Yaesu: Yaesu FT5DR mars mod

[THE_KINGDOM]

Anyone able to do a test on a FT5DR with Mars mod, to see the power output of the radio on FRS/GMRS, using a power meter. With or without antenna load. Strictly for data gathering.
There was recent report that it was putting out less than 2W on high-txpower
Seems strange. Any help or confirmation greatly appreciated

 

[AK9R]

Seems strange.

Are you saying that it seems strange that a radio designed to output full rated power at 430 to 450 MHz doesn't output the same power between 460 and 470 MHz? Doesn't seem strange to me at all. The tuned circuits in the transmitter have a range of maximum performance. Outside of that range, the performance is bound to fall off.

 

[THE_KINGDOM]

Yes that's exactly what I'm saying. Let please try to keep these threads productive with decent contribution, at least to try to see if someone can test FT5DR with a power meter.
At least that will answer the question in my OP and then we can decide if it's "strange" or not.

FYI - Other similar HTs put out generally about the same power, on bands outside of the standard factory range, after Mars mod.

 

[N4KVE]

Years ago I had an Icom 2720, & a Yaesu 7400. I did the mod, & both radios once above 450 MHz started to reduce TX power. Once each radio got to 455 MHz, the TX power was 5 watts, & these were both 35 watt radios. So with my experience, here’s two ham radios that did the same thing, so I don’t consider it strange.

 

[Hit_Factor]

Would changing to an appropriate antenna for the desired freq affect output power? Perhaps output power is being reduced, in part, due to high SWR.

 

[THE_KINGDOM]

Years ago I had an Icom 2720, & a Yaesu 7400. I did the mod, & both radios once above 450 MHz started to reduce TX power. Once each radio got to 455 MHz, the TX power was 5 watts, & these were both 35 watt radios. So with my experience, here’s two ham radios that did the same thing, so I don’t consider it strange.

Okay but for an HT with 5W maximum, surely it should still be able to output 5W on FRS/GMRS - these channels are still in the 70cm band if we're talking antennas

 

[KevinC]

Maybe contact Yaesu and ask them? The worst they can do is not respond.

 

[THE_KINGDOM]

Maybe contact Yaesu and ask them? The worst they can do is not respond.

I'll give that a shot, will report back with findings.

 

[N4KVE]

Maybe contact Yaesu and ask them? The worst they can do is not respond.

Well the worst they can do is say that since someone modified the radio, it no longer has a warranty. It’s not like the mod is “push the PTT, & number 1 button while turning the radio on”. I’m assuming a soldering iron is involved.

 

[AK9R]

Would changing to an appropriate antenna for the desired freq affect output power?

In order to test output power, the device under test should be connected to a dummy load through a calibrated wattmeter. Anything else is just guesswork.

 

[prcguy]

In my experience Yaesu will not comment on out of band transmit performance, you will have to measure a radio.

 

[MTS2000des]

"Specifications guaranteed on amateur bands only"

 

[k9wkj]

Yaesu has been returning warrantied radios unrepaired with popped finals that have been modded
the filters dont present a proper load to the final when that far out of band
folks complain about intermod and poor receive performance but still want wide band transmit
cant have both

 

[N4KVE]

I just don’t understand the need for this. Way back when I got my license, ham radios from the big 3 would only cover 440-450 on the UHF side. Receive, & transmit. So if we wanted to listen to the police on 460.050 a mod was necessary. But today these radios already can receive DC to daylight, so no mod is necessary. If one needs to transmit above 450, there’s plenty of sub $100 commercial radios to choose from. Motorola Jedi’s, Sabers, & even XPR6550’s are cheap, & work properly in the commercial band.

 

[ko6jw_2]

HRO claims that their MARS/CAP mod does not void the warranty. Last time I looked they charged $40 for the mod. Let's be honest, practically no one actually used this mod for its intended purpose. In fact, these radios have no type acceptance anymore for CAP and they use P25 for a lot of their communications. Likewise, very few operators are members of MARS. MARS and CAP frequencies were close to the ham bands so specifications should be good. Well outside the ham bands the specifications are not guaranteed, not to mention illegal and non-type accepted. There are also bandwidth issues for use on FRS/GMRS/MURS frequencies.

