Yaesu: Climbing the learning curve - FTM400/XDR

[N5TWB]

I just attended the Green Country Ham Fest in Claremore OK and this Yaesu System Fusion mobile followed me home. Knowledgeable guidance and commentary appreciated in the thread. Subjects such as the best programming (ADMS or RT Systems?), options to consider as additions, any other considerations for best/most effective operations, etc. I have experience in both DMR and D-Star so I'm looking forward to learning a new digital communication setup.

 

[cmdrwill]

" this Yaesu System Fusion mobile followed me home".

Is that what you told the Boss?

 

[k6cpo]

RT Systems for programming... Based on my experience with the ADMS-6 software from Yaesu for the FT-1D, I won't use Yaesu-developed programming software again. I've never had any difficulties with RT systems.

 

[N5TWB]

Of course it did...

" this Yaesu System Fusion mobile followed me home".

Is that what you told the Boss?

Something like that: I was trying to sell a couple of radios at the hamfest club table but was unsuccessful. Then, I won one of the hourly drawings for a Yaesu FT-60. So, I loaded up the whole thing and wrangled a trade with one of the vendors with only a little bit of cash. Plus, Yaesu has a rebate program to make it even better. So, it's like it followed me home, right???

 

[N5TWB]

RT Systems for programming... Based on my experience with the ADMS-6 software from Yaesu for the FT-1D, I won't use Yaesu-developed programming software again. I've never had any difficulties with RT systems.

I used the ADMS without incident with my VX-7R and have had success with RT Systems on an Alinco handheld. I appreciate your advice so I jumped on the RT website to find that their listing was for ADMS software with a Micro-SD card for file transfer. Guess I'm going to have to do more research on this subject.

 

[AK9R]

If you have experience with DMR and D-Star, you will find using System Fusion much easier.

1. Program your callsign into the radio (which it asks you to do on initial power up).
2. Dial up the frequency of your local System Fusion repeater on the A band (top display). If the repeater is using the standard repeater offset, the proper offset should be set automatically.
3. Press the Dx button until the A band display reads "DN" with a bar flashing above it.
4. Key the PTT and talk.

Assuming your local repeater is set for Automatic Mode Switching (AMS) in and out, the repeater will hear your digital transmission and repeat your signal in digital. If someone responds to your call in digital mode, your radio will hear them and decode the audio from the digital signal. If someone responds to your call in analog mode, your radio will switch to analog (the flashing bar above the mode indication means your radio is set for AMS). Since the other station is in analog, you will probably have to respond to them in analog which means you may need to set the proper CTCSS tone or DCS code to access the repeater in analog. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a pain on the Yaesu radios, but it can be done through the user interface without having to resort to programming software.

Granted, there is more to using the FTM-400 than the four steps I listed, but that's the gist of using a System Fusion radio on a System Fusion repeater in digital mode.

 

[N5TWB]

If you have experience with DMR and D-Star, you will find using System Fusion much easier.

1. Program your callsign into the radio (which it asks you to do on initial power up).
2. Dial up the frequency of your local System Fusion repeater on the A band (top display). If the repeater is using the standard repeater offset, the proper offset should be set automatically.
3. Press the Dx button until the A band display reads "DN" with a bar flashing above it.
4. Key the PTT and talk.

Assuming your local repeater is set for Automatic Mode Switching (AMS) in and out, the repeater will hear your digital transmission and repeat your signal in digital. If someone responds to your call in digital mode, your radio will hear them and decode the audio from the digital signal. If someone responds to your call in analog mode, your radio will switch to analog (the flashing bar above the mode indication means your radio is set for AMS). Since the other station is in analog, you will probably have to respond to them in analog which means you may need to set the proper CTCSS tone or DCS code to access the repeater in analog. Unfortunately, this is a bit of a pain on the Yaesu radios, but it can be done through the user interface without having to resort to programming software.

Granted, there is more to using the FTM-400 than the four steps I listed, but that's the gist of using a System Fusion radio on a System Fusion repeater in digital mode.

Thanks for the concise summary. I started reading the manual from the PDF last night but hadn't reached that part yet. Seems simple enough so I'm looking forward to getting on the air soon.

 

[03msc]

I will be curious to know how quickly the GPS locks after each power up (the GPS symbol shows up in the top right area of the display). Supposedly the XDR is much quicker; the first edition (400DR) sometimes takes 10 or 15 minutes to get a lock. The XDR is supposed to fix that.

Let us know your experience if you can keep a watch on it for a few days as you're mobile (assuming you're putting it in your mobile rig...).