Icom 7300 Panadapter With DXPatrol, Mini Circuits Splitter And HDSDR

The  Icom 7300 panadapter includes an Inrad RX7300, Mini Circuits ZFSC-2-1 splitter/combiner, a DXPatrol SDR, a few cables and HDSDR. See my previous post on the Inrad RX7300 modification. I have been using HDSDR as a panadapter with my Icom 7300 for a few weeks now. The SDR is the DXPatrol. I tried a cheap RTL-SDR, but got too much interference from our local AM broadcast station.

UPDATE: THERE IS A MINI CIRCUITS ZSC-2-2+ AVAILABLE ESPECIALLY FOR AMATEUR RADIO. SEE HERE.

HDSDR displays the 7300's scope on an external monitor (not technically correct, but sufficient). We get better resolution and a larger picture of the spectrum scope. It's possible to see an entire band or more and we can tune the 7300 with our panadapter. Use the mouse, point and click on the desired signal in HDSDR and the radio follows. Any changes done to the VFO, band and mode made by HDSDR are tracked by the 7300 and vice versa.

With a panadapter I can see an entire band on my screen and jump from station to station ( See this short clip). This will work extremely well in a contest or even Field Day if you were searching and pouncing. It's also just nice to have in normal operating.

The LCD on the Icom 7300 is FB, but small. It is hard to touch a signal and jump to the frequency. The Icom 7300 HDSDR panadapter setup is much better for that.

The DXPatrol receiver is no match for the Icom 7300 receiver, so I listen to the Icom 7300 receiver 99.8% of the time because it is so much better. The DXPatrol just provides HDSDR with a receiver.

Total cost for this is around $200. The DXPatrol was $108 and can be used for other things as well. You could try a RTL-SDR for $25 and it may work for you. You could also try a simple RCA "Y" cable splitter in place of the Mini Circuits splitter/combiner. I tried one, but it had too much noise and interference. See my list at the end of this article.

Icom 7300 Panadapter Installation Instructions

Steps

  1. Install the Inrad RX7300. See my previous post.
  2. Attach the cables and Mini Circuits splitter/combiner. Attach the left ( looking from the rear) RCA to the "S" SMA connector on the Mini Circuits splitter. Connect the right RCA to the "1" SMA connector on the Mini Circuits and finally, connect the SDR you have to the "2" SMA connector on the Mini Circuits. (Other configurations are possible.)

Icom 7300 Menu>SET>Connectors

Here are the screen shots from the Icom 7300. I use two cables, a CI-V for rig control and USB for data modes.

Software installation of Zadig, HDSDR and Omnirig on page 2.

Click on the image for a full view.

Sits on top of the Icom 7300.

DXPatrol SDR

 

 

 

 

 

RTL-SDR AM Broadcast Filter

 

 

 

 

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K0PIR

I'm an Amateur Radio enthusiast. I love the hobby and experimenting with radios, antennas and software. On my YouTube channel I upload videos on the Icom 7300 and Icom 7610 along with Ham radio software programs. I hope to inspire people to try new things in Amateur Radio.

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Guest
Omar Paredes
6 years ago

I own an ICOM 7300 and very interested in this panadapter. Pse send me information.
Thank you
Omar HR1OP KW4DZ

Guest
Carl S. Griebno
5 years ago
Reply to  K0PIR

Hi Rich….. Did you use any protection for your SDR? I noticed my SDR Play is really sensitive.
Thanks,
Carl….K2GEJ

Guest
Omar Paredes
5 years ago
Reply to  Omar Paredes

Do I need to buy the Icom CT-17 cv-v AT programming cable ( EBAY ) in order to use the DX PATROL setup in my IC7300.?? In other words, I want to buy the complete hardware to operate SDR IC7300 with a laptop, where to buy ??
Thank you
Omar

Guest
Carl
6 years ago

Hi
Very interesting.
I have a RSP2 from SDRplay and accompanying SDRUno software. Can I use this in your panadapter concept?
I do not have a separate RX antenna. Will a splitter be god enough protection for the RSP2 while my ic-7300 transmitting?
Carl – LA8CO

Guest
Carl
6 years ago

Hi Rich.
Today’s technique lies many horse heads in front of me, so to be absolutely sure.
Did I understand you correctly that a splitter makes it possible to use the same antenna for listening to my SDR receiver as to send 100 watt output from my IC 7300?
Carl – LA8CO

Guest
David Goodman
6 years ago

Hello,

Would you provide the critical settings for the ICOM 7300. In other words, how do I set the CIV, USB interface, etc.? I understand the software settings as you described, but I don’t understand the transceiver part of the equation. Thank you very much.

