I got the PstRotator to work with OmniRig and IC-705 over WLAN. I’m using ”Icom Remote Utility” on Windows to set up the virtual COM-port. And I’m setting up OmniRig like this:
I had several problem getting the OmniRig to communicate with IC-705 via WLAN, but after re-installing to the OmniRig supplied with PstRotator (v1.18) I got it working OK. It is also working from SDR-Console V3.
So now it is possible to do doppler control of the IC-705 without any cables for true portable operations! See short video below:
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?
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:
Channels named with satellite name, for exemple ”PO-101”, are used in split mode. This channel can be used when using the IC-705 for portable operation or without an extra receiver .
Channels named with satellite name and Uplink, for exemple ”PO-101 Uplink”, are used only for uplink (not split). This can be used with software like SDR-Console v3 (external radio) or if you have an extra receiver.
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!
Create a new memory group
Mark this new group
Choose File->Import->Group and choose the .csv file
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 test: 10 minutes with one radio, switch antenna and then 10 minutes with the other radio. Then counting number of received stations.
TX test: 10 minutes with one radio, switch antenna and then 10 minutes with the other radio. Then counting number of stations that could RX my signals.
Test done on 20 meter (14 MHz) and 40 meter (7 MHz) band during day and evening time.
5 watts output was used. The RS-918 needed a little PA calibration to reach 5 watt.
The tests has been repeated three times on both TX and RX.
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.
IC-705 RX 40 meterRS-918 RX 40 meter
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.