#hamradio #ft8 #ft4 #digital #mode
I sat down in front of the FTdx5000MP on a Friday night and listened for anything interesting on CW. Finding nothing that interested me, not even a SOTA/POTA spot, I moved to SSB. I scrolled up and down 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m, and 60m, but nothing caught my ear. So I decided to fire up the FTdx10 and work some FT8. I have fallen into a pattern of using the FTdx5000MP for SSB/AM/CW/FM and the FTdx10 for FT8 and also CW. The FTdx10 is a fantastic CW rig. But it has everything I need for FT8, thus there is no need to buy the sound module needed in order to use my FTdx5000MP on FT8.
When I powered up the FTdx10, it was obvious that the last time I used it was on 20m CW. I planned to jump on 40m FT8. At that point I realized that this could be a teachable moment. I could let you see how I use my simplified FT8 method to switch band/mode and go straight to FT8, without touching a menu or using the digital mode Preset.
Note that the digital mode Preset must be disabled before you exit digital operation, otherwise message memories will not transmit audio. My simplified method avoids the issue. There is a video in the FTdx10 collection at www.Patreon.com/N4HNH that shows how I set up my simplified method.
Note that most of the operating techniques I show and teach on my channel can be applied to other transceivers, even other brands of transceivers. Some knobs or buttons might be labeled differently but the function is the same. I have no allegiance to Yaesu. No manufacturer makes a perfect radio. They all have strengths and they all have weaknesses. I like to point those out. Yaesu thinks that I am targeting them, but I am not. In fact, they generally have the fewest weaknesses. It’s just that I want my viewers to know the good, the bad, and the ugly, so they can make informed purchase decisions. I am able to be objective because I have no allegiance to a particular manufacturer. My work is supported by private donations, via www.PATREON.com/N4HNH.
I hope you enjoy this video and find it helpful. If you find my channel informative and entertaining, I hope you will consider joining my support group by clicking on: www.patreon.com/N4HNH There are 3 levels of support, including exclusive content. Visibility of premium content is determined by the level of membership you choose. The higher the membership level, the more content you have access to. VIP members are invited to participate in periodic Zoom meetings.
Most videos are visible to the Patreon team members long before they are released for public viewing. Some videos are never released for public viewing. Annual S7 (Executive) and S9 (VIP) members have access to the menu optimizations PDFs I’ve written for the FT-891, FT-991A, FTdx5000MP, FTdx101D/MP, FTdx10, and FT-710 AESS. Annual S7 (Executive) members can receive one menu optimizations PDF while abbual S9 (VIP) members can receive multiple menu optimizations documents, plus my FT8 configuration guide for either the FTdx10 or the FT-710 AESS. Future radios might be added. The documents are copyrighted. They shall not be divulged to anyone else without written permission from Doug McAlexander, callsign N4HNH.
N4HNH Radio has a Web site where you can purchase T-shirts with some of the sayings you might hear in the videos. Some of the more prominent videos are featured there as well as a page geared toward ham radio training. Go to: https://www.n4hnhradio.com
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73, de N4HNH