Icom IC 705 USB-C Control Board - Easy Upgrade!

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

You can purchase the Icom USB-C Control Board from our Shopify store: shop.ihelpu.tech/products/icom-ic-705-usb-c-control-board-upgrade

[@alzeNL]

thank you ever so much - really pleased that you sell this - my ic705 usb port was proving unreliable after much use and I cant stand the older usb style connector, usb-c is excellent and cant wait for my replacement board to arrive. Not an amp user, but really useful to have !

[@alzeNL]

not tested yet, but swap was easy enough - one very stubbon screw on the USB board ended up semi-stripped, but got it out with using a stern flatbladed screw-driver! many thanks for making these boards and the prompt shipping to the UK was very much appreciated ! less than a week from order to delivery - now for a weekend of POTA :D 73 2E0FWE

[@user-dy5ho4sj2w]

To align the port with the usb-c connector when you’re installing the new module, plug in a usb-c cable to the port and tighten down the screws. It will keep the port aligned with the housing so cables plug in properly in the future 😊 This module is awesome!

[@LJH08Ralith]

thanks for the tip. used it myself tonight and mine seems to work great.

[@hugomerth2111]

Yet another positive rating: extremely well made board, all sit perfectly in place, overall installation is an easy job for everyone. Thanks for this upgrade to already great TRX 👍👍👍

[@labcat73]

Great job! I guess every IC-705 owner will want one of these. 👏👍

[@tanneroates9273]

Just bought one, awesome job. Was looking for exactly this. Wish it had USB-C from the beginning!

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Thanks for your purchase! Our board manufacturer completed the next batch of PCBs. They're waiting for the rest of the components to begin assembly. Fingers crossed, we will get the next set to ship out in a couple of weeks. 😀

[@vu3mes]

Hi Ben..got mine yesterday and did the replacement just now. All OK but for the tough time in unscrewing the three screws holding the original board. Thanks for a great product. 73

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

I've hear reports of some radios having stiffer screws than others. Glad to hear you were able to get it installed! :D

[@iowahank1]

Thanks for the quick ship and great design. One of the easiest mods I've done ever.

[@RSwrightMD]

Brilliant upgrade. Thanks for figuring this out! Icom should buy your design and upgrade the manufacturing

[@amham48]

"Easy-peasy"...my installation went without a hitch. Thanks for a great upgrade!

[@mikemurphy1940]

I’ll second the suggestion for the ID-52. USB - C would make it the perfect HT.

[@cbernad]

Took less than 15 minutes. Seriously easy, but I would firmly agree with using a screw driver that is matched to the screws. I had some issues getting the bottom one off without striping it. Thanks for the great fix! 73 - N8CMB

[@henrikh484]

Thanks, just installed the board, piece of cake :) Excellent work!!

[@ch716]

Preordered! I just fried my PTT circuit. What a terrible flaw in Icom’s design. Thanks for making this.

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Yup! Exact reason we focused on adding protecting for that SEND line. Thanks for the preorder! We're excited to get the next batch in to get them shipped out. Let me know how it works for you all once you get it in 😀

[@petrsuchomel9639]

Happened to me as well, the radio returned unrepaired, and so far it spent about 6 months in service. Should I know at the time how easy it is to get there, it would be repaired instantly. Anyway, a great upgrade.

[@ch716]

@@petrsuchomel9639 replacing the MOSFETs was a real challenge for me because I don’t have SMT tools, but it’s possible to do. I feel for you. I was so upset when I blew out my PTT circuit.

[@petrsuchomel9639]

​​@@ch716replacing the part would be snap easy for me as I have all tools, but at the time I didn't have schematic. Same problem with KX3, took about 10 minutes to fix. Cumulative 6 months for 705 service... Add the pain of micro USB.

