ICOM ID-52E QUICK REVIEW

ICOM's LATEST HT

The Icom ID-52E is Icom's latest and greatest handheld transceiver with all the bells and whistles that you could ask for. It was launched a few months ago, but availability has been dreadful due to the global silicon-chip shortage, so I was very happy to receive a call from Martin Lynch & Son to say that a batch had eventually arrived and one of them was on its way to me. I'd enquired about the availability of them during one of their live-chat sessions😊.

The ID-52E (ID-52A in America I believe) replaces the ID-51 and unlike the Yaesu FT5D, it's radically different to the previous model. Despite the differences between old and new, there's still a great deal of familiarity between b'oth models, meaning that that there isn't a steep new learning curve. As with most modern Icom radios, they are extremely intuitive and jumping from one radio to another is a breeze, be it an ID-52, IC-705 or even an IC-7300.

The ID-52 feels quite large, like the Kenwood D74 - certainly one of the bigger handhelds out there apart from my Yaesu FT-550L Airband transceiver. It's a good thing though - it feels beautifully made and sits better in the hand than my FT3D, which in my opinion, is a bit stumpy! 

The radio comes with a BP-272 battery which is the same as the one fitted to the IC-705. I also have the large capacity BP-307 which makes this radio seem very bulky, but if you want all-day power...

The quality of this (rather expensive) radio is obvious to all. The plastics are good, the buttons are good, the rotaries are good and the 2.3" screen is fabulous! The radio also looks good. Appearance is obviously secondary to performance, but it's nice when a great radio looks as well as it performs. The FT3D by comparison is not very attractive at all (and with those dreadful tacky red buttons, the FT5D is even worse IMHO)!

Some people may be surprised to find that the screen is not a Touch-Screen, but personally, I don't mind that one bit! In fact, I prefer it not to be. The trouble with touch-screens like the one on my FT3D is that they are just too damned small to be practical. I often struggle to touch the correct option on the FT3D screen especially up in the corners and the fact is, you still have to use the keyboard for some selections and navigation anyway! I'd prefer to have a nice, solid screen with options selected from the keypad. Another thing I don't like too much with the FT3D touch-screen is that it seems to flex when being pressed. Hmmm.

The ID-52 is a Dual Band VHF/UHF transceiver with DSTAR capability. It can simultaneously receive VHF/UHF, VHF/VHF, UHF/UHF and can even receive DV/DV meaning, for example, you can listen to two DV Repeaters at the same time. Bear in mind, that some other handhelds declare the ability to monitor two DV frequencies at the same time, but the difference with the ID-52E is that you can hear both frequencies at the same time. 

It can also receive Airband on both VHF and UHF, so Military aviation frequencies can be monitored! Coverage is basically 76-479MHz. The FT3D by comparison has a wider receive range of 0.5MHz – 999.99MHz which is pretty impressive but sensitivity across that very wide range has highlights and lowlights as you'd expect. Neither radio includes SSB modes like the fabulous Kenwood TH-D74. And that's pretty amazing when you think about it - the TH-D74 was launched 5 years ago and still leads the way!

 

The built-in BlueTooth makes it easy to use BT headsets or to communicate with your Android or IOS devices, whether you're wanting to use the free Icom software apps to control the radio, program it or to send images, etc.

One of the very best features of this new radio has to be the inclusion of a proper bandscope. It is really well implemented - much better than on my FT3D - the two are like chalk and cheese. The scope on the ID-52 reminds me of that on the IC-705. A major plus point for portable operation.

Speaking of the IC-705, it's worth noting that the ID-52 uses the same battery, so if you have a 705 you can take advantage of having a spare battery for either radio. In fact, now that I think about it, I bought the large capacity BP-307 for the 705, so I’ll be able to use that too with the ID-52.

Icom's CS-52 Programming Software is free to download and is easy to use. No need for RT Systems here! Within minutes of getting the radio, I was using CS-52 and had entered all my favourite AirBand frequencies, Broadcast frequencies and I moved my favourite repeaters to a Group of their own for quick access.

There's a fabulous function which (no matter where in the world you happen to be) identifies the repeaters close to your current location. This is possible because of the built-in GPS and Icom's eagerness to make the ham operator's life easy by including a list of the world's FM and DV Repeaters and Reflectors!

