Yaesu: HF transceiver decision

[ILSAPP]

I'm in the market for a HF transceiver.
I'm currently deciding between the FTDX10 and the FT-710. I'm open to other options as well. Budget is $1500.

My main interest is SSB and most of the time I'll use the radio in RX only to listen to those weak long distant SSB signals. Seems that the FTDX10 has the edge over the FT-710 but not sure if it's worth the extra cost for my particular case.
I don't mind paying the extra cost if I'll get for the future a much better radio for my listening experience.

Any help would be appreciated!


Thank you,

CT7AJC

 

[W4AXW]

Phone DXing is all I do, 99% SSB. My FT-710 does everything I could want it to do. Great, quiet receive, excellent audio out reports. Simple to operate after a short learning curve. Small DVI monitor and cheap mouse added. 150+ DXCCs worked with it. All I could want or need.

Doubt you'd be disappointed with either. My $0.02.

7 3

 

[ILSAPP]

Many thanks for your valuable input, much appreciated!
The price difference here is around $300 which is significant of course.

 

[serial14]

I just went through this decision my self. I ended up choosing the FTDX-10. I haven't used it enough yet to give you any examples or praise it beyond whats already out there on the internet.

The thing that helped me make the final decision was to read through both manuals and imagine which one I would like better from a User Experience( UX ) perspective. From a capability perspective, both radios are pretty close to each other. But from a physical layout perspective, they are different. For me personally, the UX choices on the FTDX-10 made more sense to me than the FT-710 UX.

 

[W8WCA]

I chose the FTd 10 due to a few things:
1) Sherwood engineering gave it better rating for receive. See below not by much I see now.

2) It is larger so for me a bit easier to use
3) The noise reduction is supposed to better in the FTdx10

I have not used a FT710 so I cannot confirm #3

Receiver Test Data

 

[ILSAPP]

Many thanks for all your input, really appreciate your feedback!
It doesn't help that I can't try both radios locally because there are no nearby stores to try them as well as ham clubs with both Yaesu radios.

 

[vagrant]

@ILSAPP - Did you budget for power supply, coax, AM filter and antenna, or multiple antennas along with a mast or gear to elevate the antenna? Then there is external speaker, upgraded microphone, headphones, foot or trigger switch.

If you already have that, you might as well splurge on the radio.

 

[ILSAPP]

@vagrant - Yes those items are already accounted for. The budget is dedicated to the radio only.

 

[cherubim]

Yaesu's user interface stinks. They make things unnecessarily complicated.

 

[mayidunk]

I just got off the phone with DXE. I decided to order the FT-710 Field after seeing the specs on that receiver, and the price they were asking for it. While I don't have my Ham ticket, I still like to listen, and especially MW DX during the day. That it can be used in the field was another plus for me.

Let's face it, I need another radio like I need another hole in my head! However, I've always liked Yaesu, and after seeing the price I kinda got the itch! It should be here by Friday, or Monday. First new radio in a very long time! Probably my last...

 

[rf_patriot200]

I just got off the phone with DXE. I decided to order the FT-710 Field after seeing the specs on that receiver, and the price they were asking for it. While I don't have my Ham ticket, I still like to listen, and especially MW DX during the day. That it can be used in the field was another plus for me.

Let's face it, I need another radio like I need another hole in my head! However, I've always liked Yaesu, and after seeing the price I kinda got the itch! It should be here by Friday, or Monday. First new radio in a very long time! Probably my last...

That's the line I use too, but there's just something about a factory fresh carton with a newly packed piece of equipment begging to to be opened !

 

[mayidunk]

That's the line I use too, but there's just something about a factory fresh carton with a newly packed piece of equipment begging to to be opened !

The last radio... until the next one!

 

[W4AXW]

Yaesu's user interface stinks. They make things unnecessarily complicated.

I've see this posted here on RR several times and I always wonder whether the poster has operated one of the rigs they're whinging about.
I'm by no means a Rocket Surgeon, but I don't find the FT-710 complicated in the least. I wanted a capable radio not a 23 channel Cobra 29.

 

[W8WCA]

I just got off the phone with DXE. I decided to order the FT-710 Field after seeing the specs on that receiver, and the price they were asking for it. While I don't have my Ham ticket, I still like to listen, and especially MW DX during the day. That it can be used in the field was another plus for me.

Let's face it, I need another radio like I need another hole in my head! However, I've always liked Yaesu, and after seeing the price I kinda got the itch! It should be here by Friday, or Monday. First new radio in a very long time! Probably my last...

I am sure you will like it.

You really could not make a wrong choice - between the 2 they are both great for the price.
I also only listen on my FTdx10!

 

[ultrajv]

The antenna and its location, coupled with local rf noise will have more to do with your goal than the radio itself.

 

[mayidunk]

The antenna and its location, coupled with local rf noise will have more to do with your goal than the radio itself.

Back in the days of big stereo sound systems the one thing I learned was that, regardless of how good your amp/receiver was, or your turntable, or tape deck (yeah, that old!), if you don't have good speakers it won't make that much of a difference! And the same can be said about antennas. You can have the best radio in the world but if your antenna isn't up to par, it matters very little. However...

Having a great radio can help you eek out whatever you can get from your antenna, and as you move up to more capable antennas, you have the radio that will keep up with your improvements!

Nothing wrong with starting out strong, doing so only means you have nowhere to go but up!

 

[ultrajv]

Back in the days of big stereo sound systems the one thing I learned was that, regardless of how good your amp/receiver was, or your turntable, or tape deck (yeah, that old!), if you don't have good speakers it won't make that much of a difference! And the same can be said about antennas. You can have the best radio in the world but if your antenna isn't up to par, it matters very little. However...

Having a great radio can help you eek out whatever you can get from your antenna, and as you move up to more capable antennas, you have the radio that will keep up with your improvements!

Nothing wrong with starting out strong, doing so only means you have nowhere to go but up!

Fair point. Ive found the key to HF noise reduction is to use a full size dipole for the bands of interest, turn off preamps and then attenuate the signal until S meter barely moves. Far better than DSP. Receiving weak SSB is an art. As for cassette decks, I used to dream of the Nakamichi Dragon.

 

[mayidunk]

Fair point. Ive found the key to HF noise reduction is to use a full size dipole for the bands of interest, turn off preamps and then attenuate the signal until S meter barely moves. Far better than DSP. Receiving weak SSB is an art. As for cassette decks, I used to dream of the Nakamichi Dragon.

I'm talking reel to reel, here! ;-)

Just kidding! It was a bog standard Sony TC-377. It didn't even have Dolby! But it did the job. However, that Nakamichi? That was a killer deck!