[@petrsuchomel9639]

@@FooBar89 I was well aware about limitations, and I am very often going backpacking, so far another box isn't really a preference. Perfect for a shack, I totally understand what you mean and what I have in instances where I am on fixed setup. But as a portable radio, it is a total flaw, no doubt. Designed by kids and management. Look at relatively old FT817 (without D), how beefy and well designed is the same circuit.

[@pedalitis]

Great upgrade idea. I fitted mine in about 15 minutes today with no problems at all.

[@thebnbaldwin]

One of the easiest, value added mods you can do! Thanks for a great upgrade product!

[@KD9VUK-]

Just installed mine! Thanks so much for this, gets rid of a cable from my portable pack!

[@stevearodgers]

Fantastic upgrade! I just placed my order. Thanks!

[@LJH08Ralith]

Order placed. Seems like a simple upgrade and i'm glad you commented at the end that it was protected to only send 5v power through usb.

[@LJH08Ralith]

For anyone watching now I have received my unit but haven’t yet had time to perform upgrade. Appears to be as promoted.

[@LJH08Ralith]

I completed my upgrade tonight watching the video again. 15-30 minutes and it was all done and testing seems to appear to show identical performance to stock. no issues. Biggest risk I saw was you might strip the head off a screw if you aren't careful. Mine at least were very tightly in there. Now I have the same charging port as my tuner and other modern devices. Next iPhone upgrade my phone will have the same and I'll be all usb c except my 52a.

[@oldsoldier181]

Anxiously awaiting the next batch to ship!!

[@darylnd]

Mine arrived in yesterday’s mail. I’ve just installed it. Thank you!

[@rupedev]

Got mine installed, super easy and it works perfectly! Was such a pain when using everything else with USB-C. Thank you so much for making these!

[@WH6FQE]

Im slightly confused as to the reasoning for this upgrade. I have had my 705 since it was first released and I haven't had a need to use that port once yet. Im actually wondering why they put the USB port on the radio at all.

[@HamRadioDX]

Fantastic upgrade! I better get one of these boards to upgrade my 705 and review.

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

I'd be happy to send you one! Please feel free to email me your contact info, and we can collaborate from there. In full disclosure, I'm not willing to pay for reviews since I'm not too fond of paid reviews as a consumer. I am excited to hear your feedback!

[@johnpeterson7264]

Excellent ! Thanks for creating this product and this video !

[@tommartin2335]

So much for the easy upgrade I went to open the clip on the new board with my finger nail, and broke the connector. That being said I had to order another board, Hope the second time works out better.....

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Yup! You do have to be careful with that FPC connector. Please email [e-mail] with your order number and we'll see if we can help you out.

[@DrSteveMorreale]

Awesome, I just ordered my upgrade from you and some cables! I'm wondering if I need to modify the GO Bag enclosure from W2HVH so that I can charge both the ICOM battery and the Lipo battery from the outside of the enclosure. I probably need an internal USB C cable that does that. I'll look into it when I take the radio out of the enclosure to do the upgrade.

[@vu3mes]

Placed my order..very good mod for the 705 🎉.

[@tattoopartoofrance]

great thank you ❤

[@VE9ASN]

Simply wonderful, thank you! 73

[@christrainor1394]

Hardest part about installing this was dealing with the gallon of Loctite Icom put on the top and bottom screws. :)

[@ColbyHiggs]

Great update! Easy and helpful video.

[@KC1RT-RickT67]

I just ordered one 👍… I’m curious to know if any other 705 owners plan to use, or are using the Xiegu XPA125B. Been watching YT videos on the subject & wondered if this board upgrade would negate the need for the RBI-1 interface protective buffer. ?

[@frankwc0o]

Nice job dude.

[@G7LWT]

Great work - thanks for the easy to understand video. Will the USB-C connector cope with power fed from my Apple MacBook Pro power supply or does it need 5V only?

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Yup! I tested it with my MacBook charger and a USB-C multi-meter and it worked as expected. We configured the correct resistors so that the the USB-C power delivery protocol knows to send only 5V at up to 1.5A, which is the same amount of power that the original board ran at. Note that it is just a connector swap so the board will not charge your radio any faster than the original USB port. Hope that helps!

