New ICOM 7300 SDR

Tom

Recently, the HPSDR user group has been buzzing on news of the new ICOM SDR, the IC-7300. I just added a comment that I thought the FLEXers might find interesting (humerous?):


73 de Tom K3IO (ex W3IWI)

KY6LA_Howard

Obviously. They need to change major to either Legacy or Japanese.

Martin AA6E

Yes, a bit of Chauvinism. (Hi Tom!)  The real story here is that all serious rigs are going to be DDC SDR designs pretty soon.  Which will both be good for Flex (bigger market) and a challenge to keep ahead of the crowd.

Peter K1PGV

Well, if they define "major" by annual sales volume, I rather suspect they're on firm ground.

In any case, I think AA6E is right on the mark: This is good for everyone.  As DDC SDR moves from "bleeding edge" to well-established technology, we can look forward to the many different ways that various vendors will bring this technology to market.

The trick for Flex will be to continue to add their own differentiating factors and value to their products using this technology. It won't be "buy a Flex because it's the only serious DDC SDR in town" anymore.  It'll be "buy a Flex because is has a full-screen panadaptor, remote operation, the option to use knobs and switches if you want, and an open interface that numerous people are using to innovate and create cool interfaces."  Or, whatever.

Will SOME people buy an IC-7300 that would have otherwise bought a Flex?  Maybe.  But the folks who do that will be ones who want an "ordinary" radio with the performance of DDC SDR.

Peter
K1PGV

Bill -VA3WTB

I will be interested to see how many feature upgrades or fixes will come out for it.

Walt - KZ1F

Clearly marketing, which everybody does but one needs to look at customer base and R&D budget to really see the dynamics. First only counts when you're also only. I believe now a days all hf radio's operate remotely. How that's accomplished is really a moot point.

KY6LA_Howard

It looks to have a $1,250 price point

Lewis Cheek

Bill, if it's like many other ICOM products, they will just roll out another model that addresses the fixes and leave the prior models hanging. Look how long it took Icom to even say they had a ALC overshoot on the IC-7410, years

DH2ID

I just downloaded the brochure and had a good laugh about ICOM's marketing ;-)
In the long run ICOM will be a serious competitor in the SDR field, as they tend
to produce excellent TRX (my IC-756PRO is IMO still excellent for CW full QSK).
Let's therefore wait for the TRX and test it against our Flexes. I will surely do that,
as I need a replacement for my FT-897D, which I use for EMCOMM.
Competition is always good for us hams!

Walt - KZ1F

And first could also mean to the patent office.

Walt - KZ1F

HRO shows 3 models, 10w,50w, 100w.

KY6LA_Howard

Historical Context:


One should never sell the Japanese short as effective competitors. Yes they are late in the game with SDR's

But look at how they destroyed the U.S. Ham Radio manufacturers in the 70's by bringing out good enough and eventually better radios at much lower price points. They did the same to the U.S. Auto industry.

I pointed out that their initial offering the 7300 has a projected $1,250 price point. On the first reading of its specs, it does not look to be close to competitive with a 6300 but at 1/2 the price they will sell a lot to uninformed hams around the world who can't read spec sheets

So I already expect them to cause serious damage to the bottom end price point products like the Elad., Zeus, flex 1500, etc.
Give them a year or two of experience and I fully expect them to have serious competition for the 6700 at very competitive if not predatory pricing to knock Flex out of the market like they did to other U.S. Manufacturers

Joe - KC2TN

This brings that old quote "The Pionners get the arrows....." to mind! http://zerista.com/2010/08/pioneers-settlers/ Joe - KC2TN

Walt - KZ1F

Two years is a lifetime, I expect next Dayton will be the pivot point where kyie will all have mature SDR offerings.

KY6LA_Howard

The HRIO ad is not even qualifying "A First for Amateur Radio". Now they are a USA company that can get sued by the FTC for false advertising. Someone needs to drop the dime.

Walt - KZ1F

Technology is hard and expensive. Even in software, take my old employer, they sit back let the startups duke out the technology and then acquire the winner keep the patents and lay off the employees. They end up with the winning technology at a fraction of the R&D cost. Maybe Icom bought some patents and/or filed their own. I am certain the language cleared legal. But, Howard, go file a law suit.

