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write your own review of the FT-817 Commander.
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VA3QRM
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 16, 2005 17:40
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mouse and keyboard easier to replace,,,,
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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The size and positioning of controls are no longer an issue with the FT-817 commander. By using the mouse and keyboard it eliminates button and dial problems that result in the need for service. The software is a no-brainer to download, install, and use. Highly recommended and it is FREE.
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AB2EZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 31, 2004 13:17
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A great addition to your FT-817
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This software is great! It adds a lot of ease-of-use to the FT-817. Once you try this, you won't want to go back to using the front panel controls on the rig!
Best regards
Stu
AB2EZ
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KC2HUX
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 21, 2004 18:29
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A Must Have for In home use!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I recently set my 817 up with the commander. It is great. I can control everything right down to the display color all from the computer. Even better is by adding the Griffin Powermate Shuttle it gives the 817 a big rig feel and still allows it to be such a small package. The shuttle is just about the size of a normal tuning knob and can be setup to control just about anything. I have it setup to spin through the frequencies and also allow me to on the fly change the tuning step for a quick qsy. The commander is great to also watch how the radio is behaving while talking. It displays the modulation, power, ALC, and swr all at once while talking. It would be perfect if the connection was USB fast. The serial even set at 34K is just a little slow. But you can’t have it all. Overall I think this is the best way to control this radio! Compared to RATS this is a hands down winner@ and FREE!!!!!
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N8SEX
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 8, 2003 20:51
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Awesome
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I could see if you had to spend 500 bucks for some software you may have the right to nick pick about those DSP and Cross Band features that were selfeshly left out. Let me tell you something, this software is free, and it is one of the BEST integrated command software control packages for the FT-817 and other Big Name rigs as well (Ham Radio Deluxe). Simon, some of us here are just happy you have given us a wonderful program and have kept it free for amateurs to enjoy.
Oh, by the way, how about incorporating the playboy channel into this software, then I could see you getting a 5.
Best Regards
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K6TLA
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 2, 2003 21:05
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Ultimate PC control
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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FT-817 Commander is without a doubt the most innovative computer control software ever developed for a piece of ham gear. The ability to create and edit memory contents and then upload directly to the radio is priceless. Everything that can be done at the radio can be done within Commander including accessing and programming of the hidden calibration menus. Features abound and make the tiny FT-817 as functional as the largest most expensive rigs on the market today. Adding to the experience is the excellent PSk-31 deluxe which is included with the app. The rig, this software, and an antenna are all that is needed for all band, all mode operation from anywhere. I don't know how Simon does it for free but he does. Get this today!
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KA7QOR
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 1, 2003 19:28
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satisfactory
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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For what this software is design to do, it works great! But I was hoping for more. Commander will "hot-rod" your FT817. I find that I am able to control the rig's functions much more quickly with the mouse than with the rig's knobs and buttons. Commander has very good memory features. But basicaly, commander does not do anything that the rig alone could not do without the software, I am left yearning for dual rig control, crossband repeater (using 2, rigs), and speaker/mic enhancement maybe DSP. I would like to use my PC to control the speaker and mic audio. I would like to record samples from on-air using commander etc.
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N4EKV
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 24, 2002 19:08
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Don't use an FT-817 without this program!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I'd owned my FT-817 for 3-4 months before I considered the idea of controlling it with my PC. Twenty-nine dollars later I had in my hands the Yaesu CT-62 interface cable and I was trolling the web looking for software. I located FT-817 Commander and also RATS FT-817 (see separate review on that). In short, the one you want is FT-817 Commander. It's a fantastic piece of UI engineering that transforms the FT-817 into a truly usable radio with impressive 'big rig' functionality.
Do yourself a favor and make sure your mouse has a thumbwheel.. it's the slickest (but hardly the only) way to QSY using this program! The screen on the FT-817 Commander is a work of art -- all the important options are now a mouse click away -- and the analog dial is a cool retro design that also supports lightning-fast QSYs into any band, onto any freq, with a single mouse click.
The user-programmable scans are fantastic. I set up one for '20 CW' ranging from 14.000 to 14.063 and can call it up at will to watch the band scope fill in as the little rig sweeps the 20M CW space. I have other scans for other sub-bands, and FT-817 Commander remembers all my associated settings like CW/CWR/USB, IPO, NAR, etc.
Memory channels are also a slick feature, and once programmed, FT-817 Commander can scan those much like your basic police scanner would, except at my station its scanning all the QRP and FISTS calling frequencies on ALL the HF bands.. too cool!
And it's free. And the author answers emails. Pinch me. Get yours today and find out what your FT-817 can really do!
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VE3TMT
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 22, 2002 12:01
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What won't it do???
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Having just acquired an FT817 I was eager to try out the software I had been hearing so much about. In a word I would describe it as "FANTASTIC". Once you turn the radio on, you don't have to touch it. All functions and commands are a mouse click away, and the memory manager makes it a simple job to program it. Alpha tags can even be added. My TS850 is sitting on the shelf with the dust cover over it, I am having so much fun with the 817 and the software. You can't have one without the other.
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F5SMZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jun 28, 2002 14:45
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Now we can really make QSOs in PSK31
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I came to PSK31 several months ago, discovering this mode with many softwares. The initial thing I noticed was the "non user friendly" heap of menus and macros making a QSO a hell to handle ... until F6BAZ made me discover THE PSK31 software, PSK-31 Deluxe by HB9DRV. I've adopted it instantly and use it all the time.
I really like the user friendly interface, the beacon mode, and the lots of PAL files that enable you to customize the waterfall colors.
This software is a must.
BTW, Simon told us that he also could implement the BeacoNet protocol by end of this year, cool!
As I don't own a FT-817 I can't give feedback on this part of the soft, only the PSK31 part.
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K0BZV
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 12, 2002 11:38
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Terrific Software
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This software is fantastic! It makes programming
the FT-817 much easier and eliminates the problem
of 'fat fingering' the small keys. I haven't yet
tried the PSK31 part of the program. I haven't
built the extremely easy interface (one transistor
and one resistor plus the plugs) but it sure looks
like a winner.
Since I got my FT-817, my higher power ham gear is
just sitting and gathering dust.
My thanks to Simon for the software and he has my
vote for sainthood also.
Carl - K0BZV
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