Recent content by tahrens

Not sure these radios are really in the same class, but as a portable radio that does go to 154mHz, I'm really turned off by the 817's lack of ability to receive NOAA weather broadcasts. Seems Yaesu missed the boat on this one - a portable 'emergency' radio that can't do NOAA? (and I don't...

Hi Folks, I want to put up an OCF Dipole (off center fed). I want to put up the 'long' one that will also do 160. What are the true dimensions of each leg? I've read 180' on one, and 90' on the other, but was wondering if there is a 'true' dimension. I'm going to use a 4:1 balun at...

dual band antenna Hi Mole, I got a good match on 6 (without trap or top whip), but when I tried to add anything at the top, the resonant frequency went really wierd. I'm getting a 'regular' whip to put on the spring tomorrow. I might play with adding something to top with it. (more...

Hi Folks, I'm trying to build a mobile dual band antenna for 6 & 10 meters. I read an article back from a year ago in QST where the author started with a full size CB whip, cut it half, and used a polycarbonite coupler (with a trap built on it for 10m). Sounded ok, but I neither had...

That's kind of interesting, as Motorola now has a vested interest in Yaesu/Vertex. Currently, the smallest P25 portable that I know of that Mot makes is the XTS2500 series, and while not huge, it's not as small as the VX-8 series. Think this would seriously undercut their sales of Mot's...

Is that when you let the smoke out? :scared:

I'm looking for a 'better than stock' antenna for the vx8/vx5. Preferably not one that has a wire 20" long! I don't care about 220 & 440, just 6 and 2. Does anybody have any 1st hand experience in a different brand? Thanks, Tim W5FN

Hi Henning/Mole, Sorry for the late response, but I don't get by here very often. I did not get a 'yaesu' connector, but used some pins from a DB-9F connector. They are the right size to push down over the connections on the top of the radio. Of course, you need to make sure you...

Hi Hutch, Does the Yaesu stereo headset use a different protocol than A2DP? Oh well, it was a shot! Thanks, Tim

Hi Folks, I've used my plantronics with the vx8r, with ok success, but was wondering if anyone else has tried to use it with any of the Stereo BT headsets. I've got a Motorola S305, and can't get it to pair. Just curious. thanks, Tim W5FN

Plantronics Voyager Pro Works... But Hi Folks, Got the voyager pro a while ago, and works pretty well with the VX8. However, if you leave the radio in one place, and go out of range, when you come back in... you will be transmitting!!:headbang Fortunately, I didn't say anything...

Hi DM, The USB solution is a good one, if you have one of their boards.. it's a bit tough for most folks to handle a 32 pin SMT device on a proto/bread board. I had one of the USB-Serial converters, and it does have one of the FTDI chips on it, but it is a 5v chip, so I would have had...

Hi M, long time no talk! Actually, I had designed a small board some years ago in my past, and just used it. It basically had a DB9 connector, the RS-232 converter chip, and a small micro. For this project, I just took off most of the other chips & left the connector & converter. The...

Hi guys, Got it figured out. The G4HFQ software lets you use a standard RS-232 connection (not sure about the RTsystems stuff). Built up a simple converter part (MAX3232), used some pins from a scavenged DB-9 Female connector (they plug onto the mic connector pins very easily). Got...

Hi folks, Was wondering if anyone has seen a schematic for one of the programming cables of the VX8. Since it's a USB cable, I figure they just bring all the lines into the mic connector. Wouldn't be difficult to jury-rig a cable to program the box with some pogo pins, etc. Also...