HR2.0 - Yaesu FT5DR System Fusion Handheld Ham Radio with John Kruk

Today I welcome John Kruk from Yaesu back to the livestream to discuss the new YAesu FT5DR System Fusion Handheld Ham Radio. 100k

 

Waiting for yet another guy to make a 'witty observation' about baseball guy with same name

 

Well... it is good marketing, because you are all talking about it!

 

The new monitoring feature is great. To have five frequencies always at a glance. There are now new possibilities to safe energy in standby, when normaly using the home shack.

 

Face discussion aside -- it seems pretty obvious that Yaesu's marking budget was large (or the dealers or distributors offering review samples?) for this new radio. Of course, I know the YouTubers are innocent since they're just doing a job and working the algorithm yadda yadda. Either way, seems less like "news" than "mutually beneficial agreement between digital media peddlers and manufacturers trying to advertise."

 

no full duplex
no bueno

 

I have asked SEVERAL times to the Frontman about the transmit audio level imbalance that exists in all the other HT's since the FT1 between Analog and Digital, and I have gotten....Z E R O response as usual. Anyone have any knowledge of this being fixed please let me know. I wont buy another Fusion portable until this is corrected. Its not a problem on the mobiles, but it is on the Ht's.

 

God, you're from 1-country?

Seriously, if you have a problem with all the guys making kooky faces on the videos... why not write an email to the head Poobah at QRZ?

I stand by comments, lighten up, Francis. Ham Radio = Hobby. AMATEUR.

 

In 2021 its a shame that YAESU, ICOM etc can't include Bluetooth formats that are HANDS FREE USEABLE with car audio systems. Just ridiculous!

 

It is amazing that these HTs keep getting more expensive and full duplex isn't an option.

 

The Manufacturers have lost the plot. One has to consider media is most of the problem. Features, features, features making them utterly complex and useless. They are for kids who never wanted to let go of their transformers action figures.
When I need a handheld for actual service I want simple stupid with outstanding performance not something I need to pack along the 300 page manual to operate.
Like posted above things like Full duplex, SSB etc. are things Hams who use them want. I could care less to get recipes for dinner from a website, Talk to others through the web (have a phone for that)and don't need 1100 memories.

I am sure the Youtube ninnies just love these new radios being sent to them because they can make 17 videos on how to use them. For those of us that rely on handhelds like Pilots, Sailors and Emergency service we don't need anything that requires us to whip out the manual in a heavy gale at sea or in a emergency on the side of a mountain. Just look at the forums with how many questions about programming radios and how they are useless because of a misplaced function in pages of program.

Let them keep making 500 dollar handheld for the toy lovers but please consider working on solid performers, simple to use and operate with actual features we can use. Don't need to know the temp in San Paulo right now.

 

Prices on FT3's are dropping faster than Bill Clinton's pants in a trailer park.

 

We have elements of all that already, just no will to combine them.
Look at Kenwood. The old D72 does full duplex. The D74 receives SSB/CW. How hard would it be to build an HT the size of the D74 that will also transmit SSB and has full duplex capability? The KX2 isn't much larger and does HF SSB TX/RX (and acts as a passable HF HT with the internal mic). I've used mine like an HT on various summits to make a number of contacts, including DX, with a radio-mounted antenna.

I was out camping this weekend with a buddy while we worked the VHF contest and did a SOTA activation. We were talking about this very thing, brought on by me using my D74 to receive 6m SSB that was going hot and heavy at the time (connected it to the 6m J-pole I was using with my VX7 for 6m FM). We both agreed we'd immediately buy a D74-size HT that did 2m SSB and FM. Antenna polarization would be an issue, but I can hold an HT horizontally or turn my Arrow antenna 90deg.

There is the FT818, which my buddy used for VHF SSB/CW during the contest, but it's stretching the "HT" model considerably (though it works passably with a shoulder strap).

Chris

 

SSB is so much more efficient than fm. It just doesn't make sense not to have a SSB handheld for 2 and 430. I would scoop one up in a heartbeat. 6 is great too but I consider the size of a portable antenna a problem. A dual band yagi that folds up small would be and exceptional way to make contacts over distance.