WOW!! I am astonished at the relatively low current draw at 100 W. That's telling me I can actually run my FT-891 out in the field at 50 W, and be OK if I need it.
Just the video i needed! Published numbers by Yaesu had me worrying over batteries, but your test has convinced me that the 891 is for me! Brilliant! Cheers and 73 from Byron N4TIZ
Thank you. Long time viewer, first comment. I really appreciate this video. This is the radio I have been looking at for several months and this answers many questions. I am also encouraged that you will be providing more videos on this radio. You tend to provide a lot of relevant detail and not just showing what buttons it has, so I look forward to these. Thanks Julian!!!
It is better to write characteristics in worse conditions than to understate them. This current consumption makes the FT-891 very convenient to work with standard 24A/h for 100W and 12A/h for 50W LiFePO4 batteries. I will say more, for the opportunity to put 100W in a backpack - I almost forgive Yaesu for FT-818😄
I’m thinking of getting one of these, every time you increased the wattage and pulled more amps I looked at my current PSU nervously lmao, it actually puts out 23amps so I should be okay, really helpful video sir 73 and great content as always!
Thanks for this video. I have a FT-891 and I've been doing a lot of mobile-portable FT8 work in my car just using my car battery. Been looking into getting a dedicated battery for the FT-891 and having these accurate numbers at each power level is super helpful. Thanks again!
Nice testing Julian, I could have saved you the trouble as my findings are similar. Bonus is 100w at 15A is battery friendly where the brochure says 23 Amps. The yaesu engineers have been drinking lots of sake while making the FYT-818. The FT-891 is cheaper and a better receiver if HF is your interest. If the band fades on your 5-10 watt signal you can grab a few extra s units of power and jump to 100 watts and finish off the qso. Bonus this shows it works well in the cold and the warmth of the wood stove
If I have the FT-818 at 6 watts making a QSO and the band fades on me then the other station will not hear me. If I have the FT-891 then I can save my battery by running at 5 watts and if the band fades I can increase the output power to 80 watts and increase my readability by 2 S Units ( or 12 db with the power increase). Of course I would have a suitable battery to accommodate the increase in current consumption and am happy to draw 14 amps @80watts. Sorry my english isnt very good but i have proven this out in the field many times with the use of a HF mobile being used for QRP. The primary advantage is the ability to choose the power output from 5-100 watts. Now take the FT-818 radio - its not even close to the FT-891 in receiver performance and DSP capability. Yaesu should have squeezed a FT-891 into a FT-818 chassis with a 5 or 10 watt power output limit. Look forward to you FT-818 review. Get a FT-891 and forget the FT-818 with an external amplifier. I will have to send you a Yaesu hat
No problem :) I am waiting for my ham exam and I thoroughly watch every video you make. I am in the big inner fight what station to buy first. I am totally pro 817nd because of the low power consumption. But that 5W do somehow discourage me. Going big on 100W makes the gear heavier and the power supply more expensive. I intend to use comms only when on the field doing overnighters or hikes so I am quite sure 817 would be the right choice. Thanks for your great videos, they are really rich in knowledge!
@@CroPrepper I still have my first hf radio ts-450sat. Been a great radio but be aware you will need to recap it if it wasn't done already. Not really portable but a great first radio that is simple to operate.
Another great video Julian, I am about to buy a FT891 as well for portable operation, I am still QRP operator but sometime you need more juice :-), Look forward to seeing new contents !
You will absolutely love that radio. The crazy thing is I haven't even started talking about the awesome receiver yet 😀 I'm really happy with it, and I'm happy I was able to build a battery that's compatible with it as well. 73 Julian oh8stn
Many thanks for another informative video. I am lucky to get 8hrs on my Ft 857 hooked up to a 17 amp hour battery on an average duty cycle. That's 10W TX on FM mind which is very power hungry. Larry UK RAYNET.
Hello Julian, TNX, I never considered the 891 for in the FIELD, but now things are different, 1A RX + decent current at 50W , and Li-Ion batteries change everything, TNX es GL, PE1FJN, Marc
Excellent video Julian ! Definitely not a milliamp hoarding radio but the increase in XMIT draw after 50W clearly flattens out considerably in relation to power output. With radios of this type it's hard to get that idle current down. IIRC the CPU side of the radio alone consumes 300ma Definitely illustrates that better batteries are a solid investment. Thanks for sharing !
Thank you Julian I an a new ham and started set up on HF. I received my FT-891 a few months before you ordered yours. I will be using my FT 891 both mobile and portable, and finding your set ups very interesting. I have not gotten into using data modes as of now, and would be interested in how you set uo your FT - 891 for data. Enjoying your videos and looking forward to more videos on the FT-891 and portable set ups. de AG7KU
Hey Julian, again a nice Video! Another option to get the field station in QRO-mode on the air at night cold be a Thermoelectric Generator, which is based on Peltier-Elements (Seebeck-Effect). You got your wood stove in the tent running anyways so why not using the heat for generating electricity? They are not really cheap but there are some 45W air-cooled Generators for ~ 500$ on the market. Cheers, Timo
Terve Timo I thought about that but I haven't had the time to do the research I needed to put it all together. I found a couple of commercial portable units, but they were too heavy for my sled, even though the price was quite okay. So I may end up having to build something like this but, that's a project for next winter. Excellent idea 👍👍👍 73 Julian oh8stn
I've only operated QRP up to this point but have been considering buying a rig capable of more output just to have some extra power in reserve when playing radio at home. I actually suspect I may want to take this portable even though I prefer to stay lightweight when out. I'm quite surprised that the draw beyond 50 watts isn't significantly higher as I thought it would be. I've been looking into this rig as it appeals to me and my simple ways with more than enough features for my use. I don't plan to use the full 100 watts but I couldn't find current draw specs. from Yaesu at reduced power so this video has been very helpful to me. Thanks and take care Julian.
Thanks for all your videos. Interesting that the TX current of the 891 at 20 Watts is nearly double what the G90 consumes at 20 Watts. It seems there is a little non-linear bump around this point in the 891. Edit: It would be interesting to see what the actual measured output power is at this 20W point between the G90 and 891 radios. Just thinking 20W may be the 891's efficiency weak point in the curve perhaps.
The 891 is generally inefficient. The mobile radio design doesn't take efficiency into consideration unfortunately. So it's not a bump. The entire current draw curve is horrendous , 73 Julian oh8stn
I've recently read that if voltage goes too low it can damage the ft-891. Someone else disagreed. Who's right? I read that too low voltage creates greater amp draw that can cause damage to components. But I would think that the ft-891 would have a shut-off or warning to protect from that.
Thank you, very good review and information I needed. I have a question about powering up the radio, if left ON when the power supply is turned off, does it goes back ON when turning on the power supply, or does it need to be re-powered on at the radio?
I would expect though that user mileage may vary depending on the mode being used. Phone TX on HF would definitely give different draw than CW or say a digital mode like FT8 or VHF/UHF.
it depends at what latitude and how much rain or cloudy days you have in your region each year. At 65N, I use the 120w panel, but a 60w would work during spring, summer, early autumn. The battery storage is really the more critical component of your system. 10ah (128wh) gave me three days of 8 hours straight operation with a 120w panel at mid summer. I hope this helps. 73 Julian oh8stn
Hi...I really enjoyed your video...thank you...I got two new FT-891's. I use one as my home station and use the other portable. I was surprised to see a max load of 100 watts transmit using only 15.5 Amps when the manual says 23 amps. I was in the shopping for a lithium battery that would last a couple of hours running 100 watts transmit. I was looking at a 60ah lithium deep cycle battery that would be reliable. So to my best guess a fully charged 60ah battery running 100 watts at 23 amps would last for about 2.5 hours ....at 15 amps the battery should last about 4 hours I would guess. Of course I'm not factoring in receive amp pull, just TX amp pull. Does this sound right using a 60ah 12 volt lithium battery for run time on one charge? Also I have a 60 watt folding solar panel from my Jackery power bucket usage. Can I use this solar panel on charging the battery and with what hardware needed to do it? Just FYI I was an old infantry radio operator in Vietnam who carried the PRC 25 radio....been a ham since 1961 at 12 yrs old then (lol)....it's hard to keep up with the times on ham radio with that digital stuff...I am just an old fashioned cw operator (lol)...I have year round sunny days here in California..thanks again 73 de K8ESE🇺🇲
What sort of power supply was used during the testing? I note that the voltage between tests was 13.12V or there-abouts, but it sags quite a bit on transmit. Was this done via an SMPS PSU? A linear power supply would give better results. Not trying to diss your testing, but with lower voltage, you will have higher current draw, simple ohms law. 73, ZL3XD.