David

Guest
Bob Young
6 years ago

So is your SDR connected to a separate receiver antenna via the splitter and the IC-7300 antenna transmit via the the SO-239 jack? I am I understanding this correctly.

Bob W9MO

Guest
David
6 years ago

Hello (again),

I’m getting dangerously close to making things work. I would like to say these are my last questions, but let’s just call it a few more, for the time being. Please forgive my ignorance, but I’m a HAM enthusiast with little tech knowledge. This part of the hobby is a lot of trial and error for me because I don’t know what everything means. I just keep pushing buttons until something good happens, or smoke comes from the back of the unit…whichever comes first.

So right now, one thing that won’t work properly is operating with the HDSR, the configurations you recommended with your photo links, and the Memory mode on the Icom 7300. Everything syncs back and forth, but when I put the Icom 7300 into memory mode to quickly move to a band/frequency, it bounces back to VFO mode. Thoughts?

Also, can you share the configuration settings on the HDSR relative to “Front End Configurations” and “Calibration Settings”? I believe these are critical to align the IC 7300 with the HDSDR display so they are coordinated accurately. Thank you.

Guest
David
6 years ago

Bob,

One thing that seems to be occurring is that the HDSDR is not similar to the 7300 display. I have QSOs appearing on the 7300 that are not on the HDSDR display. If I understand the new setup/splitter, they should be the same, as it is the same antenna. Thoughts about that? It seems as though there’s a setting that isn’t routing the antenna RX properly to the HDSDR.

Thanks.

David

Guest
David
6 years ago

Rich (sorry about the “Bob” thing),

I seemed to have worked out the syncing, switched, unclicked, and restarted the software. That worked.

Guest
David
6 years ago

Rich,

I am using one of those RTL-SDR with Upconverters that you can find on EBay for about $50 +/-. I also have a SDRPlay, but it was given to me, so I have no experience with it. I did have the RTL SDR working before, but with the Inrad and splitter setup, something isn’t quite right. I’m refusing to have “the Man” beat me down on this. We’ll get there! It wil be great.

Guest
David
6 years ago

Rich,

I am using one of those RTL-SDR with Upconverters that you can find on EBay for about $50 +/-. I also have a SDRPlay, but it was given to me, so I have no experience with it. I did have the RTL SDR working before, but with the Inrad and splitter setup, something isn’t quite right. I’m refusing to have “the Man” beat me down on this. We’ll get there! It wil be great. David

Guest
David
6 years ago

Rich,

I’m using a Mini-circuits ZFSC-2-1 5-500MHz SMA 2-Way Coaxial Power Divider Splitter.

David

Guest
David
6 years ago

Can the integrity of the one I have be tested on a bench? Do you have a recommendation for one of higher quality? My aim is/was to have the same antenna in which I am listening on the 7300, be the one driving the display.

Thank you.

David

Guest
David
6 years ago

Precisely. That would be great for me too. Well, the weekend has arrived. I’ll keep scouring the web. I would think that someone has posted something, somewhere.

Keep me in mind if you run across, or think of anything. Thanks for sticking with me on this. David

Guest
Kenneth
6 years ago

Hi all
This could be usefull: http://www.dxing.info/equipment/rolling_your_own_bryant.dx, just made the BB2 (2 port). I have split up rx on my IC7300 with that , and homemade rx loop, similar to the inrad one.
I control my flex500a/pwrsdr and IC7300 using dxlaps commander. Thus having a nice panadapter on both radios.
I have ordered a rtl-sdr donkle, and will play with hdsdr when that arrive.
br
oz1hdf kenneth

Guest
Fulvio
6 years ago

Hi Richard,

thank you so much for the great job you are doing to share your experience with the ham community! I found lot of useful information I was able to solve problems on my side. BIG Thank you!
Just a question about this post. May I use any other SDR? I have an Airspy HF+.
Let me know at your convenience.

Keep up your excellent work. I do also like your videos!

73 de HB9DHG Fulvio
2018 WRTC Referee

Guest
Fulvio
6 years ago

Thanks, Rich!

You are always very kind and quick.
Again, you provide a huge help in our community and I really appreciate it!
I hope to soon play with an IC-7610 🙂

All the best to you and your family.
73 de HB9DHG Fulvio

Guest
Jan
5 years ago

Hello Rich,

what happens to the sdr receiver when you transmit the ic7300
Is the sdr receiver then protected??