Having built-in GPS, the radio can show you which are the closest repeaters and reflectors to your current location and quickly get you connected. You can of course add any new repeaters or hotspots to the list.

Using DSTAR on Icom radios is pretty straightforward once you understand the basics and there are plenty of great video guides on YouTube about it. It seems far easier to use DSTAR on an Icom radio than on a Kenwood. Dstar audio has always been good for me and I don't see much of a difference between it and C4FM. I have no bias either way.

Picture-Sharing is another feature of the Icom but personally I have no use for it. I just don't understand why it was implemented in the first place. What's the point? Perhaps someone can point out its usefulness to me? I'd much rather they'd given me SSB HF receive.

SD-CARD fitment is getting to be be pretty standard these days and the ID-52E makes great use of it. Apart from being a place to store or backup memories, it can also hold you Settings, GPS Log, QSO Log, Firmware Updates, etc, but can also hold your QSO Recordings! Yes, like all modern Icom radios, the ID-52 has a built-in QSO Recorder. Such a great feature which I don't think Icom make enough noise about!

Imagine being out and about in the hillsides having QSO's with people who are giving you lots of information which you may wish to recall later - well don't worry about writing it all down - you can listen through it again when you get home. Fabulous!

The SD-CARD is also used for holding your TX AUDIO recordings. Yet another fabulous feature and one which should be standard on all radios. 

Broadcast FM Radio is available between 76 and 108MHz. It's sometimes nice to be able to listen to your favourite radio station while monitoring calling frequencies or you can put it in FM Radio-Mode exclusively. The built-in speaker sounds really very nice and is loud enough to use in noisy environments such as town centers. Considering the high level of waterproofing on the Icom, you wouldn't expect it to be able to sound so good. The FT3D actually suffered in that respect because of its waterproofing.

You can also opt to use headphones or the Icom Speaker-Mic (ICOM HM-186LS). The speaker-mic is of very high quality - I just love how Icom products are put together. The volume of the mic-speaker is marginally lower than the radio, so you'll end up increasing the volume (or raising the mic to your ear). Thankfully, the radio's audio levels go extremely high, so there's no problem anyway.

I can confirm that the ID-52E works perfectly well with Apple AirPods as headphones. They sound great. I could not, however, get them to work on VOX, but then one doesn’t really need to 🤷🏻.  Just talk into the 52’s mic as normal. The great thing about the AirPod Pros of course is the fantastic noise-cancellation. 

Of particular note is that this HT has high quality TX audio. It knocks spots off my other handhelds - apart from the TH-D74! 

Probably due to the waterproofing, the microphone socket on the radio is deeply recessed which means that your standard headset connectors won't fit. Thankfully, Icom offer a special adapter to overcome this issue which I will be ordering. The price of it is a bit ridiculous at £24 but everything in this hobby is ridiculously priced!

So it's pretty obvious that we have a very highly specified HT here. It's superbly put together using top quality materials and construction techniques. It has high levels of waterproofing and great performance. I would strongly recommend investing in the LC-193 Soft Leather Case to protect the radio. I've never really liked using cases, but my opinion has changed somewhat since dropping my FT3D a couple of feet resulting in unsightly marks to the plastic case.

You will benefit from downloading the ADVANCED MANUAL from Icom's website to take full advantage of all the available features. You'll also need to dedicate time to studying it all. That's the fun of it too though - just when the new-radio feeling is fading, you can discover more things to bring the sparkle back.

I've not yet had the chance to take this HT on a long walk and test it thoroughly, but brief sensitivity tests alongside the FT3D show signs of superiority. The ID-52E not only sounds better, but it also pulled in a stronger, cleaner signal than it's Yaesu chum. I tested it using a Diamond V2000 and a high quality antenna switch.

So in summary, I would recommend the Icom ID-52E. It's expensive, but it's also a very good radio. If you're a 51 owner, you'll probably not want to spend all that money on an upgrade, because the 51 is still a cracking bit of kit, but if you're on the market for a new Dual Band DSTAR handheld and don't currently own one, then this is well worth considering - especially if you’ve got a big birthday coming up and your other half is begging you to have a special treat - yeh right! 😂  

What do I not like about the Icom ID-52E? Well there's nothing I really dislike, but for this kind of money I would have very much liked to have a wider receive range including LW, MW and SW with SSB. That would have been the icing on the cake and made the ID-52 perfect!

