I agree, it seems that Yaesu is making the purchase of their repeaters enticing enough, to try and promote clubs to put them out there. This could be to tackle the "conversion" approach, in that many other digital clubs seem to have a guy come by with money to want to start it up, moving an existing analog-only repeater club to a digital voice system is impossible (unless they're buying everyone radios). Still, I fear it will be pumped out and then not used. I used the digital mobile, and, having never used any Yaesu mobile before, really that interface was terrible. We tried desperately to get the text messaging or group features to work, but never were able to accomplish anything. Then the idea of the radios all dropping back to FM analog whenever needed just again makes it possible to migrate, but, hypothetically, impossible to ever really get the club to voluntarily move over to digital until a saturation point is reached. I'm still for DMR just as that it's already available from a number of brands, the features work pretty well, and it has a sizable interconnected community out there. Between talkgroups and the two timeslots it just presents a useful advantage over this system.
Have you investigated the FT-991? This does everything the 857 does and more. Looks similar to the 1200.
The display is rather small (not a problem for my 16 year old eyes ), and the 991 fixes that to a degree for those who are visually impaired/restricted. It also includes the C4FM Voice mode. Yaesu C4FM does have some bugs, but please keep in mind everyone, that anything, and I say ANYTHING, will have bugs on the first releases. After a few years, I predict that most of these will be ironed out, similar to DSTAR.
Well, you're making judgements based on other people's uses, it seems. Have you ever owned or operated a Yaesu FT-2000D? In my opinion it is a wonderful radio for those who are into DXing, Ragchewing, or casual contesting. I'm not going to tell you what to think, but I would recommend original research here if you haven't done so...
It will happen, since C4FM, to my knowledge, is open source. Let hams be hams and they will find a way.
Well, let me say this: Not only is Yaesu trying to make this repeater enticing, they were giving it away under beta testing. Points for Yaesu in my book.
I bought an FT1D, only because they were giving them away ($310). It was worth it. It's fun, and it does cool stuff that you won't see again in a $300 radio for the next 5 years. Of the other 15 people I know who own one of these, 13 bought theirs in the last 2 months when the price plummeted, and for the same reasons. The other 2 are kicking themselves for paying almost $600 for it a year ago. As far as the radio? You have to go to menus to change the PL tone, the tone/squelch type, and the repeater offset. Lovers of the 817 user interface will love this one nearly as much. (They did foul up and put squelch type and tone squelch frequency in the same menu, next to each other.) The manual is up to standard Yaesu clarity. Actually it IS a little better than usual, but it does have some doozies. ("Pressing VOL during the sound is being muted cancels the Mute function." Or on one insert, in a list of abuses that will shorten the life of the battery is: "Overcharging with an incorrect charger, or charging too long." Nothing about overcharging with the correct charger.) As far as the C4FM? Audio is crystal clear. Voice wide (digital) has excellent audio quality. Digital narrow is "clear" but distorts audio, especially near the reception fringe. In one test, people sounded like they were talking with stuff in their mouths. Range was about the same as analog FM, not clearly better or worse. Dropping out (picket fencing) sounds different, but is otherwise about the same as FM. Doubling sounds different, but is otherwise about the same as FM. I haven't specifically tested, but I'd guess that capture effect works about the same as FM. System Fusion will die. It's great on paper, but in practice it will not work in the long term. Digital signals sound like really loud static to an FM receiver, and analog signals are not heard by the digital modes. Analog people will not stick around and listen to static. Digital people will step on analog people because they can't hear them. There will be much frustration and anger. It's a fine way to get things going, but it won't last. Ultimately there will be analog repeaters and digital repeaters, and probably separation in the band plan as well. (D-Star already has separate space for repeaters in our area.) Think I'm crazy? What happens when somebody, just for his own amusement, keys up analog FM in the middle of a C4FM net. All the radios that are in auto mode switch to FM, and the operators who are not in auto mode stay digital. Will it catch on? Until the players get together and agree on one digital mode for amateur radio, analog FM will continue to dominate. If they do get together and the price comes down from the stratorsphere, eventually (20 years or so?) digital voice will take over.
Cogent precise beautifully stated, I only wish I had written that response myself. Like the radio waves, forums too are filled with put downs, useless comments and negativity. It's always refreshing to happen upon intelligence and good-reason.
Not sure my reply went through new at this any ideas a handheld with big screen and not small buttons. I like the looks of the Yaesu FT2DR HT but review does not look promising. Thanks KB3ZPU, Ric
Why the broad brush? What models and other specifics do you have? I just Googled Yaesu and problems, and don't see indications of chronic issues. I've never had a problem with any of the Yaesu's I have or have had (857, 450, 950 and one HT) nor have I heard of issues from anyone I know, that have them.
REPLY I agree no one person can speak for all of us! We are a very unique community of very Smart people otherwise we would not be involved with Radio Communications! What one person wants or needs is totally different from what another person wants or needs. If we all would just stop for a minute and analyse what we want and need than just go out and buy it. In today's world and I am sorry to say TUBES are the Past! I am a lover of tube technology! But the world of digital radio is here, So now what do we do! We have DMR, Fusion, Dstar, Nextedge, P25 do we carry radios for all these modes, NO we do not, Can we,Yes we can that is your decision and yours only. What manufacture do you use, That is the one question that is on everyone's mind. You choose and pick the manufacture that you prefer that has all the qualities that you want in a radio. Yaesu has done a fabulous job in research and Fusion has its place as does Dstar and DMR, we all have to choose wisely and go borrow a friends radio listen to the digital mode and if you like what you hear and the great technical conversations going on than by all means go out and enjoy it. I will not say one mode is better than another as I run Dstar and Fusion repeaters and active on DMR. All these modes serve the Ham community with a purpose, the aim here people is to experiment and make these modes better for all our enjoyment. There is so much room and opportunity to experiment for all levels of Amateur Radio operators in today's technology it would be a waste of good energy to sit and criticize every manufacture for their faults! Hey we are all Human, mistakes can be good if you hopefully learn from them and make the technology that much better. OK now go out do some research read and see what digital mode you like and enjoy, that is what radio is all about it is not about ONE its about you and what you enjoy. 73,s good DX and Happy Digital Modes. W2LGB Larry