[@G7LWT]

​@@iHelpUTechEffingham Thanks so much for the quick reply and for confirming that it's safe to use Mac chargers etc. - looks like I just found one of my Christmas presents! 🙂 It's also good to know about the improved protection for the external PTT control line. 73 and thanks again

[@Ardren]

Fantastic!

[@IronApples]

This is so awesome!

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Thanks!

[@ve7ked]

Ordered. Thanks for creating this. 73

[@litzdog911]

Excellent video! I need this for my IC-705. But it seems there's no "order" button on your eBay listing even though it's clear that it's a back-ordered board. How can I get in line for one?

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Turns out I misread eBay's policy on back ordered items. They want to make sure I have items in stock before I list them. The order button will be available again when I have the boards in stock. For now, I'm going to work on setting up my Shopify page to offer more flexibility for our customers. (Cheaper pricing since no eBay fee.) You can email [e-mail] or check back in a week or so to get in line. Thanks for your interest!

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

I have our shopify page updated to support preorders. You can reserve your board here: shop.ihelpu.tech/products/icom-ic-705-usb-c-control-board-upgrade Thanks!

[@k9kj]

Awesome! I need one of these. I see you are not too far from me... But still a far drive. Is eBay the only way to order?

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

You are welcome to make the trip to our iHelpU.Tech storefront, but we are still waiting for the next batch of boards to arrive. The first 20 are sold out, so we ordered another 100 with our manufacturer. That batch should be in by late November to early December. We are offering free shipping and 20% off all pre-orders on eBay so that would be my suggestion to reserve your board. :-)

[@k9kj]

@@iHelpUTechEffingham ok cool... I'll jump on e Bay. Thanks man!

[@ph3v]

Ordered! 👍

[@Funkwelle]

I was send here by a viewer of my channel to check if this would be worth a review. However I don't really understand the advantage behind this board. If I get it right you just changed to Micro USB connector to USB-C connector. So you need to buy a new cable (if you don't alread have one), but you don't get any adantage from the new connector. I mean, USB-C i.e. easily could deliver enough power to completely run the radio over it. Or it could deliver significant more power for charging the battery. But it's just a swap of the connector, right? And you also integrated a better protection of the SEND/ALC line. This of course is nice, but this also can be done by just adding a relay and a diode into the external cable for the amp. This is the solution which Icom always suggests in their manuals. A relay and a diode can be bought for only a few bucks. You even get complete relay boards with an integrated diodes and optocoupler for 2, 3 dollars. So you don't have to open the radio for this solution (risk any guarantee) and you also can use such a cable with other radios. Maybe I did oversee something or I understood you wrong, but I can't see advantage at the moment.

