Yaesu FTdx10 Nitpick #2: Limited Scope Span Options (Video #32 in this series)

Описание: #yaesu #ftdx10 #hamradio

My good friend Joel, KC4WZB, loaned me his brand new Yaesu FTdx10. When I say loaned, I mean he picked it up at Ham Radio Outlet and brought it straight to me, so I could unbox it and shoot a series of videos, exploring the capabilities of this latest offering from Yaesu.

This is video #32 in a series of videos I have produced to show the capabilities of the Yaesu FTdx10. In this video I nitpick the FTdx10 regarding the span setting for its waterfall display.

We can set the lower frequency boundary of the waterfall but the span options are limited. For example, a General class licensee can operate SSB from 3.8 to 4.0 MHz. They want to set the waterfall to display from 3.8 to 4.0 MHz. They know then that any signal they see is a station they could legally talk to.

We can long-press the Fix button and set 3.8MHz for the lower boundary. Then we can click span and select 200K. That works out perfectly for a General class licensee on 80 meters. But it only worked out because there was a 200K span option.

Move to 40 meters and long-press Fix to set the lower boundary to 7.175MHz. There is no 125K span option, allowing a General class operator to set the high boundary of the waterfall at 7.3MHz.

Yaesu allows us to long-press Fix to set the lower boundary of the waterfall to a precise frequency, but they do not provide a way for us to precisely set the upper boundary. If there is no span option that matches the frequency span we need, there is nothing we can do.

Why do I consider this a legitimate nitpick? I have had some questions posted and sent to me from new General class operators who are considering the FTdx10 as an upgrade from their “brand X” radio. Their “brand X” radio allows them to define the lower and upper band edges for each band, in accordance with their operating privileges. They know that any signal they see within the waterfall is a station they could talk to. If Yaesu will simply add a custom span option we could set the lower and upper band edges to match our operating privileges. This would help those who are new and are still struggling to remember the limits of their operating privileges.

I sometimes listen 7.150MHz. There have been several occasions when a person started talking on 7.150MHz and just happened to mention that they are a General class licensee. This waterfall boundary feature could help them stay legal while they grow in their understanding of ham radio.

I’m glad Yaesu did such a great job with the FTdx10 that we have to be nit-picky to find something wrong. I think they spent so much effort giving us such a great receiver that they missed some small fit and finish opportunities.

I also wrote to Yaesu about right-clicking the mouse to bring up the menu, rather than having to reach up and press the Function knob. The radio should respond to either the Function knob or the mouse. This would help when using an external monitor.

Note that most of the operating techniques I show and teach on my channel can be applied to other transceivers, even other brands of transceivers. Some knobs or buttons might be labeled differently but the function is the same. I have no allegiance to Yaesu. No manufacturer makes a perfect radio. They all have strengths and they all have weaknesses. I like to point those out. Yaesu thinks that I am targeting them, but I am not. In fact, they generally have the fewest weaknesses. It’s just that I want my viewers to know the good, the bad, and the ugly, so they can make informed purchase decisions. I am able to be objective because I have no allegiance to a particular manufacturer.

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Most videos are visible to Patreon team members long before they are released for public viewing. Some videos are never released for public viewing. S7 (Executive) and S9 (VIP) members who subscribe yearly have access to the menu optimizations guides I’ve written for the FT-891, FT-991A, FTdx5000MP, FTdx101D/MP, FTdx10, and FT-710 AESS. S7 (Executive) members who subscribe annually can request one menu optimizations guide. Annual S9 (VIP) members can request multiple guides, plus my FT8 configuration guide for either the FTdx10 or the FT-710 AESS. The guides are copyrighted. They shall not be divulged to anyone else without written permission from Doug McAlexander, callsign N4HNH.

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73, de N4HNH