Replay of the livestream where I welcome John Kruk from Yaesu onto the show, to talk about the brand new FTM-500DR Mobile Radio.
Next time ask John why they're not supporting the FTDX-101D with updates. For it being their upper end radio they have sure let it languish and online groups have lists of suggestions that they could implement.
Great presentation HWB. @W2MGF yeah, I agree, when it comes to HF gear I'm an ICOM guy. HTs and Mobiles... nothing but Motorola.
What a nice device. Offers more new things than I thought before. But the sensitivity is, after I compared the manuals, between the 400 and 500 the same. I am always looking for more sensitivity, because I always use small antenna configurations. And the FTM-400 offers, without special conditions, a very good sensitivity. Once I got a contact with F3E in a distance of about "only" 70 km between an operator with a handheld and my device at home. So when the 500 can get a bit more, its always welcome. But it isnt to find in the new manual. At next the new audio is intresting too. So will it be able to cut the audio-signal like a DSP and is there anywhere a sample for to have a little impression? And when the VFO in digital mode logged in at Pi-Star, its now possibel to use analog at the same time with the other VFO? All in all the video was great for to see what the device really is, thanks to KC5HWB.
I would agree with you given their lack of support but in general the radios are nice. I saw follow-up comments by Icom fanboys, which is fine. To each his own but Icoms do not sound as good as Yaesu's on the air. Got rid of the IC-7300 because even the FT-891 was a better radio, excluding the lack of a waterfall; better notch, better DSP, etc. at nearly half the price. And the clown from Icom, Ray Novak, basically said they don't care what Americans want, it's a Japanese radio company.
@AA3C well, some guys like Ford, others like Chevy... some guys even like the Yugo, I mean Yaesu. Just kidding. To each their own.
This thread seems to be similar to the debate between Apple, Microsoft and Linux. My view is use what works for you. I like to consider vendor agnostic but ...
I have never had a lack of support for Yaesu !!!, and yes Icom does not sound as good or have as good DSP and DNR than Yaesu for sure
Blanket sents like yours do not do anyone any good, to each his own, but you could elaborate as to your reason behind the comment so that we may better understand or do not end up in a situation that got you bitter over a product vendor/manufacture ..
Yaesu is a "garbage company" is perhaps a little strong and an explanation might give it a bit more credibility. In the case of Icom every Icom radio I have ever owned has had problems going back to 70s and IC 701. Was a great radio when it worked but mostly it didn't. Fast forward to the Icom 703 which did not make it much more than a week and died. It's not necessary to call Icom garbage I just don't allow any of their gear into the shack based on ownership of a number of their radios and their extremely poor reliability. Chalk it up to basic common sense.
The push button switches and rotation pots, on Yaesu, are cheap; combined with cheaply made materials and construction. Specifically, on the ole 6m/10m/2m/70cm Quad Bander. I had the FT-891 in my car, while it performed quite well, the display was very light and dainty. Marked up/scratched easily; like it was soft plastic and not like the robust construction and materials of my 706MK2G. I am not tone deaf, but I, honestly, could hear no difference in audio in, or received bad audio reports out of an ICOM. It is HF, not a 70 cm repeater for jeezy sakes! I venture that many hams just operate their radio(s) right out of the box, and do not take the time to adjust their audio in/out. Overall, I think the quality, and specifications, of hammy gear is poor. Which is the reason why I use Motorola for hammy/GMRS mobile and hand held. I've never received a complaint on my audio and never hear/heard city noise (i.e., intermod, street switches, etc.). Moto (APX, XTS and XPR) is constructed for Military/Law Enforcement reliability. Keep it hammy. MO.
