Icom LINK

Our local hospitals are replacing all the old HF rigs ( Ten-Tec-Jupiter) soon. The 7300 has been the top contender. Seem like a solid choice? I do not use HF so I am just taking advice of the HAM guys and State comms guys.

7300 is a great rig, it was kind of a game changer when it first came out. Icom was smart and listened to people and refined the product with firmware updates. I figured they would support it 3-4 years but here we are and there is still updates coming out for it. They have slowed down and the last update was to make the PW2 compatible with it. There are some better options out there that are a little better and have more audio options but the 7300 is still relevant. Being an Icom user for years before the 7300 I was use to the ICOM eco system and have not been a fan of the Yaesu HF rigs, but you cant really go wrong with any of the big companies. The Direct sampling SDR in a box changed the industry for the foreseeable future. The DNR on them were pretty amazing at the time, it did things radios that were much more expensive did not do.

The sales reflect the popularity of it. There are people that may not care for the 7300 due to personal reasons, but I have yet to hear those people say the radio is bad. Just they prefer other radios.

The 7300 is a great radio. I love mine. But it's getting old. Imagine some of the newer ones from Yaesu probably are a smidge better.

I have both iCom and Yaesu radios. I have settled on iCom because of their menu system. Fo me it more intuitive.
Yaesu seems more confusing.

It's time for a refresh of the IC-7300, but congrats to Icom for their "starter" radio sales record.

I bought my first 7300 in June of 2016 when they were still priced at a premium

Yaesu menus are not the easiest. I've got a few I use for portable and mobile HF. I've gotten use to them now.

Same here have Yaesu's in all the mobiles VHF/UHF and HF mobile.  Yes, you "get used to" their interfaces, but they still suck. Yaesu makes good radios, but their software/user interface department just can't make a rig that is easier to use like Icom is. It is just a difference in philosophy somehow.

I like YAESU VHF/UHF, but not a fan of there HF menu structure

And some of it is just a couple of things. like the band and mode change functions. I hate the fact on the 891 it goes back by itself if you can't rotate the dial quickly enough. That sucks. and it should not be the main dial anyway it should be the multi knob, and it should not go back to the default screen so quickly or at least have that as a programable item or better yet make you punch the function button to go back. It is just annoying, and still is annoying years later. Little things that could be so much better so easily. All they have to do is ask me, and I will tell them how to fix these "problems".. But they don't think they are problems. I realize that many "gripes and bitches" probably cannot be fixed due to the VERY limited "real estate" on the front panel for buttons and knobs. Some stuff just has to be buried menu's deep. It is what it is if you are going to have a form factor  that is so conveniently small. But some stuff could be much much better.

Oh no doubt about that. Icom can make some menus. I've got 5100s in the shack and my truck and they're easy too. But my 891s and even my Kenwood D74 HT, made my brain hurt learning to use them.

Picking up the radio and having to switch your brain to Yaesu mode is part of the appeal.

I keep the users manual of all my Yaesu  radios in my phone as PDF files in case my brain is a bit foggy on any given day. I don't need the manuals for any of my Icom's.  Having the manuals with you at all times can really come in handy.

I like Icom stuff for HF and Yaesu for VHF-up. But I do have a few of the FT-90x and FT-980 lineage.

My only gripe with the 7300 is the inability to remote control it directly, like one can with the 9700/8600. Not a deal breaker though.

For UHF/VHF we are going with the 5100. One radio to program for 18 locations. Same instructions, channel lists, etc for all 18 locations. Having a laminated operation sheet with pictures, channels, etc, is the goal so a basic radio person like me, can use the radio in any location.

I also struggled at first with the Yaesu FTDX-10 menus, but now I don't think I could ever go back to the IC-7300 and loose superior DSP and RX performance of the Yaesu.

I would consider selling my Yaesu FT-891 and replacing it with the IC-7300 for POTA use.

Your hospital has HF radios?

Here it's all the State TRS. If that goes down they throw their hands up and are like, well we tried.

"And I helped!"