anyone got one? how do you like it? I am thinking about getting one as a base for now that will cover all bands and then when I get more $, I will put it in the truck.
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yaesu 857
- Thread starter BIONIC_TEXAN88
- Start date
I like the FT-857 so much, I have 2 of them.
One is in the shack and the other is in the mobile along with a Larsen dual band antenna for 2m/70cm and a Yaesu ATAS-120 screwdriver antenna for HF and 6m.
The radio is small, but the functions they put in make it work great for it's size. The display has a function that can allow the freq or text to be shown in larger letters, if you need it to.
Programming from your computer is the best way to program it, and if you even need to reset it, just dump the program data back in. That is available from RT Systems www.rtsystemsinc.com/
It lacks a lot of buttons, and is menu driven, but I find these menus easier to access than on my old Icom IC-706. Just one level of sub menus to access, and most functions can be accessed directly by holding a button down for about a second.
One of the best features is that the 3 buttons below the display, marked A-B-C, can be user programmed for the 3 most commonly used functions. In the mobile, I have A-B-C
programmed for scan-tune(auto tunes the ATAS)-power output, so I don't have to mess with menus while driving.
The separation kit makes it easy to mount in a mobile.
The ability to change the display color is an interesting feature.
You can turn the radio off and on from the stock microphone.
The DSP functions are very usable and handy. I was listening on headphones and found several repeaters have an annoying 100 hz hum on their output audio. The high pass filtering cuts it out, and the low pass and band pass filtering also help tailor the receive audio.
I used to use my old 706 (sold it) at our campground and got a lot of interference from the jury-rigged electrical system at the site. The FT-857 does a much better job with eliminating the hash.
Let's see...there are probably a dozen other things I am forgetting that I like about this radio, but you get the idea.
It is a terrific little HF/6m/2m/70cm all mode radio and for the price of usually under $700 new, it is fantastic.
One of the only downsides of the radio is that it uses an 8 pin modular mic plug (RJ-45). That makes it hard to wire up your own mic unless you are familiar with wiring modular plugs. I spent $35 on the headset sold on Ebay by W2ENY and get great reports with it. I wired up a push to talk switch and can PTT from a small on/off switch or from a foot pedal. You could use a Yaesu MD-100 desk mic on it without having to do any rewiring.
If you really get into HF operation in the shack, then eventually you would want radio that is bigger (I have an FT-847 that is pretty much dedicated to HF and weak signal (SSB) VHF/UHF operation since it has separate antenna output for all the bands). But the 857 is a great radio, and very usable on HF.
One is in the shack and the other is in the mobile along with a Larsen dual band antenna for 2m/70cm and a Yaesu ATAS-120 screwdriver antenna for HF and 6m.
The radio is small, but the functions they put in make it work great for it's size. The display has a function that can allow the freq or text to be shown in larger letters, if you need it to.
Programming from your computer is the best way to program it, and if you even need to reset it, just dump the program data back in. That is available from RT Systems www.rtsystemsinc.com/
It lacks a lot of buttons, and is menu driven, but I find these menus easier to access than on my old Icom IC-706. Just one level of sub menus to access, and most functions can be accessed directly by holding a button down for about a second.
One of the best features is that the 3 buttons below the display, marked A-B-C, can be user programmed for the 3 most commonly used functions. In the mobile, I have A-B-C
programmed for scan-tune(auto tunes the ATAS)-power output, so I don't have to mess with menus while driving.
The separation kit makes it easy to mount in a mobile.
The ability to change the display color is an interesting feature.
You can turn the radio off and on from the stock microphone.
The DSP functions are very usable and handy. I was listening on headphones and found several repeaters have an annoying 100 hz hum on their output audio. The high pass filtering cuts it out, and the low pass and band pass filtering also help tailor the receive audio.
I used to use my old 706 (sold it) at our campground and got a lot of interference from the jury-rigged electrical system at the site. The FT-857 does a much better job with eliminating the hash.
Let's see...there are probably a dozen other things I am forgetting that I like about this radio, but you get the idea.
It is a terrific little HF/6m/2m/70cm all mode radio and for the price of usually under $700 new, it is fantastic.
One of the only downsides of the radio is that it uses an 8 pin modular mic plug (RJ-45). That makes it hard to wire up your own mic unless you are familiar with wiring modular plugs. I spent $35 on the headset sold on Ebay by W2ENY and get great reports with it. I wired up a push to talk switch and can PTT from a small on/off switch or from a foot pedal. You could use a Yaesu MD-100 desk mic on it without having to do any rewiring.
