Hi folks. New to the forum and hoping to get a bit of advice for a new HT.
I’m looking for something for the 145 Alive event this month but also for occasional SOTA and frequent POTA, BOTA (Beaches) and a potential upcoming IOTA.
I currently use a Tidradio H8 and H3 but worry these might be deaf of 145 day as the summit I’m going to work has transmitter towers on it. I have a 2m filter on the way from Ali Express for this possible predicament.
Antenna-wise I’ll be using a 7.5m fibreglass mast from Wimo and I have a Slim G for 2m on the way from Spectrum Communications with an RH770 as backup.
I’m interested in an HT, maybe an FT70D but all I keep reading are the negatives about the battery life. When you factor in extra batteries and a rapid charger it, in my opinion, takes away from the sub €200/£200 value.
I had a test of Peanut to see what C4FM is like and USA aside, C4FM and DMR etc seem fairly quiet.
FT70DE aside, the FT65DE seems good value but is it made up of cheap components to keep costs down, thus not much better than a Tidradio perhaps?
The Anytone 878 looks good value but possibly a pain to program? I’ve also looked at the used market but a lot of what’s put there now seems overpriced. There’s not much available locally either so not really a viable option at the moment.
One other option I thought about was perhaps a mobile rig, like an FT2890 perhaps? Power output isn’t everything though I guess, and a mobile rig isn’t exactly backpack friendly when I’m already carrying an FT891!
Anyway, any help and advice would be greatly received and very much appreciated.
D878UV - not a bad radio but I found the squelch annoyingly slow to open even with strong signals. Gives you a few extra watts over the usual 5W from a HT, and includes APRS. I could connect to DMR repeaters using it but didn’t ever manage a QSO on DMR (simplex or via a repeater). I didn’t test mine against front end overload before I lost it, but the AT778UV mobile radio gets overloaded easily on 2m.
Quansheng UV K5 - Yesterday was the first time I used it properly and I noticed the squelch was slow again, and even on the lowest setting it wouldn’t open for anything other than a 59 signal (stock firmware). Turning off the squelch I heard a few more stations reasonably well and managed a few more QSOs. It gets easily turned on accidentally in my bag and goes flat, and gets easily overloaded near transmission towers. However, it’s dirt cheap and charges via USB which is handy.
FT3D - Decent radio with lots of features. I’ve had a few C4FM simplex QSOs using it, but not many. I find the digital sound less clear than analogue, but better than on commercial DMR radios that I’ve used. APRS is fine for beaconing but a pain for messaging, the Bluetooth only seems to work with Yaesu accessories. Suffers from front end overload. I suspect the FT5D is similar?
I picked up a Kenwood TH-K20 second hand quite reasonbly priced but they don’t seem very common. It’s very basic, 2 m only but good battery life and really good front end filtering.
I usually take my FT3D and the Sotabeams filter with me on an activation.
I haven’t tried the FT65/70 so not sure how they compare. I think there’s a VX range which might be worth looking into.
Unless there’s a lot of activity locally (or you can drum up some activity) then don’t let DV affect your choice.
I’m not sure how well the Aliexpress bandpass filters work. The Sotabeams one definitely works and the price relfects this.
Thanks for the valuable information, it’s helped a lot. I think an FT3D or 5D is probably a but overkill for my needs.
Lovely feature set, it has all the bells and the occasional whistle, but €450 rrp for a 2m/70cm HT when 2m and 70cm are effectively dead in Ireland just gives me no ROI on a big outlay.
Read as well that the FT3D speaker is very quiet and that the FT5D falls apart by merely looking at it. YMMV of course.
There’s not much on the used market locally. Mostly all Baofengs and Quanshengs or what ‘name’ devices are around are often overpriced, at least items I’ve found for sale.
I’d have loved a VX170 or VX270 but can’t find one for sale in the EU (good old Brexit again, so the UK market isn’t an option alas). Even an FT60 would be good, but none for sale or overpriced.
I think it’s why I keep coming back to the FT70D but I’m hesitant spending the best part of €300 on an HT and accessories where the battery life lives about as long as a turkey that’s just caught Bernard Matthews grinning at him.
I’m pleased with my FT70D. I use it set to 2.5 W as default, as the extra 3dB gain by using the full 5W output makes no difference on almost all contacts, it just hammers the battery.
I have found that the battery runs down if you leave it in the radio when not in use, but it has been fine otherwise, for SOTA and on day long RAYNET activities
YMMV, but I hope this helps!
73
Adrian
Now THAT is interesting regards the power reduction. I didn’t think of that. Sure it’s all line of sight anyway really so it makes sense I guess.
The other part I didn’t mention is I may well do the very occasional overnighter. Strong emphasis on occasional there. Battery would be a concern again but I guess that’s why you’d have a spare on you.
Amazing to think that a company like Yaesu that’s been around for donkeys can release a string of handheld in succession with all the coachbuilt quality of British Leyland.
Two handed operation for volume control is just absolutely mind-boggling as well. Who’s operating the AutoCAD when designing these things? Jesus wept.
Any convincing arguments for the FT65DE to be had? Has one been opened up to see if the components are any good?
Most of them are rubbish for SOTA. Or in the case of the £15 Chinese wonders, just rubbish. They are not designed for use with higher gain antennas and fail somewhat to total fail when used with an external antenna or when near other transmitters. A filter can help but it’s normally better to buy a radio that works not one that is sub-par and add a filter.
The FT70 is allegedly good with an external antenna and in the presence of commercial transmitters. As for battery life, you don’t have to buy another battery for it, just make a lead up and take up a cell pack made from some 18650 LiIon cells etc. Also remove the pack when not in use.
A lot of the truly excellent handhelds for SOTA use which give none of these problems are no longer made and you need to buy second hand. They crop up regularly on eBay etc.
As you are looking for a something to use soon, don’t rush into a purchase that you will later regret. If I were you whilst looking for something ideal check out with your local ham friends to see if you can borrow an FT817/818 as they are bullet proof on 2m. Or maybe someone has an FT290 sat not being used. The FT290 doesn’t have Stentorian lungs and is only 2.5W and then only when fed with an external 13.8V supply. But its RF stages are bullet proof. NOTE: the FT290 power plug is wired backwards compared to every other radio barrel power plug!
You want to buy a radio that works for your needs. Not a radio that is pre-broken for your needs that requires add-ons to work in a basic fashion.
for whats its worth as an active SOTA op with lots of activation’s done along the East Coast the best advice is don’t spend serious money on a 2m handheld (and no need for 70cm at all) . Forget about the Chinese radios on any of the summits with RF towers, Kippure, Saggart Hill, Two Rock, Mount Leinster etc. you just won;t hear anything. I use a Yeasu FT25 , I think you can pick them up new for less than €100 including the external mic. In general you will be reliant on the same few GW guys and a couple of Dublin based activators that will get on and Chase you.
If you are North near the GI border you will be much more successful as lots of active Chasers. I gave up posting alerts on the SOTA Ireland Facebook page as I could get 50 Likes out of Dublin but not a single qso HI.
Having said all that Alex EI4JY is the most active and successful VHF/UHF activator in EI so you might touch base with him also. Bottom line, don’t be spending €300 on a handheld, add a little more and get a second hand FT817/818 which will cover your VHF needs and give you HF as well.
This is EXACTLY what feedback I was hoping for. Local knowledge and experience in the field.
I’ve experienced similar, no-one responds in Leinster alas. That’s why I’m not wanting to sink a lot of money in to UHF/VHF as its effectively dead it seems.
I have an FT891 already so am covered for HF and no plans to part with it, I love this rig. The 2890 or 3100, or Retevis R95 were all considerations, but I’d prefer the convenience of an HT.
You have me thinking now the FT65DE might be the best option. Is it any good out in the field for SOTA, POTA etc?
With any spare money left in my budget I might look at one of those drive on mast holders for some Winter and poor weather BOTA and POTA or random chasing and CQ calling work.
Drifting OT a little, are those tri mag mounts any use? Any decent all band all mode antennas for them? I can’t do any radio at QTH, all my radio activities are /M and /P.
I’m taking this thread slightly OT now, sorry!
I was at first put off by comments on the volume control, but now that I have it, it makes sense.
It’s a hand held radio. Hold it in one hand and operate the PTT; press buttons and twiddle knobs with the other. Pressing the “Vol” button instead of the PTT is not an issue.
I can use this radio with gloves on, unlike my old VX5 with two small knobs on the top.
I’d like to see someone quickly and efficiently operating a HH without using two hands
( I’m sure it would be possible with practice!)
That’s a pretty decent point actually, fair play. God knows what Rod Hull (God rest him) would’ve done on a SOTA activation with an FT70D and Emu in tow…
All this pondering has me thinking as well about APRS. It’s a shame the FT70D does CF4M and WIRESX but drops APRS.
Buy a Mobilink? But those are the best part of 200 quid, so either use APRSDroid or buy an Anytone 878 or FT3/5.
Christ the HT market is a funny one isn’t it? They giveth with one hand and take away something you really want with the other!
I think Ben @GW4BML has an FT65 and says it works well. Hopefully he can confirm that.
I don’t know if Andy FMF has ever actually used a Baofeng but he does like to criticise them. I use a Baofeng GT-3TP with a slim jim on a 6m mast and it works really well. Most of the summits here don’t have masts on so I can’t comment on whether its front end filtering is good enough. When I operated from Great Orme GW/NW-070 I used my FT-817ND and that worked fine in the presence of the infamous masts.
I was having a closer look at the FT4X, FT65 and FT25 there and I didn’t notice in the product description that they all use a recessed SMA connection.
That means my Nagoya 771 and Diamond RH770 are likely incompatible with it, and those antennas were not cheap (for me). Meaning I’d need adaptors or new antennae (sic?).
