Yaesu 8900 FM mod

[KJ4SKP]

I've barely been able to RX any 10M on my 8900. I know it is FM only but I've seen some info about an FM mod that can be done.  With this mod would I be able to RX/TX on 10m?  I use this radio mobile w/ a diamond cr8900 antenna.  I'm hoping to make some 10m phone/voice contacts.  Just wondering if this mod would help me do that?  Thanks in advance for helping.

[KA4POL]

The 8900 is an FM rig, so what should the mod achieve? The ham band is covered without a mod. Those mods usually extend the frequency range. This would not improve your RX conditions. I'd rather go for a decent antenna if you want to be on 10 m. Depending upon your situation a dipole would be easy to homebrew.

[N4NYY]

The 8900 is an FM rig, so what should the mod achieve? The ham band is covered without a mod. Those mods usually extend the frequency range. This would not improve your RX conditions. I'd rather go for a decent antenna if you want to be on 10 m. Depending upon your situation a dipole would be easy to homebrew.

Yeah, seriously. If you don't hear anyone on 10M FM, it's likely because not many people do 10M FM. Not sure why you would want to do a mod to a current model radio. I cannot believe how many always ask about mods on 2M/440 rigs. I think it borders on obsession.

[KJ4SKP]

I'm just trying to get something, anything on 6/10m.  Since I never hear anything I thought the mod might help.  I see very mixed reviews of the cr8900 antenna so it could be the ground or something. 

[N4NYY]

I'm just trying to get something, anything on 6/10m.  Since I never hear anything I thought the mod might help.  I see very mixed reviews of the cr8900 antenna so it could be the ground or something. 

Unless the mod can get other hams to actually transmit on those bands in FM, then do not do it. the vast majority of ops on 6 and 10 are in SSB. Most of the FM ops are on 2M/220/440.

[KCJ9091]

The CR-8900 is by far the best antenna made for the FT-8900.  BUT be careful where you buy it from.  If you get it from one of the Asian discount places on ebay chances are it is not cut for the US band splits.

Both my 8900s have been replaced with FT-857s now.  I was able to work many stations on both 6 and 10 simplex when the bands were open, BTW they have been open a lot lately, and the upstate NY 10m repeater and the Carribean repeaters are workable often.

[KJ4SKP]

I must have a bad ground since I'm getting 0 activity on 6 and 10

[KE3WD]

I must have a bad ground since I'm getting 0 activity on 6 and 10

If you mean a bad connection somewhere, I'd agree.  Check all connections for proper continuity and no shorts.  If you can substitute feedline with known good, that's another way to check.  

Don't put a lot of time into the magic earth ground, though.  No matter what some other guy tries to tell you, that is not it.

A quick and dirty way to test any receiver is to simply attach a random length of wire to the center pin of the antenna connect and see if you hear more rush noise, even may hear a station.  If you do, suspect feedline and/or antenna.  This kind of test antenna can be a few feet to 30 feet or more of any gauge wire, stretched out across the floor.  If the rush immediately is a higher level than what you get with the antenna, that's a pretty good clue that there's something wrong in the antenna system.  

AND -- DO NOT EVER ATTEMPT TO TRANSMIT INTO THAT RANDOM WIRE.  If the radio is the type that can still receive with mic disconnected, good idea to disconnect the mic first and don't reconnect until you are on a proper antenna again! 


73

[KCJ9091]

BTW, both 6 and 10 were open this evening.

[KA4POL]

How/where did you install the antenna? What SWR do you measure?

[WN2C]

First of all, there has to be activity in the FM phone portion of the band.  Have you tried to talk locally with other hams in your area on these bands? Do you have an swr meter to check your antenna? As far as a ground goes, does the antenna work on 2 and 440 with a low swr?

Rick  wn2c

[VE3FMC]

I've barely been able to RX any 10M on my 8900. I know it is FM only but I've seen some info about an FM mod that can be done.  With this mod would I be able to RX/TX on 10m?  I use this radio mobile w/ a diamond cr8900 antenna.  I'm hoping to make some 10m phone/voice contacts.  Just wondering if this mod would help me do that?  Thanks in advance for helping.

You need to read the manual for the FT-8900. That radio does not need any mods done to RX/TX on 10 meters. It comes from the factory with the ability to transmit 50 watts on 144/440, 6 & 10 meters.

What you need is an antenna for 10 and 6 meters.

Program some 6 and 10 meter repeaters into the memory and scan them. If the bands are open you might get lucky and copy someone using a repeater on those bands. However as stated earlier most of the activity on 6 and 10 meters is on SSB or CW.