Just remember to leave some money for some nice accessories...

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!

ICOM's BLURB...

ID-52E Dual-Band D-STAR Digital Transceiver £550 RRP 

The ID-52E is a VHF/UHF dual band radio with D-STAR and FM dual mode functions. The ID-52E supports conventional FM communications as well as D-STAR simplex, repeater, regional, and worldwide calls over the D-STAR Internet gateway. With the ID-52E, you can call a friend in another city, or even internationally through D-STAR repeaters, with digital clear audio. In addition, the ID-52E can send digital voice with data, text messages, GPS location information and pictures.

Worldwide Communication Through the D-STAR Network
The ID-52E provides D-STAR simplex, repeater, regional, and worldwide calls over the D-STAR Internet gateway as well conventional FM communications. Call a friend in another city, or even internationally through D-STAR repeaters, with digital clear audio.

Picture Sharing Function
Share pictures with other users and see received pictures on the colour display. Pictures taken on an Android device can be wirelessly transferred to the ID-52E via Bluetooth.

DR (D-STAR Repeater) Function
The expanded DR (D-STAR Repeater) function makes D-STAR and FM repeater communication easier to use. Combined with the GPS function, selection of an available local repeater is available with a couple of button pushes, based on your location. Additionally, DR mode supports reflector linking controls.

Terminal Mode and Access Point Mode*
Connect the ID-52E to the Internet through a Windows PC or an Android device. The Internet gateway (using Terminal mode and Access Point mode) enables you to access the D-STAR repeater network, even from areas where no D-STAR repeater is directly accessible via radio.
・ Terminal and Access Point modes are compatible with Icom RS-RP3 Gateway Software. If your D-STAR repeater is running G1 or G2 software, please contact your local Icom Distributor to upgrade software. ・ You need an Internet connection with an IPv4 Global IP address. If you use a cellular system, you need an IPv4 Global IP address assigned to your Android device. ・The RS-MS3W optional software is required to be installed in the PC (Download from Icom website). The RS-MS3A optional application software is required to be installed in the Android device (Download from Google Play). USB cable is required. Type-A: User supplied. Type-C: OPC-2418. micro-B: OPC-2417.

2.3" Large Colour Display
The ID-52E features a 2.3-inch colour display (320 × 280 pixels) which provides excellent viewability. The display background colour is selectable from black and white.

Bluetooth Enabled Features
The optional VS-3 Bluetooth headset enables hands-free wireless operation. In addition to the PTT and volume up/down buttons, the VS-3 has three programmable buttons that can be assigned functions to improve operation.

You can connect to an Android device through Bluetooth. With the Android device together with the RS-MS1A Remote Control Software installed, you can wirelessly control the ID-52E to change operating frequencies and other settings.

Handheld Radio First! Waterfall Display
The waterfall display shows not only the existence of signals but also the changes of signal level in chronological order. You will have an overview of the band conditions in more detail, including busy frequencies currently used, or open frequencies not used. The band scope mode is selectable from center mode, Fixed mode and Fixed scroll mode.

V/V,U/U,V/U Dualwatch Including DV/DV Mode
The Dualwatch function monitors the VHF/VHF, UHF/UHF and VHF/UHF bands simultaneously*. You can quickly respond to a call from the Main and Sub bands. Two DV signals can be decoded at the same time.
* AM/AM mode Dualwatch is not possible. AM signals can be received on only the Main VFO (A band).

VHF/UHF Airband and FM Broadcast Receiver
Airband reception is expanded from VHF to UHF military Airband (225 to 374.995 MHz). FM broadcast stations can be listened to while using the dualwatch function.

Integrated GPS/GLONASS Receiver
D-PRS mode is supported by the internal GPS receiver for sending your location and showing received station location, distance, and direction from your current location. In addition to your location, the ID-52E displays your current Grid Square information. The GPS position data can be used for Position Auto Reply, Near Repeater Search, and GPS log functions.

microSD Card Slot
You can store QSO Recording, TX Voice Memory, pictures, QSOs and GPS log data. Firmware upgrades, Repeater lists and other personal settings onto a microSD card (up to 32 GB). This can then be uploaded into the ID-52E radio.

Micro USB Connector
The ID-52E has a Multi-function USB port as well as USB host function, for charging the Icom battery packs, PC Programming, read/write contents to the microSD card, Terminal/Access Point mode support, as well as CI-V control as well as audio.

