ICOM announces release date of IC-R8600

ICOM Japan has announced to start selling their new communications receiver IC-R8600 on late March in Japan.

+ New Release : IC-R8600 that widely covers 10kHz - 3GHz with digital modes - ICOM  (Japanese)

ICOM IC-R8600

As you know, IC-R8600 is successor of the IC-R8500. The IC-R8600 covers from 10kHz to 3000MHz with D-STAR, NXDN, dPMR, P25, D-CR(AMBE+2) digital modes and some conventional analogue modes with variable band width filters. Appearance of the surface is almost same as I have seen before.

The IC-R8600 adopts FPGA + DSP and also has as follows;
- 4.3 inches color TFT LCD with touch screen
- Real-time smooth & high accuracy spectrum scope and waterfall display
- 11 selectable band pass filters for HF
- 13 selectable band pass filters for VHF / UHF
- can be controlled by PCs and so on via USB or Ethernet
- I/Q output (available soon)
- 2400 channels memory
- high speed scan ( 100ch/sec. )
- three multi functional dials
- SD card recording
- absolute value of the reception signal strength (RSSI) can be displayed
- firmware upgradable


At ICOM amateur radio festival 2016, the prototype IC-R8600 had some birdies around 2500 - 3000MHz. Those should be eliminated.

IC-R8600 prototype at ICOM amateur radio festival 2016

List price (excluding tax) of the IC-R8600 will be about $2000 (calculated value) in Japan. Optional speaker with power supply SP-39AD is sold too. Available date is late March in my country. It might be available by early Summer which might be in time the first Xenia Hamvention in the US. Hope to be coming soon.