Yaesu: FTX-1 Optima

[KF0NYL]

I've seen quite a few videos about how the FTX1 has issues right out the gate. I think Yaesu might have rushed releasing this one.

For those that have a FTX1 field or optima, I hope it's working for you and/or the firmware updates fixes things.

 

[MTS2000des]

I just picked one up. Going to put some use on it this weekend. I will say form factor it blows my 705 away. If it works well, I'll probably be selling the 705. The Optima is a true dual purpose radio: QRP on the go, and QRO at home. Love that design. Don't think their intention is to have a remote mount setup, it's more like a "convert-a-com" design intended to make your QRP rig a full power desktop radio with the head attached.

 

[AK9R]

I just picked one up.

I wish you luck. Based on what early adopters are saying, the radio has some rough edges that Yaesu is still smoothing out. New firmware dropped last Friday. https://www.yaesu.com/Files/BB2B47A...FTX-1 Firmware Update Information 6-27-25.pdf

 

[MTS2000des]

Saw that. Will be updating mine tonight. Just got it in yesterday. I got mine in a trade, and thought I'd give it a try- I am a little biased, I like Yaesu gear, own two FTM-200Ds, an FTM-400XDR, an FT-5D and now the FTX-1 Optima. Being that the FTX-1 is a new radio from the ground up, I expect some glitches- but I am sure they will keep improving it. A lot of R&D goes into building something like this, and Japanese engineering is not cheap!

 

[MTS2000des]

So far so good- yes the radios' menu system is expansive. One should also take the time to play with the tremendously powerful ADSP, but on HF (40 and 80) I am hearing things my 705 can't into the same end fed wire. I also spent a little time on VHF and after adjusting the equalizer settings for FM, the audio coming out of this radio is amazing. I did update the firmware though I have no intention of using this on APRS.

 

[vagrant]

These have been popping up for sale on QRZ over the last month, both the QRP or the Optima version. I am still not in a hurry.

 

[VE3VTH]

Pricing is at $1,899?

Too pricey for many in the hobby.

The FTX-1 Field is the same price as the 705 and a much better radio.

Not full duplex which satellite enthusiasts want.

Amp can't be operated separate from the main unit. IOW, in a mobile installation, you can't mount the main unit near the driver with the amp in the trunk or under the seat.

Both are "swing and a miss" on the part of Yaesu.

This was never supposed to be a satellite radio. TP already have a separation kit. Yaesu has produced a game changer radio and continues to be the best in Ham radio. You should not listen to the trolls.

I am so happy with my FTX-1 Field. Here in Canada it is the same price as the 705 and a much better radio. Don't listen to the comments from the Trolls, this radio is a game changer. I have a FT-991a and FT-710 and am keeping both. The FTX series are flying off the shelves as soon as they come in. This is an incredible radio and I love mine for POTA both SSB and CW. It is so much more than a replacement for my FT-817. Yeasu listened to what their customers wanted and created the Swiss Army Knife of radios. It does what most people wanted in a radio and more. I have been working the world on 6 watts. When you go portable, you are taking a full desktop featured radio in a portable package, not a QRP radio trying to have desktop features. Don't hesitate to buy this radio if you can get one. Mine worked 100 % right out of the box for my POTA activation's even before a firmware update.

 

[AK9R]

Good job quoting something I said 3 months ago soon after the radio was released. A lot has been learned since then.

As someone who once said "I have a Xiegu X6100, it rocks!" and is now "so happy with my FTX-1 Field", I guess things change with you, too.

And, you may have missed my post later that day where I said that I didn't think the radio would fail. There's definitely a market for a portable HF radio and the docking feature with the amp is unique. But, I have no interest in a low-powered portable HF radio, so I will gladly hesitate to buy one.

Are you using the radio for anything but portable ops on HF? Did you use it on Field Day? Do you use it as a mobile radio with the amp? Do you use it as a base radio with the amp? Do you use it with fldigi or WSJT-X? Do you use it with any rig control software? Do you use APRS? Do you use WIRES-X?

 

[Echo4Thirty]

These are the issues preventing me from buying an Optima:

- No programming software (REALLY??)
- No published MARS/CAP

Before anyone tries to play radio cop on the MARS/CAP, i need it for my 220 and 902 transverters. I know HRO sells the mod, but I have yet to see it published anywhere else.