IPX7 Waterproof and Tough Construction
IPX7 waterproofing and pro-grade construction make the ID-52E ideal for operating in harsh outdoor environments.

Other Features
• 750 mW loud audio output power
• Improved heat dissipation efficiency for stable operation
• DV fast data mode uses data in place of voice frames
• QSO log in CSV data format
• Accessories for the ID-51E/ID-31E such as battery packs and microphones can be used
• DV/FM near repeater search function
• Voice recorder function
• External DC power jack

COMMENT RECEIVED FROM DK5CH : 

Hi Tom,

very nice blog. I also own an IC-705 and now an ID-52E. For me the microphone and VOX work for the ID-52 in combination with the Airpods Pro. However, I have to set the BT headset type in the ID-52 to Microphone instead of Normal. Audio sounds very good, but the build in microphone is hard to beat.

VOX is working, but I don't use it, pressing the PTT on the 52 keys the rig and voice is picked up by the Airpods. I really love operating outdoor with these two radios in combination with the excellent Airpods.

Best wishes and take care!

Christian - DK5CH

Thanks Christian! I’ll try that. 

73, Tom, M7MCQ

 

MAT-TUNER mAT-K100 REVIEW

MAT-TUNER mAT-K100 ATU FOR TS-590SG

The Kenwood TS-590SG built-in tuner is pretty awesome, but it just cannot find a tune for 160 or 80M on my EFHW.  It manages fine on all other bands right up to 6M, but not at the other end of the scale. I don't use 160/80 that much but I don't like the idea of being restricted.

I connected my LDG AT-200 PRO and that could find a match anywhere but it's quite old and clunky and there's no integration with the TS-590SG.  It's also the least intuitive ATU I've ever come across! 

So, I searched for a cheap modern solution and found it in the MAT-TUNER mAT-K100 which comes as standard with a Kenwood interface. You can also buy an Icom interface which makes it a little more versatile. I think the Icom cable costs about £20.

ML&S, RadioWorld, Lamco, were asking £189 for the K100 but Moonraker had them up for sale at £149 so that was a no-brainer!  Waters & Stanton (and associated Nevada) don't appear to sell MAT tuners any more.

The parcel arrived quickly and well packed. It included the tuner, the Kenwood interface lead and the operating guide. The unit is very compact which suits my small shack perfectly. The construction quality of the mAT-K100 looked pretty darned good, with a real nice milled aluminium finish - better I'd say than any of my LDG tuners.

 

On the front panel are two simple LEDs and around the back you have a couple of SO-239s, a GND lug and the 4-pin interface socket. I was pleased to see that the 4 pins in the connector were quite substantial and not the usual ones which feel like they're made from "fuse-wire" :-) 

 

Once I'd detached the AT-200PRO and installed the mAT-K100, it was time for testing. Needless to say, the integration with the 590 was perfect. There are no buttons to press on the K100; it's all done from the radio's AT button. A simple press-hold sets off the tuner and quickly finds a match, which is then stored in one of the K100's 16,000 memories!

The K100 supports almost every Kenwood radio which is either  AT-250 or AT-300 compatible, so that includes the 570, 590, 850, 870 and the flagship 990. It also supports a few other Kenwoods like the older TS-2000 and the TS480SAT, etc, but the much older 430/440 radios are just too old to interface with this ATU.

Coverage is 1.6 to 54MHz and has a power-handling range of 0.1 to 120W (30W Digital). 

Tuning speed is impressively fast, but a full tune from scratch might take up to 5 seconds depending, of course, on how close to resonance your antenna is. All matches are stored in memory and recalled with lightning speed when needed. It pays to run through all the bands at various locations (CW area, PSK, FT8, Phone, etc) so that tuning time is minimised because you've already tuned there and it's all in memory.

A small but valuable feature is this ATU is powered from the radio, so no need to faff around connecting it to a DC supply.

The MAT-TUNER mAT-K100 looks great, works VERY well and is relatively cheap at Moonraker's price. I especially like the fact that it is so very well integrated with the Kenwood (and presumably the Icom range) which means that you can just totally forget it's there!

Specifications:

- 1.6-54 MHz continuous coverage

- 0.1-120 watts SSB/CW power 30 watts on PSK and digital modes.  

- 100 watts max SSB/CW above 50 MHz.