If you really get into HF operation in the shack, then eventually you would want radio that is bigger (I have an FT-847 that is pretty much dedicated to HF and weak signal (SSB) VHF/UHF operation since it has separate antenna output for all the bands). But the 857 is a great radio, and very usable on HF.
thanks for the reply, I was also reading about the yaesu atas-120. seems like there is mixed reviews on it but looks interesting. I might have to consider it when I got mobile.
can the 857 be opened up to cover 11m as well? (i know its technically illegal). just curious
can the 857 be opened up to cover 11m as well? (i know its technically illegal). just curious
Running the 857 on 11m has been reported to cause problems as it has an IF right near the band. It will operate there if opened up though.
I agree with all of the above, I really like my FT-857D, though I use it only in my mobile. Bang for the buck you can't go wrong.
The ATAS works, but if you are very serious about mobile the Hi-Q or other 'screwdriver' types are the best. They will give you the lowest loss and most efficient signal for wide-band use.
I run a 102" whip and also add a 3' mast to that with an SGC-237 auto tuner. It's quite solid from 40m up, but 80m and down it barely radiates. If you want 80m go with a bug-catcher type that is set to be fully resonant for the band. An amp would help too. I can't run power with the tuner that I have.
Another tip, with the 857/897, as a base, try running them with Ham Radio Deluxe and PC/software control. It 'flattens' out all the menus that you want right on the screen. It's a much nicer way to operate a menu based radio as a base. You just point and click the settings, much faster.
I agree with all of the above, I really like my FT-857D, though I use it only in my mobile. Bang for the buck you can't go wrong.
The ATAS works, but if you are very serious about mobile the Hi-Q or other 'screwdriver' types are the best. They will give you the lowest loss and most efficient signal for wide-band use.
I run a 102" whip and also add a 3' mast to that with an SGC-237 auto tuner. It's quite solid from 40m up, but 80m and down it barely radiates. If you want 80m go with a bug-catcher type that is set to be fully resonant for the band. An amp would help too. I can't run power with the tuner that I have.
Another tip, with the 857/897, as a base, try running them with Ham Radio Deluxe and PC/software control. It 'flattens' out all the menus that you want right on the screen. It's a much nicer way to operate a menu based radio as a base. You just point and click the settings, much faster.
As for modifying the 857 for full transmit...
if you get a new 857D, then you would have to do a physical modification requiring lifting surface mount chip resistors (see Mods.dk or the Yahoo FT-857 group for details).
The older 857 (non-D) was able to be opened for full transmit via a software modification, which did require the cable that is used to program the radio. Yaesu apparently had to close that loophole in the 857D models.
The 857 I run in the mobile is a non-D version, and is opened just in case of emergencies, since it was merely a software mod, but I won't touch the D version in the shack since I have a Galaxy 959 in the shack for 11m.
The ATAS-120 may not be as good as some other screwdriver antennas, and is rated only for 120 watts PEP on SSB, but I only run the radio in the mobile, no amplifier, and the seamless, automatic tuning works very well, and the ATAS is probably $150-200 less than some of the other screwdrivers, after you get the necessary hardware. My ATAS-120 screwed right onto the through-the-roof mount I had in my Suburban for a Wilson 1000 I used to run. I have a great ground plane in the Suburban, and I have very good results with my ATAS. That is an important factor with any mobile antenna.
if you get a new 857D, then you would have to do a physical modification requiring lifting surface mount chip resistors (see Mods.dk or the Yahoo FT-857 group for details).
The older 857 (non-D) was able to be opened for full transmit via a software modification, which did require the cable that is used to program the radio. Yaesu apparently had to close that loophole in the 857D models.
The 857 I run in the mobile is a non-D version, and is opened just in case of emergencies, since it was merely a software mod, but I won't touch the D version in the shack since I have a Galaxy 959 in the shack for 11m.
The ATAS-120 may not be as good as some other screwdriver antennas, and is rated only for 120 watts PEP on SSB, but I only run the radio in the mobile, no amplifier, and the seamless, automatic tuning works very well, and the ATAS is probably $150-200 less than some of the other screwdrivers, after you get the necessary hardware. My ATAS-120 screwed right onto the through-the-roof mount I had in my Suburban for a Wilson 1000 I used to run. I have a great ground plane in the Suburban, and I have very good results with my ATAS. That is an important factor with any mobile antenna.