Julian does this Radio have the same problem in the field as the 991 which only will supply 50% power on battery? Thanks and appreciate every video you do. Is there one that is more descriptive and definitive with the information you provide. Thank you 73K KE2YK
Awesome question. That problem is caused by bad batteries, not the radio. I run this thing at full power from batteries at home and in the field. Remember my home station is all DC, and solar-powered. Same story in the field. No problem on battery power 👍
Julian, I have a 50 amp deep cycle battery and when we take the 991 in the field it will only put out half power. Since that is the case, I am looking for an alternative radio for POTA field operation. I like some of the features of the 891. Based on your response, the 891 is not going to create the same issue. Best regards and keep the awesome work coming! KE2YK
With the correct battery the 891 will definitely work at 100w. Here is some interesting reading about your deep cycle battery en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peukert%27s_law Please let me know how it works out. 73 Julian oh8stn
Thanks for the video. Your values come in close proximity with my FT 891. However, one question (to everyone): Why does Yaesu manual state that current consumption (max) is Tx 23A? This stated value is quite far from the actual measured DC current values! It makes me think whether the RF output is **indeed** 100W (I don't have an RF power meter), Has anyone verified this?73
Thanks for the kindness and the coment. The answer can be found in Ohm's law. When you measure something in amps under load, the current changes depending on the voltage. We don't know what voltage Yaesu used. The current consumption of the rig also changes depending on what band, and what antenna we are using. All of these tests are just general guidelines. I think it's long as there within 5% of one another, we are all good to go
@@OH8STN Sure this makes sense. But, Yaesu must have used the nominal 13.8V DC, typical value for radio supplies. It is just too good to think that for 100W under CW (at least on the 40m) the radio needs less than 16A: that's 30% less than the value stated in the manual, which makes sense to be consumed under the worst case conditions i.e. for 100W. I can only think what you are saying about the bands, normally the RF transistors suffer at higher frequencies, so perhaps on 6m we should see the 23A? (or close to it...), or perhaps the 23A points to the minimum *recommended* current that the PSU should have when connected to this radio..?
Hello Matt. Unfortunately I don't own any lead acid batteries. My lithium iron phosphate batteries cut off voltage is set for 11.5 volts. I've hit that a few times and have never seen any strangeness in the radio. It seems to be quite tolerant.
Julian, what is your opinion about the TX delay in AM and FM from this tranciever? There is a delay between 0,5-1 sec. I sold my ft891 because of that. What is your idea about it? 73' PD4EL. Roy..
@@OH8STN When you key up the mic in AM or FM you can see it on the ft891 powermeter or on an external meter. Some are saying wrong factory adjustment and some are saying it is bad design. There is also UA-cam content about it. Best 73' PD4EL
Yes I've read about it. What I was saying was my radio didn't exhibit this behavior. It would be interesting to see which radios did based on their serial numbers. 73 Julian oh8stn
Can the ft891 receive when the displayunit is disconnected ? if yes, how much current will it draw in receive mode, when the displayunit is disconnected ? if the current draw is then much lower, that would be usefull to once set the frequency etc., to use the ft891 without displayunit to spare battery, the more the lower the current draw is without the displayunit. beside that, if keeping the ft891 always on while the display unit is not connencted, that would then spare the display from burning out, the whole radio would then last much longer.
Unfortunately the radio doesn't work without the display attached. Most other radios and lowers to turn off the display while still using the radio. The FT-891 allows you turn turn down the back light, but not turn off the display.
