Vertex-Standard-Yaesu FT-8900R
"Quad" Band Amateur Transceiver
V-S-Y's FT-8900R "Quad"
Bander Transceiver
(photo DaveZ)
(As usual your views may vary.)
(FYI: The FT-8800 "close cousin" version exists as well.
No 6 meter or 10 meter coverage. I have not tested this version
and cannot say if the models are similar beyond outside
appearance. I no longer own either model listed here listed /shown
here.)
(Note : I
no longer own this model)
Model : Yaesu FT-8900R (USA
Version)
Serial Number of Sample Tested (approx.): 2I02xxxx
(with brown and orange dots on box next to
serial number stickers).
Country of Manufacture: FT-8900R set: Japan
MH-48 Hand Microphone: Taiwan
Good News : "True Dual" Band Receive.
Fantastic sensitivity overall. Intermod rejection very good at my
test location (town of about 80,000 population). Transmit audio
above average (using included MH-48 hand microphone). Very
enjoyable LCD display with good contrast and back lighting.
Included MH-48 hand microphone pleasant to use with good tactile
response PTT and 4 user programmable buttons. Antenna connector
attached directly to set, with built in duplexer. 6 Very useful
"hyper-memories" Includes a block diagram and schematic
WITH the set.
Bad News: No extended VHF-Lo receiver coverage (does
not go below 50 mhz). MH-48 microphone cord too short. Noisy fan
runs all the time in crossband repeater mode even when totally
idle. Volume knobs a bit giggly and VERY touchy to adjust and all
controls too small for any fat fingers. Internal speaker is
shrill and buzzes badly at even medium volume. Clumsy included DC
power cable. "Beep" too loud and no way to adjust its
volume (can be turned off only).
Where it all Started, Real
Dual Receive
Going back a few years I owned a Standard C-5900 set, which is
the FT-8900's father. It covered 6m / 2 m and 70 cm bands on
transmit. It also boasted a pretty wide receiver too, with the
low VHF going below 50 mhz. Unfortunately the FT-8900 lacks this
and only gives solid 6 meter coverage. The "hyper memories"
and other similarities indeed compare with its older sibling and
other improvements (including the addition of 10 meters) were
taken in the development of the FT-8900.
Just as it was on the old 5900, we have real dual independent
receive. You can play with one band while transmitting on the
other (when transmitting it cannot be in the same band otherwise
it will mute). Yep, it will do 2m-2m or 70cm-70cm dual receive
too. 6 and 10 meters can only be had on the left side.
The Standard C-5900
The Yaesu "Dots on
the Box" game
Ok, for the game people out there, we have the "Dots on the
Box" game just as it has been on with other Yaesu radios
over the years. The FT-7100 had many different versions of "dots"
and so does the FT-8900.
My sample has one "Brown" and one "Orange"
dot sticker just to the left of the serial number sticker on the
end of the box. What these mean I have absolutely no idea.
I have received info from others that duplexer failures have
appeared on some early samples. The right side looses bands after
a couple weeks or months of use (no receive or transmit
combinations). One person's sample with a serial number of approx
2H02xxxx, (would make it manufactured a month earlier than mine),
and has only a "Yellow" dot on the box. So it appears
that the "Orange-Brown" stickers started with serial
numbers of 2I01xxxx or at least certainly 2I02xxxx ??
All speculation here of course as we will never get out of Vertex-Standard-Yaesu
what these dots really mean.
C-5900 a "Hot Box" even in receive, FT-8900 a
cool cucumber.
The sample of the Standard C-5900 I had ran very hot. No
transmitting at all, just receiving. I actually had the fan
switch on quite a bit with just receive operation. That's too hot
indeed. The FT-8900 runs very nice indeed doing its thing in
receive mode without any excessive heat.
One sensitive receiver, no intermod at my location.
This is one very sensitive receiver in this peanut box. One will
not be disappointed here. All bands appeared to be just great.
The 800 MHz receiver is even good.
At my location and connected to a Comet GP-15 outdoor antenna at
approx 30 ft height, I hear no garbage from other signals
creeping in at all. Again I don't live in a really large city
either. (About 80,000 pepole).
Very Small Box, Switched Fan that works weird in
Crossband mode
This transceiver is one small package. A touch smaller than the C-5900,
but we have more heat sink area. Fan is located on the rear of
the set and starts to run as soon as one hits the PTT. It will
shut off after awhile when the PTT has not been active.
In crossband operation the fan operates a bit different. Once
switched on in the set mode, it initially will be off. Once the
set transmits in crossband (first time), the fan will stay on
until the mode is canceled even if no additional transmissions
are done. I feel this is a bit overkill.
One is advised to turn off the set completely (after the
crossband mode had been deactivated), as issues have been noted
with others with white noise and lockup of the radio.
The Internal Speaker Disappoints, Good Transmit Audio
using the MH-48 Microphone.
As can be expected the internal 1.5 watt speaker is a waste and I
will say purchase a good external speaker. Its really shrill
sounding and to make matters even worse it breaks into distortion
at only medium volume setting.
Transmit quality tests here were very good. Loud, clean, crisp
and not hollow sounding at all. I see a few posting around that
indicate problems here, but I'm not having issues myself with the
TX audio using the included MH-48 microphone. The light testing
on 10 meters showed no problems with audio, was loud enough.
The MH-48 microphone also has great tactile response on the PTT (much
better than Kenwood's disaster hand microphones). Too bad the
length of the cord is way too short (in my view). It also uses
the "UN-standard" 6-pin modular plug (doh..).
Use of only one RF output device
Here is where the FT-8900 is much different over the C-5900 set.
For all bands we have one transmit RF output section. The final
output device is a Mitsubishi RD70HVF1 MOSFET transistor.
Large Inside View of the
FT-8900R
(photo Dave Z)
You can see the device real
clearly in the picture above, along with 3 relays that operate in
transmit (which I'm NOT a fan of). It must be packed with parts
SMD on the bottom as the main board appears a bit spartan? The INCLUDED
schematic and block diagram shows that this set is packed with
parts indeed.
Antenna connector on the set itself, Included power cable
hard to deal with.
No short little antenna cables, we have a real antenna connector
attached to the set itself. Great news here, I prefer having only
one antenna connector using the internal built in duplexer.
Connection to my Comet GP-15 antenna was a snap.
The DC power cable included is not so nice. Its 2 separate cables
(one black and one red) and the wire is stiff and hard to work
with. I wish it were a continuation of the short piece of cable
that comes out of the set, but alas its not that way.
Beep "Blowout"
We of course have a "beep" as the buttons are pushed
and is most desired. However to my ears its way too loud and
there is no way to turn it down, only off.
Overall A Great "V-S-Y" transceiver
At time of writing, I like this set even if it does lack separate
transmit RF outputs and uses relays in transmit. I feel its an
improvement over the old C5900 model which ran way too hot in
just receive. The price is also much lower.
Dave N9EWO
Ver 1.5
© 2008 N9EWO
(Note : I no
longer own this model)