The PTT is way too hard to press, you'll only manage short overs. Plus, setting a scan going needs two hands and can't be done with the set in a side-hugging mobile mount.
There is no way to charge the two AA batteries, so you'll be popping open the flimsy (bound to break) batt compartment every day or two.
It powers up with an annoying beep that will DEAFEN you, if you have an earpiece connected. Every time the squelch opens, the click will again damage your hearing unless you can rig up some in-line volume control and run the Q7 at "full" volume attenuated to fix the problem (beeps and clicks are fixed in volume).
Scanning isn't rapid, 8 channels a second or so. The supplied whip is adequate enough but don't even think about using it at low VHF.
Airband AM is odd, nothing like a real AM demodulator. Anything that sounds pleasant on a decent airband rig *can* sometimes be hard to copy on the Q7 regardless of signal strength, with loud clicks on the tranmission being a lot more pronounced than on a good radio (or maybe I've got a duff one!). With the supplied whip, figure the Q7 is better than nothing at the airfield, but a 70% waste of time otherwise.
TX Power output really isn't useful except for strong signals.
CTCSS tone scans are almost perfect, you can hear the action while it tries to find the tone, and it stays put for a while when it finds it. BUT, it keeps scanning (slow, too) when there is no signal, so you often end up trying the same low tones (for example) when someone is talking, and missing the higher ones when the signal stops. It never seems to be on the untried tones when someone is talking! I could find a tone in seconds on a Yaesu I once had, this Q7 often takes so long the activity has stopped before the tone has been found. Bad design! Once you have the tone though, the set stays nice and quiet - it doesn't succumb to false triggering like the Yaesu did.
I'm not unhappy enough to sell it, it does have its uses (very portable) but it's far from being my ideal radio. I want fast scan, docking charge, and simple scan lockouts etc without needing to remove the thing from its hug mount every time I want to change the slightest setting (while driving with my knees because it needs two hands).
Yes the Q7 is small, but you'll need to carry a decent antenna, probably an SMA to BNC adaptor, and a 4-connector 3.5mm adaptor lead to connect earpieces.
I hate the SMA connector. Screwing on antennas should not be such a chore compared to the simple twist of a BNC!
It does TX on 446 though, LOL
But if a bunch of annoying foreigners are hogging a 446 channel, you'll give up in disgust - locking out a channel temporarily is just too much hassle.
Helpful Group/Mailing List for owners :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/IC-Q7
Reviews :
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/2059
Notes: How to receive HF on the Q7
Looking at the schematic (actually more like a block
diagram) I think I've figured out how you are getting 0-30MHz from 283
- 320 MHz. The first LO is synthesized and, at least on some
ranges (not sure which) is then multiplied by 2 and sent to the first
mixer. There appears to only be a low pass filter. Therefore, the
fundemental will also get through. If that is the case and
since the first IF is at 266.7MHz, the formula for getting shortwave
freq. would be:
F(programmed) = 266.7 + 2 * (Fdesired)
Since you got WWV at 296.7, that works out for 15MHz. WWV transmits on 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 MHz. So, you might try 272.7,276.7, and 286.7.
> Try to set your q7 in AM mode and a
> frequency between 283.0-> 320 MHz. Put
> on a wire antenna about 6meters and you
> will hear a lot of shortwave. 283.0 is
> about 7.7 MHz real and it's going all
> up to 30