g7kse.co.uk

Something that I’ve never really used too much is the memories on my IC-7000. Partly because it was a complete faff to put them all in using the rig and I could never get tools like RUMTrol and the like to work. This weekend having spent an hour or so with Noel G4PEW I decided to stop playing about trying to get psk to work with DM780 and my G4ZLP interface and actually achieve something along the lines of radio this weekend.

So I briefly had a go again with RUMTrol and couldn’t get it to talk to the rig without just stopping or giving errors and then as I was googling for a csv file that someone may have put on the internet with all the repeaters etc on it I came across ICE Comm from scan now.org. The software actually did the job with the minimum of fuss in less than an hour. I can recommend it as a great alternative. The feature that had me was the EZ Grab. Copy a bunch of data off the internet (Ctrl C) and the EZ Grab function allows that to be put into the memory via a sort of filter. Very good!

If anyone wants the memory file that I’ve produced with the UK repeaters on it then just ask and I’ll email it as WordPress doesn’t like the format. It’s just a work in progress but it got me started very quickly..Update WordPress now likes it so see the link below.

UK Repeaters IC7000

It may not be much to the more experienced solderers but I managed the upgrade and here’s the proof! One step further away from being the cheque book ham and one step closer to being a solder demon…..;-)

The kit arrived very quickly and the nod completed. I’m a novice with a soldering iron but still found the job quite a simple one.

I’ll be putting a page on the projects section with a few photographs just to give you a clue. Simple conclusion is that it works very well and I got a very nice unsolicited “great audio” last night. So thanks Bob

After a few quick email exchanges and copy of the installation guide from Bob Nagy I’ve ordered a kit for the princely sum of $29.50.

I’m looking forward to doing the modification and getting better audio in the IC-7000. Not because its awful but that for a few quid it can be made much bigger and better. Hopefully it’ll make me heard and more likely to be heard over those massive stations that seem to command the pile ups.

The minnow strikes back!

Not sure if the HM-151 works with the IC-703 but that’ll certainly make that punch above its weight as well. Here’s hoping for some good improvements and better success. I’ll report back when I get the parts and do the install.

I managed to get a few hours on Saturday on the IC-7000 and spent much of that time fiddling with the audio settings. Mainly because listening back through the monitor the modulation was awful and there was a a rattly tone when the compression was on.

I had a look at the IC7000 mic upgrade site (www.ic7000mic.com) and took a look at the videos and have convinced myself that the mic is a perhaps the weak link in the set up. I managed QSO’s with Brazil and Martinique to name two and both of those were with either no or limited compression (8-13%). Both of which I had been trying with higher compression settings with no luck at all just a few minutes earlier.

Bob Nagy offers a service where you send the mic to him and he does the dirty work or you can get the kit of parts from him. I think I’ll email him and find out what he recommends for the not particularly skilled with a soldering iron.