 

[k6cpo]

I just don’t understand the need for this. Way back when I got my license, ham radios from the big 3 would only cover 440-450 on the UHF side. Receive, & transmit. So if we wanted to listen to the police on 460.050 a mod was necessary. But today these radios already can receive DC to daylight, so no mod is necessary. If one needs to transmit above 450, there’s plenty of sub $100 commercial radios to choose from. Motorola Jedi’s, Sabers, & even XPR6550’s are cheap, & work properly in the commercial band.

Hams are cheap. Possibly the cheapest members of a hobby I've ever seen. They'd rather pay to have the mod done that fork out any more money for another radio, even if somebody gave it to them for $5. I know I wouldn't butcher an expensive radio like that.

 

[Drpaul16]

Anyone able to do a test on a FT5DR with Mars mod, to see the power output of the radio on FRS/GMRS, using a power meter. With or without antenna load. Strictly for data gathering.
There was recent report that it was putting out less than 2W on high-txpower
Seems strange. Any help or confirmation greatly appreciated

Yes. I have a ft5dr with mars mod and it is also transmitting below 5watts. The company that I purchased from said it wouldn’t void the warranty if they did the mod. I found the transmission on 441 channels were at 3.6 watts, 445 were at 3watts and gmrs channels were transmitting at 2 watts. All this while on H power. The lowest power would not register and the 2nd to lowest was at .35 watts. The 145 freq transmitted at 4.6 watts. I called Yaesu and they told me that the radio should transmit at 5 watts on vhf or uhf bands. To send it back to my dealer or to them for repair or calibration. Said i have a 3 year warranty. I did not mention the mars mod to them. (Short story now, is that the radio should be back in the dealers hands and they said they will send me another one once they test it)

 

[Drpaul16]

Yes. I have a ft5dr with mars mod and it is also transmitting below 5watts. The company that I purchased from said it wouldn’t void the warranty if they did the mod. I found the transmission on 441 channels were at 3.6 watts, 445 were at 3watts and gmrs channels were transmitting at 2 watts. All this while on H power. The lowest power would not register and the 2nd to lowest was at .35 watts. The 145 freq transmitted at 4.6 watts. I called Yaesu and they told me that the radio should transmit at 5 watts on vhf or uhf bands. To send it back to my dealer or to them for repair or calibration. Said i have a 3 year warranty. I did not mention the mars mod to them. (Short story now, is that the radio should be back in the dealers hands and they said they will send me another one once they test it)

And these test were all done on a 1.1 dummy load. The radio would not be compensating for a mismatched antenna. I can under stand a lower power output in the uhf frequency’s but not this much. I would be happy with 3.5 or 4 watts on the gmrs channels.

 

[whatsthefreq]

And these test were all done on a 1.1 dummy load. The radio would not be compensating for a mismatched antenna. I can under stand a lower power output in the uhf frequency’s but not this much. I would be happy with 3.5 or 4 watts on the gmrs channels.

That’s for this info . I’m Looking forward to seeing the results of your replacement radio.

 

[kayn1n32008]

Yes that's exactly what I'm saying. Let please try to keep these threads productive with decent contribution, at least to try to see if someone can test FT5DR with a power meter.
At least that will answer the question in my OP and then we can decide if it's "strange" or not.

FYI - Other similar HTs put out generally about the same power, on bands outside of the standard factory range, after Mars mod.

It's pretty normal for a hammy radio.

I tested a IC-2100 many years ago. 55w radio in the ham band, at the top of the VHF(173.370MHz) band it only put out 13w on high power. It still drew 10+A on transmit.

Hammy toys are not LMR gear. They are designed to operate with in the ham band only. Power output DOES fall off as you go further out of band.

If you really need to transmit on GMRS and the 70cm ham band, get a LMR radio.