, fields that have been supporting 25 Division’s post-war economic growth in pursuit of sophisticated hobbies, the Kenwood 60th Anniversary Model adds uniform black colour finishing in its various components, including its front panel, main turn knob, and carrying handle. While retaining the multi-functionality and high quality of the original model, luxurious touches have been added to realise a product that deserves to be called a prestige model.
Apparently, the sales quantity of this special rig within the worldwide market was limited to 570 rigs (260 in the Americas, 210 in Europe, 40 in China and 60 in Japan, with a limited serial number affixed to the back of the product as a token of Kenwood’s hope for many years of enjoyment. Note that limited serial numbers were assigned per model to the individual radios, starting with Number 1.
Also, as for the Americas and Japanese versions, the popular DRU-3A (digital recording unit) and VS-3 (sound synthesizing unit) were accompanying accessories, with the ARCP-2000 (radio control program) included; the three together making the product an attractive all-in-one package.
73 de Darren, 43DA010
bhi NES10-2 DSP Speaker
September 25, 2008 by Darren
Ever since my purchase of a Galaxy Saturn rig for citizens band communications about 5 years ago, I had been searching for a way to lower the ridiculously high noise level which seems so prevalent with this brand of CB radio.
As is the case with many rigs- not just the Galaxy Saturn – the Noise Blanker mode was completely ineffective on the Galaxy, making no difference at all to the 5/7 background racquet which continued to hinder my DX operations.
Although I was based on a small remote island in OC-138 at the time, I still suffered loads of electrical and natural interference – possibly attributed to some of the Indonesian fishing boats fishing in the surrounding waters or maybe even some dodgy electrical appliances running in some of the nearby neighbouring villages.
Obviously, this QRM and QRN caused me lots of frustration – especially in times of huge IOTA pile ups when signals weren’t that great. It wasn’t until I read a review of the bhi NES10-2 DSP speaker in the Australian publication ‘Radio and Communications’ magazine (now R.I.P) that I started feeling a bit better about my predicament.
After being convinced of their ‘worth’ by the owner of the mag, Bob Harper, and testimonies from other DX’ers such as 43SD133 Jaye and 43SD121 Frank who were already in possession of the item and, might I add, raving about it continuously, I decided to acquire one from Andrews Communications in Sydney Australia.
After convincing the XYL money manager that $350 was a cheap price to pay for a speaker accessory to compliment the $1000 transceiver, it wasn’t long before I was enjoying some of the benefits this little beauty has to offer!
Appearance
Manufactured in 26 Division, the bhi NES10-2 is a small, black rectangular speaker approximately 110 mm in width, 65 mm in height and 55 mm in density. Arriving on the barge from the Australian mainland within record time, this sexy little unit turned up double boxed with protective foam and bubble wrap, a mounting bracket, 2 fixing screws, 4 small self adhesive feet, 24 page operating manual and a 2m DC power cable.
As the picture shows, the front of the unit is dominated by the speaker grille with the model number in silver text on the bottom left corner and a LED indicator on the top right. Located on the apex, there is a ‘Sensitivity Control’ and an ‘On/Off Noise Cancellation’ control, which, unlike the Galaxy Saturn’s, works quite well!
Furthermore, ‘Dip Switches’, a printed ‘Noise Cancellation Selection Table’ (see picture), ‘Audio Input Lead’ and a ‘DC Power 2.1 mm Socket’ are found on the rear of the unit. Conveniently located on the left side of the speaker is a ‘Headphone’ socket which certainly gets a big work out from this particular operator out when the propagation is running.
On both sides of the unit, there is support for the supplied and fitted ‘Mounting Bracket’. This allowed me to fix the speaker to the underside of my desk shelf in the radio shack and give me extra table space for filling out the log and QSL cards (ie. more space for mess).
Setting Up
After familiarising myself with the manual, I proceeded to hook up the unit to DC power. I then connected the supplied 2 metre long speaker cable to the test transceiver (in my case a Galaxy Saturn) and started playing around with the switches to see what she could do.
Operation
Funnily enough, there is no actual ‘On/Off Power Switch’ for the speaker, so you just turn on any 12-28 volt dc power supply to operate. As power is turned on, the LED light glows, indicating which position the ‘On/Off Noise Cancellation’ switch is set at. If the LED is glowing red, for instance, this indicates that DSP function is ‘OFF’, but if it is coloured green, then this indicates the DSP function is ‘ON’.
There are two controls which, once set, rarely need to be adjusted (unless of course you alter the connected receiving equipment or encounter a signal that needs extra processing). They are the ‘Sensitivity Control’ and the ‘Dip Switches’.
The ‘Dip Switches’ by default are already set to Level 6, nevertheless, I found that a lower or higher setting was sometimes more suited in different DX conditions.
According to the ‘Operating Manual’, the ‘Sensitivity Control’ is set in the first instance, by turning it fully anti-clockwise and then back a quarter of a turn. Extra modification is sometimes required, however most modern equipment will accept the original settings outlined in the manual. Fortunately for clumsy DX’ers like myself, the ‘Sensitivity Control’ is designed so that it cannot be easily changed if – if accidentally bumped, etc.).
