The mighty ICOM IC-7800, is it amongst the last of a dying breed?

[@niknak3921]

Owned my 7800 since 2004 and is still the best,quietest rx in the shack,not to mention the best built and easiest rig to use ..a true classic !

[@Mike-v9k5t]

Hello Andrew. Thanks for the fine deonstration of the 7800 super station radio. Remarkable find ... my guess is that they did manufacture very many of these expensive radios. Love the big old radios. Interesting to listen to "local" VK stations on 40m. Thanks again. Take care and 73 from Mike VE3XLF.

[@johnwest7993]

Near as I can tell, there are no dying breeds in ham radio. I have a Hammarlund HQ-160 communications receiver I still use, an Icom FT-101 I still use, a Heathkit 104 I still use, an Icom 706 I still use, and a couple of (tr)uSDX transceivers I use. That's quite a long history of gear plugged in and sitting on my station desk. I know other hams running stations covering even more ham history. I like to use all of it. I figure there's no such thing as an obsolete ham radio.

[@RoyGNH]

Great radio! Enjoyed the video - Best of luck with it! 73s

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

You're right, I absolutely love this style of radio's. Built like a battleship; AC PSU built-in; diecast alloy front panel; full-19" sized; large LCD; nice solid rack stye grips and phenomenal performance. And I like Icom's style of radio appearance. Much more professional looking than nowadays Yaesu radios, the latter always giving their radio's these "organic" shapes which makes them look like cheap stereos. Icom started this battleship-radio trend with the IC-765, then the IC-781, then the IC-7800 and the the IC-7851. I think you are correct, Icom will not do a follow-up model on the 7851. By the way, I have compared the IC-7851 receiver performance against the Flexradio 7600, and the IC-7851 beats that radio hands-down. The problem with these direct sampling SDRs is that the A-D converter at the RF input has a poor noise figure which is especially a problem at frequencies above 10 MHz. This means an RF preamp is needed which lowers the blocking dynamic range and the third-order IMD performance. For the Flexradio this was so bad that I could hear all this breakthrough from very strong 6 MHz broadcast stations showing up as 5 kHz "grass" on 15 and 10 meter. The concept that the IC-7851 uses (direct-down mixing using a high-level I-Q mixer using an ultra low-noise synthesizer as the local oscillator) avoids al these issues, and it allows for a 24-bit A-D converter at a much lower input frequency instead of the 16-bit ADCs that these direct-sampling SDR receivers use.

[@VK2XXL]

Yes this is the reason why I'd like to own the 7851 above all else. But I am curious to see how the IC-7760 goes. Your summary is brilliant and I agree totally. Nothing else to add. I got a laugh when some operators thought I was running an Anan radio with Digital Pre Distortion. They were amazed at how clean my signal was. Nope, it was the IC-7800! Rather than praising they just changed the subject. Digital Pre Distortion seems to be the next fad for lazy operators that can't drive their equipment properly!

[@timmotel5804]

Good Day. What a Wonderful "TOY"! I wish that I could afford to purchase something like this. Very good video. Thank You & Best Regards.

[@che59v]

Was great radio at the time, this radio came with advanced technology and a price tag that made it unaffordable for many , now we have the mini version of IC-7610 and its little brother IC-7300, i believe the IC7300 is well priced for what you are given. Thanks for a great video.

[@VK2XXL]

Thanks! I've also got the IC-7300. Great radio and won't be going anywhere! The IC-7610 is amazing value for money.

[@TrimeshSZ]

Maybe we have different definitions, but I tend to think that radio IS an SDR - just one with a superhet front end and up conversion in the TX. It's taking the IF, feeding into an ADC and then doing all the IF and audio processing in a DSP before sending the results out to a DAC. On transmit, it does the same thing in the opposite direction - takes audio in and feeds it into an ADC then generates a modulated carrier mathematically inside the DSP and finally outputs it using a DAC.

[@VK2XXL]

You make a spot on point! I have no arguments against you and find myself nodding in agreement.

[@a120068020]

I have owned an FTDX-10 for about a year - really love it. But I have just purchased a new TS-590SG just to have a superhet radio on the bench. If someone released a new boat anchor like the FTDX-5000 / IC-7800 I think many who appreciate lots of controls and no SDR would buy it.

[@rev.randall2292]

Awesome. I love different Base Stations , and the older ones are great.

[@Justplast]

My Father still has his in the box never used it LOL was the first in Australia to buy his radio. No one had this radio only my dad.

[@lt.petemaverickmitchell7113]

That’s a beast! I’d love to have one of those!

