Yaesu: What was Yaesu thinking?

Many late-model Yaesu radios have built-in features for accessing Yaesu's WIRES repeater linking system. I have no experience with WIRES, so my details on how the system works is sketchy. Apparently, these linked repeaters are accessed using a DTMF tone that is sent at the beginning of every transmission from a user's radio. The WIRES feature is enabled by a special key on the radio and there's usually an icon that appears in the radio's display to indicate that WIRES is enabled.

However, it's way too easy on many Yaesu radios to enable WIRES. The result is that the user unwittingly sends a DTMF tone at the beginning of every transmission.

The problem with this is that many repeater controllers are remotely controlled using DTMF tones. So that the listeners don't hear the DTMF tones that a legitimate control operator is sending to the controller, many of these controllers mute the repeated audio as soon as they detect a DTMF tone on the input. In many cases, after the repeater controller recognizes that no more DTMF tones are coming on the input, the controller will turn the repeated audio back on after a few seconds.

So, the scenario is that the user who has inadvertently enabled WIRES keys up his radio, sends a DTMF tone, the repeater mutes the repeated audio, and the user doesn't understand why people keep telling him that part of his transmission was cut off.

I was part of a public service event on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend. One of the other net participants had WIRES enabled on his radio. Net Control didn't understand what was happening and kept telling the guy that his transmissions were cut off and he needed to try again. I was never in a position to privately explain to Net Control or the unwitting user how to fix the problem, so it went on all weekend.

Yaesu, what were you thinking? Why did you make it so easy to enable WIRES on your radios? Sheesh! Yet another example of manufacturers building radios with features that the users simply do not understand.

"The result is that the user unwittingly sends a DTMF tone at the beginning of every transmission"

On all my yaesu radios if you have wires turned on the radio emits a beep when you transmit. Nothing "unwittingly" about it. You know it is on.

Apparently, there are a lot of Yaesu users out there who have no idea what that beep means and they don't bother to investigate.

W9BU said:

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Yaesu, what were you thinking? Why did you make it so easy to enable WIRES on your radios? Sheesh! Yet another example of manufacturers building radios with features that the users simply do not understand.

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On the other hand, what was this operator thinking? Going into a public service event not knowing his equipment?

This has become an issue more often in ARES/RACES/Other exercises and actual event support. I saw it in an exercise I participated in a couple of years ago.

President of the local club at the time (Gods gift to everything. Just ask him) had his HT programmed incorrectly (actually, not programmed), and was answering event calls (simplex freq), but was transmitting on the local repeater input. Several people said something to him, but he didn't know his radio. I didn't know his radio either, yet corrected the issue quickly.

I respect your right to your opinion, but disagree this is an equipment issue. This is an operator competence issue.
If we are going to proffer ourselves as a means of communications support, we should know our equipment, INCLUDING it's strengths and weaknesses.

Lot to be said about the KISS factor of using basic, commonly programmed commercial gear…

Reminds me of some similarly like stories…


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K5BBC said:

I respect your right to your opinion, but disagree this is an equipment issue. This is an operator competence issue.

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Agree. On my VX-8R, you have to perform a specific long keypress to enable WIRES. Nothing is wrong with the design.

Getting your radio to do what you want out in the field is not the same as sitting at home in your comfy chair. It takes practice.

I have to agree that a lot of the problem is not being familiar with the radios they are using today. As well, a lot of new hams got their license just "in case" something significant happens to their area. We have a number of people that are licensed but seldom talk on the radio or even have it on. They have them in their vehicles so only on during the drive to and from work. Seldom do they even get involved in nets where there may be someone to help with hearing the tone cutting out their transmissions. And for some reason, there are a lot of older hams that seem to feel that they should not "help" new hams. Not saying all older hams feel this way, but the ones that used to help out newer hams seem to have gone into the weeds. We all need to help if we hear these tones or roger beeps. A lot have their radios programmed by someone else, thus do not know the workings of their radios. And RTFM [Read the Factory Manual] should always be done. Yaesu manuals, are not all that bad compared to Chinese manuals.

eorange said:

Agree. On my VX-8R, you have to perform a specific long keypress to enable WIRES. Nothing is wrong with the design.

