Phil,

I've always thought that Icom makes some of the best receivers around, not 
only for their excellent dynamic range, but for their sensitivity and low 
noise.  And, from what you say, good DSP and filtering makes them even 
better.  I just wish Icom would make their radios a bit more friendly for 
those of us who can't read the damned display.

Steve

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phil Scovell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2008 13:20
Subject: DSP of the Icom 7000


>     I have been doing a lot of listening and experimenting with
> the Icom 7000 so that when I begin making contacts, I'll be
> familiar enough with the radio to make adjustments on the fly
> without having to screw things up.  Lately, I have been testing
> the Digital Signal Processing feature in conjunction with the
> crystal filtering and tuneable twin pass band filters.  I keep
> wondering if it is my imagination if what I am hearing is due to
> the sensitivity of the radio or band conditions.  Let me explain.
> I have used this same R7 I have current hooked up to the Icom 7000
> for many years and on three different radios.  I have never heard,
> nor worked, Europe on 40 meters using this vertical.  I could hear
> them faintly but they were not workable.  I never heard New
> Zealand at 9:30 in the evening.  I never heard Japan at 9:30 in
> the evening.  I never ever heard Europe at my sunset hour but I
> am, in fact, hearing all these places with the 7000 transceiver
> now.  I have line noise that goes from S2 to S9 on 40 meters and,
> of course, this is the biggest disadvantage with any vertical.
> They love pulling in all the noise they can find.  Anyhow, using
> the DSP and the tuneable crystal filtering, not to mention the
> various levels of other switchable filters you can pull in and out
> on the fly, I have been able to copy signals literally in the mud,
> I mean, totally unable to be copied in the noise, to Q5 copy once
> the filtering and DSP are brought into play.  Tightening down on
> the crystal filters helps shift the line noise to low or high
> sounds but the DSP actually diminishes the noise to below the
> signal level of the station, unless he is just too weak to copy at
> all in the first place.  I am suggesting that I hear a signal
> mixed into the line noise with an S4 reading, for example, on the
> signal strength meter, but I am unable to copy the signal in the
> mud.  Switch in filtering, snapping on the DSP, and only tuning
> slightly, lowers the noise to S0 and the desired signal to an S2
> that is perfectly copyiable.  You can even then tighten down on
> the tuneable crystal filter a little more and bring the
> readability of the signal up more.  As I said, the areas of the
> world I have never heard with this vertical before, I am now
> hearing and on a regular nightly bases.  Since I am well
> acquainted with the receiving capabilities of the R7 vertical I
> have had for many years, I know it isn't just band conditions
> because out here, band conditions ain't that hot yet.
> Furthermore, I know the propagation of 40 meters when I had the 2
> element beam.  Then I heard ZL and VK at 9 PM at night and could
> work them.  Then I would hear Japan as early as 9 and 10 PM, weak,
> but I heard them, and worked them, but never with this vertical at
> these times and this includes hearing and working Europe at sunset
> my local time.  I'm very interested to see how much better my 40
> meter rotary dipole is going to work at 50 feet compared to the
> vertical.  I already know what to expect from past experiences of
> doing this; the difference will be amazing.  At the same time, I
> am now convinced of the superb receiving ability, sensitivity and
> selectivity, of the Icom 7000 receiver.
>
> Phil.
> K0NX
> 
>