Good video. So many people compare two radios with an S 9 or stronger signal and think that's an honest comparison. Heck, my little YouKits can hear an S 9 signal. I did not expect the results showing putting the FT 857 in the test. I just sold my FT 897D and purchased the FT 991A. Looks like there is an improvement in receive for UHF and / or VHF. Barry, KU3X
Thanks Justin ...it would have been nice to take them to the lab to see that they were all working to manufacturers spec to start with ...they probably were...but good too to have shoot out in the lab. The 991A is smaller lighter and more portable , does HF , has a tuner in , but is indeed unexpectedly really quite good on VHF . (unlike many other shack in a box rigs) Got the scope and got the C4FM...However for conventional VHF DXing...? The VHF UHF dedicated Icom 910 was the leader of the pack for sure before the arrival of the 991A . Hams without a 910 should indeed note how other rigs don't even hear the signals of the beacons half of the time , as you demonstrated. (On that basis Icom 7400 7000 706mkiiG and Kenwood 751A and TR9130 have all been sold from this QTH ! )An Icom 910 working properly is very very hard to beat on receive. I found mine STILL had the edge on a brand new 991A. (The 910 only equalled so far by the weighty Icom 9100 ) .On VHF transmit the 910 can put out up to100 watts rather than the 50 watts from the 991A. This could be significant if driving an amplifier like a GS35 valved Discovery II that likes 60 watts of drive or so for 400 Watts output...Or MORE ;-). Incidentally weak signals don't show much on the scope of the 991A either ; so it isn't quite as much use as first imagined. (An SDR can be added to the 910s IF to give panadapter viewing for £10, place a seldom used laptop on top of the rig for a big display). ANYWAY ... The 991 and the 991A DON'T allow Digital Noise Reduction to be used above 50 MHz !!! WHAT !!! Unbeliveable ...but true !!! Whereas the 910 obviously does, and this is very helpful for some weak signals. We need a boffin to tell us how to to MODify the 991A to get the Noise Reduction technology already in there to work on VHF and UHF. Only then can the radios finally be compared for VHF DXing..Presently the 991A has sensitivity but for listening to weak signal conversation , the Icom 910 makes that signal intelligible, wins hand down .73s all de Graham g4vrx
UK hams a crying out for the 146-147 mhz band how to open up for NOV firmware update or hardware links? Whats Yaesu UK stance on this for UK FT-991 radios? Bad TX AM modulation has still not been addressed by Yaesu UK, Ive already fixed my mates one and now have another friend recently got one last week,same problem carrier power set too high in AM mode in service menu. Hs the the techs in Water & Staton come across this problem in workshop pre QA checks? just wondering,so we can get positive feedback to Yaesu UK,they seem clueless to the issue from customer feedback at all?
I would like to know how the FT-991 compares to the IC-7100. Which one would be better for 6 meters and above weak signal work? Thanks for any info you can give! -Glen
Would it be possible to compare the VHF receiver performance of the 991 vs the Kenwood TS-2000 you have off to the right? I own a TS-2000 and find the VHF receiver to be sub par. 73, N8MJS
It would be nice to see the FT991 compared with say an IC7000 and a IC-9100 I have all three radios, the FT991 realy shines on 2m SSB compared against the IC7000 I have, there is some bad QRM generated by a local plasma tv, I have not had a chance to test it against the IC9100 (I bought it and tested it once and did not have the desk space to use it but in the next week or so with the installation of the new desk I will be able to test how good the 9100 is). I am impressed with my FT-991 I do intend to buy a second one for the other ham here to use.
+BeachSandInspector Technologies I would guess the 910 and the 9100 would be somewhat similar receive. My FT-857d did not hear very well on 2 meter SSB as compared to my IC9100.
The Icom sounds as though it has a narrower IF, difficult to tell. But certainly the video suggests the FT991 is a fair performer... Would be interesting to see how it compares to the old FT221 and FT225 with "all the mods".
Yaesu ft991 brilliant radio does the same if not better than radios double the price would highly recommend to anyone wanting a shack in a box good price and excellent as always yaesu quality forget kenwood and icom yaesu out performs the lot imo buy one if you get the chance
I've got a FT991 and I'm really pleased with it. It would have been interesting to see a comparison between the 991 and a more modern 2M rig or transverter. The IC910 is a pretty poor performer with dreadful phase noise performance. Have W and S had reported any problems using the 991 with HRD and DM780?
