I'm having trouble getting reliable CAT control working on my IC-9700 when operating through linear transponders like AO-73. The Doppler correction seems to work fine on FM birds, but when I engage tracking on the linear sats, the frequency drift is noticeable and QSOs tend to drift across the transponder passband. I'm using Ham Radio Deluxe with the linear transponder tracking option enabled. Has anyone else experienced similar issues with the 9700's satellite mode?

My current setup is running HRD 6.8 with LSB on uplink and USB on downlink as recommended for inverting transponders, but the tracking just doesn't seem as precise as it should be. Any suggestions for improving the CAT control accuracy?

I had similar issues until I disabled the radio's internal satellite tracking and let the software handle everything. Don't use the satellite tracking built into your radio - let Ham Radio Deluxe do the work for you. The key is making sure HRD has exclusive control over both VFOs.

Check your TLE update frequency - old data is the #1 cause of missed passes and tracking issues. I update mine automatically every day through CelesTrak. Also verify your QTH coordinates are precisely entered in HRD.

The 9700 works great once properly configured. Make sure you're not locking the VFOs during operation - it's very important that you not lock the VFOs during a QSO or expect the marriage of the two VFOs to compensate for any shift in frequency related to the Doppler effect. Let the software manage everything.