They seem to be making progress, but the above are show stoppers for me. To be fair, the lack of a remote cable between the field and the optima used to be a deal breaker but there is a solution for that.

 

[MTS2000des]

The radio was never meant to be "remote mounted". Think Covnert-A-Com operation. As far as the lack of programming software, I concur but this will most likely come in time and the usual source (RT Systems) and will most likely be excellent as all their wares usually are.

I use mine as a base radio. It replaced a 991A. It works well on SSB, and the "Super DX" mode also cleans up weak analog FM signals on VHF/UHF. I have zero complaints. I have used it once outside with the included battery to talk to a YSF reflector via hotspot, yeah I know, overkill but it worked fine.

It's band scope is miles above the 991A. True twin receiver. I am very happy with mine and was able to secure it in a trade and both I and the other party got what we wanted.

 

[AK9R]

RT Systems says they are working on the software, but have run into some problems: Yaesu FTX-1

 

[randybcd396t]

RT Systems for the FTX-1 is now available.

 

[VE3VTH]

Good job quoting something I said 3 months ago soon after the radio was released. A lot has been learned since then.

As someone who once said "I have a Xiegu X6100, it rocks!" and is now "so happy with my FTX-1 Field", I guess things change with you, too.

And, you may have missed my post later that day where I said that I didn't think the radio would fail. There's definitely a market for a portable HF radio and the docking feature with the amp is unique. But, I have no interest in a low-powered portable HF radio, so I will gladly hesitate to buy one.

Are you using the radio for anything but portable ops on HF? Did you use it on Field Day? Do you use it as a mobile radio with the amp? Do you use it as a base radio with the amp? Do you use it with fldigi or WSJT-X? Do you use it with any rig control software? Do you use APRS? Do you use WIRES-X?

Hi Bob, and thanks for the intelligent reply.
The Xiegu X6100 is still a great radio and I not only am keeping it as a low power back up I still use it.

I will try to answer you questions. This radio when announced was supposed to be a modern replacement for my FT-817. I signed up for the radio last fall and sold my 817 to a caring Ham friend. The FTX-1 is a result of Yaesu listening to their customers and producing an outstanding radio. It is very close to my FT-710 in performance. I love Parks on the Air and have become a great fan of portable use both with POTA and just putting a radio in my back back and bicycle to some location and operate. Yes I used it on field day. Since I have and am keeping my FT-991a, I bought just the FTX-1 Field. I do sometimes just hook it up in the home shack and play radio at 6 watts getting most of the stations I hear. I have thousands of FT-8 contacts and to be honest have lost interest, but tried it with a couple of contacts and it works. I have never used it or my 991a with wires and rather I use DMR with a few radios I have. I personally don't have an interest in APRS, but see from posts that it is now working fine and that is a real bonus over the FT-817 for those like enjoy this mode. I see you do Skywarn. I have been involved in Canwarn over here. The 818 would not receive the weather frequencies while the FTX not only receives them, they are programed into the radio and I can listen to them while talking to net control on the other VFO. Bob if you don't go portable, I can see you may not want to use the Field section, but if you are net control, it would be great to listen to both on the optima version.

Have a great day Bob.
73 Tim VE3VTH

 

[AK9R]

It is very close to my FT-710 in performance.

By what measure?

Let me preface the rest of my post by saying that there are many ways to measure performance. Receive sensitivity is one such measurement. As is, dynamic range (the ability to detect small signals in close proximity with large signals).

