
Please see the following posts at AMSAT-SM about IC-705 satellit operation and memory files/settings:
Posts about Icom IC-705 SDR transceiver
In IC-705 it is possible to set the MIC output voltage to 8V instead of default 3V. I have done some tests and I do not hear any difference with the standard microphone HM-243. What do you think?
FM 3V
FM 8V
USB 3V
USB 8V
This is a memory group file over satellite frequencies for Icom IC-705 and CS-705 software. It is not complete and will be updated. Feel free to use it, change and add.
The memories for FM transponders are used like this:
Import the memory file into CS-705:
Note! Be sure that you not overwrite anything in your IC-705 when cloning. Make a backup of your current settings!
IC-705_SatFrqMemGroup.csv (Downloaded from AMSAT-SM website)
Today, 2020-11-11, I made my first satellite QSO since 1993 (when Oscar-13 was alive). My two QSOs was via PO-101, IC-705, 10 watts output to 13 el X-Yagi.
I was interested to know how my RS-918 (a mcHF SDR HF radio clone) performed with FT8 compared to my new IC-705.
I have done a series of test. Very non-technical tests, without any promise if this is the truth. But it was possible to repeat the results several times. I have done the following:
RX:
What I can see is that the number of station received are similar, in the image below the RS-918 actually received more stations but in the other tests I could not say that one of the radio was better than the other.
TX:
In all tests, the IC-705 performed better. The output (5 watts) is the same but it seems that the IC-705 have some more punch in the modulation. I do not know, I have not investigated this further…
So, for some ”local” FT8 contacts in Europe I can use the RS-918 but if I would like to hunt some DX I will use the IC-705 with 10 watts.
Here a short video of IC-705 Frequency and Doppler control from SDR-Console.
The first part is frequency control with VFO following the radio.
The second part is doppler control from the Satellite External Radio control.
Download the OmniRig config file from: https://sm7iun.se/station/ic705/
Be sure to use the correct CI-V hex code in the seetings for IC-705.
To setup the new IC-705 for doppler control with PstRotator software you just have to follow these steps:
Here a short video after the setup: