Yaesu FT-891 Setup for Digital Modes - Ham Radio Q&A
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- Опубліковано 9 лип 2020
- While many newer transceivers have built in sound cards‚ the Yaesu FT-891 does not. For digital you'll either need patch cables or an audio interface like the Signalink. In this video I take you through the process of setting up the Yaesu FT-891 for CAT or computer control‚ adjusting the digital mode settings in the transceiver‚ and configuring WSJT-X for FT-8
Yaesu FT-891 Digital Operations Settings Menu
5-6 Cat Rate: 38400
5-7 CAT TOT: 1000 msec
5-8 CAT RTS: Disable
8-1 Data Mode: PSK
8-9 Data In Select: Rear
8-10 Data PTT Select: DAKY
8-11 Data Out Level: 50
8-12 Data BFO: USB
16-03 HF Power: 40
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I recently bought a Yaesu FT-891 for a portable work (primarily for field days, POTA and EMCOMMS). your videos like this are a tremendous help to hams like me! I'm looking forward to this coming weekend's Winter Field Day! Thanks, Michael, for all you do! I hope to catch you and Joe on the air! 🤠👋
Thank You!! I just bought a new FT891. Connecting to Ham Radio Deluxe is usually tricky the first time. Your video got me working on the first try! Next the Signal Link sound card. Your videos are straight to the point and always contain the information I am looking for.
Perfect timing! I just got my 891 last week and my SignaLink today! Thank you so much for the video!! 73, Lee
Thank you so much for covering this! I have an FT-891 and have been frustrated trying to do this for some time. Can't wait to try it! ~73
I watched your video several weeks ago when I was setting up my SignaLink with my FT 891 for Parks on the Air for WSJT-x. Works great. I decided I was going to try AFSK RTTY while activating a park tomorrow so installed MMTTY. I was almost there but max was only 5 watts. I reviewed the settings, and 8-1 Data Mode: PSK was set to OTHER. When I changed to PSK, to my surprise it worked. Thanks for the helpful video (twice). 73 de KN3A.
I'm planning to set up my TS-430S and my signalink tomorrow! Thanks for the video!
Thank you for the detailed video Michael. I am getting ready to try going digital with my FT 891. This video is my starting point!
Perfect! I’ve been wanting to get into digital with my 891 and will use this video when I set it up.
K5BXM - Thank you to ALL for the technical information. I am trying to get Ham Radio Deluxe working with my Signalink & FT-891. These settings help me understand what is going on between the software and radio and Signalink. Finally got my HRD Rig Control working after several days. Now, trying to get the Signalink working to decode and transmit. I am pretty computer savvy but not quite enough to know what I'm doing when getting into assigning the ports & etc. This video was VERY educational. Thank you.
Fantastic Video! I have been struggling getting my laptop to tlk to my FT-891 and you made it very easy to figure out where I went wrong! Thank you very much!!!!! Hope to work you on the Air!
Very helpful. Thank you. Going to try mine with the audio patch cable.
Thanks for the tips - I plan on setting up my ft-991 with signallink
Thanks for the video Michael! it helps me a lot to finish my configuration with my Pi and the signalink using KM4ACK guide as well. 73s TI2GBB - greg
5-8 CAT RTS - I had to set mine to Enable, not Disable. Without it the radio would key but transmit no power. Took me a couple of days to figure that one out. Finally on the air and making contacts though. Thanks for the video.
An excellent video. Used it to get my second 891 on FT8 after I fried the first one. Using Signalink USB, I've tried different ptt methods, but agree with other comments: Leave the WSJT setting for PTT to CAT. Note that this means the PTT HOLD function on the signalink is ignored, but you don't really need it anyway.. Thanks again!
How did you "fry" the first 891 ?
Thanks for the answer. After hunting all over the UA-cam channels I finally extrapolated that two USB cables each with an A & B end on them plus a third cable with an RJ-45 on one end and a 6 pin DIN in the other end. My home built unit works quite well but the unit is slightly bigger than the Signal link The audio jacks going from the USB sound card, in vs out can be confusing and easy to mess up on what I have. So since I got the Signal Link given to me I thought I would give it a spin. I figured it would probably be just like what I am using now except less fiddly.
Again thanks for taking the time to respond. I just built a cable for the Signal Link. It shows the PTT line and the cable from Signal Link shows this connection for the FT-818 and the 891 being the same for the jumpers. Even though depending on if you just take a Audio in and out through the six pin and cat control through the USB connection. I got my 891 working with a home built sound box which isolates the radio from the computer. I currently have it setup with the Raspberry Pi 4 4gb and digi-pi works quite well. I ended up with a Signal Link and a FT-817 and since I have it and the same cable is required by Signal Link for both radios. I should call them and ask a few questions as it appears that the same cable and jumper settings are required for both radios. It would be nice to have that setup for both radios. With the pi I can run ft8 with VNC Viewer when portable. Using my phone or tablet. I should probably have a conversation with Signal Link before I connect it up. May just buy a cable from them. I built mine ok but, what a pain. Again thanks.
Many thanks! Just what I needed. 🚀
Thank you for a very helpful video. Have the Ft-891 been shopping for a good used Signalink have been studying different modes. Take care
Just an fyi for anyone that ran into a rig control error using the cat com port assignment Michael used - I set my 891 up for digital modes for the first time today. I’m also using the SignaLink, and WSJT -X is running on an older Dell laptop. I followed this guide to a tee, but ran into a problem and error when I clicked on Test Cat button. I found another guide that set up cat control with the enhanced com port, and standard com port for PTT. It worked perfectly. And of course YMMV.
I purposely decided to go with this setup because of your great videos. Thank you so much for all that you do for our awesome hobby. KD2TCM
Great video, wish I had this when I set mine up last year. One thing I did have trouble with and you didnt cover was once I had it all set up and connected, I still could not decode signals as everything was bunched up on the waterfall. I had to set the Width on the radio to maximum to be able to decode. While this is obvious to me now, when i first started it was not. Keep up the good work. Tim VK5AV.
Thanks for the comment. I may do a more general "Intro to WSJT-X" video as there seems to be a lot of things going on with it feature wise.
I was going to say, I just set this up last weekend on mine and had to make sure to expand the bandwidth to 3k. By default in data mode, the 891 makes it really narrow, like 800Mhz or something, so WSJTX can't hear enough. You can see this on the waterfall in the app.
Thank you so much for this video. Your instructions were great; simple, organized, no distractions. Thanks for all of your videos. 73 KI5NUI
Without this video my chances of getting my setup to work would have been 1,500,000 to 1
Thanks Sir!
Thanks for the video. It is a life saver!
What I would like to see is a start to finish in detail from hooking the Signal Link up to the config which you just showed to the actual calling CQ on the laptop and the various steps. I am new to this aspect of Amateur Radio and am just looking for a bit more detail. Thank you for all your vids. Thank you. Jim K2WPA
Great explanation as always!
I noticed that in DATA mode the transceiver automatically disables AGC, which is understandable. Do I need to somehow manually adjust the gain for the FT-8 or just leave this knob alone?
And also, are there any differences in the settings for the FT-4?
Thanks for the video. Answered many of my questions. Also thanks for the email reply on the same subject.
To go back to ssb phone to I need to change the settings back?
I would like to thank you. This was a very good video To under stand hardware and software set up. Thank you. I would like to see the software set-up on ft-8 on a video some time . 73 Don
Awesome video bro ! I'm used to using the dx3000 where I adjust the mic gain for low alc reading. I've got the 891 set to show the alc on tx but it doesn't show anything when I cq no matter what the signalink tx knob is doing or what the mic gain data out levels are in the menu. Of course I want the alc level to be low but I'm doubting the meter is showing or adjusting correctly since I can't get the meter to show anything with high settings so I stopped there. Any thoughts would be appreciated thank you .
You got it the wrong way around when configuring and explaining the com ports. The standard COM port is the LOWER of the two and that is the CAT control. The second (enhanced) is always the higher of the two. You set your PTT to use RTS on this second port.
Thank you for showing this for the FT-891. I noticed you did not adjust the signalink or look at the ALC for distortion. Does the software take care of this to allow this to work.
Great video! I actually made a cable from the data port on the back of my 891 to my computer's sound card and use the USB cable for CAT. No need for a signalink. Can you do a more detailed video on how to work FT-8 and other digital modes?
I’m with you - I don’t know why more don’t do this. As it is the SignalLink has knob settings that were not reviewed with this video - how do you set up the computer’s sound card?
Brilliant, thanks.
great video . Is setting up computer CW the same?
What settings do you use in WSJT-X for highlighting decoded signals?
One question. I have taken most of the steps you have given. I do see I have 2 com ports showing. Do I need to installed the Signalink software & utilities disc that came with the unit? Thank you so much for taking the time and putting this video together. W7JMK
I recently acquired a brand new FT-891 and configured everything for FT8 based on this video. I noticed that when the FT8 transmits it randomly triggers PTT. In order words, The radio doesn't transmit when its supposed to transmit. That happens with Tune as well. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't What be the cause of this problem? RFI on the usb cable? I used a standard computer cable that have ferrite tubes on each end.
great video as usual. For some reason, I cannot get the virtual port to come up on a windows 7 any suggestions?
Hi Mark
Do you need set up or fix the jumpers inside signal link for Ft-891?
Great video! Will the settings work for other digital modes as well? I do some PSK and SSTV. I want to learn FT8 and JT65. My SL is set to 857/450 pins. I'm guessing 891 is the same. Tnx! Steve
When you select CAT as PTT option the PTT is controlled via a CAT command. This is done via the 'standard' comport as that is the CAT port. The comport selection in 'PTT methode' is greyed out because it has no function in this case.
When you select RTS as PTT method you can select a COM port (would be 3 in your case) , now the RTS line is use for PTT control, but you have to enable 05-08 CAT RTS to true in the 891 menu. (Keep it on CAT control, it works fine.)
As for power, i always leave it at 100W and adjust the audio level down so only 40 watts is produced. This makes sure that ALC is far from being triggered introducing possible non-linearity.
What I have found when using my FT-891 and a brand new Signalink USB with jumper set, is that when you set PTT ro CAT in WSJT-X, the microphone is not disabled for about 1/4 - 1/2 a second after PTT is activated... that means I can hear room noise or feedback if I'm listening to my transmitted audio on another nearby radio. If I set PTT to RTS (and leave it disabled in the radio) and set the COM port to the same value as the radio's CAT port, PTT works fine and there's the mic is not enabled at all during transmit.
On some radios like my Icom IC-7000 the data jack is very sensitive to input, so it makes sense to use a lower power setting. Then you will have more precision on the Signalink's TX control. When I had my radio set to 100 watts I was very easily able to overdrive the radio by just moving the TX knob slightly.
The VOX in the Signalink USB cannot be turned off and so you are using VOX even if you have PTT set to CAT in WSJT-X. I've found that using CAT method can cause relay chatter on key down. Tigertronics indicates that VOX is the preferred method to trigger PTT when using WSJT-X. 73
Hello, Great video thanks for doing these videos. They are a great source of information and I appreciate all of your efforts that come into making these for others like me to source out information. I have a question .... I am using my ft891 with the LDG z-100 plus which is a simpler tuner and my question is how do I connect the tuner to the radio using the IC-108 y cable connector. The cable has three ends. a data port connector on one end and it Y's to a stereo style connector along with a tun/lin connector. do I have to connect all 3 data port(radio)-tun/Lin(radio)-and the stereo type (tuner)? I did set my radio to lamp but it wont tune. only way I can have it tune is with only the coax connecting and I hold the PTT while hitting tune. You help would help me resolve this issue. thanks in advance
I'm not sure if this is a radio setting that I need to adjust. But, when I plug in the signalink cable into the back of the radio. The radio still plays audio from the internal speaker. Should it be switching to the rear port automatically? The signalink doesn't pick up any audio over the cable. But, I can manually connect an aux cable from the headphones output into the signalink to get audio into the computer. Although, then I can't transmit audio from the computer to the radio. I have the digital mode settings configured like you show in the description.
Thanks for another great video Michael. When I use "fake it" for split mode, my frequency changes on every transmit cycle. It keeps going lower and lower until I no longer receive signals either. I have "Hold Tx Freq" checked as well. Any idea what I'm doing wrong? KN4YSX
I am currently having this problem with my ft-891 as well. Where you able to figure out a fix?
Great video thanks. You also said "Unfortunately I had issues with Winlink so that will be a subject for another video " any plans on the Ft-891 Winlink video? I hope so, thanks.
Thanks for the reminder. I think part of my problem may be computer related so I'll revisit this topic.
@@KB9VBRAntennas Maybe but since I got FT8 working fine but still have issues with Winlink I am not sure. Actually I am not sure of much other than I can't get Winlink to work on HF. Frustrating but at least there is good ol VHF.
Did you say the older version of WSJTX "Broke the FT-891" If it did could you explain that a little bit. Good thing I didn't run the radio on it yet as I shall check the version. I couldn't see anything in the software for an update option. Could you maybe give me a tip if that is possible as that would be a lot easier than loosing all the settings on my Icom 7300. it is using 2.0.1 I think. I installed it on my laptop for the Yaesu FT-891 but havn't finished setting it up. I am currently setting up the "EASY DIGI" which I am just using it for the Audio isolation but am using the USB for rig control and keying. Maybe you could do a video on that kind of setup with it's plusses and minuses. Thanks for the nice Video. I am now going to take a look at WSJTX and see what the version is on my laptop which I am going to run the FT-891 with.
Thank you for video. Can you show us a picture of the rear view, where we could see the wires and connectors between the 3 main parts: PC and rig and SignaLink USB ? Thanks.
Tim, I can help out here. There's really only 2 connections to the radio in this setup. The USB cable leading to the computer, and the SLCAB6PM cable from the Signalink's Radio port. The USB cable to the computer plugs into the squarish shaped one dead center of the back of the radio. the SLCAB6PM cable plugs into the circular socket right next to that (when looking at the back of the radio, it's immediately to the left of the USB connection). The Signalink (assuming you have the SL-USB) also has a single USB connection to the computer. Beyond that, the standard coax and power connections to the radio are all that is needed.
im curious do u have to run a signal link box to run js8call on ft.450d and 706m2g?. I never messed with any kind of data or digital at all and im learning
Once you set up the 891 for cat control, what if there are occasions when you elect not to use cat control?
Thanks for the great videos! I'm curious, what's your t-shirt about?
The Door County Century is an annual bicycle ride that takes place in Wisconsin's picturesque Door County peninsula (that's the part of the state that juts out into Lake Michigan). I've ridden the 100 mile ride 3 times and hopefully this year will be the fourth.
Thanks for the heads up, I am a bit used to my IC-7300 where I can monitor the tx audio, that combined with the alc I make sure the signal is clean, I have not found a way to do that on the 891. Have you?
How do you adjust the ALC on the FT-891 73 N8MRS
I don't know what the Yaesu engineers or marketing people were thinking - or not thinking - when they decided not to outfit the FT-891 with a built-in sound card, like Icom does, even on its entry level radios like the IC-7200. I also have one of these rigs. 3 straight forward adjustments on the radio, one USB cable for audio and CAT.
With the FT-891 I cannot be sure that the settings will always work. Last weekend I spent two frustrating hours fiddling with the radio and my computer in the field trying to get the damn setup to work. It didn't. I had just used it several weeks before and had no problems. Besides the hassle of putting up portable antennas in wild terrain, I have to deal with a quirky radio. The IC-7200 is much heavier, but it is dependable and easy to use. And I have only one cable between the RPi and the radio.
Yaesu dropped the ball here - or intentionally let it fall.
I know what you mean and the lack of integrated sound card is the reason why I don't do much with digital out in the field. Last Field day, I had everything up and working, and it did work; for about half the weekend. Then something changed. I know Yaesu can make an integrated sound card work, because it works just fine in my FTdx3000. My feeling is that either there was no space in the radio for a sound card, or Yaesu didn't put one in so as not to cannibalize the rest of their product line. Yaesu makes great radios, but their marketing decisions confuse me sometimes.
I was hoping to see how to set up and use signalink with my FT-891, but cables were mention and cable connections were not shown
Settings and lights on signalink were not discussed.
It would be nice to review non cat control use of signalink as you mentioned but it was not shown.
I would have liked more detail
How do you set and adjust the PWR settings in WSJT and the TX knob in the signaling?
Why not use the Ft-891's DATA mode for WSJT-X? I ask because I cannot get the DATA mode to work! LOL. When I switch the radio to DATA mode, all I hear out of the speaker is a quiet crackling and popping, as if the speaker is damaged. WSJT-X, when configured to use Data/Pkt can't hear any signals. If I switch both back to regular USB, everything works. What do you hear when you put your FT-891 in DATA mode? If I configure WSJT-X to use FLRig, then, when I switch to both WSJT-x and FLRig to data mode it sounds almost normal in the speaker (a little pinched, because the bandwidth is less, for some reason)... but when I transmit, the radio "walks down" the band, 500Hz at a time! Something isn't right!
Have you done any winlink with vara if so can you do A video on setup I'm having trouble connecting
Just got an 891. I'm wondering why you limit the transceiver output to 40 watts. WSJT-X documentation says to leave radio output at 100% and use the slider on the lower right to control power via audio level. This has worked on my ICOM 7300. Also - the Signalink website mentions two cables are available for the 891. Which one are you using?
Great video for setting up the 891. I found a problem as one of the others in the comments below. When using Fake It and if you have xmit freq above or below 2000 in WSJTX the radio display changes freq during xmit but stays there when going back to receive. Evidently, I am not the only one having that problem. Would sure be nice for someone to comment on how to fix this. I set mine up for rig control and it sets the radio in split and moves radios xmit frequency (VFO B) when you shift xmit freq in WSJTX. I had to set both VFOs to Digital USB and it works GREAT. Like I said a comment regarding this issue would be appreciated.
I have had the issue when running split as "Fake it" and the Frequency adjust on tx up 0.5 KHz but when the radio goes back to RX the frequency does not readjust and on another TX the frequency adjusts up another 0.5 KHz and it keeps adding up every TX. The way i have fixed this is by setting the PTT method to RTS and then selecting the USB interface in the drop down menu. Now the frequency will adjust on TX up 0.5 KHz and go back on RX. That said i have also had it where the frequency wouldn't adjust with on TX and i was still in a portion 2000 above on the waterfall. I have tried your method of setting both VFO's to data then setting the split operation to " Rig " and this seems to work along with the PTT settings i mentioned above. On TX the radio transmits from VFO B and then on RX it listens on VFO A. VFO B ( TX VFO ) went up 0.5 KHz on the first TX but stayed there every TX after. I am not using a signal link and my menu settings are different then the ones in this video. Also after a couple of days of researching this in different places on the web it is very weird to me that so may people using the same radio and same setups and programs have different settings in their radio and different settings in their programs.
How Does KB9VBR learn all this stuff? Very good video.
The only way I could get the “test cat” to work without an incorrect frequency error was to swap the enhanced and standard com port settings to the opposite of what is in the video. It then turned green and the PTT test also worked. I am unsure if this will work in practice as I could not make any contacts. Any comments or suggestions?
You are correct. The video is wrong, you have to use the Enhanced port for CAT control setting the frequency. But Michael 'corrects' this by using COM4, which he calls the Standard port but it's not.
Whats the wiring diagram on this?
If I plug in from the radio USB to computer, the virtual comm ports work. But if I go from the radio data port to signalink radio port, and then USB from signaling to computer, the virtual comm ports don't register.
How else would I get them to communicate? Did I miss a wire?
Great video Michael. Everything works except WSJT-X forces the radio into split mode, even though it was turned off in the 891. Oddly enough, the split is 1 kHz each time. Sometimes it’s 14074 and other times it’s 14073. I’ve restarted the program, radio, and computer. Any thoughts on what might be causing this?
Normal depending on where you have ur xmit freq set on the waterfall set to 2000 no change. 1000 it will be lower 2500 higher.
I have followed the instructions exactly, but the baud rates that populate for the highest com port show 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200. Unfortunately 38400 does not show up. Can somebody please help?
Michael,
I missed how you physically connect the 891 to the computer? Is the USB cable you refer to the one from the signal-link?
thanks, good video
Brad
NØDPR
Thanks!
Thank you for your support. I really appreciate it.
What model is that Signal link ?
Have set up my SignaLink USB and FT-891 according to your video, but WSJT-X continues to crash after only about 2 seconds.
Cable from SignaLink to FT-891 6-pin DIN; cable from USB back of SignaLink to laptop PC; cable from USB back of radio to laptop PC.
Must be doing something wrong, or cables incorrect? Any suggestions? Thank you!
The same setup I'm using. Did you get it going ? PM me at at arrl.net if you want to compare notes. Andrew NO6E
When i use your setting. I have to tune radio up to 14.0750 to get copy. What did l do wrong please
Does this only work with Signalink, or will any USB audio interface work? You enhanced port shows as COM4, but you used COM4 for CAT control. Backwards? Would be good to show the physical connections.
The instructions in the video aren't specific to any one USB interface, so it shouldn't matter if you have an Signalink or not.
Mike, when I set things up as you lay out, for ft8 when my receive freq. is set to 14.074, but when in transmit it shifts to 14.0735. I've never noticed this before on my other fixed station, so I'm thinking it's an 891 setting but I can't tell what. Any ideas?
Mike, I think I figured it out. Between the 10 and 13 minute mark in the video you talk about the very thing I'm seeing, and I even see it on your display shifting from transmit to receive. Exact same thing. It's the split option. So this is not a problem but a feature that I need to understand better.
hello from Northern Albert -35c
Can this setup also work with the FT-757GX?
Thanks and have a great New Year!
01/01/22
Possibly. I don't know if the FT-757GX has yaesu CAT control or not. If it doesn't you'd have to set the rig up using VOX with the Signalink.
Hi Michael, I'm a big fan and follower. Question, I cannot for the life of me get the Yaesu driver to be recognized by my windows computer. When I turn on the radio and connect the cable, my new lap top doesn't recognize the drivers, There is NO PORT tab in the device driver ! I've turned the radio on/off various times and re downloaded the drivers many times. Can you possibly shed any light on this ? I'm stuck . Thank you, Jim K2WPA
Have you run into any Hamlib errors?
I’ve had no issues before today. Not sure what I changed to have it be an issue. Rig and software will be running fine. Plenty of QSO’s and I’m seeing people ‘hear’ me around the world. Then: randomly (mid QSO) I’ll get a Rig Failure error window pop up and lose CAT control. Says it times out verifying current radio frequency.
Only sure, but now apparently also temporary, fix has been to completely power the rig down and restart the PC.
“Rig Failure
Hamlib error: Communication timed out
set_cache_freq: set vfo=VFOA to freq=0
ric.c(1488): set_cache_freq return(0)
ric.c(2030): rig_get_freq return(-5) wile getting current frequency”
Adjusting "deep" menu item 16-03 to limit data mode output power to no more than 40 watts is a great idea. BUT unfortunately this same "deep" menu item also limits you to 40 watts on CW mode. That needs to be a settable value stored by "mode", or else a front panel control. What was Yaesu thinking...?
SSB is a completely different setting (16-01) - But yes 16-03 will affect CW.
followed your instruction for ft891 with signalink and wsjt-x. all functions, except no power out when transmitting...any suggestions? thanks 73-gary
If there is no power out when transmitting, that would be an audio issue. When you transmit a signal on SSB, if there is no audio, there will be no power output. I'd check the audio chain and levels in the computer to verify that sound is reaching the transmitter.
Hello, I have configured my 891 according to your instructions and everything is working, just one question. I set the sound level so that the ALC would be minimal, but when changing the frequencie(selecting other user), the ALC also changes. Is it normal or I missed something?
That's normal operation. Your ALC can change from band to band, so Yaesu allows it to be set independently on each band.
Hi, would the rig settings be applicable to the 857d? Cheers, Pat.
It probably would. I don't have an 857D so I'm not familiar with the menu options, but it would be a good starting point.
Would the settings for my ft-920 be the same? Even if the menu numbers are different?
I'm not entirely familiar with the FT-920's operation so I'm not sure. The settings for the Ft-891 would be a starting point‚ you'd have to experiment.
Currently running 891 HF phone mobile. So I buy the signal link, and connect, set up rig in the menu for FT8. Then I want to run HF phone again. Just turn off signal link, or reconfigure every time? Thanks!
The FT-891 has a separate Data and SSB mode. If you set the rig up to use the Data mode for FT8, then it will remember your settings for phone when you switch back to SSB.
I was able to setup the connection (I am waiting for the interface to be delivered). When I close down the application, unplug the USB and even turn off/on the radio it seems to be still in digital mode. Currently I have to reset to factory defaults to get back to SSB. Is there a easier way? I know this is probably a really silly question. Thank you....
The FT-891 remembers the previous modes and settings when you turn off and on the rig. To get to the mode switch screen, long-press the Band button and use the function knob to switch from Data/Pkt to SSB.
As always, many thanks for all you do clearing up these mysteries. Question... does the FT-891 have a way of "storing" multiple configurations? I'm just thinking of my IC-7300 and how slick it is to go back/forth between settings for SSB vs settings for digital modes. Does such a function exist for the FT-891 or do all of these settings have to be 'un-tweaked' if you want to switch over to SSB?
Yes and no. There are separate settings in the menu for the SSB and digital modes. You can set some functions like power level and bandwidth separately for the two modes (and CW for that matter). Other features like noise reduction automatically switch off when you change modes or bands, so you have to reengage them every time you switch. But the important settings stick between the modes.
Are you using a usb cable connected to the rear of the FT-891 and a usb connected to the signalink to your laptop to do digital or just the signalink only?
I'm using USB through the Signalink and USB CAT control for the radio, so both USB ports on my laptop are being utilized.
Does the yaesu ft450d setup similarly for digital and wsjt-x mode ops?
The process should be very similar. The menu numbers on the transceiver may be slightly different, but the process will be the same.
Thank you for the video. I noticed that COM4 is enhanced and COM3 is standard...could you confirm? 73, Jorge- KC1IFF
I had the two ports switched around in the script, so what I say is wrong. But the video image is correct. I apologize for the confusion.
I did everything on his video and I still can’t get my FT8 to work. I guess I’ll give up. Just getting frustrated.
could you clear up which Signalink to buy, the cables needed and how to hook it up? I watched the video a few times and you speak of connecting the computer to the 891 but not to the interface. I probably missed it so I apologize. 73 KC3QQM
You may have found your answer, but I'll leave it here in case of others. You of course need the Signalink USB itself. Yaesu (and many other modern radios) use the SLCAB6PM cable - 6-pin mini-DIN plug. And 2 USB cables - but pretty sure those come along with the 891 & SL-USB.
Can you help with the proper cable to order and jumper module for the FT-891?
Looks like:
SignaLink USB p/n SLUSB6PM and SLMOD6PM?
Those are the correct part numbers for the cable and jumper pack.
@@KB9VBRAntennas thanks and keep up the great work on your channel!
What pins were the Signalink pin settings on the SLMOD6PM @@KB9VBRAntennas
Which Signal Link Interface did get for the 891
I use the Signalink USB interface and the SLUSB6PM 6 pin data cable that plugs in the rear of the transceiver. You'll also want jumper module SLMOD6PM if you don't want to configure the jumpers yourself.
You omitted one VERY important aspect. You didn't show or go over the physical connections. Unfortunately trying to go to HRO or DXEngineering and finding the right model number that corresponds to the 891 is very confusing at they don't use part numbers that make any sense. Would have been nice had you spelled out the specific model number you need to order for the 891.
To answer my own inquiry - here is what you need for the 891 - Tigertronics SignaLink™ USB Digital Communications Interface Combos SLUSB6PM-P ($140 presently). And for the internal jumper kit - you can use Tigertronics SignaLink™ Plug and Play Jumper Modules SL-MOD6PM ($10 presently)
Thanks for the very detailed video!
When you setup your FT-891 for FT-8, do you need to change all the settings back if you want to use it for phone operation?