I think I’m talking myself in to an FT70D via this thread! That battery life though really irks. Are the aftermarket batteries with larger capacity worth getting, or a battery eliminator? Could be useful operating from the car in winter with a drive on mast holder, the 7.5m mast and a Slim G, no worries about the battery life then.
I love my FT65 which I’ve had for a couple of years. Last Friday on Moel Siabod NW010, for example, I had 3 Irish qsos inc a S2S, a GD qso & 2 S2S in G/LD & NP. 19 qsos altogether, 5 watts into a Slim Jim on a 4m pole. (The EI S2S was using a RH770.) Perhaps there was a lift on today, but it has always worked well for me.
You can’t say fairer than that, as the saying goes.
73 John G0MHF. Ps -as per Rick below, I’ve used a Sotabeams filter on certain summits.
Cheers Declan! My yesterday’s stint on Slieve Donard broke all the records with 35 VHF only QSOs within an hour! A dream for an EI VHF activator Having said that, I am going uphill with a 12kg backpack, having a mobile TM-V71 rig, a litium 12ah battery, a photo tripod and a 3el beam with me. That is an apparent excess in some cases, but having no portable HF gear I need to be more less certain I can qualify a summit when travelling to remote or low hills. Besides, no need to worry about extra filters when on a TX site and ready for LEO sats if really stuck.
I am also carrying an FT-60 or TH-F7 as a backup rig, just in case. Those HTs are fairly adequate with 3 el beam on TX sites without extra filtering (in some cases may need to walk around a mast to find a quieter spot though).
Ian, if you want to stick to an HT, I would suggest to get an older one, a used Kenwood/Yeasu/Icom - sometimes, although rarely, good stuff appears on adverts, then ebay or some UK shops have used sections. Get a potentiometer, non-menu squelsh. Potentiometer, non-button volume control, same applies to channel switching. When in a field, you want everything to be quick and simple. Remember, your HT may drop on a rock several times, you may eventually step on it with your hiking boot, it may get wet and your final FET may get blown - that is all my way though
For higher East coast summits a telescopic 1/4 or 5/8 works arguably okay’ish. For remote/lower hills buy or DIY a mast mount vertical or a collapsible short beam. You will work out yourself what you really need and do you really need a mess with an extra VHF, on top of an HF kit you have already
Declan has made an excellent suggestion to look for a used, all in one FT-817/818. I would add here an FT-857 for a little more flexibility.
Super advice, thanks a mil! I’m not going to go the 818 or 857 route as I’ve only recently got the 891 - and I absolutely love and treasure that thing, I’m going to be buried with it!
Definitely the HT is the avenue for me. Noone is selling anything decent at the minute, or it’s all asking silly money for older HT’s.
Must admit, as focused as I am on the FT70D, this thread is now making me look very seriously at the FT65, particularly given all the real world examples folks have kindly provided here.
Agreed on the waterproofing. I did a failed SOTA attempt on the Sugarloaf over the last bank holiday and my stuff got wet just purely from being stood inside a cloud. A VX HT would be useful in that scenario, but how often is that happening?
With the FT65 and it’s funky recessed antenna port, what adapter would I need for an FT-65 in order to use my Diamond RH770?
I’d say don’t bother with VX unless you want to regularly drop your radio in water Cloud water vapor unlikely make much harm to an adequately sealed typical radio. Although, under normal circumstances you don’t want to be operating in open when it is raining anyway.
Regarding adapters, try to search for SMA male to female adapter or something like that, look at pictures and description to confirm you are on a right one. Perhaps it is good to have an SMA to BNC adapter instead, and buy all future antennas with a BNC plug. That would be more flexible and reliable in a field.
73 de EI4JY, Alex
Oh cool, that’s me sorted then. I already have an SMA to BNC adapter as my RH770 is BNC and I use it on my TidRadio H3 and H8 with no issues.
Not sure what all the palava is on the Wimo description for the FT65E then in regards to it’s ‘wacky recessed SMA connector’. That spooked me off somewhat.
I think I’m pretty much set then, an FT65E and one of those lightweight option drive on mast holders (my Decathlon fishing rod pole is only 42mm diameter) it is then!
With the money saved I can put it towards a dive watch or a regulator… or just more radio gear!
Okay, just in case, here is my FT-60 connector on the front, and an old Baofeng connector at the back.
Yaesu FT-65 will have a baofeng style ‘wacky recessed SMA connector’. In case your SMA to BNC adapter is FT-60 style you will need to buy a different one to make it fit to a newer Yaesu FT-65
BTW, nothing is really mandatory in an amateur world You will know what suit your operation style automatically! Although, perhaps a pair of headphones and an external microphone would be good to have. You will feel the difference in strong winds.
73 de EI4JY, Alex
Having said that, I am going uphill with a 12kg backpack, having a mobile TM-V71 rig, a litium 12ah battery, a photo tripod and a 3el beam with me. That is an apparent excess in some cases, but having no portable HF gear I need to be more less certain I can qualify a summit when travelling to remote or low hills. Besides, no need to worry about extra filters when on a TX site and ready for LEO sats if really stuck.