Getting your radio to do what you want out in the field is not the same as sitting at home in your comfy chair. It takes practice.

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This also reminds me…a lot of people quick key their radios. Though it may be annoying that wires is on, doesn't sound like those listening to the repeater in the OP were hearing the dtmf burst. Better operating practices (such as waiting for the confirm beep generally given in pre-ID setups or just waiting a second before talking) could've easily avoided majority of the frustration in the post.


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Are you sure it was a Yaesu radio? Any radio with pre-key DTMF ANI (Baofeng, Woxun, AnyTone, etc.) can do that.

I agree that it is the users fault not the radio.
Heck people around here cannot figure out how to turn on a PL tone, so the local club leaves there VHF repeater's carrier squelch. But, then complain when the band is open on VHF.
Quote from the from the club technical guy. "PL tones are for Commercial and Public Safety not Ham Radio".

hitechRadio said:

I agree that it is the users fault not the radio.
Heck people around here cannot figure out how to turn on a PL tone, so the local club leaves there VHF repeater's carrier squelch. But, then complain when the band is open on VHF.
Quote from the from the club technical guy. "PL tones are for Commercial and Public Safety not Ham Radio".

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You should reply, that was true 4 decades ago when there were so few amateur repeaters present a little opening was welcomed every now and then.

nd5y said:

Are you sure it was a Yaesu radio? Any radio with pre-key DTMF ANI (Baofeng, Woxun, AnyTone, etc.) can do that.

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Good point. I wasn't aware that any of the CCRs had that feature.

In my experience with local repeater users, if you notice the problem and then ask the user if they are using a Yaesu radio, most of them reply "yes".

so is this why people keep saying they hear a beep when I Tx? also I hear a lot of people where the first part of the Tx is cut off, same thing?

I am reading my manual and trying to figure out how to turn it off...it is apparently on as it says Int on the display. (thought it was Iht, didn't know what it meant).

you are correct, no idea how mine was on and never read the WIRES part in the manual...

thanks for the useful post!! (Yaesu 2900R user)

gungatim said:

so is this why people keep saying they hear a beep when I Tx? also I hear a lot of people where the first part of the Tx is cut off, same thing?

I am reading my manual and trying to figure out how to turn it off...it is apparently on as it says Int on the display. (thought it was Iht, didn't know what it meant).

you are correct, no idea how mine was on and never read the WIRES part in the manual...

thanks for the useful post!! (Yaesu 2900R user)

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Wires will have this symbol on the display:


It's slaved to the button just right of the power button on a FT2900.

This kind of a notice, that somebody got a new radio because I have heard this many times.

teufler said:

This kind of a notice, that somebody got a new radio because I have heard this many times.

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If it's one tone, it's WIRES. If it's 3+, it's probably ANI from a commercial-rebadged-ham radio ('feng etc).

hitechRadio said:

I agree that it is the users fault not the radio.
Heck people around here cannot figure out how to turn on a PL tone, so the local club leaves there VHF repeater's carrier squelch. But, then complain when the band is open on VHF.
Quote from the from the club technical guy. "PL tones are for Commercial and Public Safety not Ham Radio".

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Technical guy needs a new job in the club. Maybe something like Chief Cook and Bottlewasher at Field Day would better match his skills and knowledge level. Your state repeater coordinator council must really love seeing him show up for meetings or turning in applications for new repeaters.

I have hit that button a few time my self on my vx-170,its a pain in your know what.....

I also have had this problem with my FT60 (and my FT8800).
There are simple instructions to disable the WIRES feature 'permanently'
on the internet - did this for my FT60. Not yet on my FT8900.
Rudi

wa2nub said:

I also have had this problem with my FT60 (and my FT8800).
There are simple instructions to disable the WIRES feature 'permanently'
on the internet - did this for my FT60. Not yet on my FT8900.
Rudi

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For the vx-7r at least, that button is used for power and something else, so disabling the button somehow wouldn't be wise. But perhaps there's some other tricky method to disable it.