[@JamesJ7851]

Very nice video. I also suspect that the days of large format transceivers has come to an end. I've been a ham for 30+ years and large format analog Japanese transceivers is what I truly enjoy. It's that reason I ordered a IC-7851 a few years ago that I received in September 2023. I currently also have a Kenwood TS-990S and a Yaesu FTDX-5000 with all options. I had a FTDX-9000mp, but the FTDX-5000 is superior. I have other transceivers, but the three "big boys" I own, will remain in my shack until there is failure and they are no longer serviceable, or I have a failure and I am no longer serviceable -hi hi. 73 de AB4D

[@johnk8091]

Lovely radio. The only thing that would be distracting for me is the very slow refresh rate of the spectrum scope and waterfall - it looks to be about 2 per second

[@VK2XXL]

It can run faster than that (not as fast as a 7300 or 7610) but I deliberately slow the refresh rate right the way down because I like to keep signals in the viewfinder for longer. Just personal taste there.

[@smiffykuk]

Still love my IC-781… but I also own an IC-7610

[@nyworker]

A lot of wonderful equipment out there.

[@Pivotal_Moment]

Thanks for this presentation. (Would've been way better if the audio was piped directly instead of thru the microphone--missed a lot of the radio's true receiver audio. 😉)

[@VK2XXL]

@@Pivotal_Moment Hi there, I understand what you mean but I'm actually the other way around. I prefer a good quality external speaker hooked up (certainly the case here) and to hear the natural sound in the shack of how the receiver performs. But I can still experiment in future with the line in method 😉

[@steveacab77]

The speaker wirth owning or not ?

[@PrecisionGroupYT]

Thanks for sharing what a beautiful radio! I would love to spend some operating time with either a 7800 or 7851! I have the 7300 and 7610 as well. I had the 7300 since 2017 and even though I have the 7610 it’s often easier to fire up the 7300 for listening or for a quick contact plus it uses allot less power than the 7610 ( especially when just listening) but I do love them both! 73 K4BBC

[@JacquesVermeulenZS1WC]

I wave at you Andrew from down South (ZS1WC). Thank you for the nice video. What a sound mate. I have an IC7610 in the shack. How would you personally compare the 2 rigs? I think the 7610 is noisier and prone to static and noise we get lately due to solar panels and inverters. 73's

[@VK2XXL]

G'day mate, yes by their very design full SDR radios will always fair worse under tough conditions in noisy RF environments. The IC-7800, my Drake TR7A and Collins KWM-2A always beat any SDR radio hands down in noisy environments. Although the KWM-2A is at a disadvantage without a noise blanker. You can still run external band pass filters to help, but the FPGA in SDR's will never compare to good old crystal and especially mechanical filters. That's where the 3khz roofing filter in the 7800 is so powerful especially.

[@caspian40]

Still a beaut of a radio and still command a high price for an older radio here in the uk for a mk 2

[@cw2gtc]

That sure is a pretty rig. I’m still pretty new. Only been a hamster for a year. So, these rigs are all eye candy to me.

[@VK2XXL]

We were all in your shoes once. Keep learning and working hard. Things will happen more quickly than you expect 🙂

[@nickjh1968]

The display looks very much like a newer Yaesu radio display.

[@la7dfa]

Yes it does. I have the FTDX101D and it can look very much the same. I love a "big" base station where you do not have to dig down in menus for the daily settings, and dual receivers is really great for chasing DX or monitoring two bands.

[@winstonchurchill6506]

on the wish list cheers from u k

[@vk3mh]

Nice rig, I use to own it :-)

[@Redbelly357]

As the current technology required for some radios become obsolete people will own a doorstop. But of course, I think that is the marketing plan.

[@VK2XXL]

Sadly as parts become obsolete it's a real concern.

[@geraldscott4302]

That's not a radio. It's a computer/video game. I'm using an Icom 718, an Icom 728, and a Yaesu FTDX560. I totally rebuilt the 560, and it is my main HF radio. Real radios DO NOT use software.

[@VK2XXL]

I also have a similar Yaesu to yours (FTDX-400) as well as many Drake and Collins radios. Personally I think the IC-7800 is the best of both worlds been a Superheterodyne and using DSP technology to drive the Scopes. You can turn the video games off if you like and just use like any other radio, complete with the excellent filtering.

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

Real radios need to have their plate dipped….but I have also been told to _get with the times_

[@Redbelly357]

Most hams can't afford a rig like that. Yaesu, Icom and Kenwood better figure this out. The Chinese will be taking over the market eventually.

[@RobPetty622]

That rig wasn’t meant to be sold to most hams. It was top line and it came with a top line price. It would be like telling Cadillac that they better start making more affordable cars for the everyman.

[@MIAMIC70]

Cadillacs SUCK and GM lost that business to Europe a long time ago. 😂

[@VE9ASN]

Definitely a dying breed, a modern sdr can do all that and much, much more for a fraction of the cost.