Tim Hague I own an Icom IC910HX with all the extras and IMO it is one of the best performing Multi-mode VHF/UHF radios, I've also owned Icom IC821H, Yaesu FT726R and a Kenwood TS2000E for VHF and rate the IC910HX at least on par or better than those. But the Yaesu sounds very good on VHF and certainly surprised me for a shack in a box.
The IC910 has dreadful phase noise performance, please do not use it with a linear. A few contest groups have lost points due to the wide band crud that comes out of the 910. It's a regular topic on conversation on the VHF discussion groups. It's a shame because as a rig it could have been good.
857 is rather close to the power supplies and cabling. Could proximity have generated that birdie? What about grounding? They don't cover how the radios are mounted/setup here.
Put a mic on it and call for a radio check, glad the receive is fine, but I want to know if I'm being heard with clarity, geez dude, need a better review, not just the receive, this radio is over a grand, we need to know more!
I´m so very chocked. Yaesu FT991 is much much better and has a much more sensitive receiver than the old flagship Icom IC910. Modern tecnology has beaten the old expensive radios. But then again. the Icom IC910 has always been a crappy radio with very bad firmware. So many bugs in it. The Icom IC821 was much better and has a 0,1µV signal ratio. Never seen before exept for Icom IC970. Thats why IC821 is so coveted and rare and expensive. YES ITS RARE !! The FT857 is so crappy in the reciever that its a toy radio for kids.
Justin, please stop doing such a crappy review. This is a half baked attempt to do a receiver performance review. Where is the rest of the review? Please stay with what you know and keep your reputation unless you want to lower yourself to the gutter. Thank you - from a fan of InnovAntennas
Good video. So many people compare two radios with an S 9 or stronger signal and think that's an honest comparison. Heck, my little YouKits can hear an S 9 signal.
I did not expect the results showing putting the FT 857 in the test. I just sold my FT 897D and purchased the FT 991A. Looks like there is an improvement in receive for UHF and / or VHF.
Barry, KU3X
Love it. You guys are like the Top Gear of amateur radio
are you having a laugh.....
Thanks Justin ...it would have been nice to take them to the lab to see that they were all working to manufacturers spec to start with ...they probably were...but good too to have shoot out in the lab.
The 991A is smaller lighter and more portable , does HF , has a tuner in , but is indeed unexpectedly really quite good on VHF . (unlike many other shack in a box rigs) Got the scope and got the C4FM...However for conventional VHF DXing...?
The VHF UHF dedicated Icom 910 was the leader of the pack for sure before the arrival of the 991A . Hams without a 910 should indeed note how other rigs don't even hear the signals of the beacons half of the time , as you demonstrated. (On that basis Icom 7400 7000 706mkiiG and Kenwood 751A and TR9130 have all been sold from this QTH ! )An Icom 910 working properly is very very hard to beat on receive. I found mine STILL had the edge on a brand new 991A. (The 910 only equalled so far by the weighty Icom 9100 ) .On VHF transmit the 910 can put out up to100 watts rather than the 50 watts from the 991A. This could be significant if driving an amplifier like a GS35 valved Discovery II that likes 60 watts of drive or so for 400 Watts output...Or MORE ;-).
Incidentally weak signals don't show much on the scope of the 991A either ; so it isn't quite as much use as first imagined. (An SDR can be added to the 910s IF to give panadapter viewing for £10, place a seldom used laptop on top of the rig for a big display).
ANYWAY ...
The 991 and the 991A DON'T allow Digital Noise Reduction to be used above 50 MHz !!!
WHAT !!! Unbeliveable ...but true !!! Whereas the 910 obviously does, and this is very helpful for some weak signals.
We need a boffin to tell us how to to MODify the 991A to get the Noise Reduction technology already in there to work on VHF and UHF. Only then can the radios finally be compared for VHF DXing..Presently the 991A has sensitivity but for listening to weak signal conversation , the Icom 910 makes that signal intelligible, wins hand down .73s all de Graham g4vrx
UK hams a crying out for the 146-147 mhz band how to open up for NOV firmware update or hardware links?
Whats Yaesu UK stance on this for UK FT-991 radios?
Bad TX AM modulation has still not been addressed by Yaesu UK, Ive already fixed my mates one and now have another friend recently got one last week,same problem carrier power set too high in AM mode in service menu.
Hs the the techs in Water & Staton come across this problem in workshop pre QA checks?
just wondering,so we can get positive feedback to Yaesu UK,they seem clueless to the issue from customer feedback at all?
holy crap. looks like the presenter bench presses boat anchor radios. never seen a ham that jacked. heh
What are your feelings regarding the dreadful measured phase noise performance?, I wouldn't want one close to me or on a hill top...
