John Plimmer wrote:

Yes, my magnificent Icom IC-7700 has been sold. It was definitely the
finest and best radio I will ever own, but at the end it was a huge
overkill in my small town and not being able to go to the coast for
DXpeditions sounded its death knell. It would not run on batteries and
at 35kg's/80lbs packed it was just too heavy to take anywhere.

So it will be replaced with an Icom IC-7600, a portable radio that
will run on 12v DC auto batteries. It has many of the fine features of
the 7700 and is quite pricey at $4000, but aw shucks, you only live
once and you can't take it with you. Unfortunately the dealer has no
stock in Joburg and it may be a few months before he gets new stock
in, So I will just have to be patient and hope the ball and chain
doesn't get her hands on the boodle from the 7700.

Also I will sell the old Icom IC-756PROIII that I am currently DXing
with, and that will be replaced with a laptop and Perseus SDR - then I
will be fully up-to-date with the world's other top MW DXer's.

Later in August it is DXpedition time again, this time the beautiful
Jongensgat, so I hope for good weather and wonderful propagation.

A question John,

Not having dealt with much of this in the past, but would it be possible,
and/or less costly to have someone here in the USA purchase what you need and
ship it to you?