I know a lot about these radios. I own one. I bought it just over a year ago from Strictly Ham. They are superb. The menu is so easy to use. They are SDR radios.
I have had no issues with the touch screen at all. There is a calibrate function that will adjust the screen to your touch. I acquired one on May of 2023 when the operator brought it to me for me to check for damage. According to him, the radio quit running correctly. I took a look at it about 4 days after it was brought to me. I found nothing wrong with the radio at all. The issue had to be with the owner's power supply. After the test, I called him and received no returned call. I tried landline, cellular, email, text. There was no answer. By the end of January, I took the radio out of the box and listened. It has an amazing receive. By the 1st of February, I had it connected to a nice power supply, a homemade antenna, and a, homemade manual tuner. I spend a lot of time listening to the radio. But, I can not transmit, save into a dummy load. I am not amateur radio operator. I am merely a hobbyist and technician. I repair, modify, convert, setup, programme, install, but can not transmit without a license. The owner abandoned the radio. After over a year, I claimed it as my own.
@@tomfoley1265 If he died, he was likely murdered. The guy was kind of flashy, like he wanted to flaunt wealth. That kind of guy attracts the attention he needs, but from the wrong person. His car, his clothing, his manner of speaking, all seemed like he was attention starved so he showed off his wealth to attract attention. The radio is incredible! Of course, I can only use it for receive, but what amazing receive capabilites and nice filtering it has. Attached to a screen, it is even better. Attached to a computer, and I can monitor many different digital modes that I did not even know existed. I can even download satellite images. The digital modes can be explored using a free programme called, "Ham Radio Deluxe version 5." Copying all original values in the engineering menu, I make all manner of adjustments to see what happens. If I mess up the radio, I can just reload the operating system. I have had the radio able to transmit without the engineering menu in the foreground. Thus, transmitting on 30 Mhz. I had it transmitting into a dummy load from 560 kilohertz to 75 megahertx continuously without the engineering menu in the foreground. But the SDR scope would sometimes momentarily lock up and then start working again. But, since I can not transmit, save into a dummy load, I reloaded all orginal values. It really did not benefit me to have it transmit from 560 kilohertz to 75 Megahertz. The radio is a fascinating device.
I've had a FT-710 for just around two years so far. It has an excellent receiver and selectivity in crowded band. Since I do a lot of contesting, those are the features that are important to me. CW operation is quite good as well. Now, I just bought a new Icom IC-7610 a few months ago and it blows it out of the water but the FT-710 costs 3x less! For the record, I cannot stand the cheap AESS speaker and took mine off and never use it. 73 DE WA5RR
I bought a 710 a while back to try, but feel I’m too stuck in my icom ways. Hate the menu, don’t like simple things like the tuning step options, and lack of the adaptive VFO, and many other things. Receiver is great, but not notably better than the equivalent icoms in the real world, despite the Sherwood rankings. BTW, mode button on top of radio is quickest way to change mode, and band +function gets through the band stacking registers. Still prefer the icom way though! Bought it for portable use, but pretty sure I’ll sell it and use an amp with the 705 instead.
Personally I would not take my 710 portable. Fragile touch screen and possible sun glare- but then- I have sight issues following a bad cataract op last year. It’s fine in the shack with external monitor. G4BTI..
"Hate the menu, don’t like simple things like the tuning step options, and lack of the adaptive VFO, and many other things". If you spend a little time getting to know the 710 you will realise that it is very adaptive to your needs - I use a MD-100 desk mic and have mapped the tuning step and band change functions to button on the mic, this makes it super easy to change bands and set the tuning step without going into the menu then adding the FH-2 remote control keypad and plug a mouse to the USB port gives quick easy access to many other functions also. I've had mine a year now it is a seriously good radio with a superb receiver.
Hi Brenton, very informative video, thanks a lot! After more than 20 years I picked up the Ham radio hobby again. In the meantime a lot has changed regarding licensing and also especially in the area of digital modes which I am most interested in. I have ordered a Yaesu FT-710, it will arrive next Monday, I hope it does not disappoint. I wonder if the problems with the solar panels only occur when the solar panels are delivering power to the grid or is this also the case when the panels are not delivering power, in the evening/night?
I took delivery of the FT710 about two weeks ago. Like all modern radios, it takes a little bit of time to learn how to get the best out of it, but despite that, it performed really well straight out of the box. Nothing about it that I actually dislike and very competative value wise - an awful lot of radio for the price point. As a "general purpose" radio, you won't be disappointed.
