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Originally posted by W3ULS on
eHam.net,
Aug 11, 2006. |
Hard to describe this rig, since it is unique. I will post a more thorough review in several months after I have had a chance to operate it for a while, especially in contests.
My first impression is that this radio has been engineered very carefully by and for hams. It's a comprehensive package designed to further QSOs. There appear to be no rough edges. Other observations:
1. Fluid, silent QSK. The best by far I've ever used. This is a surprising discovery, because the conventional wisdom has been that ICOM didn't care any more about us old f**t CW ops and was focusing on digital modes and SSB. Clearly, ICOM does care.
2. Excellent ergonomics. The engineers and designers have provided controls like no other radio out there in the $3000 and under price class. Clearly, ICOM has spent a ton on the engineering of this rig, inside and out. This is not a derivative rig--it represents the third generation of something entirely new.
3. The color LCD is bright, crisp and loaded with info. The info includes the band scope, but that is just one of the info points that give the user a quick overview of how the rig is set up.
4. Receive audio sounds excellent - both CW signals and SSB/AM. My sense is that ICOM has worked hard to tame the software/firmware/DSP side of this rig in order to enhance the operating experience. Filtering and noise reduction work really well and do not sound at all "digital."
5. As far as sensitivity goes, weak signals seem ever so slightly more audible on my Yaesu Mark V Field. I'll report later on any other areas where the Mark V seems to do better. (Where the Mark V clearly does worse is in the clicks/thumps you hear in the headphones when sending CW. This has been a Yaesu special attraction for years.) With the complement of filters required to bring the Mark V up to snuff, you are not looking at a whole lot of price differential between it (when new) and the PRO III (see below). Of course, the PRO III's filtering is infinitely more flexible than Yaesu's.
Now that ICOM is discounting the rig, and offering a free PS-125 power supply, the PRO III is even more attractive. (No doubt ICOM has its eye on the new Yaesu FT-2000.)
73,
John, W3ULS
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Additional comments by W3ULS: Operating the PRO III is very satisfying as the op realizes
that everything has been thought out and worked out in terms of
effectiveness and ease. As just one example, the truncation of the first code
elements has been fixed, but that's not all. The CW send/receive
in the PRO III is perfect in every way so far as I can tell;
I've never come across this level of performance before. |
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