ZS6BNE's Blog

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RaDAR and the Icom IC-7200

Posted: 02 Sep 2020 01:34 PM PDT
https://zs6bne.wordpress.com/2020/09...-icom-ic-7200/




Ive had the radio for a few weeks now and although its an old radio and
discontinued, its a new radio to me. This one still looks brand new.

I was asked to try 60m and a standard 7200 will not be able to do that but
then I discovered, mine is wide open and apparently was opened by the first
owner. Im the third. Working 60m was a simple case of dialling in the
frequency and with the right antenna I was ready to go!

While tuning my linked inverted vee for 60m I found the SWR protection to
be quick and very effective. The heat sinks just show what a workhorse this
radio is. My kind of radio ..

Its a real radio too, to be honest, Im old school, I havent really taken
the SDR thing to heart.

The 7200 can be CAT controlled through the USB port and together with that
there is a digimodes sound card interface built in! No need for a CT17 CIV
interface and no need for a very expensive Signalink interface either. The
Signalink alone cost a fifth of what I paid for the rig. I do have a
Signalink though, I gave it to my grandson together with the FT-817ND (Hope
hell become a ham some day).

Ive been QRP for many of my recent years practicing ham radio. I welcome
the option of 100W again! The 7200 can do QRP, even lower than 2W if need
be.

Sure, the radio is biggish and heavyish but even a 817 is heavyish!

I would have liked back lit buttons for the dark but Ive more or less
learnt to feel my way around in the dark and only occasionally I press the
wrong button.

Im tired of tuners. I just make sure the antenna is working correctly.

Digimodes is so part of the 7200. WSJT-X talks nicely to the radio. I hate
FT8 but just for fun I made a FT8 QSO recently, actually my PC did, I just
clicked on the stations call sign and the computer did the rest. I mean,
compare that to working CW?

Nothing wrong with SSB either. The mic works better than many other rigs I
have owned.

The receiver audio quality is absolutely superb. Turning the volume right
down the audio is absolutely quiet. Not even an audio amp hiss!

Its still pretty cold here in South Africa, nothing compared to other parts
of the world in winter / spring though. Some time soon, this radio is going
RaDAR!!!



73 de Eddie ZS6BNE