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Yaesu VX-8r mod - first on the internet!

Moleculo

Ham Radio Nerd
Apr 14, 2002
9,194
1,674
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This mod enables out of band TX on the Yaesu VX-8r.

Here's how to do it:

-Take out the battery.
-Under the battery is a heavy, thick plastic cover with very strong adhesive. Remove it using an XActo knife or a very small screwdriver that you can slip under it. This is the same cover you need to lift to install the Bluetooth option.
-After you get the cover open, it will look like this:

195-1231089966-0a9feed590bbc377fd2114cf16dc4e6a.jpg


To mod the radio for out of band TX, locate the only resistor visible on the board, just to the left of the bluetooth plug:

196-1231090595-c392a0dd2b7a4aae6d86f49b4860e0e1.jpg


All you have to do is carefully remove this resistor. I have a fine tip for my solder station for little work like this:

197-1231090595-0fee964a7c868c23b20d717452fa52a0.jpg


Make sure you clean off ALL the residual adhesive. Don't try to put back the cover that you took off, as it will be badly deformed and you will have lost some of the adhesive. Yaesu gives you several extra covers in the bottom of the box, so use a new one. This is important to preserve the waterproof integrity of the radio!

After you put the battery back in, the radio will have reset and you will lose all of your settings. I'm not sure what the complete range of TX is yet, but this mod definately opened it to TX out of the Amateur bands.

FIRST! (y)(y)
 
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uh oh...

Darn, this mod is only a Mars/Cap mod not a freeband mod like on the VX-7R. I was hoping to open up TX into 47 MHz. It's a no go I am afraid. Hopefully there is a resistor to pluck for a freeband mod of some sort hopefully we can find it.

73's
 
Question: vx-8r mod. reset

The mod for the vx-8r for mars/cap says "after the battery is replaced the radio will reset and you will lose all your settings"

Question 1: Does the radio reset automatically or do you have to do a reset and which one?

Question 2: What settings are lost. Are the default settings intact or do you have to input ALL settings?

Roger, K8CIX
 
Q-1. It sounds like it ought to do the reset automatically. If not, do it manually.

Q-2. It sounds like anything you programmed into it will be gone. Writing the settings down before doing the mod sounds like a real good idea! Then reprogram it.
- 'Doc
 
it will reset it self and yes you do lose all your data.

The mod for the vx-8r for mars/cap says "after the battery is replaced the radio will reset and you will lose all your settings"

Question 1: Does the radio reset automatically or do you have to do a reset and which one?

Question 2: What settings are lost. Are the default settings intact or do you have to input ALL settings?

Roger, K8CIX
 
vx8r mars/cap mod.

Thanks for the info so far on the reset and loss of memory. I guess my main concern is that ALL default (factory) menu items are lost. I don't mind losing the freq.'s I have programed I just don't relish the idea of having to go to 100+ menu items for reprograming. Is this what you have to do?

Roger, K8CIX
 
Next question, does this radio transmit AM on aircraft band (122.900) as does the VX-7R?

No, it doesn't

I guess my main concern is that ALL default (factory) menu items are lost. I don't mind losing the freq.'s I have programed I just don't relish the idea of having to go to 100+ menu items for reprograming. Is this what you have to do?


On mine, the radio just got set back to the default, as it was when I first took it out of the box. All of the pre-programmed VHF Marine, SWL, and other special memories were preserved.
 
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VX-8R tx.range after the mod.

Does any one know the tx. range after the mod? I am interested in the 503-512 Mhz. range. Thanks. Plato:
 

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