The FT-857D is a nice little rig.
It doesn't quite measure up in performance to it's older brother the FT-100D,
but is still a great rig, and probably more reliable, IF you don't get a problematic rig as have several
local operators.
If you want a microscopic all-mode / all-band mobile for a very attractive price, the FT-857D is it.
But, If you want a little better 10/11-160m rig and can live with both a used rig and a little larger
detachable face, then you could be very happy with an FT-900AT
http://www.aade.com/hampedia/yeasu/yeasu1.htm#ft900
- Especially if you like AM, as the FT-900 (an FT-890 in mobile dress) can sound quite good for
a 'rice-burner', and has provisions for both an AM filter, and a Collins SSB filter, which is a
worthwhile upgrade for either rig.
The Collins filter makes a real difference in both RX & TX selectivity while sounding actually wider and fuller tone due to the steeper slope shape factor.
I've owned 4 FT-100Ds, had prolonged use of both the FT-857D & the FT-897 and now own an FT-900sat and a couple of remote kits and love both the larger readout / face & the internal tuner which I use to match the input to the solid state 667 '10m' amplifier for lower bands (with a few combiner mods it now provides ~480w PEP on 3.8mHz).
The one drawback to the FT-900 is it's availability, few come up for sale due to it being much loved by it's owners, but the remote klts are still available.
73
It doesn't quite measure up in performance to it's older brother the FT-100D,
but is still a great rig, and probably more reliable, IF you don't get a problematic rig as have several
local operators.
If you want a microscopic all-mode / all-band mobile for a very attractive price, the FT-857D is it.
But, If you want a little better 10/11-160m rig and can live with both a used rig and a little larger
detachable face, then you could be very happy with an FT-900AT
http://www.aade.com/hampedia/yeasu/yeasu1.htm#ft900
- Especially if you like AM, as the FT-900 (an FT-890 in mobile dress) can sound quite good for
a 'rice-burner', and has provisions for both an AM filter, and a Collins SSB filter, which is a
worthwhile upgrade for either rig.
The Collins filter makes a real difference in both RX & TX selectivity while sounding actually wider and fuller tone due to the steeper slope shape factor.
I've owned 4 FT-100Ds, had prolonged use of both the FT-857D & the FT-897 and now own an FT-900sat and a couple of remote kits and love both the larger readout / face & the internal tuner which I use to match the input to the solid state 667 '10m' amplifier for lower bands (with a few combiner mods it now provides ~480w PEP on 3.8mHz).
The one drawback to the FT-900 is it's availability, few come up for sale due to it being much loved by it's owners, but the remote klts are still available.
73
just to show you how dumb i am. A friend of mine was going to sell me one of these for 400 bucks. wow i feel like a retard. and it was opened up for all bands.
AS far as i know its one of the FEW all Band All Mode transcievers for the mobile. Id really like to see more companies have something similar. The only other i know that is close is the Ic7000.
73's
KILOBRAVOonePAPAINDIAZULU
AS far as i know its one of the FEW all Band All Mode transcievers for the mobile. Id really like to see more companies have something similar. The only other i know that is close is the Ic7000.
73's
KILOBRAVOonePAPAINDIAZULU
SR385 said:
where did you get that from?
The first I.F. of the ft-857d is 68.33MHz. It doesn't operate past 56MHz on the low band. The 2nd I.F. is 455KHz, which is nice because you can use mechanical rockwell-collins filter.
The radio operates continuously from 1.8MHz to 56MHz on the low band, after jumpers moved.
Anyways, if your looking at the ft900, take a peek at the ft-450 because it has a 10KHz roofing filter, and tuner can have tuner inside.
SR385 said:
I've seen a lot of things said many times that were just plain not true. Ever hear that you NEED 18 feet of cable in a mobile setup? LOL I agree with dudmuck. I have an FT-857 and it is open for all band use and there has never been a problem. I have never heard about the problem you mention. The IF'f are in fact 68.33 MHz and 455 KHz. No issues there whatsoever. Even if the IF's were in the TX range it would still not be a problem. My Icom IC-735 had three IF's.One around 70 MHz,another around 9 MHz and another at 455 KHz and I had no problems with it either and it was opened as well. I actually used it on 9 MHz into a dummy load when I was messing around with mixers etc. 9 MHz was what I needed based on the crystals I had in my junk box.I think it is another piece of widely used misinformation.