Instruction manual

QST – Devoted Entirely to Amateur Radio www.arrl.org April 2012 51
Technical
by Mark Spencer, WA8SME
ICOM IC-9100
MF/HF/VHF/UHF Transceiver
ICOM’s new dc to daylight transceiver raises the bar.
Product Review
Mark J. Wilson, K1RO, [e-mail]
Reviewed by Rick Lindquist, WW3DE
National Contest Journal Managing Editor
[e-mail]
The only real problem I encountered with the
ICOM IC-9100 was getting it away from the
delivery guy, a budding ham. He was taken
by what was on the outside of the ICOM
packing box. Users, however, have been
impressed by what’s inside the box of this
solid-performing dc-to-daylight, all-in-one
transceiver.
The IC-9100 is essentially the “plus” version
of the IC-7410 reviewed in October 2011,
and it shares many traits with that radio
vis-à-vis its HF and 50 MHz capabilities,
which we won’t reiterate here in detail.
1
But
it’s not quite that straightforward. With the
IC-9100’s substantially higher price tag come
the IC-7410’s HF and 6 meter performance
plus all-mode VHF, UHF and satellite
features and capabilities. Think of it as a
shack in a box. Is the IC-9100 a good value
and match for your operating style and
preferences — not to mention your budget?
We’ll report. You decide. Let’s take a look.
Genealogy
We’re tempted to think of the IC-7410 and
IC-9100 solely as descendants of ICOM’s
venerable IC-746/756 platform (with a bit of
IC-706 DNA thrown in for good measure).
But, the ’9100’s nomenclature also recalls
ICOM’s noteworthy VHF-UHF three-band
all-mode transceiver of a decade ago, the
IC-910H. It comes as no surprise that the
IC-9100 has retained the best features of its
older sibling. ICOM and other manufacturers
offer several all-mode transceivers that cover
from HF through 440 MHz. The IC-9100,
however, is only one of two currently avail-
able desktop radios that include an option for
1.2 GHz.
Fish or Fowl?
ICOM has done a creditable job of balancing
the IC-9100’s HF+50 MHz performance with
its expanded VHF and UHF coverage and
capabilities. The bare-bones IC-9100 is a
full-featured 100 W transceiver for HF,
6 meters, 2 meters and provides 75 W on
70 cm, with all the goodies you’d expect for
FM simplex and repeater operation plus
satellite work. With our IC-9100 we ordered
the optional UX-9100 23 cm module (10 W),
UT-121 D-DSTAR module, optional narrow
1st IF (“roofing”) filters for HF and 50 MHz
and the RS-BA1 IP Remote Control Software
package that permits remote control via the
Internet or other IP network (more on this
later). Add a power supply and antennas, and
you’re ready to cover considerable Amateur
Radio real estate in relative style — without
even having to be in your shack!
Doubling and Tripling Down
Packing these expanded capabilities into a
box that’s very similar to the IC-7410’s and
that has a nearly identical front panel requires
many dual-purpose (or multi-purpose)
buttons and controls. The labels are the same,
nicely contrasting white-on-black style as the
’7410’s and easy to read, once you’ve deci-
phered the abbreviations dictated by space
restrictions. Legends for some second and
third-tier functions can be harder to make
out. Good shack lighting helps considerably.
The ’9100’s broader and more-complex
range of functions, especially those reserved
for satellite work, means a steeper learning
curve. The IC-9100 diverges from the
IC-7410 in several significant ways, starting
with the front panel, where there’s been a bit
of musical chairs between models. The ’9100
features two independent receivers and can
receive on two bands at the same time —
although not on two HF bands.
There’s a single MAIN DIAL for tuning, but the
main and sub receivers do have separate (and
concentric) AF GAIN and SQUELCH controls.
With a stereo headset (or separate speakers)
you can listen to both receivers at the same
time, one in each ear. To do things such as
operating split on HF means setting up VFO A
and VFO B to the appropriate frequencies
(you can designate a default split — say,
2 kHz — via the menu). The split function is
independent from the repeater split function,
also set via the menu.
The ’9100 includes a DV/DR button (for digital
voice/digital repeater operation) among the
1
R. Lindquist, N1RL, “ICOM IC-7410 HF and
6 Meter Transceiver,” Product Review, QST,
Oct 2011, pp 49-54. This review and reviews of
the other ICOM transceivers mentioned here
are available to ARRL members online at
www.arrl.org/product-review.
Compact and versatile, the IC-9100
handles almost any type of operating
on the 160 meter through 2 meter
bands, plus 70 and 23 cm.
Bottom Line