FT-891...anyone try this mod?

[Naysayer]

It's an old thread but on-point and it may help someone who notices what I noted on my FT-891 after a MARS mod.

Did MARS mod and it worked however: The Frequency changes when switching from SSB to AM and back again. For example: If i'm on 27.555.00 SSB and I switch from SSB to AM Frequency changes to 27.555.70. If I switch back to SSB it goes back to 27.555.00

Radio never did that before. A minor thing but it affects user confidence in radio.

Anyone else notice changes to whatever function is assigned to the A, B & C buttons? I noted that the toggle is not complete but rather the ability to adjust the assigned function used last continues beyond the first button press. Minor inconvenience and very subtle change and/or easy to presume it was always like that.
Has anyone else noted these changes after the Mars mod?

 

[025]

It's an old thread but on-point and it may help someone who notices what I noted on my FT-891 after a MARS mod.

Did MARS mod and it worked however: The Frequency changes when switching from SSB to AM and back again. For example: If i'm on 27.555.00 SSB and I switch from SSB to AM Frequency changes to 27.555.70. If I switch back to SSB it goes back to 27.555.00

Radio never did that before. A minor thing but it affects user confidence in radio.

Anyone else notice changes to whatever function is assigned to the A, B & C buttons? I noted that the toggle is not complete but rather the ability to adjust the assigned function used last continues beyond the first button press. Minor inconvenience and very subtle change and/or easy to presume it was always like that.
Has anyone else noted these changes after the Mars mod?

The 991a does something similar out the box. I forgot what its call, but it's cw center frequency. It shifts from ssb to cw until you turn off that thing in the menu. I think my 891 did the same thing.
Here's a video of how mine was modded when I got it. This might show if yours is done differently or incorrect.

 

[Naysayer]

Thank you for the Reply and video, I missed it on YT.
Radio working fine. I spent a few hours on it today -high noise level here in the North East today, rainy day too. Europe been coming in 10 through 40M last few days causing many pile-ups.
A bit of flux and braid and the pads would clean-up OK but so far so good.

I'm still studying rig to see if I can find any other differences. I'm focused on the Frequency Memory menu now. Tired of pushing buttons lol. Menu driven system takes time to learn so I did wait a year before attempting the MARS. The freq jump is easily missed if you're not familiar with the radio, I know I would have missed it. Any touch on Fast and the freq jumps anyway so I needed an hour to notice it myself. I have not read that anyone else had same result.

Thanks for posting, neil

 

[Ade587]

Hi Naysayer, I have the same problem you mentioned about frequency changing when changing modes, I believe the fix is menu 07-11 CW FREQ DISPLAY, that needs to be set to FREQ default is pitch.

 

[Naysayer]

Hi Naysayer, I have the same problem you mentioned about frequency changing when changing modes, I believe the fix is menu 07-11 CW FREQ DISPLAY, that needs to be set to FREQ default is pitch.

Thank you I was puzzled at first because I kept presuming my hand hit the Freq knob. I'll run that down today and update later. A little thing like that destroys confidence in equipment & changes operating experience. Thanks for sharing that.

 

[Ade587]

Thank you I was puzzled at first because I kept presuming my hand hit the Freq knob. I'll run that down today and update later. A little thing like that destroys confidence in equipment & changes operating experience. Thanks for sharing that.

Hahaha that’s what I thought too as the VFO knob is used to change mode, never mind.

 

[Naysayer]

Alright now it's fixed. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!
That been bugging me for far too long.

 

[snippits75]

Hi Naysayer, I have the same problem you mentioned about frequency changing when changing modes, I believe the fix is menu 07-11 CW FREQ DISPLAY, that needs to be set to FREQ default is pitch.

My 891 was jumping plus .70 in frequency when changing modes too. Setting 07-11 to FREQ fixed it. Thanks a bunch.

 

[Naysayer]

The setting mentioned by ADE587 (07-11) cured that issue for me. LOL someday re-do Mars mod & lose all my Memories .
Only concern I have now about the 891 is that it runs so hot on Receive. I keep PSU at 12v but no change. I'm about to measure Receive only current. Supposed to be between .8-1A (FT-891 yahoo group reports Manual has a typo stating 2A). Have Brightness turned down, scanning Off, etc but it still runs hot.

 

[Justme]

You might set it to contest mode that will activate the fan a little more keeping the radio cooler.

 

[Naysayer]

Yesterday I sent my 891 to Yaesu. I have 6 mos left on Warranty. The issue is that I lost Receive sensitivity. I'm less than 4 miles from the 4U1UN Beacon atop the United Nations and I can barely hear the 100w intro and my noise level is zero-ish at all times on all freqs. I've been so focused on amp I failed to notice the Receive. Live and learn.

 

[Mudfoot]

I'm ordering one of these tonight. I think this will be the 5th one over the years.

 

[snippits75]

I'm ordering one of these tonight. I think this will be the 5th one over the years.

Did you get the FT-891 yet?

 

[Mudfoot]

Did you get the FT-891 yet?

Yes, waiting on a friend to help me build a vertical and string some wire up. I'm still not moving very well since my accident. He's not much better off than me. Things moving slow.

I'm looking at buying a TRUCK, SUV or van. If that happens, I'll put the 891 mobile and scare up a used base rig.

 

[Naysayer]

Got Repair Completed email from Yaesu. From the Cypress CA location: FT-891 repaired and shipped back FedEx. Less than 10 days total. I got lucky?

3 year warranty, I'm impressed with that. Low hanging fruit to say more impressed if it never failed as I drive homebrew amps and a lot of antenna experiments. Very likely my fault. Detail sheet states that Diode RN142S TE61 was replaced. Ordered as: G2070994. Will look that up.

Presenting issue was lack of Receive sensitivity and T-R buffer not keying. Figures, that I just got the COR working.

Been planning my next repair effort. A 1990's DX-70 BPF board repair. Been shopping for cheap entry-level SMT gear. A hot air solder iron; Hot tweezers; The cheapest microscope I can get; kimwipes & kapton tape. It may be wasteful to get & learn all that for an old DX-70 but not fixing it nags at me in the quiet of night. n2eye, NYC