It's not strange, it's a different radio. The ft-891 has a more power-hungry screen, fans running, ... the ft-817 has a passive heatsink inside oh, it also has a very small screen that takes a little power, and no fans inside
1st in a Yaesu HF rig the power settings is a percentage ,at 50 it may not be 50w also if you increase the volume of tone generator you might get more amperage as the amperage flexes with amplitude of input.An in line meter in the feed line will give you better power output reading then the built in meter.I have an 857 and tried to run the same type of test in mobile installation.I got 20+ amps with SSB mode by yelling into the mike.I had it mounted in 18 wheeler and had to talk loud over the road and engine noise a lot.you might want to try testing it in a real world situation with an in-line power meter and on SSB if that is the mode you use the most,it looks like you tested it in AM mode and if it is anything like 857 AM 25w carrier but not anywhere near 100w output at 100% power.Am requires more amperage then SSB that is why SSB is more efficient.I just looked the 891 is 40w carrier I think you still need the in line and run a SSB in real world environment
Thanks for your comment. I did this test three different times before you saw the video. One with the inline DC watt meter which shows the current draw from the battery, the same test using the Fluke meter, and then the third test using a current shunt. All done with CW not tone generator! No SSB voice can never go that high! In fact I tried SSB and got significantly lower results. I will stand behind my tests. If you disagree with my methods or results, I would love to see a video response. Thanks for the comment. 73 Julian oh8stn
Jim Newman paying attention? He's not measuring output power he's measuring current consumption. If you look closely at the screen on the radio he's operating in CW, probably with a straight key. Please explain how SSB will be a more efficient test than CW!
I totally understand your point Jim, but... I've tested the accuracy of the displayed output, versus actual output from the antenna port into a Daiwa SWR/Power meter terminating into a dummy load. The actual discrepancy between the displayed output and the actual output at the antenna port, is roughly +/-3% off across the output range. That's in line with the service manual for this radio. Moreover I'm using CW for the test, not an external volume controlled tone generator. Thanks for commenting 73 Julian oh8stn
Jim Newman the meter is a representation of the radios output power. It is not perfect but it is calibrated. Take a look at the Advanced manual for the rig. Even if your point is correct, the test at of the received current, the lower power 5w, and in highest power setting 100w are correct. If the test was done with SSB or a mode like FT8 where Audio Level influences transmitter output power, I would agree with you. He's using CW (all or nothing), so your point makes no sense.
are you know that charging below +5c will damage your lithium batteries?!? (they are all like that if you don't have a battery heater for to protect them)..
@OH8STN -- Been on the hunt for a radio for down situations that is portable but everything is $1,000+ except the Xiegu X6100. Is there HF radio that is reliable, portable and around 10-20W that can cover the contiguous 48? Would like to have voice and CW. Getting ready to start learning CW from the LCWO site.
Hello operators.
Heres a short follow-up video.
ua-cam.com/video/cwksCCf0JEE/v-deo.html
73
Julian oh8stn
WOW!! I am astonished at the relatively low current draw at 100 W. That's telling me I can actually run my FT-891 out in the field at 50 W, and be OK if I need it.
I've had an FT-891 for several months, and now I know the current meter on my Astron power supply is accurate, those are the numbers I get.
Just the video i needed! Published numbers by Yaesu had me worrying over batteries, but your test has convinced me that the 891 is for me! Brilliant! Cheers and 73 from Byron N4TIZ
Thank you. Long time viewer, first comment. I really appreciate this video. This is the radio I have been looking at for several months and this answers many questions. I am also encouraged that you will be providing more videos on this radio. You tend to provide a lot of relevant detail and not just showing what buttons it has, so I look forward to these. Thanks Julian!!!
It is better to write characteristics in worse conditions than to understate them. This current consumption makes the FT-891 very convenient to work with standard 24A/h for 100W and 12A/h for 50W LiFePO4 batteries.
I will say more, for the opportunity to put 100W in a backpack - I almost forgive Yaesu for FT-818😄
I’m thinking of getting one of these, every time you increased the wattage and pulled more amps I looked at my current PSU nervously lmao, it actually puts out 23amps so I should be okay, really helpful video sir 73 and great content as always!
Appreciate the test data. Thanks
90W 13 Amps @12.5V, sounds delicious
Thanks for this video. I have a FT-891 and I've been doing a lot of mobile-portable FT8 work in my car just using my car battery. Been looking into getting a dedicated battery for the FT-891 and having these accurate numbers at each power level is super helpful. Thanks again!
Great video. I've had this rig for about a month. Great portable on 60m. I will watch anything you put up about the 891. Thanks, Tom, K8YPH.
I will definitely continue creating more for the 891 and 817 :)
73
Julian oh8stn
Thanks, I also have an 817ND. Speech compressor used to enhance "punch".
Excellent video, this is exactly what I needed to know to determine what size LIFEPO4 battery to get. Thanks a bunch...........73's
Good vid. Wrecked by background music. It’s not MTV.
Nice testing Julian, I could have saved you the trouble as my findings are similar. Bonus is 100w at 15A is battery friendly where the brochure says 23 Amps. The yaesu engineers have been drinking lots of sake while making the FYT-818. The FT-891 is cheaper and a better receiver if HF is your interest.
If the band fades on your 5-10 watt signal you can grab a few extra s units of power and jump to 100 watts and finish off the qso. Bonus this shows it works well in the cold and the warmth of the wood stove
If I have the FT-818 at 6 watts making a QSO and the band fades on me then the other station will not hear me. If I have the FT-891 then I can save my battery by running at 5 watts and if the band fades I can increase the output power to 80 watts and increase my readability by 2 S Units ( or 12 db with the power increase). Of course I would have a suitable battery to accommodate the increase in current consumption and am happy to draw 14 amps @80watts. Sorry my english isnt very good but i have proven this out in the field many times with the use of a HF mobile being used for QRP. The primary advantage is the ability to choose the power output from 5-100 watts. Now take the FT-818 radio - its not even close to the FT-891 in receiver performance and DSP capability. Yaesu should have squeezed a FT-891 into a FT-818 chassis with a 5 or 10 watt power output limit. Look forward to you FT-818 review. Get a FT-891 and forget the FT-818 with an external amplifier. I will have to send you a Yaesu hat
A comparison chart on your blog for 891 857 and 817 would be awesome! Thanks for the efforts making this video series! cheers
That's a great idea! I need to get one of my buddies to do the 857 for me.
Thanks for reaching out 👍👍👍
No problem :) I am waiting for my ham exam and I thoroughly watch every video you make. I am in the big inner fight what station to buy first. I am totally pro 817nd because of the low power consumption. But that 5W do somehow discourage me. Going big on 100W makes the gear heavier and the power supply more expensive. I intend to use comms only when on the field doing overnighters or hikes so I am quite sure 817 would be the right choice. Thanks for your great videos, they are really rich in knowledge!
@@CroPrepper I still have my first hf radio ts-450sat. Been a great radio but be aware you will need to recap it if it wasn't done already. Not really portable but a great first radio that is simple to operate.
Thanks again Julian for another interesting and real world video
Great timing for me. I just bought an 891. So I know you will be going Digital with yours. Thank you Julian. KM6OND
Absolutely.
I've got several videos incoming on digital mode setup. You shouldn't have to wait too long.
73
Julian oh8stn
Another great video Julian, I am about to buy a FT891 as well for portable operation, I am still QRP operator but sometime you need more juice :-), Look forward to seeing new contents !
You will absolutely love that radio. The crazy thing is I haven't even started talking about the awesome receiver yet 😀
I'm really happy with it, and I'm happy I was able to build a battery that's compatible with it as well.
73
Julian oh8stn
Many thanks for another informative video. I am lucky to get 8hrs on my Ft 857 hooked up to a 17 amp hour battery on an average duty cycle. That's 10W TX on FM mind which is very power hungry. Larry UK RAYNET.
Very informative. Shared on the Delta Romeo DX Group Facebook page.
Thanks. SO much more on the way
73
Julian oh8stn
Hello Julian, TNX, I never considered the 891 for in the FIELD, but now things are different, 1A RX + decent current at 50W , and Li-Ion batteries change everything, TNX es GL, PE1FJN, Marc
Excellent video Julian ! Definitely not a milliamp hoarding radio but the increase in XMIT draw after 50W clearly flattens out considerably in relation to power output. With radios of this type it's hard to get that idle current down. IIRC the CPU side of the radio alone consumes 300ma Definitely illustrates that better batteries are a solid investment. Thanks for sharing !
Thanks for that test. I appreciate you sharing that.
Thank you Julian
I an a new ham and started set up on HF. I received my FT-891 a few months before you ordered yours. I will be using my FT 891 both mobile and portable, and finding your set ups very interesting. I have not gotten into using data modes as of now, and would be interested in how you set uo your FT - 891 for data.
Enjoying your videos and looking forward to more videos on the FT-891 and portable set ups.
de AG7KU
Thanks for the kindness.
I've got a few short videos incoming for data setup.
Those should get you up and running in no time 👍👍👍.
73
Julian oh8stn
Hey Julian, again a nice Video!
