The high SWR (1.9) shown in the upper left corner is the SWR between the radio and the AMP. The power in the lower left is the power from the radio to the amp. The SWR (1.0) shown in the upper right is the SWR between the amp and the antenna. The power in the lower right is the power from the AMP to the antenna. And the amp ATU is in the off position.
The post office surprised me by delivering my IC-705 last night, a day earlier than expected. Now I am waiting for my cable to be shipped out so I can connect it to my XPA125B and I can get out to a Hawaii park and try to activate it.
Take a look at the review of this amp in QST Feb 2023. They tested 3 of these amps and they found problems with each of them. They kept having to have HRO replace them because of problems they would find. . Everything from spurious emissions on 6 meters, it wouldn't transmit on 80 and displayed LOW EFFICIENCY error message, it didn't meet's power output specs, etc. etc. ARRL said "It might be the luck of the draw but the Lab found problems with each of the amplifiers it tested". I would not be connecting one of these to my radio.
Learned something during Uri ice storm. I tried running my 746pro on my marine battery. Even on QRP it is a hog. Used 703 to get to the7290 net, and sipped power on 40 QRP. So a QRP in an off grid situation is great. Depending on mode and band conditions, one may need an amp for a boost. But combined, power consumption could be less than a all in one 100w rig. And if you do need the amp, you cut it out. I think a lot of hams will be thinking about power consumption of their rigs if they lost power in the URI event.
Flexibility, if the bands are great you might not need the amp. If they're not then you'll need the amp. The IC-705 also has 320 ma receive current so chances are you could operate for a fair amount of time with just the built-in battery. In comparison, the IC-7300 has a receive current of .900 to 1.25 a which is triple of the 705. The 705 is also light weight but the 7300, not so much.
One question. When the ATU is on the XPA 125B, will pushing the tune button on 705 trigger the ATU on the XPA125B? I use a Ecomm 2 end fed antenna. Unlike my G90 that I sold, I know I have to manually change bands on the XPA 125 A amp.
What is the pinout on the cable? I have a cable here but cannot get it to work? Please Please help! Just got the 705. I have a G90 and the XPA125B but can't get the 705 to key the amp...
I love my 705 for POTA, I see a lot of UA-camrs using the Yaesu 891, if you had a choice, would you use the 705 with that amp or the Yaesu 891? Field day QRP was a bitch, couldn't get a word in edgewise. So I was thinking of going to a 100-watt radio. The 891 was top of my list but I love all my Icoms 705, 9700, and the 7300. Someday I will get the 7610 and I can use the 7300 portable, but for now, I could get the amp and have a better icom with me that also does D-star which the 7300 doesn't. What is your opinion? Thanks in Advance Jason.
Great video! I read on Facebook , You may burn out the amp port on the 705 and they recommend upgrading to a new board with USB-C. Do you think the cable alone + XPA125b is a safe solution?
Hi Jason. Love the video !! Question here: I noticed that your have a (metal??) 'bracket' around the IC-705 set, with 2 side handles on the left and right side, plus one carrying handle on the top op the IC-705. Could you please tell me where you got that product from?. It looks awesome, and also protects the IC-705 from damage... Thanks man! 73's from the dutch guy in Istanbul, Turkey Robbert / TA2IX
Great demonstration! How much watts input does it need to get 20-40 watts output? I need to know that because sometimes I don't want 50-100 watts output. Is it possible to reduce TX power on IC-705 low enough to get 20-40 watts output on the XPA 125B? From what I've read this also strongly depends on the band. Thank you in advance!
I know this is a bit late. But for the most part on most bands you can’t get the amp to go under 60w. 6m can go under 50, but I don’t remember how much. Everything else really averages the upper 80s at even 1w input.
@@HamRadio2 GND, DATA 6 PIN PS2 MOUSE TYPE, 13 PIN ACC EX SPEAKER MINI PHONE, REMOYE MINI PHONE, 8 PIN ICOM MIKE, KEY PHONE, 4 PON AH4 TUNE. Should parallel IC706 or IC7000 type ports.
Been better if you had shown us how you configure the 705 for working with the amp. You did not demonstrate whether the amp worked/keyed on FT8 mode. Sold on the buddipole charge controller. Very intrigued by the Buddihex. Thanks
Great video. I note there was no need to use the tuner with the buddies. Have you used the internal tuner in the X125 you please describe your setup for that? This looks like the solution I'd love to use. Any particular issues using the tuner/amp combo? Love your channel. Keep up the great work!! - Kyle
The tuner was tricky but we figured it out after the video. Still no band-switching though, which I mentioned in the video. I will probably do an update to this episode.
