How OrbitDeck learned to control the IC-705 over Wi-Fi, what it borrowed from icom-lan, where it diverged, and the session logic that finally worked.
Topics
Radio Content
Ham Radio
Operating notes, station experiments, antenna work, and the gear decisions that make portable radio either fun or annoying.
A wire-level reference for the IC-705 WiFi control path used by OrbitDeck, including handshake order, packet layouts, CI-V wrapping, and the implementation details that proved necessary in practice.
Repairing an ID-5100A head unit with replacement touch screen and LCD parts sourced directly from Icom Australia.
A practical look at the 2026 WIA band plan revision, including the main HF changes, the tradeoffs behind them, and original comparison charts that point back to the official WIA documents.
A detailed field write-up of a kite-lifted 40 m end-fed on Coochiemudlo Island, including the mechanical setup, RF chain, static bleed, and what changed once the wire stopped sitting still.