Another option to get the field station in QRO-mode on the air at night cold be a Thermoelectric Generator, which is based on Peltier-Elements (Seebeck-Effect). You got your wood stove in the tent running anyways so why not using the heat for generating electricity? They are not really cheap but there are some 45W air-cooled Generators for ~ 500$ on the market.
Cheers, Timo
Terve Timo
I thought about that but I haven't had the time to do the research I needed to put it all together. I found a couple of commercial portable units, but they were too heavy for my sled, even though the price was quite okay. So I may end up having to build something like this but, that's a project for next winter.
Excellent idea 👍👍👍
73
Julian oh8stn
always great information and logically presented. Thanks
I've only operated QRP up to this point but have been considering buying a rig capable of more output just to have some extra power in reserve when playing radio at home. I actually suspect I may want to take this portable even though I prefer to stay lightweight when out. I'm quite surprised that the draw beyond 50 watts isn't significantly higher as I thought it would be. I've been looking into this rig as it appeals to me and my simple ways with more than enough features for my use. I don't plan to use the full 100 watts but I couldn't find current draw specs. from Yaesu at reduced power so this video has been very helpful to me. Thanks and take care Julian.
Julian, nice test, I use a FT-891 in my Jeep at 25 watts but never measured the current draw. Great Info. 73, K0JQZ
Outstanding, I was starting to think there were no other 891 operators out there :)
73
Julian oh8stn
Hello. I also operate amateur radio. I am very interested in this model. This video was very helpful.
thank you for this content
Great video❗️
Thank you.
73
EXCELLENT Video!
thanks, importend for outdoor
Great information. Thank You!
That's a perfect video
Hi Julian, greetings & 73s. KP4IA
Thanks for all your videos. Interesting that the TX current of the 891 at 20 Watts is nearly double what the G90 consumes at 20 Watts. It seems there is a little non-linear bump around this point in the 891.
Edit: It would be interesting to see what the actual measured output power is at this 20W point between the G90 and 891 radios. Just thinking 20W may be the 891's efficiency weak point in the curve perhaps.
The 891 is generally inefficient. The mobile radio design doesn't take efficiency into consideration unfortunately. So it's not a bump. The entire current draw curve is horrendous ,
73
Julian oh8stn
@@OH8STNSo what radios would be considered more efficient? You mentioned comparing the 891 to other radios, but I never saw the comparison being made.
I've recently read that if voltage goes too low it can damage the ft-891. Someone else disagreed. Who's right? I read that too low voltage creates greater amp draw that can cause damage to components. But I would think that the ft-891 would have a shut-off or warning to protect from that.
The user manual suggests a voltage range for example 11-15 volts. Below that it will shut off, above it may damage the radio.
@@OH8STN Thank you!
What mode were you using during the test? And is it the same for all modes? Thanks for all your great informative videos.
Thank you, very good review and information I needed. I have a question about powering up the radio, if left ON when the power supply is turned off, does it goes back ON when turning on the power supply, or does it need to be re-powered on at the radio?
I would expect though that user mileage may vary depending on the mode being used. Phone TX on HF would definitely give different draw than CW or say a digital mode like FT8 or VHF/UHF.
hi very acuret had the same resulsts ,when you ad a tuner the numbers cange but not to much 50 to 100 ma depends ho hard the fans are running
My IC 706MllK Just quit so I have started looking at the Ft891, have you ever used your FT891 with a solar generator with reduced power❓
Only just found this...
It would be interesting to do this across multiple bands.
I'm sure you would find a difference, but maybe not significant.
There wasn't a big difference across HF bands but, the largest difference was with the state of charge of the lithium iron phosphate batteries
So I think I'm going to repeat that experiment with a fixed voltage power supply
@@OH8STN
That sounds like a plan... :)
I just bought an ft-891 would 60watts of solar be fine I purchased and 18ah battery or should I go 100w of solar
it depends at what latitude and how much rain or cloudy days you have in your region each year. At 65N, I use the 120w panel, but a 60w would work during spring, summer, early autumn. The battery storage is really the more critical component of your system. 10ah (128wh) gave me three days of 8 hours straight operation with a 120w panel at mid summer.
I hope this helps.
73
Julian oh8stn
I still have yet to make my first HF contact so I'm completely new
Grazie!