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Hello Funkwelle! Thanks for your interest in the board! You do bring up some valid points. For USB-C, it is indeed just a connector swap. My background is as a phone and computer repair technician, and I prefer the USB-C connector over the Micro-B. It's easier to clean, more durable, and reversible. USB-C has already become ubiquitous, so most people with this radio would likely already have the cable, especially if they purchased an Android phone within the past five years. It will only grow in popularity and become commonplace with the new EU mandate that forced Apple to switch to USB-C on the iPhones. This radio was the last device that I had that used micro-b, so it was more convenient for me to change it to USB-C. Implementing the USB-C Power Delivery standard would be cool, but this would be more involved. I don't want to mislead anyone by saying it supports faster USB-C PD charging, so I tried to emphasize that. The USB-C PD spec could supply enough power to the radio. For the DC barrel jack, Icom recommends 13.8V at 5A. USB-C offers a mode for 15V at up to 5A. The issue is how to implement it on the radio. The USB_VBUS line goes to several integrated circuits expecting to be at 5V high or 0V low to detect USB power. You would smoke the radio if we put 15V on the USB line. It would require thoughtful planning and modifications to several lines on different boards to support this properly. One method I see as more of a hack is to redirect the USB_VBUS line to the input of the DC barrel jack. Then, you could use either the DC barrel jack or a USB-C PD charger, but not a standard 5v USB. I might look into these options more with my radio to see what could be done, but I would only offer this as a service if this upgrade were even possible. The SEND/ALC line was my main reason for making the board. I plugged in a home-brew QRP amplifier that I got off of a fellow ham, and it killed my control board when I went to transmit. I know what you are referring to in the advance manual with the transistor and diode to protect the stock control board. And I encourage anyone who wants to tinker to make it themselves. It's a fun project, and you can learn a lot about signaling lines. Optocouplers would also be a good idea for even more protection. My concern with them was getting the bidirectional signaling to work, and they do go bad quicker than most MOSFETs. For me, I wanted something that was integrated inside the radio and fixed the underlying issue. Rather than worrying about protecting underpowered transistors, I replaced them with a model more up to the task. Overall, my goal with this board was to add protection to the SEND line and replace the micro-b port while retaining all of the functionality of the stock board. I feel like I was able to accomplish my goal with this board. I made it mainly for myself and a few friends, and I'm honestly surprised and thankful that other people see the value in it too. Ultimately, this is a limited production board from a small American business that is testing every unit before we ship it, offering a warranty on the product, and will answer your emails and phone calls if you have questions. I understand if you don't see the value in this board. You can definitely accomplish the same thing for less. I see it as a nice $85 upgrade on a $1500 radio that eliminates some of the issues I had with mine. Let me know if you would be interested in a unit to review, and I would be happy to send you one. I hope this explanation helps! 73's -Ben KD9LJF

[@chrish1922]

I can understand why you don't understand the advantage.

[@antoniofernandez9512]

@@iHelpUTechEffingham Your board has effectively addressed two significant drawbacks in a finely crafted rig: the outdated USB connector and, more importantly, the SEND/ALC line issue. Your solution is not only easy to implement but also demonstrates a high level of functionality. It's evident to most users that these improvements are most welcome, making the ongoing discussion seem unnecessary and perhaps driven by sheer ignorance. Thanks very much!!!

[@scottboyce]

Contrary to the how-to article and this video, the screws are NOT Philips. They are JIS, as evidenced by the dot. If you really want to minimize the risk of stripping, use a JIS driver. They are not the same. A Philips, regardless of the size, is not the correct tool.

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

I initial thought this also, but I ordered a JIS screwdriver set from iFixit and none of them did not fit as well as a #1 Phillips. I stopped by our local SnapOn shop and confirmed this with their drivers. Unfortunately, not all Phillips drivers are made the same and some work better than others. Sometimes the LocTite is more stubborn on some radios that others too. My recommendation is to apply plenty of downward force and go slow to prevent the screws from stripping. Use the driver that you feel has the closest fit. Thanks for your feedback!

[@scottboyce]

​@@iHelpUTechEffingham Interesting. To make matters even more confusing, there are at at least two JIS profiles, never mind the proliferation of "Phillips" styles. I wonder which JIS profile the iFixit kit is, and which JIS profile the Icom screws are. I have some JIS drivers from Moody Tool and Vessel, but unfortunately don't own this radio (yet?) so I can't provide any data points. I agree 100% on downward force, also using a new bit that doesn't have any wear.

[@michaelleslie8310]

Good job.

[@stevearodgers]

I'm having one heck of a time trying to get the bottom center screw removed from mine. Starting to strip the screw. Anyone else run into issues with that screw? All the others came out super easy. This one feels like it's loctited with red loctite or something. Ugh!

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Hmm... Haven't heard a lot of issues getting the screws out of the radio. They do use blue loctite, but maybe yours is just seized up from the factory. My suggestion is to make sure you are using the correct size of phillips head and apply plenty of downward pressure on the screwdriver to prevent the head from stripping out any more. Obviously, just be careful not to apply so much pressure that you crack the casing of the radio. Best of luck to you since I know dealing with stripped out screws is no fun.