@@snaggitfishing2827 Record the engineering menu settings and back up the software operating system using an SD card. Then eject the SD card and you can play around with the engineering menu settings. If you make a mistake and lock up the radio, simply insert the SD card and it will automatically go to a recovery menu where you can load the operating system. It is a fascinating device.
FT710 Noise Reduction is superior to the very harsh sounding 7300, as long as one updates to the March 2023 firmware. The mouse makes touching the screen moot. Mouse-wheel also makes it easy to tune in 1 khz steps. I find the Menu easy to use, most everything is setup to my rx & tx tastes and I never have to change it. 😁
Hi Brenton, I wish Icom would do what Yaesu have done and update the firmware for the 7300 so we could select a few different standard analoge style meters too rather than just the couple of bar graph ones. Considering the good sized colour screen on the 7300 they really don’t allow many ways to customise it which is a shame. I think they could do so much more. Also the price they charge for some ham radio speakers these days seems outrageous! The Yaesu looks really nice but I’m still an Icom guy I think 😀Craig VK3CRG
Ok since you're an Icom guy, I've been thinking of working my way into the "Pair" of radios eventually, the 7300 and the 9700 since they are essentially twins in their respective use cases, does the 710 have any comparable "Twin" to compare the complete package to?? Does the 710 beat the 7300 enough to justify breaking my plan??
I get great support from Yaesu in the USA. I have the FT-710. Not a fan of manu driven settings. I put the FT-710 back in the box. FTdx3000 is now back on the desk. And I don't chase waterfalls. On the FTdx3000. You can switch out of the waterfall.
I get just as many positive audio reports and signal reports with my 710 in the field during POTA activations as I do from home with my DX10. Sad that ICOM has not stepped up to the plate in several years allowing Yeasu to take all the top spots in regards to Sherwood Engineering reviews
I know a lot about these radios. I own one. I bought it just over a year ago from Strictly Ham. They are superb. The menu is so easy to use. They are SDR radios.
The audio it’s much better when you have both speakers on. In my opinion of course, with the tests I made.
Had mine in January 2024 chap very impressed so far IC7300 was piped only by the monitor out, and a deal from a UK supplier.
I have had no issues with the touch screen at all. There is a calibrate function that will adjust the screen to your touch. I acquired one on May of 2023 when the operator brought it to me for me to check for damage. According to him, the radio quit running correctly. I took a look at it about 4 days after it was brought to me. I found nothing wrong with the radio at all. The issue had to be with the owner's power supply. After the test, I called him and received no returned call. I tried landline, cellular, email, text. There was no answer. By the end of January, I took the radio out of the box and listened. It has an amazing receive. By the 1st of February, I had it connected to a nice power supply, a homemade antenna, and a, homemade manual tuner. I spend a lot of time listening to the radio. But, I can not transmit, save into a dummy load. I am not amateur radio operator. I am merely a hobbyist and technician. I repair, modify, convert, setup, programme, install, but can not transmit without a license. The owner abandoned the radio. After over a year, I claimed it as my own.
He probably died. Nice score!
@@tomfoley1265 If he died, he was likely murdered. The guy was kind of flashy, like he wanted to flaunt wealth. That kind of guy attracts the attention he needs, but from the wrong person. His car, his clothing, his manner of speaking, all seemed like he was attention starved so he showed off his wealth to attract attention. The radio is incredible! Of course, I can only use it for receive, but what amazing receive capabilites and nice filtering it has. Attached to a screen, it is even better. Attached to a computer, and I can monitor many different digital modes that I did not even know existed. I can even download satellite images. The digital modes can be explored using a free programme called, "Ham Radio Deluxe version 5." Copying all original values in the engineering menu, I make all manner of adjustments to see what happens. If I mess up the radio, I can just reload the operating system. I have had the radio able to transmit without the engineering menu in the foreground. Thus, transmitting on 30 Mhz. I had it transmitting into a dummy load from 560 kilohertz to 75 megahertx continuously without the engineering menu in the foreground. But the SDR scope would sometimes momentarily lock up and then start working again. But, since I can not transmit, save into a dummy load, I reloaded all orginal values. It really did not benefit me to have it transmit from 560 kilohertz to 75 Megahertz. The radio is a fascinating device.