- Tuning time 0.1-5 seconds for full tune cycle.

- 16,000 frequency memories

- Impedance matching range 5 to 1500 ohms

- Dimensions  20D x 13W x 4D cm

- Weight 0.8 kg

(tr)uSDX MODS

Tru Bling!

I work with stainless-steel everyday and so it was pretty inevitable that I should ask the CAD Department if they could copy the plastic lid, personalise it and make a couple of replacement lids for my (tr)uSDX radios.

They won't really serve much purpose other than stroking my vanity and generally looking great on the radios. I also took advantage of the opportunity to reduce the screen aperture size by 1mm all around - now it looks much more 'fitted'. Previsouly, there had been a tiny gap around the screen and it bugged the hell out of me.  Additionally, I fitted a stand to each radio. They cost £4 each from Amazon and come with self-adhesive backing. LINK HERE.

And before you ask, no I am not able to make any more steel faceplates. Sorry, but I had to pull some strings to get these two done. I intend to replace the black screws with stainless-steel hex heads. Here's some pix...

Modified with new screws

Thanks for popping by!

(tr)uSDX Review here

KENWOOD TS-590SG MINI-REVIEW

KENWOOD TS-590SG
Back To Base

14 September 2022 

After getting our new holiday home in the Forest Of Bowland, I decided that I had no need for a Base Station at home, since I'd be going away every single weekend. I hardly spent any time in the shack to begin with, since most of my radio-time is spent outdoors with one of my QRP rigs. So I sold my  base station and put the money toward the new caravan.

At the caravan I setup my radio gear and pretty much leave it there. I also setup a telescopic mast for quick installation of a wire, so everything's pretty much sewn up and ready to go within a few short minutes.  But that leaves the shack at home pretty bare. In fact, we recently decided not to have a weekend at the caravan, but instead stay at home - and it was at that point that I realised I was 'HF deficient' 

At home I still have an FTM300D and an FT-7250 (2M/70cm, C4FM) but no HF other than a tiny (tr)uSDX, so it was time to look for a cheap base station. To be honest, my very first thought was a used Yaesu FT-DX3000 because I think they're one of the most underrated HF rigs out there! I have very fond memories of the one I used to own and before I knew it, I'd found one on HamRadioDeals. The only thing that stopped me from buying it, was that it looked really grubby.

 

Soon after I spotted a beautiful Kenwood TS-590SG that was advertised as two years old at a decent price. These are currently £1500 new, so I was glad to make a bit of a saving. When it arrived, I was really very pleased with the condition of the radio. The radio is surprisingly compact and fitted perfectly into the shack next to my Yaesu speaker (a remnant from my FT-DX101D ownership).

 

I've never had a Kenwood base station before - in fact the only Kenwoods I've ever bought were a TH-F7 and a TH-D74💖(both handhelds).  I'm very aware that Kenwoods are generally considered to be the kings of audio and the TS-590 has been on the periphery of my vision for a long time, but I've just never got around to trying one before.

Before I bought this, I studied the spec and general opinions of existing owners. It seemed that no one had a bad word to say - quite the opposite in fact! The vast majority of owners absolutely ❤️loved❤️ their 590 and the newer "SG" model just put icing on top of an already excellent cake with...

.... much improved receive performance and TX-spike performance (close to TS-990), CW Decoder, ANT Out, Improved Multi-Knob, 10 LCD Screen Colours and better styling.

The TS-590SG is a good old fashioned SuperHet so there's no fancy scopes or waterfalls, just a very clear and straightforward LCD screen with an option to adjust the background colour. After owning some of the most advanced transceivers on the market, it felt like going back to basics - but in a very good way. 

The TS-590SG hit the UK shelves in 2015 and is still very relevant in 2022 with its 32bit DSP, USB connector, built-in SoundCard and Remote Control capability, but it still has that old school feel about it and it's so nice to have all those buttons, knobs and dials. Kenwood is not a company for changing its product lines every two minutes - they make a radio, they make it well and it keeps on selling.

The "SG" update has turned a great radio into a superb radio thanks to technology borrowed from the mighty flagship TS-990S including some sharp roofing filters (with a first IF of 11.374MHz) and an IF AGC. In addition, Kenwood has improved the reciprocal mixer dynamic range, almost matching it with the SDR competition.  After testing the radio, Rob Sherwood said it offered the best bang for the buck on the market!

