IC-905 - Commercial FM ATV Transceiver

[g7ocd]

Wait till it's released, I'm sure someone clever will hack it to what it needs to be,

It's about time the black-box pushers open-sourced their firmware.
They could allow the community to add the required software polish
and concentrate on shifting good hardware.

[g4eml]

As an off the shelf, ready too use, solution it will probably sell, and if that results in more activity then it can only be for the good.

However for the price you could get an IC705 and a suite of Kuhne transverters for all of the bands. Add a bit of switching for the IF feed and you could build an ODU in a similar sized box. That could then also be used for DATV by driving it from something like the Portsdown.

If you chose to use the SG Labs transverters the price would come down a lot.

What would be really good is if someone like SG Labs was to produce a multiband transverter. It would be expensive, but probably a lot less than the Icom package.

Colin G4EML

[SkyVision]

Icom have a dealer presentation this Friday in VK
Doubt if we will learn too much more, but I'd guess the AUD price and release date will be announced
I was worried the CX-10 would be released later, but my rep said: should be released in parallel with the 905
Does any one have any good questions that you would like asked?

It's the new financial year in Japan next Saturday, so I would think boxes will start imigrating to VK soon after

Cheers Roger VK5YYY

[G8GKQ]

Hi Roger

I would like confirmation that it handles and displays both NTSC and PAL signals. If both, is there any switching or configuration required?

It would also be interesting to know what frequencies the audio subcarriers are on (if there is audio with the video), and how many audio subcarriers there are. I am expecting answers such as 6.0 MHz and 6.5 MHz.

More detailed questions might include:

Does it generate any internal test patters for transmit?
What is the ATV FM deviation?
What is the audio FM deviation?
What is the video pre-emphasis standard that is used?
What is the Audio pre-emphasis standard that is used?

Have fun!

Dave, G8GKQ

[PE1BR]

Icom Europe has also done an announcement:
https://www.icomeurope.com/zur-verfuegb ... es-ic-905/
https://youtu.be/kzGQWmTKNzc

Wimo Germany has tested the device (in German):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRCeUckXDZ4

[SkyVision]

The presentation had nothing of note that hasn't already been covered
The accessories appear finalised, with one being physically different to what we've seen so far, pretty $exy actually
I'm under the: if I tell, I have to kill you rules, I can tell you the presenters mic didn't like 6 or 3cms : )
Dave, I asked your questions, so far no response, you would hope the specs are finalised

Been thinking about how the Video works
Assuming the connecting cable is regular POE, encoded video is going to be sent to the ODU FPGA via UDP or RTP, sound familiar
Wireshark would prove that, and the destination IP, the modulator sadly, will be stuck in the analogue mode
It would take allot of lobbying to change that, firmware can be changed but hardware not

The SMAs and the BNCs on the ODUs look vulnerable to the elements, will need rubber boots, amalgam tape or a cover
Where as the POE is weather proof, flying leads look daggy but would be easier to tape up for outdoor use
The SMAs facing upwards on the ODU is not great, a galah (cocky) might chew if off in VK, dropping it would be bad, they need protection
Might be alright for weekend portable use, but the promos show tower installation, think ice or tropical use, IP rating?

Cheers Roger VK5YYY

ic905.pdf

Amateur Radio - A Love Story

(47.38 KiB) Downloaded 548 times

[SkyVision]

The new accessory is in the public domain now, Hiro demoed the new rig in Melbourne at a local club, still no specs
The dish appears gregorian with an absorber or peice of dielectric in the centre of the hyperbola reflector
It would be great if anyone could shed any light on what that puck does
My Gregorian's feed is dual mode and I assume a sniff of power is reflected back into the horn although it's a null in the centre of the beam
Video of dish here https://youtu.be/nAZ9TvIU0I0

Screenshot (383).png (110.52 KiB) Viewed 14361 times

Screenshot (382).png (167.85 KiB) Viewed 14361 times

Lovely bit of kit but expen$ive

[SkyVision]

A manual for anyone that is interested
https://www.icomjapan.com/api/download. ... asic_0.pdf
There is some software too
https://www.icomjapan.com/support/firmw ... Ut6FzLvuLs

TV Audio Sub Carrier Frequency
(Default: 6.5 MHz)
Sets the audio subcarrier frequency in the ATV mode.
• OFF: Does not receive and transmit audio signal
in the ATV mode.
• 4.5 MHz: Sets the subcarrier frequency to 4.5 MHz.
• 6.0 MHz: Sets the subcarrier frequency to 6.0 MHz.
• 6.5 MHz: Sets the subcarrier frequency to 6.5 MHz.

Operating mode: ATV (F3F/F8W)
ATV Digital Reactance modulation

Audio In/Out:
• Input impedance: 600Ω
• Input level: –10 dBV ±3 dB
Video In/Out:
• Input impedance: 75 Ω

Pal appears possible:When inputting PAL or SECAM video,
“ATV Audio Sub Carrier Frequency”
is set to “4.5 MHz

[g0mjw]

That's 1980s ATV technology. Such a pity. Will it at least do PSK modulation?

[G8GKQ]

Noel and I had a brief opportunity to play with a pair of IC-905s yesterday. Our initial impression was that it does what it does well. The user interface is excellent and the ATV FM mod/demod seems good.

The ATV FM TX spectrum is particularly interesting (narrow) - it seems to be SDR-generated. See below.

More information if/when I get a unit for a full review.

Dave G8GKQ