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Yaesu FTM-350 Review

Another FTM-350R on the air!

Greetings! I just got the rig from the local HRO and had some help getting it installed in a Volvo XC-90 SUV. I'm new to ARPS and looking forward to testing it out.

I'm curious how others have decided how to allocate the memory channels, both number-wise and left/right. Any tips would be most helpful! I have the software, and the internal GPS installed.

73's!

de George
WA1JQC
 
FTM-350

Hi George. Congrats on the rig. I mounted mine with a Lido mount from HRO that bolted to the floor rail of the passenger seat.
I think we all wish the rig had memory banks like the VX-8DR e.g., but in the meantime, I have all the repeaters I use stored on the right side and a few other freqs of interest...like local fire, airport, EMS etc.
I run APRS almost all the time on the left side; When I scan the right side, I have set my local repeaters to Preferred channels and I start the scan on one of those with the Memory setting set to Scan only preferred channels. When I go far from home, I switch that so I can scan all freqs I have in the rig, most of which I put in from ARRL TravelPlus CD and ADMS RT Systems SW.
For when I don't use APRS on the left, I have a lot of emergency service freqs in there and I can scan that side while monitoring repeaters on the right. I hope that helps and good luck!

WA1JQC said:
Greetings! I just got the rig from the local HRO and had some help getting it installed in a Volvo XC-90 SUV. I'm new to ARPS and looking forward to testing it out.

I'm curious how others have decided how to allocate the memory channels, both number-wise and left/right. Any tips would be most helpful! I have the software, and the internal GPS installed.

73's!

de George
WA1JQC
Click to expand...
 
Update 1.2

I Updated the firmware to the version 1.2. Anybody know how to set the radio to keep beaconing in APRS mode while the unit is in mono band mode? I read that the APRS functions will operate in the backround??
 
I have set my local repeaters to Preferred channels and I start the scan on one of those with the Memory setting set to Scan only preferred channels. When I go far from home, I switch that so I can scan all freqs I have in the rig.
What settings do you have for this to happen?
 
kb9uuu said:
I Updated the firmware to the version 1.2. Anybody know how to set the radio to keep beaconing in APRS mode while the unit is in mono band mode? I read that the APRS functions will operate in the backround??
Click to expand...

It just does it automatically when the aprs modem is turned on. If you want it to beacon, make sure the auto beacon is set. It will even do pop ups in single band mode. To make it work well, set the data/aprs band to a fixed VFO (left or right).
 
KE5YYN said:
I have set my local repeaters to Preferred channels and I start the scan on one of those with the Memory setting set to Scan only preferred channels. When I go far from home, I switch that so I can scan all freqs I have in the rig.
What settings do you have for this to happen?
Click to expand...


When you want it to scan all, just go to menu D03 MENU SCAN TYPE and change it to ALL MEMORY. You need menu D03 MEMORY SKIP/SELECT set to OFF.
 
Thanks for the info. I tried installing the BU-1 and the directions did not have it for the FTM350! I installed it IN the rig as opposed to the control head! Needless to say, it didn't work! Got it working now, though. Yaesu really needs to fix their manuals!
 
An updated issue for this review:

I think I found this issue before, but I'm not sure I ever reported it: It is almost impossible to get the WX (weather) channels to activate. These are pre-programmed into the radio as a special band, but there is no simple way to activate them! Short of punching in the frequencies manually, I found a work-aroud to get to the WX band.

First, you have to turn ON WX Alert by going into the TX/RX SET menu. Next, go to a a VFO and activate the SCAN feature. When you turn on the WX alert, the radio will periodically scan the WX channels for info. When you notice it stop on a WX channel, quickly press the SCAN soft button and the radio will stop on that WX channel. You can now scroll through all the pre-programmed WX channels. To get out of the WX band, press the F button to show the V/M button which you then need to press. It's a small hassle, but it works!
 
Moleculo said:
An updated issue for this review:

I think I found this issue before, but I'm not sure I ever reported it: It is almost impossible to get the WX (weather) channels to activate. These are pre-programmed into the radio as a special band, but there is no simple way to activate them! Short of punching in the frequencies manually, I found a work-aroud to get to the WX band.

First, you have to turn ON WX Alert by going into the TX/RX SET menu. Next, go to a a VFO and activate the SCAN feature. When you turn on the WX alert, the radio will periodically scan the WX channels for info. When you notice it stop on a WX channel, quickly press the SCAN soft button and the radio will stop on that WX channel. You can now scroll through all the pre-programmed WX channels. To get out of the WX band, press the F button to show the V/M button which you then need to press. It's a small hassle, but it works!
Click to expand...

Interesting thanks for the update. I however do not have an issue accessing wx, I have f2 on the mic programmed for wx or I just press.v/m and punch in 162.400 and Voila magic.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2
 
Can the FTM-350 do the -18 next to your call ? The reason being is well i drive a 18 wheeler and have the -18 next to my call to show I am in a Big Rig. 73's
 
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Railham said:
Can the FTM-350 do the -18 next to your call ? The reason being is well i drive a 18 wheeler and have the -18 next to my call to show I am in a Big Rig. 73's
Click to expand...

APRS only supports 16 SSIDs, so you can't use -18. That's not a limitation of the FTM-350, but of the APRS protocol. Incidentally, -14 is most commonly used to mean a trucker. I think there is also a Big Rig symbol you can set.
 
-0 Home Station, Home Station running IGate
-1 Digipeater, Home Station running a WIDEn-N Digi, Wx Digi
-2 Digipeater (#2 or) on 70cm
-3 Digipeater (#3)
-4 HF to VHF Gateway
-5 IGate (Not home station)
-6 Operations via Satellite
-7 ANY HT or man-portable system
-8 Boats, sailboats and ships (maybe 802.11 in the future)
-9 Mobiles
-10 Operation via The Internet only
-11 Balloons
-12 APRStouch-tone users
-13 Unassigned
-14 Truckers
-15 HF

APRS SSID Guide - ZLHAMS wiki
 
Allrightey then I'll have to change it up on my open aprs app on my phone to the 14 then to match it up on the FTM-350 when I get it.
 

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