Yaesu FT-817ND

[Truik]

Tomorrow's edition of TSP Hams http://www.tsphams.com will have its very first product review (as good a review as I could muster) and it will be for the FT-817ND. If anyone has one, please feel free to comment here.

After the issue is released, I will post the review here in this thread.

(Hopefully, this will begin a weekly tradition which will fill this forum section with some worthwhile reviews AND your comments, corrections and critiques.)

In the mean time, lets hear from anyone who has owned one!

[idelphic]

There are a number of things that are great about the 817nd unit. 

First,.. I have one.
Operation Modes with the 817nd I have completed:
UHF/VHF Voice
HF Voice
HF PSK31

While 'barefoot' (no external amplifier) the radio only musters about 5watts on all bands, it does quite well.  I have made a number of contacts on just 5w using UHF/VHF and on HF 20m.  While I don't have my log book with me currently, I believe the longest contact was about 900 miles.

Antenna does play a key role in the reception and transmit range.  My complete setup fits into a regular Dell laptop bag, with the exception of a 33' fiberglass kite pole.

I am quite happy with it and it's big brother the FT-857.

[fasteddie]

Do you have any pictures of this radio and the antena you used ? Thanks Ed

[idelphic]

Eddie - Just noticed your question, I don't have any pictures of the radio with me,.. but I'll be happy to take some and link them up for you.