Part of our The Icom IC-7300 Mark II: The Complete Guide.
Firmware updates on the Mark II have brought real improvements since launch, but like any firmware update, it’s worth approaching deliberately rather than rushing it.
Read the release notes first
Not every update matters to how you use the radio. Check Icom’s release notes before updating, if nothing in the changelog affects a feature you actually use and everything is working well, there’s no requirement to update the day it drops.
Back up your settings first
Save your configuration to the radio’s SD card before starting any firmware update. Updates occasionally reset settings even when they complete cleanly, and you don’t want to discover that after the fact with no recent backup.
The actual update process
Download the firmware file from Icom’s site, load it onto an SD card formatted the way the radio expects, and follow the on-screen update process from the radio’s menu. Make sure the radio has solid, stable power for the entire update, an interrupted update mid-flash is a genuinely bad outcome.
After the update
Check your menu settings and memory channels against your backup before trusting the radio for anything important. Do a basic function check, transmit power, tuner operation, CAT control, and RS-BA1 connectivity if you use it, before your next real operating session.
My update checklist
- Read the release notes and decide if the update actually matters to you.
- Back up full configuration to SD card before starting, no exceptions.
- Confirm stable power for the entire update process.
- Verify settings and run a basic function check afterward before relying on the radio.
None of this is complicated, but skipping the backup step is the mistake that turns a routine update into an afternoon of reprogramming. Don’t skip it.