Bill -VA3WTB

Assuming they see the SDR market a large slice in the ham radio world. I am not so sure they are interested in going really big into SDR but rather extending their radio line up. But it will be interesting how things develop. Are they going to develop software for it? other than whats in the box? Will PSDR work with it? and how about costumer support. I expect they will keep any SDR simple so the user will not need to really operate or understand any software for the radio. This would keep the costumer support at it's minimal. And I wonder about planed upgrades. 

Walt - KZ1F

I suspect this will all bring the 7000 series to market much sooner. I am very curious as to what everybody is going to be announcing at Dayton next year.

KC2QMA_John

All I can say is in the long run it's going to be the quality of the software that determines how good flex and other companies will do. Because “It's All About That Software”. You know the "S" in SDR!

What might be a good move for flex now is to kick the software development into high gear and leave the competition in the dust. The 6000 series is a solid platform to write great software for.

Japaneses Companies like Icom, Kenwood & Yaesu are very aggressive in business and they would have no problem throwing tons of money at software development just to get a BIG jump on the competition. Once the competition get's ahead it will be hard to catch up. And besides the ROI (return on investment) on software is much higher than Hardware development.

73/KC2QMA

John

KC2QMA_John

I Know where the **** did they get the nerve to make a statement like that?

It should say first Japanese SDR.

LOL!

Walt - KZ1F

One of you guys can commission a patent search to see. Chances are very good there is a sufficient basis for that stmt.

Bill -VA3WTB

They are into high gear John, Flex is a much smaller company then the ones you named. Leave the competition in the dust? In what way, seems they have done that already.

KC2QMA_John

I think you might have misunderstood me, What I mean is Flex already is ahead of the competition and in my opinion is the best SDR on the market. But the Japanese companies are much larger and if they want to **** off the competition all they have to do it throw a ton of money & resources at R&D & software development they could get such a big jump ahead it would be hard to catch up.

As far as I know Flex is looking for more software engineers and fortunately the HAM radio community is full of super smart people!

Like I said the reason I bought a FLEX is because its the best

KC2QMA

John

AA0KM

I guess a flexradio isn't so bad after all, everyone want' to copy it.

Overheard on hf one day. Just bring the IF out of the radio into the computer and you have a SDR radio like a flexradio.

I didn't touch that conversation with a 10 foot pole. lol

Flex has no worries for several years down the road in my thinking.

KY6LA_Howard

@Walt. As you know I have been thru a number of successful patent fights..

This issue is not about patents but rather it is a case of blatant false advertising designed to hurt U S companies. While I am NOT a lawyer, it would seem that the false advertising would fall under the jurisdiction of the FTC.to bring a suit against HRO. It just needs someone. To drop a dime and file a complaint with the FTC.

KC2QMA_John

You know what they say..."Ignorance is bliss" LOL.

Walt - KZ1F

That's BS Howard. 1) you have no standing and 2) you have no idea what is the logic behind ICOM saying it'd the first. Maybe they skipped one of your generations. And yes, we all realize you are not a lawyer.

Actually, I have no knowledge of any patent fights involving you or their outcome.
Dude, since you have millions of dimes, allegedly, go for it.

Tim - W4TME

Lets stop the verbal sparring and chill out.  Or I'll be compelled to take a stronger corrective action.  Thank you.

Lewis Cheek

that's all I can say 

km9r.mike

Icom's marketing claim for this questionable sdr rig seems a bit flakey at best to me. I wonder if they can back up such a bold statement : )

km9r.mike

"But look at how they destroyed the U.S. Ham Radio manufacturers in the 70's by bringing out good enough and eventually better radios at much lower price points. They did the same to the U.S. Auto industry."

There was a time when this statement was a sure bet when their wages were well below western standards, however, I do not think this holds as much water as it used too. The Ford I leased prior to my current Honda was of better build quality than what I currently have. Engine, exterior and interior to some extent. As you also well know, relatively young upstart go getters @ Elecraft put a very large dent into all three JA legacy manufacturer's contest market share.

I will agree that the legacy JA manufacturers could flood the US market with a low priced SDR rig but in order for them to do this like in the past I think they would have to outsource manufacturing to countries w/ cheaper labor yet run the risk of having their tech stole in the process.

I conclude their ability to "destroy" US market share is a shadow of what it used to be.