Now it's my understanding that the original 590's had a TX overshoot problem, but this has been eliminated in the new SG. As far as I know, there are no other known issues with the radio. It appears to be a rock solid workhorse which is admired by rag-chewers and contesters alike. 

Having been a big user of SDR radios, I am pretty used to having a panadapter and so I was pleased to see that the TS-590SG has a phono output for an external receiver, which means that you can easily connect a cheap (eg. SDRPLAY RSP1A ) receiver and share whatever antennas you have connected to the 590 👍👍👍

SDR SOFTWARE

The rear panel of the TS-590SG is well laid out and has decent spacing between connectors. There are two SO-239's for antennas A and B and a phono socket (RCA) for the RX-Only antenna. There's a second RCA connector for DRV (external receiver or transvertor).

Accessory wise, there's a few bits and bobs that can be added to the radio such as a very high-accuracy TCXO and a Voice Recorder, but the latter is of no interest to me personally. Frequency stability on the other hand is very important to me,  so Ibought an SO-3 TCXO and installed it. 

There's also a range of microphones but the last three years has taught me that the stock fist-mic is usually one of the best sounding mics you can plug into the connector.  Nevertheless, if I find a bargain MC-60 I'll give it a go.

I'd just like to point out that the Kenwood TS-590SG feels superbly well made! I mean the whole thing feels slick and all the buttons and dials are solidly fitted with very little lateral movement or "slack". This is better than I've found on transceivers costing three times as much!

My home QTH isn't the quietest place (electrically speaking), so it's not really fair to talk about the radio's noise-floor, although it certainly doesn't seem any worse than any of my previous radios. It does, however, have a gorgeous rich sound to the audio and is less tiring to listen to on SSB. Those fabulous roofing filters no doubt contribute to the great sound of the Kenwood, as does the Noise Reduction system.

The radio has a buit-in equaliser for both TX & RX and there's some useful presets plus a custom user-defined setting. The trouble is with these things is that you can get carried away with them and end up with a setting that is excessively biased one way - way too thin or too thick and heavy. I think I'll end up assigning the RX Eq to one of the PF buttons for quick access.

The TX audio is equally impressive according to those who were good enough to help me with tests. I've not bothered altering the TX-Eq and probably won't.

Tuning around with that velvety smooth dial is a pleasure and when you com across a signal, rest assured that you've got the tools to improve it, no matter how poor it is. Using the RF Gain, Noise Reduction and the Filter Shift & Width you will pull out all but the very faintest signals. The Beat Cancel button (1&2) works amazingly well to get rid of annoying  whistles and beeps on your frequency, without degrading the desired signal too much. I really like that feature and use it quite a lot.

The ATU : WOW! Normally I don't even discuss built-in ATU's except on Elecrafts, because they're always pretty "average" but I have to give credit where credit is due. The TS-590SG has a superb ATU and it's super fast too. If you have something like a 40-6M EFHW, you won't need an external atu - simple as that - it'll tune all bands without an issue. Brilliant!

Finally I'd like to mention how very easy it is to work Digital modes - this thing is a breeze to work with on FT8, WSPR, etc. Just follow this super simple guide. It makes you wonder why some other manufacturers make it so damned difficult! 😡

So, there you have it. I managed to find a cheap marvel and I'm super happy with it. Even though I've previously had some high-end radios in the shack, I don't feel I'm losing out massively by using a TS-590SG.  Sure, if I did a lot of work from my shack, I'd have kept the 7610, but I'm an occasional user at home, so I reckon I've done pretty good choosing this rig. 

 

THE COMPETITION...

 

I guess the biggest competition for this radio would be the ICOM IC-7300 and if you 're specifically looking for an SDR, then that would be the natural choice, especially with Icom's super intuitive operating systems - it's certainly the cheapest option! I've had a 7300 myself and for the money it's a fabulous entry point into SDR radio. I could have got a used one for less money than the 590, but I decided I wanted to go back to a more 'traditional' rig and I personally feel that the 590 actually performs much better than the 7300.

Using the radio's built-in DSP functions, the RF Gain, a touch of attenuation and altering the filter width/shape, you can get a low noise floor and a lovely clean signal, as shown in the video below (watch the S-Meter)....