The next thing to do is switch the ‘On/Off Noise Cancellation’ off and find a signal which is affected by a bit of noise. The ‘On/Off Noise Cancellation’ switch is then turned on. It usually takes a couple of seconds for the DSP to kick in but then you will notice a distinct improvement in audio quality with far less noise and in most cases a signal that is much more easier on the ears.
I have used the bhi NES10-2 DSP with success on many types of signals including AM Shortwave Broadcasts, SSB and Morse code signals. On all occasions, audio quality is improved substantially. I have even found that the bhi NES10-2 DSP speaker will allow me to hear stations on SSB that I would, in ordinary circumstances, not be able to do so. The effect it has on audio is really quite amazing!
In fact, leaving the ‘On/Off Noise Cancellation’ switch ON sometimes makes you wonder whether the radio is actually working as the background crackle and pop has effectively vanished.
Conclusion
The bhi NES10-2 DSP speaker may be diminutive but the improved audio output can make the most sub-standard transceiver appear adequate.
Providing the item is affordable to you, I would thoroughly recommend it to any one wanting to improve their reception of radio signals without spending a huge amount of money on a new DSP based transceiver. Having said that, I have also used it in conjunction with the DSP features on the Kenwood TS-2000 and its matching SP-23 speaker with great results.
73 de Darren, 43DA010
ICOM IC-703
September 21, 2008 by Darren
Many 11m DXers believe that both QRP operating and QRP contests will be the new craze when Cycle 24 eventually kicks in. For those of you who’ve been living with their head shoved in a hay stack, the term QRP refers to operating at extremely low power of about 10 watts and is rather attractive in DX circles due to the challenges it poses in terms of workability.
A while ago I purchased an ICOM IC-703 on eBay for a bargain price especially for this purpose, but also to use on the legal band allocation (26.965 – 27.405 MHz) which is just about to take off incidentally with CB Club action! As you can see, this radio looks just like the IC-706 but it only puts out a maximum of 10 watts!
So why would I want this one when I’ve got the TS2000 already on the shack bench? Well, like I said before, I like the concept of QRP, this radio is made for it as it requires no further adjustments like tuning into the menu and turning down the power and, of course, the price was darned good, lol!
Although I’ve only had this rig for a short while, I can already say that the IC-703 is a beaut little radio with a terrific receiver. At just two kilograms, it is most definitely not an IC-706MkIIG with a 10W PA as some people assume and has its own unique characteristics. The receiver for instance, which is completely redesigned, has a much quieter front end. It’s extremely sensitive and the RX audio quality is excellent for SSB. You can definitely pull out the weak ones with this radio as I’m finding out by comparing reports with other ops in the local area.
The DSP noise reduction and auto notch are effective also. You do lose a little off the high end in the audio response, particularly if you set the noise reduction level above a 5. Still, the audio is not fatiguing and it’s better than having lots of noise as I’m sure you would agree. Like most rigs I’ve used, the noise blanker works but is not spectacular. I really don’t know why they bother with them in the first place…
Surprisingly, the internal antenna tuner works far better than I would have expected and just as well as my Pro 2 antenna tuner does. It certainly tunes a wider range than specified by ICOM!
On the TX side of things, audio reports from some of the local ops are quite good as well using just the standard ICOM microphone with its connector 8-pin modular jack. The optional BP-228 battery I’ve been using is fairly small and light but it will run the radio at a solid 5W out for a reasonable period of time.
Having previously owned the idiosyncratic Yaesu FT-100, I was well prepared for navigating the menus of the IC-703 and, for a technical idiot, I actually found the Menus and Operation Guide very easy to get my head around. The front panel is simple to understand, even with the menu system power consumption on low, but it would’ve been tops to have had a built in clock. You can’t have everything though or you’d be getting up in size and price and that would defeat the purpose of the radio in the first place.
My choice of power supply was of all things the PS/Speaker made to match the 10m Emperor TS-5010. The colour scheme matched perfectly and the 703 sits snugly on top of it.
With USB, LSB, CW, RTTY, AM and FM modes, the IC-703 seems to be well built and it’s a really cool rig to own, but there are a few things that do not appeal. Firstly, the connector for the DC PS seemed a bit iffy so we’ll have to see how it holds up. Secondly, I wasn’t keen on the microphone connection at the bottom of the rig. If this is the way they want it, they should have made the ‘Feet’ a fraction taller so that the microphone connector didn’t bind so much. When I use the headphones also, it is very difficult to use the IF-SHIFT knob.
My overall feeling is that the IC-703 is very versatile and very functional for QRP operating. As fas I’m concerned, performance is better than any other radio this small – or that I have used anyway. Power consumption, too, is very reasonable for such a feature rich radio (3A max for 10W out, 2A @ 9/6V for 5W out with the BP-228).
73 de Darren, 43DA001/010 Headquarters Team