[Elecraft] Yaesu FT DX10

Macy monkeys macymonkeys at charter.net
Tue Jan 5 11:50:35 EST 2021


You forgot the biggest negative; it's a Yaesu :)

I own the FTdx101D and despite its Sherwood rating it's a pretty mediocre and uninspiring operating experience for me. YMMV.

John K7FD

> On Jan 5, 2021, at 8:34 AM, Morgan Bailey <mbaileycrna at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> By now probably most everyone has read Rob Sherwood's review of the new kid
> on the block, the Yaesu FTDX10. It has pushed the IC7300 out the door for
> the best bang for the buck place. What I was most interested in was the
> phase noise of the radio. It is minimally down to at least -148db. That is
> where the 7300 falls flat on its face. Additionally, so does Yaesu 450D and
> 991A. Those 2 radios are one radio shack radios. I know this because I own
> both of them.
> 
> $1700, what a great price point to recommend a new ham that wants a contest
> grade radio that he can build upon. Seemingly, based on the Sherwood stats,
> the FTDX10 would work well in a 2 radio environment. That would beg the
> question, would they be ideal for an SO2R setup. $3400 for 2 radios and add
> a $100 to $300 dollar controller and you are GTG. WOW! Granted the radios
> do have many shortcomings  when it comes to a full contest grade radio but
> for the most part they, could be an excellent choice. The problem with
> field day is that tons of people have Ic7300s and they are a disaster at
> FD. The FTDX10 should solve all those problems being low on phase noise.
> Maybe our FD ops will be much easier and if the rigs were FTDX10s. We shall
> see.
> 
> Where the FTDX10 falls flat is in a few areas that can be worked around.
> The areas that they are deficient are, one antenna port, no rx antenna
> port, nonstandard plugs for ALC and PTT lines for an amp and other
> associated station accessories, such as amps, sequencers, etc, and
> ofcourse, no diversity receive capability. My all time hate is the RJ45
> connector for microphone input.  And, I don't believe it can do dual watch.
> It is either VFO A or B not both. This is what I can gather from the
> literature in the trade brochure.
> 
> All except, dual rx and diversity can be worked around. At this price point
> this is an excellent box. It is about the same size as a current K3S but a
> bit shorter in height. There is an optional CW filter/narrow banpass filter
> of 300 hz but I have no idea the steepness of the cut off for that filter.
> Plus there is an adjustable rise time feature that allows the user to
> produce an undesirable cw signal. This is one of the big negatives that
> Yaesu incorporates into their radios.
> 
> Same size as a K3S, built in Pan, Video out, 3 usb ports, SD card for DVR
> recording providing record on fly and 5 memory bands, 5 built in CW memory
> slots, optional outboard keypad to key DVR and CW memory banks, with all of
> these features, this now is the best bang for the buck and the rx surpasses
> the K3S spex plus the DNR and filtering is astounding in Yaesu radios. Heh,
> even the cheapest 450D DNR function can eliminate 40 meter alternator noise
> in my F150 when I run mobile. It is even better in this radio, most likely,
> because it is generations better and an SDR. It weighs 13 pounds, did I say
> DXpedition or travels well. That is yet to be seen. Some of the main
> mechanics of the main tuning and bezel knobs might cause some worry. Time
> will tell. The radio is made on a cast aluminum frame much the same as the
> 991A. My 991A has been abused, mobile, salt water ops, special events, FD,
> camping, portable from picnic table...still works great. I have used it on
> FT8 for days at a time running 80 watts. No problems. Now that I am retired
> and home, the 991A has been relegated to 2/440 operation only. I just might
> sell it and raise money for my new FD radio, the FTDX10.
> 
> The real issue with this radio is, the K3S used prices might just have
> dropped another $500. The K3S is nearing the EOL time and the replacement
> with better RX stats and a pan adaptor included with no extra cabling or
> boxes fitting into the same size as a K3/K3S for Less than 1/3 of for the
> most part what a a full K3S/P3 with video out would cost. Yes you would be
> missing a few features but for the most part, Yaesu has hit it out of the
> park with the FTDX10.
> 
> Have I turned the dial on one, put a set of cans on my head, operated CW on
> one, in a word No. I might end up driving to Ohio to take a listen to one
> at DXengineering, if they are open (post Covid 19) and see what all the
> hubbub is about. Dollars and cents wise, almost 3 FTDX10s can be had for
> the price of one K4 base model. As with all Yaesu and Icom products, the
> first offering is to recoup R&D, and what the market will bare. My guess is
> that it will stabilize just as the 991A did, which was initially MSRP
> $1999, I am thinking down to what it is now, $1199. So that would within a
> year, put this radio dropping to compete with the 7300 at about $1200 for
> the Yaesu. Even right now, I would choose the FTDX10 over the Yaesu, hands
> down. It is just a far better radio.
> 
> I'm wondering when Elecraft is going to come out with a mid market radio
> like perhaps a...KX4?
> 
> Best DX and happy Contesting,
> 
> Morgan NJ8M
> 
> BS + MS + $2.98 = COFFEE
> Real Life Experience = Priceless, says the man who set his back yard on
> fire with a breadboard tuner loading a 160 meter inverted L with 1000
> watts. LOL
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