Yaesu: FT-710: FIX display mode

[mayidunk]

The FT-710 has three waterfall display modes, CURSOR, CENTER, AND FIX. In brief, CURSOR will move the cursor around within the waterfall display as you change the receive frequency using the tuning knob, and will move the frequency index at the bottom of the display in sync with the cursor as you move it off of either side of the waterfall display. CENTER will pin the cursor to the center of the waterfall display, and will move the waterfall display around it as you adjust the frequency. FIX will allow you to set a frequency that will then be used to set the starting frequency of the waterfall display's frequency index, and set the cursor at that frequency, allowing you to then use the waterfall display as a fixed range tuning dial such that, when you reach the end of the display at the right, it will allow the cursor to move off of the display but will keep the index labels unchanged. At least, that's what I believe it was intended to do...

And, for the most part, it does just that. especially for all of the amateur bands this radio can reach. However, it ain't perfect. At least mine isn't, anyway.

Oftentimes when I set a starting frequency that is not within the amateur bands, the cursor doesn't always make it to the other end of the dial. Many times I have experienced the cursor suddenly jump off the screen from within the dial, while the index labels will suddenly display nonsensical frequency labels!

I contacted the seller, as well as Yaesu tech support about this, but have heard nothing back from Yaesu thus far. I suspect that this behavior may either be the result of an unintentional error in programming, or a somewhat failed attempt to keep this feature useful for only the amateur bands, much on the same level as Yaesu's pointing out that the receiver's specs pertain only to the amateur bands, implying that those good receiver numbers do not apply to any frequencies outside of those bands.

So, all of you people who are now proud owners of this amazing radio, as am I, have any of you experienced this behavior? Please tell me that I am not alone in this, as I really don't want to have to return it. It works great, aside from that one seeming flaw. If all of you do experience this with your rig, then we'll chalk it up to what needs to be done with the next firmware update, and keep having fun!

Thanks in advance!

 

[W4AXW]

Not sure I understand your issue as described, but I tried to replicate it on several non-amateur bands. I checked all three cursor modes in both 2D and 3D (yuk) display modes and I saw no freq jumping at all.

Since I bought mine to TRANSMIT and receive on the amateur bands I actually don't care what the radio does on other bands. It does everything I could want on the HF and 6m Amateur bands. If all I wished to do was SWL, there is a worldwide network of KiwiSDR radios available online.

 

[mayidunk]

Well, the first part of my post was by way of context as to what the display modes are.

In a nutshell, Yaesu only provided instructions on using the fix mode, but did not describe its function. I guess they assumed the user would immediately know that it would only work for the amateur bands. Thanks for doing that for me, I appreciate it. Your not finding anything wrong with your's kind of troubles me, now. I'll have to follow up with Rodger at Yaesu.

As for my exploring other SDRs, I appreciate your thoughtfulness in bringing that up. However, this radio is a keeper despite the little hiccup over that fixed mode display. I can live with that. On the other hand, having to futz around with software, and be tied to a computer? Nah!

The FT-710 is a complete SDR, from the antenna input, all the way to the speaker! It has an excellent user interface, including a real RF Gain control knob (not co-axial to the AF Gain)! I'm having a ball being able to dig things out of the dirt with this thing that I've never quite been able to do with any other radio, including my old FT-1000D! And despite what the literature says about the receiver specs holding for only the ham bands, Adam Farson (VA7OJ/AB4OJ) wrote a review of this radio, providing extensive test results. In it, he noted that the receiver design provided the same capabilities all across the HF band. My tuning around with it didn't give any reason to doubt him on that! So, I think I'll just stay the course with this one, but thank you for the suggestion.

Be well.