ICOM UPDATE VERSION 1.4x FOR IC-7610

                                                ADDS DIGITAL PRE-DISTORTION (DPD)                       

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NEW IN THE VERSION 5 ADVANCED MANUAL (Download Link Below):

IF you have a very new IC7610 that came from the factory with 1.41 or 1.42 preinstalled,  it has already been calibrated at the factory, and none of these adjustment procedures are necessary!  

Just Turn DPD ON/OFF on the MENU→DPD option.

Note: from Page 41 in the new version 5 of the Advanced Manual:

Note: If you update manually to 1.4x from an earlier version, then the adjustments are necessary.

The latest at this writing is 1.42: Firmware Download | Support | Icom America.

Or from Japan: https://www.icom.co.jp/support/drivers/7892/?setBusiness=2

The lastest Advanced Manual Version 5 which discusses DPD ajustments on Pages 38-41 is not yet available on Icom America site but is available from the Japanese site: IC-7610 | Instruction Manual / Guides | Support | Icom Inc. (icomjapan.com)

Any future updates may be found on: Firmware/Drivers | Individual Customers | Support Information | Icom Corporation

DPD is the ICOM version of "Pure Signal".   Nc0b made these captures of his spectrum change with DPD OFF and ON showing a significant reduction in distortion products which we perceive as some added audio distortion and splatter.

                         

The vertical scale is 10db per unit and the reduction is about 20db which is very significant.

     DISCLAIMER: ANY FILE IS NOT YET ON THE ICOM SUPPORT SITE FOR USA DOWNLOADS BUT AVAILABLE FROM JAPAN - USE AT YOUR OWN RISK

IF YOU WISH TO INSTALL THE VERSION 1.4x UPDATE - HERE IS MORE INFORMATION: 

                                                       [Ignore if you are not updating]

The DPD can be used with the IC7610 standalone (a.k.a. "Individual Mode") to improve the purity of the spectrum, OR with the upcoming* (*See Footnote) Icom PW2 amplifier inside the feedback loop, but no way is known yet about how to include non-Icom amplifiers inside the DPD feedback loop or even if it will be possible at all.  This would further improve linearity and reduce IMD and splatter.  

Download the 7610_14x.dat file from the link at the top of this page. 

Instructions for updating the firmware using the *.dat file are given in the IC7610 Advanced Manual Version 5 (link above) on pages 95-98.
 

The installation adds a new menu item MENU->SET->DPD ADJUSTMENT.

Pick "Single Adjustment" and open the adjustment screen.  NOTE: Adjustment must be into a dummy load OR a very low SWR antenna.

                             

Using the UP/DOWN  arrows at the bottom of the screen (not visible above), chose a band and then push ADJUST.   When it is done it will say it was successful.  Repeat for other bands.  Exit by pushing the EXIT (physical) button. 

After the adjustments there is a new button "DPD" shown when you push MENU and pushing it turns DPD ON/OFF.

In the PDF file the only instructions needed for the standalone installation in the IC7610 which Icom calls "Single Adjustment" are from the top of the first page down to the sentence "If IC-PW2 is connected, remove it".   Similarly, you need to disconnect any amplifier and connect a dummy load before attempting adjustments.

You MAY be able to do the calibration with a low SWR antenna instead of the recommended dummy load, but sometimes that failed, but using a dummy load the calibration went smoothly.

Also with the dummy load you can go ahead and calibrate for all the bands/frequencies shown even though you may not currently use those bands.

RECOMMENDED: If you do not have Version 1.3 on your SD card, I suggest adding that before making this change in case you wish to revert back and also have an up to date "Save Settings" file on your SD card.  Version 1.3 is available HERE.

IMPORTANT:  BE SURE TO KEEP THE ALC WITHIN THE RED RANGE.  See Note above about statement on Page 41 of the new Verson 5 of the Advanced Manual.

Page 41: "Adjust the Drive Gain to a level that does not exceed the ALC zone of the meter. Otherwise, an abnormality in the correction value is detected, and the feedback correction will be stopped."