Guest
Jerome Lamb
5 years ago

Hi Rich- I’ve got two IC-7300’s and live close to a broadcast AM station that causes me lots of problems on 40 and 75 meters with the AM station showing up as harmonics. It’s 610 KHz. I bought the Inrad kit before I got a second IC-7300, because a vertical random wire with a 9:1 unun has less of the AM interference but can’t handle much power. I have a PW-1 amp and switch all my transmit antennas through that. I want to be able to use a remote cable with the CI-V so that the second radio doesn’t get overloaded on the receive side when I transmit on the other. I thought I might get better abilities to filter out the harmonics, which didn’t entirely go away with an AM filter, so I thought that with the SDR software without having to loose all my sensitivity by using the ATT. Will I be able to have band switching in the PW-1 and sync both radios without buying the interface with the USB for the SDR. Great video and Q&A. 73 de KC0FLY Jerry

Guest
Steve
5 years ago

Another great set of videos Rick! Thanks!!
I am a little confused as to the actual physical setup. The top left picture of the back of the radio will not enlarge to see the connections. Also you note the new ZSC-2-2+, do you have a picture or drawing of that setup?
Lastly do I have to install the new update?

Excited to get this running but I have to replace my dead dual band UHF VHF rig first. Seriously looking at the Yaesu FTM-400DR.

Thanks again and 73!
Steve
KK6NTL

Guest
Karsten, DB3FJ
5 years ago

Hello Rich,

I have a IC7300 with the RX7300 and a MiniCircuit runing with a SDRplay perfectly. I use RS-BA1 V2 and HDSDR.
Is it possible to run RS-BA1, HDSDR (or SDR Console) and HRD remotely all together?! I would use HDSDR only for the waterfall and not as receiver!
So I would be happy to get any note from you an this! Thanks in advance!

Guest
Philippe
4 years ago

PTRX-7300 is a better option for a price just a little higher.
A REAL CLEAN IF output and no 3 dB loss due to the splitter (no splitter with PTRX-7300).
https://www.radioanalog.com/ptrx-7300/
73 !
Philippe

Guest
Michael Jasper
3 years ago

Hi Rich – I’m deciding between an IC7300 and an FTDX3000. I’m leaning towards the 7300 – but if desired addons will push the price as high as the Yaesu radio, I may as well go that way. I want to add a receive antenna and an external SDR capability. The Rx7300 plus splitter is inexpensive. but I see some people use either a Receiver Guard or the DXE RTR-2 to protect the input . Is it safe to use just the Rx7300, esp if Rx antenna is quite close to Tx antenna? Similarly, using the splitter vs using the PTRX7300. If I need the PTRX7300 + RTR-2, I probably should just get the FTDX3000.
Thanks for your thoughts!
Michael KB1PIE

Guest
Michael Jasper
3 years ago

Thanks Rich! I appreciate the reply. I’ll check out the forum.

Guest
Shawn
3 years ago

Hi Rich!

First, thank you all the great videos – they are helping this old returning ham catch up with what has transpired over the last 25 years!

Very soon I plan to get a IC IC-7300 and would like to get the panadapter going later this summer after I get somewhat familiar with the radio and operating again. That said, I am using your videos to get some basic understanding and make a shopping list – do you recall where you got those nice short coax jumpers? I can find some, but they are 3, or more, feet long!

Regardless, thanks again, be safe! 73….

Guest
Shawn P
3 years ago

Hi Rich!

In a bit of a conundrum so I am throwing a hail mary your way (as well asa few other directions).

TLDR: Do you still have a copy of the HDSDR v2.76 install exe around. If so, I can you email it to me , please?

I purchased the DXPatrol and downloaded hdsdr v2.8 and omnirig v2.1 (I am also running wsjtx v 2.2). To make a long story short, hdsdr v2.8 requires omnirig v2.1; however, you can not control a rig with wsjtx v2.2 pointed to omnirig v2.1. Omnirig v1.9 works fine with wsjtx and rig control, but not with hdsdr v2.8.

Guest
Justin
3 years ago

Hi, Rich, thanks a bunch for this info! I always liked HDSDR and was pretty disappointed when I found out there was no IF out but followed these instructions and now my 7300 has a 32″ monitor! I substituted a MSI.SDR ($45) and for the splitter I used an Anzac THV-50 (2-200Mhz, $25) with the RX7300-SMA kit from Ebay ($30.)

It took a bit to get here but for $100 it works GREAT. Thanks!

Guest
Edwin Schaff
1 year ago

I have an Icom 7300 with an PTRX7300 installed in it. reading a lot about transmitting while using the SDR connected for the panadapter. Just built the minikits EME222 SDR Rx switch and trying to understand how this should be connected maintaining the panadapter function. Do I even need it. Dont mind a little MORE protection.. Advice appreciated.

Callsign
W6AOA
Guest
Curt
1 year ago

I sometimes run my old IC-7000 and IC-7200 (no ‘7300 here), but my fav and most used rig is a TS-590SG.. 😉

Callsign
K2CWM
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