I do need a clarification on the connected cables? I am one of those folks that need to see what cables are needed and where they connect, to? (1) I expect a rj45 to round 6 pin cable goes from the rj45 connector on the signal link to the round 6 pin data port on the radio. (2) a type B USB cable connection on the signal link to a USB connection on the computer. (3) this is where it is unclear? a type B USB cable connection on the back of the radio for CAT control also goes to the computer, meaning there are three cables total needed for this operation? One USB Cable from the computer to the radio and one USB cable from the computer to the Signal Link, and one rj45 x round 6-pin data cable from the signal Link to the radio? Is there any chance you can answer this question? I have looked at all the videos I can find and none of them really show all the cable connections and where they go. I have my ft-891 currently connected via a home built sound card using a USB audio sound card and eBay sound card with isolation transformers coupled with an additional USB cable from the computer to the radio for CAT control. It still ultimately uses two USB ports on the computer.
On the back of the FT-891 there are two ports you will be concerned with for data operations. The USB B connection and the 6 Pin DIN connection. The USB B is for CAT control only. There is no built in sound card in the Ft-891, so no audio travels through that connection. The 6 pin DIN handles audio in/out and transmitter switching, but no CAT functions. This is a departure from other Yaesu models contemporary to the Ft-891, like the FT-857 and FT-897, as on those the CAT could flow through the 6 pin DIN.
That means with the Signalink you will need two cables (or three depending on how you count things). A USB from the computer to the USB on the Ft-891 for CAT. A USB to the Signalink for computer audio which then flows via a cable from the Signalink to the FT-891 into the 6 pin DIN. That means to use the Signalink with your FT-891, you will need two USB ports on the computer.
If you are looking for a single USB option for a digital interface, you have a couple of choices. First, you can switch to VOX on the rig and forget the CAT control. Or second, you can switch to an interface like the DigiRig. The Digirig offers a single USB solution in that it uses the transmitter keying pin on the DIN connection. I did a video on the Digirig and explain how I use it with the FT-891 ua-cam.com/video/afpvK8UrftU/v-deo.html
You forgot to mention the bandwidth cause sometimes it goes to 500hz instead of 3Khz otherwise no signals can be decoded.
That is an issue when you first setup and causes a lot of initial confusion.
TXLorenzo Not only first setup I have it also when i have used the set sometimes for voice.
The missing soundcard in the FT-891 keeps it, in my opinion from being a "great"portable radio and only a "good" one. Yaesu got really cheap here. The new FT-710 apparently does not have soundcard either.
I would tend to agree, Yaesu makes sometimes makes some really strange design considerations. But in their defense, digital modes weren't quite mainstream until FT8's meteoric rise with the 2018 ARRL grid chase. So they may not have thought that a sound card was necessary in a field/portable radio.
I would be entirely surprised if the FT-710 did not have a sound card. While the specs on the rig are still pretty light, there really is no indication that one would be missing. Two items that lend to there being one is that the rig has two USB ports, type A and B, and it has a 'preset' mode that you can custom tailor for digital (specifically FT8, per John Kruk of Yaesu's podcast).
hello friend I have the same equipment as yours the yaesu ft 891 the same signalink and when I do everything like you it doesn't connect and it tells me this;
Error Hamlib: Protocol error
rig_get_mode(2204): freqMainB=0, modeMainB=, widthMainB=0
rig_get_mode: elapsed=83ms
rig.c(2207):rig_get_mode return(-8) Protocol error
rig_get_mode(2204): freqMainB=0, modeMainB=, widthMainB=0
rig_get_mode: elapsed=83ms
rig_get_mode: elapsed=83ms mientras obteniendo modo actual
help me please 73
I want to save this video to a playlist. Do you have that ability turned off for this video or something?
Not that I am aware of.
I have this same set up but the driver wont work with a Mac computer. from Yaesu , have any ideas ?
Apple broke the driver support in the latest update to their OS. This will only get fixed when Apple fixes it. It breaks more than just WSJT-X, but all programs that use the Silicon Labs driver.
@@jyunte thanks for letting me know this
I apologise.... The bug that Apple created is only for the FT-991 on the Big Sur OS. So it looks like you'll have to find the solution to your problem elsewhere. ☹️
@@jyunte no problem thank you
Is it possible to connect the Signalink to a smartphone?
Possibly. The Signalink uses a USB connection, so you'd need the appropriate adapter.
Great video for Windows OS users. I use Linux OS. No help, no joy. 72 de KB8AMZ
wsjtx works much better on linux for me than windows, Have made almost 33300 contacts with over 14000 confirmed.