Hi...I really enjoyed your video...thank you...I got two new FT-891's. I use one as my home station and use the other portable. I was surprised to see a max load of 100 watts transmit using only 15.5 Amps when the manual says 23 amps. I was in the shopping for a lithium battery that would last a couple of hours running 100 watts transmit. I was looking at a 60ah lithium deep cycle battery that would be reliable. So to my best guess a fully charged 60ah battery running 100 watts at 23 amps would last for about 2.5 hours ....at 15 amps the battery should last about 4 hours I would guess. Of course I'm not factoring in receive amp pull, just TX amp pull. Does this sound right using a 60ah 12 volt lithium battery for run time on one charge? Also I have a 60 watt folding solar panel from my Jackery power bucket usage. Can I use this solar panel on charging the battery and with what hardware needed to do it? Just FYI I was an old infantry radio operator in Vietnam who carried the PRC 25 radio....been a ham since 1961 at 12 yrs old then (lol)....it's hard to keep up with the times on ham radio with that digital stuff...I am just an old fashioned cw operator (lol)...I have year round sunny days here in California..thanks again 73 de K8ESE🇺🇲
What sort of power supply was used during the testing?
I note that the voltage between tests was 13.12V or there-abouts, but it sags quite a bit on transmit.
Was this done via an SMPS PSU?
A linear power supply would give better results.
Not trying to diss your testing, but with lower voltage, you will have higher current draw, simple ohms law.
73,
ZL3XD.
Julian does this Radio have the same problem in the field as the 991 which only will supply 50% power on battery? Thanks and appreciate every video you do. Is there one that is more descriptive and definitive with the information you provide. Thank you 73K KE2YK
Awesome question. That problem is caused by bad batteries, not the radio. I run this thing at full power from batteries at home and in the field. Remember my home station is all DC, and solar-powered. Same story in the field. No problem on battery power 👍
Julian, I have a 50 amp deep cycle battery and when we take the 991 in the field it will only put out half power. Since that is the case, I am looking for an alternative radio for POTA field operation. I like some of the features of the 891. Based on your response, the 891 is not going to create the same issue. Best regards and keep the awesome work coming! KE2YK
With the correct battery the 891 will definitely work at 100w.
Here is some interesting reading about your deep cycle battery en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peukert%27s_law
Please let me know how it works out.
73
Julian oh8stn
Thanks for the video. Your values come in close proximity with my FT 891.
However, one question (to everyone): Why does Yaesu manual state that current consumption (max) is Tx 23A?
This stated value is quite far from the actual measured DC current values!
It makes me think whether the RF output is **indeed** 100W (I don't have an RF power meter), Has anyone verified this?73
Thanks for the kindness and the coment. The answer can be found in Ohm's law. When you measure something in amps under load, the current changes depending on the voltage. We don't know what voltage Yaesu used. The current consumption of the rig also changes depending on what band, and what antenna we are using. All of these tests are just general guidelines. I think it's long as there within 5% of one another, we are all good to go
@@OH8STN Sure this makes sense. But, Yaesu must have used the nominal 13.8V DC, typical value for radio supplies. It is just too good to think that for 100W under CW (at least on the 40m) the radio needs less than 16A: that's 30% less than the value stated in the manual, which makes sense to be consumed under the worst case conditions i.e. for 100W. I can only think what you are saying about the bands, normally the RF transistors suffer at higher frequencies, so perhaps on 6m we should see the 23A? (or close to it...), or perhaps the 23A points to the minimum *recommended* current that the PSU should have when connected to this radio..?
Suggested battery for field operations with this radio?
Hello thrre you can press and hold the menu button to get cack out or single press f .
How duse the radio do on 12v dipping down to 11.5 lets say from a led acid battery?
Hello Matt. Unfortunately I don't own any lead acid batteries. My lithium iron phosphate batteries cut off voltage is set for 11.5 volts. I've hit that a few times and have never seen any strangeness in the radio. It seems to be quite tolerant.
What device are you using to measure the current draw? Link please
Here you go
amzn.to/2K2CsGW
Julian, what is your opinion about the TX delay in AM and FM from this tranciever? There is a delay between 0,5-1 sec. I sold my ft891 because of that. What is your idea about it? 73' PD4EL. Roy..
I never noticed such a delay.