@@HamRadio2 Hi Jason. Have you given more thought to updating this ic-705/Xiegu xpa125B video? I have not yet watched your field day video but wondered if you used the same configuration and how it went.
You were getting unacceptable SWR on your test calls and you didn't demonstrate the auto-tune feature in the XPA-125B?!? Great video otherwise. I ordered a 705 (already have an IC-7300) and was always wondering about an amplifier to pair with it if needed. I have an XG-90 as well, so I may pull the trigger on this amp. Thanks for the post!
Been waiting for ages for someone to demonstrate this on YT with the 705 before I pull the trigger on the Xiegu amp. Awesome!
The high SWR (1.9) shown in the upper left corner is the SWR between the radio and the AMP. The power in the lower left is the power from the radio to the amp. The SWR (1.0) shown in the upper right is the SWR between the amp and the antenna. The power in the lower right is the power from the AMP to the antenna. And the amp ATU is in the off position.
I’ve heard you should use a buffer when connecting the amplifier so as not to blow out the 705’s amplifier keying circuit.
Thanks!
You bet!
The post office surprised me by delivering my IC-705 last night, a day earlier than expected. Now I am waiting for my cable to be shipped out so I can connect it to my XPA125B and I can get out to a Hawaii park and try to activate it.
Take a look at the review of this amp in QST Feb 2023. They tested 3 of these amps and they found problems with each of them. They kept having to have HRO replace them because of problems they would find. . Everything from spurious emissions on 6 meters, it wouldn't transmit on 80 and displayed LOW EFFICIENCY error message, it didn't meet's power output specs, etc. etc. ARRL said "It might be the luck of the draw but the Lab found problems with each of the amplifiers it tested". I would not be connecting one of these to my radio.
705 is a sweet radio. Wish it had an integrated antenna tuner.
But if they built the antenna tuner into the radio they couldn't sell you one as an option silly.
I love the local beer can :)
If you're going to lug a 4lb, $520 amplifier to the field along with the 705, why not just take a 7300?
Good question. Either one would work, tbh. So it depends on what you are trying to do.
Learned something during Uri ice storm. I tried running my 746pro on my marine battery. Even on QRP it is a hog. Used 703 to get to the7290 net, and sipped power on 40 QRP.
So a QRP in an off grid situation is great. Depending on mode and band conditions, one may need an amp for a boost. But combined, power consumption could be less than a all in one 100w rig. And if you do need the amp, you cut it out. I think a lot of hams will be thinking about power consumption of their rigs if they lost power in the URI event.
And I do not want to get rid of the 703. Good on power management, and uses the same mikes and SignLink cables as my 746 Pro and 2720 2/.70 rig.
Flexibility, if the bands are great you might not need the amp. If they're not then you'll need the amp. The IC-705 also has 320 ma receive current so chances are you could operate for a fair amount of time with just the built-in battery. In comparison, the IC-7300 has a receive current of .900 to 1.25 a which is triple of the 705. The 705 is also light weight but the 7300, not so much.
My sentiment exactly. Just buy a IC 7300 and have a complete radio.
One question. When the ATU is on the XPA 125B, will pushing the tune button on 705 trigger the ATU on the XPA125B? I use a Ecomm 2 end fed antenna. Unlike my G90 that I sold, I know I have to manually change bands on the XPA 125 A amp.
More about the Buddihex !!!
Coming up!
High SWR could be from all the beverage cans scattered about.
They act as a ground plane to boost the signal
What's that sweet mast? I've been looking for that sort of portable mast exactly
Great vid, Thanks. Did I miss the link for the connector on the XPA125B to connect to the 705 for PTT that U mentioned?
#ThNHR
#TeamReplay for the win!
What is the pinout on the cable? I have a cable here but cannot get it to work? Please Please help! Just got the 705. I have a G90 and the XPA125B but can't get the 705 to key the amp...
I bought the cable, I didn't build it.
@@HamRadio2 Hi ,WHERE CAN I FIND THAT cable
Can the Tuner work in a manual mode. could i wire in my Mat 705 before the amp?
The tuner inside of the amp will actually work. We learned this after this video was made. Darn, I guess I have to do another one :O
thanks Jaison god job 73 from kb2uew
Thanks!
Is there another cable needed if using the atu as well? I was wanting to get this for my efhw I will almost definitely need the atu working
Why would you need an ATU when the amp has a built-in tuner?