[@VK2XXL]

Well now there's a shoot from the hip comment with no logic. SDR's fall apart under tough bands conditions and there's no substitute for real roofing filters. Let's see an SDR deal with an adjacent 30 DB over 9 signal. Add an LDMOS amplifier and bravo, you've got the typical modern ham station polluting the bands with distorted signals today. Full of RF feedback as the smaller SDR manufacturers can't be bothered with RF Shielding and hours of R&D. At least ICOM did that with the 7300 and 7610 (only SDR's I would ever touch from a real radio manufacturer) Last time I tried to tell a guy on air politely that his signal was distorted and he should go back to his Yaesu FTDX-5000, he took it personally and emotionally. Sadly that's how it is with a lot of Ham's these days. Lot's of money to spend on SDR's, no ability for technical debate or troubleshooting. Still I believe in freedom of choice so have it your way. You get what you pay for mate!

[@woodrowbeckford7610]

No one can win a Multi contest with an sdr, they don't have the blocking capabitily

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

@@woodrowbeckford7610 That's exactly right! Direct-sampling SDRs lack blocking range capacity!

[@LifeIsTooShortForQRP]

I can't believe how low your noise level is at 7 MHz - I got an S9 noise floor on 40 meter where I live, from all this Chinese crap lighting and solar panels!

[@VK2XXL]

It comes and it goes depending on what people are doing around my QTH lol. The good thing is, everything settles down at night time and it get's very quiet which is my main operating time :)

[@Kibwunga]

Nice rig. Save S$$ and get a 101D. better RX.

[@VK2XXL]

I tried the 101D a few times. It was either that or get the 7800. I much prefer the ICOM.

[@smiffykuk]

Half the power and not in the same league, rx performance for many is not the most important thing… these radios are epic..

[@Kibwunga]

@@smiffykuk What differentiates what "League" Each rig is in? And if not the receiver, then what?

[@danford7532]

It is the last of the overpriced poor performance radios, or i should say status simboles! Ridiculous

[@VK2XXL]

Too poor to be used by top DX and Contesting stations and to find their way into Government and Military use as well I guess!

[@zz2xzb]

Wonderful , i have one '73 PU2XZB

[@Team-fabulous]

Now that's a radio......

[@spebik1294]

PANI SIWIEC TO TAKA PISOWSKA KANALIA!

[@stevelacy316]

I have one will never let it go. 73 N8WXT

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

Lovely radio Would be wasted on me Besides the Minister for Finance. Entertainment and Shoes has decreed: “No More _projects_ until I either fix or flick all the current _projects_” I have a workshop full of broken dreams

[@VK2XXL]

Sorry to hear mate! Can always try to fix up the broken dreams or at least get as much cash as you can to justify something else.

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

@@VK2XXL it’s not a bad thing. I’ve got some sweet tube guitar amps that have had the magic touch and are working again. There is another 6 in the queue There is my old FT101B where B is for Boat Anchor that is itching to get on the air There is also the house to fix up, the old 20th century Corolla with the _Anti Theft_ 5 speed box Then there is the house. Currently fixing up the loungeroom. Taken the acne away from the old lime plaster walls, now I’m fixing the horse hair plaster patterned ceiling. I was patching that up on International Morse Code Day instead of joining in. I’ll have a lounge room by the end of this week, so I’ll have some time to fix the 3 tube guitar amps that I keep looking at….after I sort out the switching between the QRM Eliminator and the old Yaesu FT747GX which is in bits on the bench…. It gives my life purpose. Never can I say “there’s nothing to do”

[@MidlifeRenaissanceMan]

@@VK2XXL well since my comment, the broken dreams repair collection has seen the restoration of an old The Fisher XP9C tuner amp and the XP9C Speakers with the AlNiCo 15” driver, a pair of 4” midranges and one of the 2 soft dome tweeters replaced in each cabinet with something a little livelier. New needle on the Akai turn table that came with it. Now I can tell you that lossless digital sounds better than vinyl, but _vinyl_ is so easy to listen to I’ve also fixed up some little conveniences on the poke-out-the-window-tenna so the switch for the electric motor tuner is part of the unit, rather than the one I used for the big outdoor mag loop. I also made an interface cable to that the FT747GX PTT line will switch the X Phase QRM eliminator with the CW Key down. The unit would only drop to 1.2V not 0V on the PTT line if I used the QSK cut in. The MOX button and mic PTT worked fine. Next on the list will probably be a Peavey Guitar amp. Tube thing with a 15”. It’s a regular on my bench.

[@feeatlastfeeatlast5283]

Last of "mega dollar big boy radios"? Wait till the PW2 amp gets priced in the USA. It is 20k pounds in Europe. de K2XT

[@ncphotos]

Great video! de W2CSI