@@OH8STN When you key up the mic in AM or FM you can see it on the ft891 powermeter or on an external meter. Some are saying wrong factory adjustment and some are saying it is bad design. There is also UA-cam content about it. Best 73' PD4EL
Yes I've read about it. What I was saying was my radio didn't exhibit this behavior. It would be interesting to see which radios did based on their serial numbers.
73
Julian oh8stn
What is the Current Draw (average) normal talking on SSB for Say 5w,20w,80w?
Can the ft891 receive when the displayunit is disconnected ?
if yes, how much current will it draw in receive mode, when the displayunit is disconnected ?
if the current draw is then much lower, that would be usefull to once set the frequency etc., to use the ft891 without displayunit to spare battery, the more the lower the current draw is without the displayunit.
beside that, if keeping the ft891 always on while the display unit is not connencted, that would then spare the display from burning out, the whole radio would then last much longer.
Unfortunately the radio doesn't work without the display attached. Most other radios and lowers to turn off the display while still using the radio. The FT-891 allows you turn turn down the back light, but not turn off the display.
just looked another review and saw that ft 817 only need 1.9 amp by 5 watt .... strange different
It's not strange, it's a different radio. The ft-891 has a more power-hungry screen, fans running, ... the ft-817 has a passive heatsink inside oh, it also has a very small screen that takes a little power, and no fans inside
@@OH8STN ok thanks....
1st in a Yaesu HF rig the power settings is a percentage ,at 50 it may not be 50w also if you increase the volume of tone generator you might get more amperage as the amperage flexes with amplitude of input.An in line meter in the feed line will give you better power output reading then the built in meter.I have an 857 and tried to run the same type of test in mobile installation.I got 20+ amps with SSB mode by yelling into the mike.I had it mounted in 18 wheeler and had to talk loud over the road and engine noise a lot.you might want to try testing it in a real world situation with an in-line power meter and on SSB if that is the mode you use the most,it looks like you tested it in AM mode and if it is anything like 857 AM 25w carrier but not anywhere near 100w output at 100% power.Am requires more amperage then SSB that is why SSB is more efficient.I just looked the 891 is 40w carrier I think you still need the in line and run a SSB in real world environment
Thanks for your comment.
I did this test three different times before you saw the video. One with the inline DC watt meter which shows the current draw from the battery, the same test using the Fluke meter, and then the third test using a current shunt. All done with CW not tone generator! No SSB voice can never go that high! In fact I tried SSB and got significantly lower results.
I will stand behind my tests. If you disagree with my methods or results, I would love to see a video response.
Thanks for the comment.
73
Julian oh8stn
Jim Newman paying attention? He's not measuring output power he's measuring current consumption. If you look closely at the screen on the radio he's operating in CW, probably with a straight key. Please explain how SSB will be a more efficient test than CW!
I know he isn't measuring out put power but the out put has a lot to do with the current draw and the power meter in the radio isn't accurate
I totally understand your point Jim, but...
I've tested the accuracy of the displayed output, versus actual output from the antenna port into a Daiwa SWR/Power meter terminating into a dummy load. The actual discrepancy between the displayed output and the actual output at the antenna port, is roughly +/-3% off across the output range. That's in line with the service manual for this radio. Moreover I'm using CW for the test, not an external volume controlled tone generator.
Thanks for commenting
73
Julian oh8stn
Jim Newman the meter is a representation of the radios output power. It is not perfect but it is calibrated. Take a look at the Advanced manual for the rig. Even if your point is correct, the test at of the received current, the lower power 5w, and in highest power setting 100w are correct. If the test was done with SSB or a mode like FT8 where Audio Level influences transmitter output power, I would agree with you. He's using CW (all or nothing), so your point makes no sense.
are you know that charging below +5c will damage your lithium batteries?!? (they are all like that if you don't have a battery heater for to protect them)..
Have you done this for the FT817ND ?
Not yet. Would you like me to?
73
Julian oh8stn
I would!!
Done deal!
Quien puede traducir el vídeo al español plis
Pedir a los espectadores que contribuyan con traducciones al español.
Mi habladades en el idioma español ya no bueno.
73
Julian oh8stn
@OH8STN -- Been on the hunt for a radio for down situations that is portable but everything is $1,000+ except the Xiegu X6100. Is there HF radio that is reliable, portable and around 10-20W that can cover the contiguous 48? Would like to have voice and CW. Getting ready to start learning CW from the LCWO site.