If video doesn't show, click HERE

The TS-590SG's external-receiver connector (DRV) is a great feature! This is an antenna-splitter which is very convenient! It's nice to see that you can switch off the splitter by the simple press of a button, if  for example, you wanted to focus on a particularly weak signal momentarily. This built-in splitter is infinitely more convenient say, than using a clunky MFJ-1708B (not to mention cheaper, lol). 

It doesn't matter how good your radio's SDR screen is, you can't beat having the flexibility and rich feature-set of software like SDR UNO, SDR CONSOLE or HDSDR and being able to control everything on the computer screen.

SDR UNO (with OminRig installed) can operate your radio flawlessly and provide you with a staggering range of information and options all on one big screen. You can even have multiple receivers open. And if you spin the physical dial on the radio (or press any buttons), it changes on the computer too. UNO is also constantly being modified and updated with an amazing array of features. I believe they're currently writing a completely new multi-platform version called SDR CONNECT which should be released at the back end of 2022.

Kenwood also supply some free software (ARCP-590) which allows you to control the radio but it obviously doesn't provide any panadapter features. It does, however, give you access to all the controls and menus in a nice, easy to access way. Please note from the screenshot below that you must download the correct version for your 590S or 590SG. Installing the wrong one (as I did 😁) will result in an error.

So apart from being cheap, the IC-7300 just doesn't compare to the TS-590SG (in my humble opinion). The 7300 only has one antenna connector, whereas the 590 has 2 TX and 3 RX connectors. The 590 has an output for an external receiver - the 7300 doesn’t. The 7300 ATU is like most other manufacturer's - average. Basically, the 7300 is a low-cost, entry-level SDR transceiver for people who are perhaps new to radio or for those who just want something very simple - it's a fabulous choice. The TS-590SG is more of an ‘experimenter’s’ radio.

73, Tom, M7MCQ.

Martin Lynch & Son Review

UPDATE 10/10/22

Managed to find a very nice MC-60 described as "Boxed-Unused, Like New".  The original box and instructions were included too. 

There have been some reports of this mic being susceptible to RFI but I've certainly not experienced any problems. Then again, a lot of people have lots of RFI in their shack which needs sorting out instead of blaming it on an item that makes them more aware of their problem.

The MC-60 is a very solidly built bit of kit and it won't be moving around the desk. It's simple and functional, with no frills. It could really do with an LED to remind you that it's in transmit mode and I might try to add one. The pre-amp switch is located on the underside of the base which seems a bit daft to me, so I might try relocating that too. There's no real need for either modification - but it's good fun to experiment isn't it? 😂

If you have any comments or questions, then please post in the comment section below or email me directly on m7mcqio83ro@gmail.com and remember, this post is just my own personal ramblings - I'm not an expert, but I have at least bought and tried the equipment that I talk about :-) 

FTM-300D FUSION SOLUTION

YAESU'S LATEST MOBILE VHF/UHF/FUSION transceiver will probably be remembered for being one of the few new radios to hit the shops during the Covid period! Well, maybe that and the IC-705 if it makes it to the stores before another outbreak cripples the world's supply chains again. 

The FTM-300D appears to be a replacement for the FTM400 although no one at Yaesu is admitting that yet, since there are probably still a few thousand of the old units to sell. Although I personally don't think it's as attractive to the eye as the 400, the 300 certainly is a welcome update and it offers me something that my old 400 never did AND it does things which my 991A doesn't do.

Because I like to use the WIRES-X software in the shack through my computer, I had no choice but to buy the FTM-300 because my only other option was to tie-up my handheld FT3D which seems a little crazy.

So here we are at the end of July 2022 and looking around all the UK supplier's websites I can see that there's no stock! Well actually, LAMCO showed them being 'In Stock' but a quick phone call produced the usual "Oh sorry, the website mustn't have updated itself'. So with no option but to wait for a new batch to enter the country, I placed an order with Martin Lynch & Sons. £400

10 days later, the unit arrives (thanks ML&S) and I quickly unbox it and store the packaging in the attic with all the others.

Putting the FT3D next to the 300 it would appear initially that Yaesu had shared the same screen - which would have been a good thing - but sadly the 300 isn't a Touch-Screen. Why?? Not a clue - seems crazy to me to invest in the creation of a nice touch-screen and then not utilise it in your other radios. Go figure.

