I recently acquired an Icom IC-7300, and it is an amazing radio. The IC-7300 covers the HF bands and also the 6 meter band. It is a direct sampling HF SDR transceiver. So, what's that mean, and what does it do? The radio actually converts RF signals directly to digital data. This data can then be processed to eliminate noise or unwanted signals. The filtering capability of the radio is incredible, and the filters can be manually manipulated, or the radio can perform the filtering automatically. It has the best noise reduction that I've ever heard. Adjacent signals can be completed eliminated. I remember back in the 1990's when digital signal processing (DSP) was introduced to radios, and amateurs were amazed by how much reception improved. The IC-7300 makes those radios seem like tin can telephones., it is literally a quantum leap from past radios.
The IC-7300 has a color touch screen, which allows the user to choose a band, frequency, mode etc. by touch, thereby eliminating the need for the many buttons which clutter up the faceplate of other radios. The screen is quite bright and very legible, and changes can be made to the brightness and display as needed by the user.
There is an auto-tuner built into the IC-7300, and it works better than the one in the IC-9100 and the IC-7100. I have yet found the need to use an external tuner with the IC-7300, as it has matched an end fed antenna, a vertical, and an 80 meter dipole.
The radio has a real time spectrum display too. What's that? The IC-7300 doesn't receive just one signal at one time, but instead it can look and receive chunks of the frequency spectrum all the time. So, suppose you're monitoring an HF net, and someone starts tuning up on frequency. Using the spectrum monitor, you can see that the band is open and no activity 5 kHz up the band, so you can move the net to a quieter frequency. Or perhaps you're on 10 meters and the band sounds dead. Looking at the spectrum monitor, you can find active frequencies and make contacts on what seemed to be a dead band.
The receive audio is very good, the audio is crisp and clear. The radio has a built-in sound card, so digital modes just require a simple USB cord, rather than an additional box. The radio is relatively compact with approximate dimensions of 9.5 x 9.4x3.7 inches and it weighs 9.26 pounds. It comes with a power cord, microphone, etc. It is relatively easy to operate, and the touch screen makes it intuitive. Overall, I'd say Icom really set the mark for SDR transceivers. The street price is around $1000 USD. Here's a video review of the radio, for those who want to see what it's all about:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEtu9gTHrf8
