IC-746 FAQ
2.12
What is the IC-7400?
2.13
What is the IC-746-PRO?
These are both successors to the IC-746. The IC-7400 is the Japanese version while the IC-
746-PRO is the English version. We don't know yet what else (if anything) differentiates
them besides their name.
There are two ways to look at the IC-746-PRO. Some view it as a beefed up IC-746 while
others view it as a watered down IC-756-PRO. On the outside, it looks and operates very
much like the IC-746. The controls are similar enough that you confuse the two. However,
the inside (RF chain and DSP) is more like the IC-756-PRO than anything else.
Here are some features that the IC-746-PRO has over the IC-746:
•
32bit DSP with 24bit ADC
•
Selectable digital filters (50+)
•
Sharp or Soft filtering (via DSP)
•
Digital TPBT
•
Manual digital notch filter (in addition to ANF)
•
Twinned Digital APF (great for RTTY?)
•
DSP based RTTY decoder
•
Adjustable digital noise blanker
•
Digital TX/RX equalization (instead of analog)
•
Digital speech compressor (instead of analog)
•
Digital voice recorder
You'll notice how prominently the DSP plays in this rig.
One thing the original 746 has over the 746-PRO is an additional IF stage, thus its TPBT is
actually going through two offset IF filters. The 746-PRO achieves its TPBT via the DSP. It
is argued that the DSP filtering more than makes up for the lack of the extra filter and is more
programmable/flexible. It is counter argued that DSP filtering is not as effective as
traditional IF filtering (the 746-PRO instruction manual even eludes to this) and that
insufficient filtering early on overtaxes the DSP.
Both are excellent rigs and only time will tell just how effective DSP really is. Perhaps
someday Icom will make a rig with both.
Here are some of the features the IC-756-PRO has that the IC-746 does not.
- Dual watch receiver design
- Real-time spectrum scope
Additionally, the IC-746-PRO retains the basic form factor, LCD, control layout, and bonus
2m capabilities of the IC-746.
Page 17 of 113
2003-02-08