This is from Rob Sherwood NC0B receiver test data:

	Ranking	Sensitivity (μV)	Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced (dB)
Yaesu FTdx-101D/MP	1st	0.60 (no preamp) 0.20 (preamp 1) 0.12 (preamp 2)	110
Yaesu FTdx-10	2nd	0.63 (no preamp) 0.21 (preamp 1) 0.15 (preamp 2)	107
Yaesu FT-710	3rd	0.66 (no preamp) 0.23 (preamp 1) 0.13 (preamp 2)	107
Icom IC-R8600	4th	0.40 (no preamp) 0.12 (preamp 1)	107
Elecraft K3S	5th	0.27 (no preamp) 0.20 (preamp 1)	106
Yaesu FTX-1 Optima	34th	0.90 (no preamp) 0.25 (preamp 1)	91
Icom IC-705	38th	0.67 (no preamp) 0.20 (preamp 1)	88

I will say it again, there are many ways to measure performance. And, in some situations, how a radio suits your operating style is much, much more important than raw performance based on just one or two parameters. I can appreciate that portable ops put more emphasis on light weight and low power consumption. But, if the two offerings from the Japanese "Big 3" are any indication, receive sensitivity doesn't seem to be a design priority for HF portable radios. And, maybe that's the correct approach. The market will tell us if it is.

 

[VE3VTH]

By what measure?

Let me preface the rest of my post by saying that there are many ways to measure performance. Receive sensitivity is one such measurement. As is, dynamic range (the ability to detect small signals in close proximity with large signals).

This is from Rob Sherwood NC0B receiver test data:

	Ranking	Sensitivity (μV)	Dynamic Range Narrow Spaced (dB)
Yaesu FTdx-101D/MP	1st	0.60 (no preamp) 0.20 (preamp 1) 0.12 (preamp 2)	110
Yaesu FTdx-10	2nd	0.63 (no preamp) 0.21 (preamp 1) 0.15 (preamp 2)	107
Yaesu FT-710	3rd	0.66 (no preamp) 0.23 (preamp 1) 0.13 (preamp 2)	107
Icom IC-R8600	4th	0.40 (no preamp) 0.12 (preamp 1)	107
Elecraft K3S	5th	0.27 (no preamp) 0.20 (preamp 1)	106
Yaesu FTX-1 Optima	34th	0.90 (no preamp) 0.25 (preamp 1)	91
Icom IC-705	38th	0.67 (no preamp) 0.20 (preamp 1)	88

I will say it again, there are many ways to measure performance. And, in some situations, how a radio suits your operating style is much, much more important than raw performance based on just one or two parameters. I can appreciate that portable ops put more emphasis on light weight and low power consumption. But, if the two offerings from the Japanese "Big 3" are any indication, receive sensitivity doesn't seem to be a design priority for HF portable radios. And, maybe that's the correct approach. The market will tell us if it is.

When I did my comparison I was on an A/B switch with the FTX on one side and the FT-710 on the other with the same antenna. I picked a crowded signal and listened to both. This is not Rob's Lab but an honest test. The 710 was better, but the FTX was holding it's own. I do think that it is still important in a portable situation as you are always fighting the kilowatt stations that pretend they don't hear you. The FTX brings true desktop performance, because it is the desktop without the 100 watt amp and auto tuner.

 

[tweiss3]

I can't find it in the manuals, and no programming software to confirm, so for those that have a FTX-1: The memories, can offset be different with each memory? The 891 requires a "global offset" for each band, which doesn't work in my situation.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

I just fired up the RT software and there are a ton of defined offsets as well as independant RX/TX freq entry. If you want to send me some examples, i can plug them in the program and see if they take.

 

[tweiss3]

I just fired up the RT software and there are a ton of defined offsets as well as independant RX/TX freq entry. If you want to send me some examples, i can plug them in the program and see if they take.

RX 52.68, TX 52.92 - FM
RX 53.17, TX 52.17 - FM
RX 51.66, TX 51.16 - FM

That should cover the variety of splits I can't manage on the 891 that I would need.

 

[Echo4Thirty]

I typed in the freqs and the software calculated the offsets or automatically put them in split as needed. I do not have a radio yet to load it into, but i would not think it would be an issue since the RT systems stuff took it. This is with the latest version of the software (i updated it prior to making this screenshot to be sure)

 

[tweiss3]

View attachment 189221

I typed in the freqs and the software calculated the offsets or automatically put them in split as needed. I do not have a radio yet to load it into, but i would not think it would be an issue since the RT systems stuff took it. This is with the latest version of the software (i updated it prior to making this screenshot to be sure)

Perfect. I appreciate it. I had about 5 minutes time playing with it at Dayton, but was thinking Yaesu would have a software shortly after the release.