I've had a FT-710 for just around two years so far. It has an excellent receiver and selectivity in crowded band. Since I do a lot of contesting, those are the features that are important to me. CW operation is quite good as well. Now, I just bought a new Icom IC-7610 a few months ago and it blows it out of the water but the FT-710 costs 3x less! For the record, I cannot stand the cheap AESS speaker and took mine off and never use it. 73 DE WA5RR
I bought a 710 a while back to try, but feel I’m too stuck in my icom ways. Hate the menu, don’t like simple things like the tuning step options, and lack of the adaptive VFO, and many other things. Receiver is great, but not notably better than the equivalent icoms in the real world, despite the Sherwood rankings. BTW, mode button on top of radio is quickest way to change mode, and band +function gets through the band stacking registers. Still prefer the icom way though! Bought it for portable use, but pretty sure I’ll sell it and use an amp with the 705 instead.
Personally I would not take my 710 portable. Fragile touch screen and possible sun glare- but then- I have sight issues following a bad cataract op last year. It’s fine in the shack with external monitor.
G4BTI..
@@DavidCase-ov5uo It’s not good with glare, but that’s pretty much true of any of these displays.
"Hate the menu, don’t like simple things like the tuning step options, and lack of the adaptive VFO, and many other things".
If you spend a little time getting to know the 710 you will realise that it is very adaptive to your needs - I use a MD-100 desk mic and have mapped the tuning step and band change functions to button on the mic, this makes it super easy to change bands and set the tuning step without going into the menu then adding the FH-2 remote control keypad and plug a mouse to the USB port gives quick easy access to many other functions also. I've had mine a year now it is a seriously good radio with a superb receiver.
Thanks for this good demo of the 710. Quite a nice setup you have there with the rotor and beam.
I was told the internal speaker and exterior cover different ranges of voice frequencies.
Hi Brenton, very informative video, thanks a lot!
After more than 20 years I picked up the Ham radio hobby again.
In the meantime a lot has changed regarding licensing and also especially in the area of digital modes which I am most interested in.
I have ordered a Yaesu FT-710, it will arrive next Monday, I hope it does not disappoint.
I wonder if the problems with the solar panels only occur when the solar panels are delivering power to the grid or is this also the case when the panels are not delivering power, in the evening/night?
I took delivery of the FT710 about two weeks ago. Like all modern radios, it takes a little bit of time to learn how to get the best out of it, but despite that, it performed really well straight out of the box. Nothing about it that I actually dislike and very competative value wise - an awful lot of radio for the price point.
As a "general purpose" radio, you won't be disappointed.
@@snaggitfishing2827 Record the engineering menu settings and back up the software operating system using an SD card. Then eject the SD card and you can play around with the engineering menu settings. If you make a mistake and lock up the radio, simply insert the SD card and it will automatically go to a recovery menu where you can load the operating system. It is a fascinating device.
In the US now, the ft-710 with the speaker is on sale for $995.00US.
Thank you Brenton that is a very nice radio.
Cheers Anthony
FT710 Noise Reduction is superior to the very harsh sounding 7300, as long as one updates to the March 2023 firmware. The mouse makes touching the screen moot. Mouse-wheel also makes it easy to tune in 1 khz steps. I find the Menu easy to use, most everything is setup to my rx & tx tastes and I never have to change it. 😁
Hi Brenton, I wish Icom would do what Yaesu have done and update the firmware for the 7300 so we could select a few different standard analoge style meters too rather than just the couple of bar graph ones. Considering the good sized colour screen on the 7300 they really don’t allow many ways to customise it which is a shame. I think they could do so much more. Also the price they charge for some ham radio speakers these days seems outrageous! The Yaesu looks really nice but I’m still an Icom guy I think 😀Craig VK3CRG
Ok since you're an Icom guy, I've been thinking of working my way into the "Pair" of radios eventually, the 7300 and the 9700 since they are essentially twins in their respective use cases, does the 710 have any comparable "Twin" to compare the complete package to?? Does the 710 beat the 7300 enough to justify breaking my plan??
NSW has amateur radio? I thought that state did not allow people to speak.
Meanwhile i bought aHT from Icon. Both the antenna connector and the power jack we're attached poorly. I'll pass on Icom!
I get great support from Yaesu in the USA. I have the FT-710. Not a fan of manu driven settings. I put the FT-710 back in the box. FTdx3000 is now back on the desk. And I don't chase waterfalls. On the FTdx3000. You can switch out of the waterfall.
I get just as many positive audio reports and signal reports with my 710 in the field during POTA activations as I do from home with my DX10. Sad that ICOM has not stepped up to the plate in several years allowing Yeasu to take all the top spots in regards to Sherwood Engineering reviews