Lol. DXEngineering has the 9700 on sale for US$1500. Run that
through an inflation calculator to 1990 (and I think the FT-736 is
even older) and back then that would have been less than 800 bucks.
Almost all cars come with AC now because it's cheaper to make them all
one way than to build some one way, and some another. Complexity
costs money (DeLorean does the insane math on c.1970 GM car options in
On A Clear Day You Can See General Motors). Radios are no different.
Icom ... well, and Yaesu in the 736 ... had to spend engineer-hours
figuring out how to make the slot for band options (only one in the
870/910/911/9100, multiple in the FT-736) then engineer packaging for
the modules including all the connections. Oh, and those connections
need to be good for at least 10-20 cycles. Instead, finally, for the
9700, Icom said "nah, just have the robots solder the components in
like everything else" which is why it's only $800 in 1990 money.
On Sun, Dec 5, 2021 at 11:02 AM <mikflathead@aol.com> wrote:
>
> So, what cost does the 9700 add to the radio? How many that don't want 1296
> will not purchase it because of the cost? The 736 was in the age like cars
> where AC and power equipment was an option plus the 736 is a radio you can
> actually work on.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter Laws <plaws0@gmail.com>
> To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com
> Sent: Sun, Dec 5, 2021 10:15 am
> Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Icom IC-9700 for Contesting
>
> On Sun, Dec 5, 2021 at 8:17 AM Howard Reynolds <wa3eoq@gmail.com> wrote:
> > I held
> > out hoping that Yaesu would bring out an updated version of the 736. That
> > radio was much more user friendly (no menu upon menu) and had the PTT
> > breakout built in. It also had 222MHz capability. I guess that's progress.
>
>
> Sure, if you bought the 220-MHz module.
>
> Icom has finally realized that making everything an option just
> complicates their physical design, increases their costs, all while
> while annoying customer, so no UX-9700 (or UX of much anything else.
>
> The 8-pin ACC1 on the IC-9700 appears to be plug compatible with the
> IC-910 (which likely means the IC-9100 as well) with the addition of
> RTTY keying and the radio's ability to send IF out pin 5 in place of
> AF. Looks like it will send power down the coax for rx pre-amps, too,
> like its predecessors. Of course, those are on a menu, and we
> certainly can't have that - guess it's not as good as 1980s
> technology. :eyeroll:
>
> --
> Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!
>
> _______________________________________________
> VHFcontesting mailing list
> VHFcontesting@contesting.com
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--
Peter Laws | N5UWY | plaws plaws net | Travel by Train!
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