[@sk8crk]

ordered and paid before christmas 23, been over a month still hasn't arrived :(

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Hello! We are working hard to get more units stocked. Please email [e-mail] for questions specific to your order. Thanks!

[@mtnandroad]

I’m so excited to get rid of that pesky USB-micro. Now I can remove the sticker I put on the side of the radio telling me which way to orient the plug, and I can standardize my cables.

[@iu1olr]

nice! i want it!

[@thomasmacher9070]

Hi, well done - exactliy what I need for my Tranverter. Where can I buy it in Germany? 73, DL3NAR

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Thanks Thomas! Right now, the best place to order is our online store. (link in video description.)

[@Auxrad39]

Your Shopify only says that you ship to the states ? I live in VK1 what would be the postage ?

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Just updated the listing to support international sales. If you don't mind, try again now and see how it works. Thanks!

[@Auxrad39]

It seems to have worked for me my cart is empty , thanks very much 73 VK1TSK

[@Bluecollarham]

Just ordered mine! Is it too much of an ask to convert the ID52?! LOL

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

lol I don't have the ID52, but maybe I'll look into ordering one to test. Thanks for your purchase! 73's

[@4X4-RADIO]

I'm in the UK... Not available, contact seller..??

[@LanceVK6LK_AussieHam]

Fantastic upgrade. Pity about how expensive International shipping is. You will be missing out on sales when shipping is $55AUD for such a small part. Hope you consider other options. Cheers 73 Lance VK6LMK

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Our online platform, Shopify, does its best to calculate shipping for international orders. Sometimes it overestimates the rates, so I'll check my shipping platform to see if we can reduce the rate for your order.

[@LanceVK6LK_AussieHam]

@@iHelpUTechEffingham Thank you. It’s a fantastic product. Very impressed by your consideration of international customers. 73 Lance

[@turinskiboy]

Hi Lance, I hope you bought one. nothing gets cheaper these days. I just ordered mine, regardless of the fluctuating exchange rate, and seemingly high postal cost. The additional features this board offers, makes it worth the cost. Cheers, VK3PCJ.

[@LanceVK6LK_AussieHam]

@@turinskiboy already fitted one. They refunded part of the shipping cost so it was more reasonable. Cheers Lance VK6LK

[@conorturton]

Take my money already. This fixes the two issues I had with this radio. Unfortunately it appears you're sold out. :(

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

lol working on getting more here! Check back on our online store for preorders. Turns out ebay doesn't like presales so working on setting up our own store with more features. Will resume selling on eBay when I have some stock by late November/early December.

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

I updated our shopify store to better handle preorders. Here is the link: shop.ihelpu.tech/products/icom-ic-705-usb-c-control-board-upgrade 73's!

[@conorturton]

@@iHelpUTechEffingham Brilliant. I've put in a pre-order.

[@ronaldburks504]

How can i get one ?

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Check the video description ;-)

[@4X4-RADIO]

How to order in the UK..??

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

I'll work on the eBay listing to support international shipping options. Check back in a day or two.

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Looks like the listing should automatically be using eBay's international shipping options. Try again and see if it lets you purchase it. Please email [e-mail] for more troubleshooting.

[@4X4-RADIO]

@@iHelpUTechEffingham Hi, Try to but get "Unfortunately, shipping to your location is not available at this time" will email support

[@conorturton]

Are you running the 4x4 Radio store? Hope you're going to leave some left for the rest of us.

[@4X4-RADIO]

@@conorturton No... Just an individual...

[@bilvol]

Hey - stop reading this and go make more boards! LOL "Patiently" waiting...

[@iHelpUTechEffingham]

Working on it!

[@rolyatecnal]

73 VA6LAT

[@AG8000]

Very nice