Whilst lacking the benefits of a touch-screen, the 300 is nice and easy to operate. The buttons on either side of the head unit are clearly marked and make complete sense, as do the rotary controls. The menu system (what they call Easy To Operate (E2O II)) is intuitive and doesn't give you that 'bogged down' feeling when you're trying to reach a particular setting.

One of the very best features of this new radio is the true Dual Band capability which is achieved by the inclusion of two independent receivers which means that you can not only monitor two separate bands, but can also monitor two different parts of the same band. In fact, you can even monitor two C4FM frequencies!!

VHF/UHF  VHF/VHF  UHF/UHF VHF/C4FM  UHF/C4FM  C4FM/C4FM

That's great news! But you can also switch on the CrossBand Repeater function. This won't work in C4FM to C4FM, but it will work in one analogue mode to another analogue mode, or even C4FM to analogue mode. It basically receives on one frequency and instantly re-transmits on another (FM) frequency.  Cool!

The radio has 50W power on all bands with options to reduce that power to 25W or 5W. I've not tried it yet, but I think there might be a way to modify those settings (using the hidden service menus) so that you can get a 10W setting, which would make much more sense to Foundation Licence holders like me. Having said that, this radio will be permanently be connect to WIRES-X on my PC with a dummy load connected.

The FTM-300D has well over 1000 Memories and a small number of your favourite stored memories can be arranged into a special group which can be put into MCS mode which monitors them in the background and then stops when it finds an active frequency to allow you to communicate if you wish to. I've not spent much time with this feature, but in my mind, it's like having a number of Priority Channels that you'd like to monitor even though you might be doing other things on a different VFO.

Another great feature is the BandScope which in VFO Mode will show activity on 30 channels either side of your tuned frequency. It will do the same in Memory Mode but only 21 memory channels at a time.

The RX audio sounds pretty good and I'd say there's no need for an external speaker unless you want to alter the tone to better suit your hearing. It's pretty loud too with a 3W speaker which is mounted to the top of the base unit.

Other sophisticated features include Yaesu's AMS mode, DG-ID and GM (Group Mode) which make good use of the radio's built-in, high-precision GPS. That GPS is also used by the radio's APRS communication system. Whenever you transmit to someone in C4FM or DV mode, your GPS Position is also transmitted and their position is received, allowing navigation to one another.

The head unit can, of course, be separated from the main unit and mounted in a different location which is handy for use in the car and in some shacks. The radio has a welcome SD CARD facility and I'm pleased to say that they've placed it on the head unit which makes it much more convenient to access for those occasions when you want to remove it. You can use a card up to 32Gb.  The radio can record your QSO's in .wav format - that includes your speech and that of the other operator. On a 32Gb card there's room for many hours recording.

The supplied microphone is like no other Yaesu mic I own and it feels comfortable in the hand. Unsolicited audio reports at this early stage have been very complimentary. I like the large MUTE button at the top of the mic - I find it very handy. Another nice feature of the FTM-300 is the built-in BlueTooth which works very well with Yaesu's own BT Device but not so well with any others I tried. The good thing about Yaesu's SSM BT-10 is that it works very well with both my FTM300, my FT3D and even my Icom IC-705!! Understandably, audio reports using the bluetooth mic aren't quite as complimentary but there's been no complaints either.

So there you have it, it's a great little radio and I really am very pleased with it thus far. It's great to have DualBand back in the shack after selling the Alinco DR735 - I really missed that.

The FTM-300 is easily the more up to date and higher-spec radio when compared to the 7yr old FTM-400, but understandably, some people will want the bigger touch-screen of the 400. Personally, I much prefer the great feature of being able to monitor 2 C4FM rooms (say NWFG and CQUK), something the older 400 just cannot do.

I'd also prefer to have the wider receiver coverage and the built-in BlueTooth. The 400 also lacks the very useful Memory Groups of the 300 and the SD card location on the head-unit. 

99% of the time, this little beauty will be connected to a PC and a dummy load running WIRES-X, because my main VHF/UHF radio is the IC-9700, but occasionally I'll switch the antenna over to the FTM-300D to benefit from its wideband receive. 

REMEMBER,  these are just my own personal opinions and I fully understand that others may prefer the 400. Someone pointed out that they like the 300 for in the shack and the 400 for in the car. The bigger screen in the car makes sense.

Thanks for visiting - please take a minute to leave a comment below 

73, Tom, M7MCQ.