Yaesu FTX-1F, a new QRP rig! (Part 1)

For clarity, the antenna port on the radio is BNC, only the output of the optional (back-mounted) ATU has the SO239 socket.
So for portable use, using a resonant antenna, the extra weight and size of the ATU would not be needed and you would connect to the BNC socket.

Adding the ATU mght be to attract the POTA activators who may have less distance to carry their radio - or indeed operate from their car.

73 Ed.

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I know we tell ourselves this nice story about resonant antennas, but it’s not my experience. I don’t have an aerial resonant from 40 to 10m, but I can easily (ab)use a 40m EFHW on 60m and WARC bands with an ATU. Since I mostly chase while portable the frequency agility an ATU affords me is extremely useful.

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Saw this early this morning. You’ll have to skip thru to find where he speaks with the Yaesu rep:

Todd KH2TJ

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Don’t tell Paul G4MD, he might be inclined to buy a third one. :joy:

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From Hamfair 2024, Tokyo
FTX-1



options on top From left side
Battery pack
Battery pack with ATU
ATU
Cooling fan
Cooling fan with ATU

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From Hamfair 2024, Tokyo
IC7760
Not QRP Rig ICOM 60years anniversary model



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How do you lay the radio flat on the ground when you are out portable with the positions of the antenna sockets (BNC main and PL259 ATU)? Has nobody at Yaesu observed anybody using their competitor rigs KX3/KX2/IC705/TX599? Having to prop up the 817 so you could see the display was such a pain compared to how natural both my KX2 and 705 feel in use.

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Hi Andy
Right. Main target use of FTX1 may be POTA. its may be too heavy for SOTA. Cannot weigh because in plastic case.

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Cooling fan + Battery powered portable radio = Paradox

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Yaesu is a company that designs radio catalogues. They still make radios. The only purpose of these rigs, however, is to fill the pages of shiny radio catalogues. :wink:

Ahoi
Pom

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It’s will not be the first portable radio that can overheat. Not happened to me yet but I have the side plates and carry a sun screen. The side can get quite hot even in Scotland.

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I am very pleased to see how civil us lot are. Facebook radio groups are a bunch of animals, slagging all kinds of things with this rig.

I will be very curious to see how this unit is placed. It looks very much like the faceplate of a 710, and if it is priced similarly it would be a nice addition to buying options that I can’t really afford. It would be lovely if its weight were SOTAble without the fan.

I still would love to see Yaesu make an SSB version of a KH1, a slightly large HT with 5w and a tuner, and a small display. Nothing too fancy, just what we need for those sketchy summits without space to deploy a 40m dipole.

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Thanks Carlo for putting up the link to the photos of this new qrp rig.

Geoff vk3sq

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The very first time I used my KX2 was cut short by overheating. Learned the importance of a sunshade for the unit, especially when it’s 38°C out.

Regarding the Yaesu product, I was intrigued for a few minutes but there are enough poison pill “features” that will keep me away. For now my next planned rig remains a KH1 or perhaps the retooled MTR3 coming “soon.”

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I’m certainly looking forward to this more than the X6200 launch! I can only expect that the opening price will hurt (maybe get some sales by summer 2025?), but it decently matches what I’d want it to do. A fully integrated tuner like my KX3 would be preferred, but that seems to be a miss accepted by both Icom and Yaesu. Satellites don’t look to be in the picture, but being able to keep 144.2/146.52 scanning on the side would be a fun option. Certainly would be a benefit to POTA operation as well. Split ports also mean VHF contesting I can have 6m on the low port and the Elk LPDA on the high port.

I spent some time looking over these images from the show: 【ハムフェア2024】<6W出力で長時間運用、2波同時受信も可能>八重洲無線、HF~430MHz帯ポータブル機「FTX-1F」を発表 - hamlife.jp

Much to look forward to in 2025!

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Thanks for the extra pictures Thomas.
From what I had read, I had a question as to whether one must have the external battery if you have the ATU, these new pictures show the radio with either the ATU (and external power) or the external 5 Ah battery fitted (both can also be stacked), as had been shown in an earler picture in this collection).

It will be interesting to see some weights listed. Size wise - it’s looks like the main unit is not much biggers that the removable head of a mobile rig and then you add features (ATU, battery) as you wish - I presume the options are sold separately. So the big question will be what price this will be when it comes in 2025, both the base radio and then the options. I “suspect” Yaesu’s target price for the base radio will be around the RRP for the ICOM 705.

I wonder if there could be an aftermarket (30-50w) amplifier/ATU that would use the same physical method to fasten to the rear of the radio as the Yaesu ATU does?

It’s great to see new radios coming along.

73 Ed.

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why not…

73 Armin

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I don’t think there is an internal battery, so you have to provide power externally, either via the Yaesu supplied battery or via DC input. Hopefully, the battery can be charged by USB(-C !!!) while being mounted onto the radio.

Indeed, Size, Weight and Price are interesting.

Another thing that bothers me a bit: There seems to be no clock display on the front panel. Being chased on a hill, looking at your wristwatch is cumbersome, having a separate, loose watch lying around is prone to getting lost. I fastened a cheap Casio watch to the top of my G90 workhorse. Note that I do paper logging, which doesn’t automatically record the time.

Also Andy’s comment

is relevant. I strap my G90 to the front of my backpack and have it stand up.

And only 6 Watt may be a wee bit to weak. I would have gladly traded some of the claimed 9 hrs battery life for a bit more punch (even assuming that a higher max power output used more battery even if you don’t use it).

73 de Martin / HB9GVW

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I have a vague recollection that the FTDx101D doesn’t have a clock at all, maybe it’s a Yaesu thing.

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I picked “under 2000” so I could be sure I’d be right.

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