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Author Topic: Yaesu FT818 rf gain  (Read 459 times)

M6EES

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Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« on: March 03, 2022, 11:50:25 AM »

I picked up a new 818 recently.

Very happy with it but noticed the rf gain is a bit binary in operation. What I mean to say is that as I turn it down it seems to have little effect on the 'noise' until about 60% turned anti-clockwise and then sort of abruptly drops the noise in about two or three lumps..rather than a smooth reduction.

Hard to explain, but to save me a 2 hour round trip back to the dealer I wondered if anybody could tell me if this is normal on the 817/818 ?
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K1YPB

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #1 on: March 03, 2022, 04:54:45 PM »

I have an old FT-817.  I have had it from new in around 2002 or there around.  I find the RF gain works a bit different from my other Yaesu rigs (FT-891 and FT-991).  I find that when the control is backed counter clockwise to about the 11 o’clock position, the back ground noise starts to quickly drop off.  I have found that the FT-817 receiver is very sensitive… pretty good for a little rig.  It was designed that way because the FT-817s are usually connected to compromise antennas.  Anyway… at the 11 o’clock position the signal to noise ratio is optimized in the receiver and it get pretty selective and the signals seem to “pop” out.  It takes a little to get used to it, but I would say your FT-818 is probably working ok.  They are nice little rigs.  That is why I have kept mine for that long.  I like cw and the radio really does well with the optional cw filters installed.  Hope this information helps a bit.  73’s. Dan K1YPB
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N7EKU

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #2 on: March 03, 2022, 05:02:17 PM »

Is your AGC control set to off?

Normally I think you would want it off so that the gain is completely controlled by the gain control.

73
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Mark -- N7EKU/VE3

M6EES

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #3 on: March 03, 2022, 11:48:37 PM »

Thanks for the replies. So this looks like a feature rather than a fault.

N7EKU even with AGC off ...with rf dial at about 11 oclock the noise comes in in about 4 discrete steps or 'chunks' as I turn the rf dial slowly clockwise...not a smooth increase as I am used to on other radios.

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WB0FDJ

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #4 on: March 04, 2022, 11:23:58 AM »

I am on my second FT-817ND and my experience mirrors K1YPB's. The RF gain control is touchy but extremely useful. I think this is supposed to be a "feature".  :)

My IC-703 Plus works the same way. It takes a bit of fiddling to get it where I want it but does a great job. I'm listening to MIDCARS net right now and can hear all the traffic with absolutely no backround hiss. Enjoy your radio!

WB0FDJ Doc 73
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SA4MDN

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #5 on: March 05, 2022, 11:03:45 PM »

Check your setting for the SQL/RF, it can be set for either;

This is on a 817 but i would think the 818 would be the same apart from the menu number.

SQL/RF Knob
In the USA version, this (outer) knob adjusts the gain of the receiver’s RF and
IF stages. Using Menu Selection 45, this control may be changed to function as a Squelch
control, which may be used to silence background noise when no signal is present. In
the other versions, its default setting is set to “Squelch.”
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VK3YE

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #6 on: March 09, 2022, 12:03:26 PM »

I never use the RF Gain control on my 817.

Instead I just use the ATT & IPO buttons to reduce RF gain by a little or a lot.
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AA5TB

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #7 on: March 16, 2022, 07:05:08 PM »

My FT-818ND purchased in 2020 does the same thing. The RF Gain functions but you can’t hardly adjust it a little bit. It is either all the up or all the way down with about 2 degrees of rotation available for everything in the middle. I haven’t messed with the service menu to see if there is an adjustment for this or not.

I use the RF Gain in all my rigs on HF to reduce the fatiguing noise. Who wants the noise floor to be just as loud as the signals?

73,
Steve - AA5TB
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M6EES

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #8 on: May 02, 2022, 01:21:57 AM »

My FT-818ND purchased in 2020 does the same thing. The RF Gain functions but you can’t hardly adjust it a little bit. It is either all the up or all the way down with about 2 degrees of rotation available for everything in the middle. I haven’t messed with the service menu to see if there is an adjustment for this or not.

I use the RF Gain in all my rigs on HF to reduce the fatiguing noise. Who wants the noise floor to be just as loud as the signals?

73,
Steve - AA5TB

You describe it better than me. Good to know it is a feature rather than a fault.
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M6EES

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #9 on: May 02, 2022, 01:26:01 AM »

I have come to some sort of peace with this issue.

Yes the RF gain does not seem to work like that on other radios which have a full range of adjustment....but if I start from full left lock and then turn counterclockwise in small steps until I hear just a bit of noise then it is actually very effective in pulling out the signals from the noise. The trick is to turn bit by bit and wait a second for the noise to come up.
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WA3SKN

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Re: Yaesu FT818 rf gain
« Reply #10 on: May 05, 2022, 02:19:14 PM »

I believe the default setting for the SQL/RF is optioned as a squelch in region1 while it is optioned as RF gain in region2.  Luckily it can be changed to what YOU want easily.
Not sure who gets to make these decisions. It's not the only radio.

-Mike.
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