I need that beam antenna. Where can I get one?
Keep checking the Buddipole website
It's still not showing up on the Buddipole site. DX Engineering sells a similar patented HEXX Beam antenna, so maybe there's a legal conflict.
Product link in the description doesn't seem to work for the amp. 73
Maybe they changed it. This video is a couple of years old
I love my 705 for POTA, I see a lot of UA-camrs using the Yaesu 891, if you had a choice, would you use the 705 with that amp or the Yaesu 891? Field day QRP was a bitch, couldn't get a word in edgewise. So I was thinking of going to a 100-watt radio. The 891 was top of my list but I love all my Icoms 705, 9700, and the 7300. Someday I will get the 7610 and I can use the 7300 portable, but for now, I could get the amp and have a better icom with me that also does D-star which the 7300 doesn't. What is your opinion? Thanks in Advance Jason.
PS See you in Huntsville.
I have that same cage for my 705!
Great video! I read on Facebook , You may burn out the amp port on the 705 and they recommend upgrading to a new board with USB-C. Do you think the cable alone + XPA125b is a safe solution?
USB-C is not needed and this cable worked fine for me. But the same ebay seller sells a kit with a filter that is "safer" for the radio.
Will the amp fit in the 705 backpack?
I don't have a 705 backpack, but from what I have seen about it - yes it should hold the amp, which isn't that big
Hi Jason. Love the video !!
Question here:
I noticed that your have a (metal??) 'bracket' around the IC-705 set, with 2 side handles on the left and right side, plus one carrying handle on the top op the IC-705.
Could you please tell me where you got that product from?.
It looks awesome, and also protects the IC-705 from damage...
Thanks man!
73's from the dutch guy in Istanbul, Turkey
Robbert / TA2IX
Funny you should ask - grapevineamateurradio.com/collections/radio-gear/products/peovi
I'll be mentioning these today in my shopping video
Awesome Video Now you have me wanting a Buddihex... Any idea when they are going on sale?
No...hopefully soon
@@HamRadio2 Thanks
Great demonstration! How much watts input does it need to get 20-40 watts output? I need to know that because sometimes I don't want 50-100 watts output. Is it possible to reduce TX power on IC-705 low enough to get 20-40 watts output on the XPA 125B? From what I've read this also strongly depends on the band. Thank you in advance!
I know this is a bit late. But for the most part on most bands you can’t get the amp to go under 60w. 6m can go under 50, but I don’t remember how much. Everything else really averages the upper 80s at even 1w input.
Will the radio turn the amp on and off?
No
Wil the 125 work with the IC-703?
I've never owned a 703, not sure what kind of connections are on it
@@HamRadio2 GND, DATA 6 PIN PS2 MOUSE TYPE, 13 PIN ACC EX SPEAKER MINI PHONE, REMOYE MINI PHONE, 8 PIN ICOM MIKE, KEY PHONE, 4 PON AH4 TUNE. Should parallel IC706 or IC7000 type ports.
The 703 can do 1 to 10 W 6-160M. Oy is easy on power. Do not want to het rid of it. Was great as low power unit on battery diring Uri.
thats a lot of BBQs for a dx meeting. 🙂
Been better if you had shown us how you configure the 705 for working with the amp. You did not demonstrate whether the amp worked/keyed on FT8 mode. Sold on the buddipole charge controller. Very intrigued by the Buddihex. Thanks
Great video. I note there was no need to use the tuner with the buddies. Have you used the internal tuner in the X125 you please describe your setup for that? This looks like the solution I'd love to use. Any particular issues using the tuner/amp combo?
Love your channel. Keep up the great work!!
- Kyle
The tuner was tricky but we figured it out after the video. Still no band-switching though, which I mentioned in the video. I will probably do an update to this episode.
@@HamRadio2 Hi Jason. Have you given more thought to updating this ic-705/Xiegu xpa125B video? I have not yet watched your field day video but wondered if you used the same configuration and how it went.
I’d also love to know more about the tuner.
Team Reply/Sorry I missed the premiere. Great set up and experiments. I spy the cigar!
You were getting unacceptable SWR on your test calls and you didn't demonstrate the auto-tune feature in the XPA-125B?!? Great video otherwise. I ordered a 705 (already have an IC-7300) and was always wondering about an amplifier to pair with it if needed. I have an XG-90 as well, so I may pull the trigger on this amp. Thanks for the post!
I want an ICOM boonie hat !
Dude, where'd you get that boonie hat?