The Icom IC-9700 works well as a Winlink Express radio using a software TNC. In this example, the software TNC Soundmodem by UZ7HO ver 1.05 on a Windows 10 64bit workstation. This short guide assumes your IC-9700 (with firmware ver 1.21) has been setup and connected to a Windows PC. In this example the IC-9700 is USB attached to the workstation and is on COM-6, the USB cable will be used for sound mic/speaker and PTT.
Download software TNC file soundmodem105.zip from http://uz7.ho.ua/packetradio.htm and unzip the contents into a folder on your Windows PC – note there is NO installer it runs direct from the folder that you placed it into. Launch soundmodem.exe and configure the Modem Settings – you only care about the Modem Filers for Ch: A (Fig-1):
Next in soundmodem setup the Settings to interface with your IC-9700, be sure to set your PTT Port to the correct COM port on your PC – this is the same COM port you would use to clone your config using the free Icom software CS-9700 off the Japan Icom site. Be sure to select the proper Output device and Input device (Fig 2):
Next you will want to setup the connectors in the 9700 to “talk” to the Windows PC running soundmodem and Winlink Express. Here are the Connector settings I am using (Download The PDF) :
Make sure the IC-9700 is in FM-D mode and on a frequency of a nearby Winlink Express Gateway, when soundmodem is running and setup for AFSK AX.25 1200bd you should see a waterfall with activity in the soundmodem window (Fig 3):
Here are the Packet Winlink Session Settings for reference Fig 4:
Here is a short video of the operation using the software-based TNC and the Icom IC-9700 connecting to a Winlink Express RMS gateway via RF:
David Cappello (KG5EIU) 
February 21, 2020 at 6:01 pm
Thanks, David. Worked great. Key for me was reinstalling the USB drivers and the Connectors specifications. Much appreciated 73, de K6KEC
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May 1, 2020 at 5:58 pm
Thank you for this setup David. I found that the USB (and soundmodem) will receive the un-squelched signal from the radio. In weak signal or noisy situations it can be helpful to have the soundmodem receive a squelched signal instead. For those situations I was able to get more connections more consistently. To squelch the received signal going to the computer, in the USB AF/IF Output section of the IC-9700 setup, set AF SQL to ON. The squelch is controlled by the RF/SQL knob on the radio. Set the squelch to just block the noise but pass the gateway signal and the computer and soundmodem may find it easier to transcode. Much appreciated and 73, AJ6LU
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July 6, 2021 at 7:10 am
Hi
I tried many settings for my IC-9700 to work on packet also UISS but NO success at all.
only this setting worked great my radio is not keying now its working great.
Appreciated 73 ,Ibrahim 7Z1IS
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January 11, 2022 at 3:42 am
No option for the settings device input/output to select ic9700 per the instructions above.
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January 11, 2022 at 3:43 am
Also tcp settng does not transmit out the radio and if I set to com 4 which my radio uses it says com port already in use….. I can’t win
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April 5, 2022 at 2:32 am
Only problem I had was I missed the step on the touch screen to set the radio to FM-D. Once I did that every worked perfectly. The radio was the computer was set to use FT-8 on an IC-7600.
Easy peasy.
I have 13 people ARES group moving to packet digital. Thanks to your instructions sheet, the change from a TM-281 (now in my digital go box) to the home station was not a giant learning curve.
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April 19, 2023 at 3:31 pm
The signalink information for the IC-9700 shows two Module/Cable connections ACC and Data. Which one is best to use for this radio. Thanks.
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April 20, 2023 at 2:23 pm
No need for a signallink – use the usb port that has integrated CAT and audio
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March 3, 2024 at 8:51 am
There is a better way to setup the audio than what ICOM suggest in their documentation. Every program/mode that you use will have different audio level needs, I fought this problem for some time. Set your computer’s audio levels to the following:
WINDOWS
(Recording) RECV: 0 db
(Playback) XMIT: -24 db
Then set the audio levels in the radio to what you need, and save a profile in the radio for each mode/software you use. If you have to reinstall windows on the computer the audio levels will be perfect every time, for each mode/software.
If you change computers and need a minor change, make the change in windows, and every program will fall into its sweet spot.
I regularly go from FLDIGI to JS8Call to Packet to Winlink with perfect audio in each mode. When I started with VARA-HF 90% of the time my connection sounded like R2D2, now I’m usually between 1000 and 3500 bps on HF from the mobile.
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