A test against the ts2000 would be good and has the 910 had the receive mod done to improve receive sensitivity
I would like to know how the FT-991 compares to the IC-7100. Which one would be better for 6 meters and above weak signal work? Thanks for any info you can give!
-Glen
Would it be possible to compare the VHF receiver performance of the 991 vs the Kenwood TS-2000 you have off to the right?
I own a TS-2000 and find the VHF receiver to be sub par.
73,
N8MJS
It would be nice to see the FT991 compared with say an IC7000 and a IC-9100
I have all three radios, the FT991 realy shines on 2m SSB compared against the IC7000 I have, there is some bad QRM generated by a local plasma tv, I have not had a chance to test it against the IC9100 (I bought it and tested it once and did not have the desk space to use it but in the next week or so with the installation of the new desk I will be able to test how good the 9100 is).
I am impressed with my FT-991 I do intend to buy a second one for the other ham here to use.
+BeachSandInspector Technologies I would guess the 910 and the 9100 would be somewhat similar receive.
My FT-857d did not hear very well on 2 meter SSB as compared to my IC9100.
Obviously money no object!
Make it sound like being a ham is being part of a rich mans club.
Pssssshhh.
The Icom sounds as though it has a narrower IF, difficult to tell. But certainly the video suggests the FT991 is a fair performer...
Would be interesting to see how it compares to the old FT221 and FT225 with "all the mods".
I've got a 991a and a 225rd with an updated Mutek type board (PA1BVM model). I'll see if I can do an ear test for receiver performance.
Yaesu ft991 brilliant radio does the same if not better than radios double the price would highly recommend to anyone wanting a shack in a box good price and excellent as always yaesu quality forget kenwood and icom yaesu out performs the lot imo buy one if you get the chance
and how many years of technology is the difference?
I've got a FT991 and I'm really pleased with it. It would have been interesting to see a comparison between the 991 and a more modern 2M rig or transverter. The IC910 is a pretty poor performer with dreadful phase noise performance. Have W and S had reported any problems using the 991 with HRD and DM780?
Tim Hague I own an Icom IC910HX with all the extras and IMO it is one of the best performing Multi-mode VHF/UHF radios, I've also owned Icom IC821H, Yaesu FT726R and a Kenwood TS2000E for VHF and rate the IC910HX at least on par or better than those.
But the Yaesu sounds very good on VHF and certainly surprised me for a shack in a box.
The IC910 has dreadful phase noise performance, please do not use it with a linear. A few contest groups have lost points due to the wide band crud that comes out of the 910. It's a regular topic on conversation on the VHF discussion groups. It's a shame because as a rig it could have been good.
m0ogy IC-910 it is realy poor radio !!! I had one. IC-7100 has much better performance.
Receiver and transmitter.
It was not a good resolution on the video, should have been at least HD quality, otherwise a good video
857 is rather close to the power supplies and cabling. Could proximity have generated that birdie? What about grounding? They don't cover how the radios are mounted/setup here.
Put a mic on it and call for a radio check, glad the receive is fine, but I want to know if I'm being heard with clarity, geez dude, need a better review, not just the receive, this radio is over a grand, we need to know more!
817 on 2m and 70cm leaves much to be desired for sure.
At 01:40 "I hear a very healthy signal from the ON beacon" HUH ???? I copy PI7CIS.... JO22DC (@ 03:20) that's not in Belgium ;-) 73! John PA5MS
you should test FT-991 with IC-7100 - is is the same generation!
IC-910 it is old radio, with realy poor TX spectrum - and with only few functions.
+SP3IYM (SO3Z) Andy Exactly. Not a single review on UA-cam, which is a shame.
I didn't think that allowed guns in the UK.
I´m so very chocked. Yaesu FT991 is much much better and has a much more sensitive receiver than the old flagship Icom IC910. Modern tecnology has beaten the old expensive radios. But then again. the Icom IC910 has always been a crappy radio with very bad firmware. So many bugs in it. The Icom IC821 was much better and has a 0,1µV signal ratio. Never seen before exept for Icom IC970. Thats why IC821 is so coveted and rare and expensive. YES ITS RARE !!
The FT857 is so crappy in the reciever that its a toy radio for kids.
That is hardly a test. You need to do it under "clinical" conditions.
Justin, please stop doing such a crappy review. This is a half baked attempt to do a receiver performance review. Where is the rest of the review? Please stay with what you know and keep your reputation unless you want to lower yourself to the gutter. Thank you - from a fan of InnovAntennas
oh dear..