Yaesu FTM-6000R Manual page 7

Radio Analog PTRX-9700 SDR Adapter
Add-On
Reviewed by Rus Healy, K2UA
k2ua@arrl.net
Like its HF sibling (the IC-7300) has done on 160 –
6 meters, Icom's IC-9700 has taken the VHF/UHF
world by storm. The IC-9700 covers the 144 – 148, 430
– 450, and 1240 – 1300 MHz amateur radio bands. It
also shares the form factor, intuitive front panel layout,
multifunction display, and many other features that
make the IC-7300 so popular. The IC-9700 has quickly
become the go-to radio for many serious VHF/UHF
operators, including those who operate the most
demanding modes, such as EME.
In early 2020, I found a great deal on a new IC-9700.
This radio quickly replaced the high-performance
transverters I had been using for all three bands for
several years. It's seen service in VHF contests, por-
table operations such as the microwave sprints, day-
to-day MSK144 meteor scatter activity on 2 meters,
and JT65 and Q65 EME operations on 144, 432, and
1296 MHz. It's a radio that does many things quite
well, and despite its small size, relatively spartan front-
panel control layout, and limited rear-panel control
capabilities, it has drawn in many demanding
operators.
Turbocharging the IC-9700 Receiver
Radio Analog first developed enhanced SDR function-
ality for the IC-7300 and followed that up with the
PTRX-9700 for the IC-9700. Fundamentally, the
PTRX-9700 allows for the connection of an external
SDR to the IC-9700. Installing this product is a simple,
nonintrusive, and easily reversible change to the radio.
The PTRX-9700 uses the existing 10 MHz reference
input (SMA) connector on the radio's rear panel, along
with a splitter provided with the kit, to allow that con-
nector to be used for its original function and the SDR
output. You attach an SDR of your choosing to the
IC-9700 to reap the benefits of SDR receiver operation
in parallel with the IC-9700's own receiver.
Why might you want to add an SDR to the IC-9700,
which already offers panadapter functionality? For one
thing, you can use it to monitor two frequencies and/or
modes on the same band at the same time. For
another, you can monitor and/or control the IC-9700
from your preferred SDR software and hardware of
your choosing. Or you can use an external SDR to
44 August 2022 QST www.arrl.org
independently drive a larger display, which allows you
to monitor a large segment of a band. And you can use
it to do things the IC-9700 can't do natively.
For example, an EME operator may use the PTRX-
9700, feeding another SDR along with HDSDR soft-
ware and MAP65 software (provided with WSJT-X) to
decode 90 kHz — the entire EME band segment — at
once, something the IC-9700's own receiver cannot
do. Another application for two receivers might be to
operate two instances of WSJT-X on one band at the
same time, with one running MSK144 and the other on
Q65. Or you might run CW or SSB on the IC-9700 and
decode meteor scatter signals using MSK144 on the
SDR. Or perhaps monitor the beacon subband while
making contacts in the weak-signal portion of the
band, or during an FM contact.
Architecture
The PTRX-9700 is a small module that mounts to
existing screw locations on the IC-9700 main board. It
sits inline with the three receive signal paths, one per
band, providing buffering, filtering, and multiplexing.
Bottom Line
The PTRX-9700 is a high-quality add-on for the
IC-9700 that provides an easy way to integrate
an external SDR receiver, opening the possi-
bility to demodulate 90 kHz of a band simulta-
neously or monitor two in-band frequencies at
once, using your choice of SDR software.