I bought a FT-891 as my new radio and thus I can go from 5 to 100 watts in one radio but why they couldn’t redo this as a 5 watter with low current drain is beyond me . Rebadging the radio with 8 extra memories is BS.
Disappointed and of course the Chinese will have a field day with their xiaguu, jingjang and boofung HF radios
john ve3ips
OK, It feels better - easier to tune clearer sound, - perhaps just a personal preference (I have the yaesu (Collins) SSB filter in the 817) so it’s not just a matter of selectivity.
I need to use it more to get a real feeling but as I said, I’m starting to like it more than the 817 for operating - your point is very valid however - “how reliable will it be?”. Time will tell.
Matt (OE6FEG / M0FEU) - the LCD screen in the picture of what I “think” says it is an FT-818, on the ML&S website seems to look like the same LCD as in the FT817ND - have I missed something?
73 Ed.
Subjective is valid Ed. Personal preference is what made me buy one make of sports coupe over another brand.
I’m struggling to see any visual differences (apart from the badge saying 818). I’ll have to dig my 817 out to check.
Could they be using a picture of the FT-817 because the FT-818 has not yet been released? Why is there info on ML&S but not the Yaesu homepage? I still can’t shake the feeling this is a wind-up.
Matt
I know where you’re coming from Matt, I also felt the rig would only be released at the Tokyo Ham Fair in August but ML&S are saying delivery in April.
The fact that they are taking deposits for it, suggests that it is for real. Perhaps it’s already got EC approval (from which the picture may have come?) and Yaesu are awaiting FCC approval only for sales into the US? For that reason it wouldn’t be on the Yaesu website perhaps.
It’d be nice to get a new (or upgraded) rig in Europe before the States for a change!
73 Ed.
If you translated the screen for the 891 to the 817 half the controls of tyhe 817 would have to vanish from the front panel, you could not compact them any further without people having trouble using them. Much increase in screen size would demand a bigger rig, reducing the advantage of the 817. For now it is better to use the DSP button to double the height of the frequency readout, making it easier to read. The same goes for the 857, the DISP button makes the frequency easier to read, but in both cases you lose some less important information from the display.
Do you really carry your 817 under-arm in a satchel using the rubber duck as an antenna? OK, it’s a personal thing, but for me you could lose the BNC and one of the knobs on the front panel. And still no MCW built in like the 857!
Matt
I’d better not be too negative, given the avatar…
I bought the carry case to protect mine - and found it a nuisance so I never use it! The rig fits nicely into the padded back pocket of my rucsac. The rubber duck is far inferior to a quarter wave telescopic whip on 2m which is a quarter wave on 70cm when closed, and hinges to lie across the front panel. My favourite way of carrying it is in a poachers pocket in a waxed jacket when I want to go lightweight - not that the jacket is all that light!
We used to do that a long time back with our TR-2300s and FT290MK1s and such radios. In those days we thought they were amazing tiny units. In fact we have a silly activity “the vintage electric handbag event”. The idea is to go out and use some equipment over 25 years old for SOTA. The old VHF radios are excellent compared to some modern radios.
Jonathan GW2HFR “won” the last one. He took an old 19 set on to a SOTA summit complete with dynamotor generator and large 12V lead acid batteries. More an electric luggage trunk than an electric handbag though!
We’re due another one, probably around Easter time I think.
And if anyone has a TR2300 power plug and microphone they don’t want, PM me 
Goody!
I just got an email from Gigaparts announcing it. So looks like it is real. The message mentioned this;
A few notable improvements include:
Increased power output to 6W
Improved frequency stability
Larger battery capacity
For more information click the button below
More Information - Yaesu FT-818 Yaesu FT-818, Yaesu FT818 GigaParts.com
Compton
Compton,
Just logged in to share the same information. The 1 watt increase…guess it’s the best they can do without changing design. The battery, good move though they may have considered a 12V lithium based battery as is available after market. Adding the TCXO, wise move - getting into digital and that’s a recommended move for that mode. Seems not bad for the $50 - $70 price increase but nothing earth shattering.
Howard
I note from the ML&S blurb it has the “WRC-15 5MHz band”. Does that mean it’ll still need modding to transmit on “our” 5MHz frequencies?
Edit: Should have read further down the page. In the Tx specs it says “WRC-15 + UK”… D’Oh
Increased power output 6W(SSB, CW, FM) 2.0W(AM Carrier) *NEW!
Improved frequency stability ±0.5 ppm : Built-in TCXO-9 *NEW!
Larger battery capacity : 9.6V/1,900mAh (SBR-32) *NEW!
Is it just me or does that seem a pretty disappointing upgrade after nearly 20 years?
I am similarly disappointed with this. It is no more than an upgrade. I don’t even think it will impact the secondhand 817 market either as 99.999% of people will see little has changed. As for having improved frequency stability, is this such a big deal? Out on the hills in sub-zero temperatures maybe, but I for one won’t be running FT-8 or any other data mode under such conditions.
It’s on the Zed now:
No guesses what the reaction there is. If they had no intention of making a major upgrade, it would surely have been better PR to make that clear 3 years ago, thus avoiding the disappointment that is now being felt. With the reworking of the FT-857 into the FT-891, that most people agree is an improvement in many ways, they created the expectations of a similar upgrade to the FT-817. Now those expectations have been unexpectedly dashed. Arguments over price bracket aside, that seems like bad PR management to me.
For an extra €10 you could buy the FT-817, speech compressor, digital filter and turn the power up to 6 watts yourself in the service menu. Or, for €10 less, you could have the FT-891. Which one would you buy?
de OE6FEG / M0FEU
Matt
EDIT: sorry, just had a good look at ML&S and I see that the FT-891 is actually 80 quid cheaper with cashback, which could get you a reasonable handheld for 2m & 70cm.
So here’s a question, will FT-818 replacement parts be compatible with the FT-817?
