Icom America 2022 Price Increases

Many thanks to Dave (N9EWO) who notes that Ray Novak with Icom America recently announced price increases we’ve already started seeing in 2022. Dave shares the following video from DX Engineering queued up to the point where Ray makes the announcement:

The price of the Icom IC-705 seems to have already increased to $1,369.95 at DX Engineering, and to $1,399.95 at GigaParts.

If you’ve been considering the IC-705, you may still be able to order it for the 2021 price from a couple of Icom authorized distributors.

We’ve noted that both R and L Electronics and Ham Radio Outlet are still advertising the IC-705 at the 2021 price of $1,299.95.

Of course, this price increase likely applies to the entire Icom range, not just the IC-705 and probably applies internationally since all Icom products are produced at the same facilities. It appears the increase is roughly 5 to 6 %.

A few Discovery TX-500s in stock

Speaking of Ham Radio Outlet, I received a message from Owen (KB2QQM) with HRO who notes:

If you know anyone that wants a TX-500 we have 4 ready to ship.

They $949+ tax. Free shipping in 48 states.

Click here to check it out.

Just a heads up.
I’m enjoying your videos of POTA and the website.

Thank you for the heads-up, Owen. As I post the link this morning, I see that HRO may already have sold these units (that was fast!). If interested in one of these units, you may wish to call HRO and confirm if you’re interested.

POTA this morning!

As a side note, Hazel and I are hitting the trail in a few minutes and plan to activate both Pisgah Forest (K-4510) and Pisgah Game Lands (K-6937) as a two-fer.

We’ll be taking the new Xiegu X6100.

It may be too late by the time you read this (it’s 12:30 UTC, January 6, 2022 now), but readers have asked me to announce when I might be doing part of an activation in SSB and since I was making a QRPer Notes post, I thought I’d add this.

I plan to include some SSB time this morning, if I can get spotted. The area where I plan to set up has no Internet coverage whatsoever–it’s in a very deep valley–but I hope to send a text via my Garmin In-Reach Mini to have friends spot me.

Listen for me in/around 7188 kHz (+/- 5 kHz depending on available frequencies) around 14:15 UTC (+/- 30 minutes). I’ll start the activation on 40 meters CW.

You might check spots on the POTA.app website.

Thank you and have a brilliant day!

73, Thomas (K4SWL)

9 thoughts on “QRPer Notes: Price increases from Icom and a few TX-500s in stock at HRO”

I’ve been in touch with HRO over the last few days and their stock of TX-500’s is received in 50 unit batches. They are generally all sold when the shipment is received. Their last 50 shipment (Jan/22) is sold out. The next is due at end of Jan beginning of Feb. That shipment seems to be about 20% sold so far…FYI

Mark Ehr says:

January 12, 2022 at 2:01 pm

FYI was down at HRO last week and they told me that they had 44 TX-500’s on backorder nation-wide, so it sounds like their next 50-unit shipment is already pretty much sold.

That and the fact that you have to pay the full price of the unit just to get on the waiting list swayed me back over to the IC-705 camp. Then HRO raised the price $50. Arrrgh.

Reply
1. Amham says:
  
  January 12, 2022 at 3:16 pm
  
  Fully paying and not knowing a definite delivery date has me deciding to wait until there is stock on hand. That maybe sometime in the distant future but in the interim I have a QCX+ coming (waiting over 2 months so far) and that will “scratch the itch”.
  
  Reply

X6100 firmware 1.1.2 now on Radioditty’s site.

https://www.radioddity.com/pages/xiegu-download

Curt
WU3U

Hi Thomas,

This makes that X6100 an even better looking deal.

I was also finally able to get you in the log this morning on SSB. I don’t do CW so I it has been hard for me to work you.

W4MKH

Prices from Japan should be down for the yen/USD is up, 115yen to the USD. That is up from about 108 yen a month ago.

$1000 radio at 108yen/USD = 108,000 yen

to get 108,000 yen at 115yen/USD would be $940.

Japan sells by the yen, they want so many yen for a product. To get that amount is now less.

But there are shortages in electronics and higher prices due to COVID and I think some price gouging.

I am glad I got my IC705 last year and did not wait for price reduction, I have got my pleasure and monies worth in that year.

73, ron, n9ee/r

Tom – it was great working you x6100 to x6100 on CW this morning and also our very first SSB QSO. I recorded two videos for you to listen to. One was CW and the other phone…which I think the audio was great! Did you change any phone settings and did you use the mic?

Here’s the links and thanks!
73 Scott/ KN3A

https://youtu.be/ObtsirAR9zA

https://youtu.be/t5UWBL2-JNU

Tx 500 is no longer on hro web site. Had one of first 50 they received. Rx worked fine, tnx cw fine. Ssb nothing out. Go my money back as they had none in stock. So got a ic-705. 73 john