Yaesu: FT3Dr rarely reports to APRS, and won't connect to Wires x.

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Jhernan488

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I just bought the ft3 and it will barely report to APRS.fi. I was out walking and driving around. It reported only once. I had it reporting every 5 mins and even tried1 min. It popped up once on APRS.fi out of 30 min of driving. I have APRS successfully set up on my ftm400 and works great...

Why could this be? Not enough power?

And wires x, same thing, I have it set up on the ftm400, and I can connect. I connect to the same repeater (and different wires x repeaters close by) I get nothing. Is it just not enough power? Anyone else have this problem with this radio?
 

Jhernan488

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Figured out the APRS part. I just needed a better antenna, or tye other half of the antenna (ground plane) I added a rat tail and works perfect now. The after market antenna still had a high SWR then I added the tail now being 1.1 SWR on 2m.
 

Jhernan488

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Were is the closest Digi and IGate ? A handheld needs a good signal to the site and needs sites to be effective. Where I am even a 50 watt mobile rarely makes it to an IGate.
About 10 within 5-20 miles. Now that it's reporting. I found out that it's reporting to the further igate up on a mountain about 25 miles out.
 

ko6jw_2

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With regard to Wires-X problem, where is the System Fusion repeater that you want to use? Can you bring up that repeater? If yes, then maybe your radio settings are wrong. If no, maybe it is a power issue like you had with APRS.
 

Jhernan488

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Arizona
With regard to Wires-X problem, where is the System Fusion repeater that you want to use? Can you bring up that repeater? If yes, then maybe your radio settings are wrong. If no, maybe it is a power issue like you had with APRS.
I actually figured it out. When I first got the radio, I didn't read from the radio settings first. So I had to do a factory reset, then I read from radio, program, then write to radio. Works perfect, now. I just missed a step on initial radio programing.
 

ko6jw_2

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Yes, that was a "feature" of the FT2DR as well. There have been some firmware updates for the FT2 that now allow it with an adapter cable to connect to a computer running Wires-X and connect through the internet to System Fusion. The radio is just a A/D and D/A "speaker mic" Nice when traveling. The FT3DR can do this also.
 

Fenrir

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Apr 26, 2020
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The factory antenna seemed ok with FM transmissions but APRS with it was junk on a gate 13 miles away. I swapped it for a Super Elastic Signal Stick and it pings just fine now.
 

K9DWB

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Aug 7, 2020
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Greencastle, PA, USA
I've been having the same issue exactly. My FT3D got one ping on APRS from some weather balloon or similar that was floating at 71,000' near the Columbia, MD area yesterday according to aprs.fi. I am currently using the Diamond SRH77CA. It brings in some nearby repeaters, but I can't reach out yet. I'm expecting the blue Signal Stick tomorrow, so maybe that'll make a difference. My area just so happens to be about 10 miles from all the nearby repeaters whichever direction I look, Since I'm planning to move to another town nearby, I'd then be within 5 miles of one in Pen Mar, MD that's at 1890' on the side of a mountain. Maybe this helps until I get a mobile or base unit.
 
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