| G4LJW |
Rating:  |
2019-07-02 | |
| Very nice |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought my 3000 new just a couple of weeks ago, and am really enjoying it. I've not been very active over the years, but have owned a number of different rigs, including the Sommerkamp FT250, Yaesu FT7B, FT817, FT900, FT100D. Currently I own an Elecraft K2/10 as well as the FTDX3000.
My aerial is a multiband end-fed, which is a half-wave on 80m, but it's only about 20 feet up.
As well as getting back into CW, I have been trying some FT8, but wanted a bit more power and a simpler setup compared to the K2. So, I very nearly ordered the Icom 7300...
However, for not much more money, I found the '3000 gives me a nice-looking radio with plenty of real controls to use. I use an iMac as the main computer, and it took a couple of goes to get the radio working nicely for FT8.
The "band-stacking registers" are useful - a quick way of storing 3 different frequencies with the push of a band button. So I have CW, digital, and SSB modes/frequencies switchable with the push of a button. The "mode" button doesn't get used much...
The digital noise reduction is not bad. I used to use this technology a lot in my old job as an audio mixer for television. I just use the minimum setting most of the time. It does sound a bit "watery" or echoey sometimes, but it all depends on the sig/noise ratio, and the types of sounds involved.
The waterfall is quite nice, but I do like just tuning around and using my ears! However, I'll probably get an SDR to attach to the RX Out feed.
The tuner is mechanically quite noisy, but it does match my aerial system very well from 80 to 10m.
I like the filtering - it's really nice to get down to 50Hz on CW, which can really improve readability. This is without any optional extras, just the standard roofing filters.
I think the FTDX3000 is a good option at the current price, despite the design being a few years old now.
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| K6DS |
Rating: |
2019-05-18 | |
| Almost perfect |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| Really love this rig. The display is wonderful receive is strong and the audio reports are great. Also like the CW work including the message keyer. The only complaint I have is that when working split, you cannot listen to both "A" and "B" frequencies at the same time as you can with the FT-2000. So, when "chasing" a split, I use the 2000 instead of the 3000. |
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| KC8HXO |
Rating: |
2019-03-28 | |
| Nearly perfect |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| Yup, a few things I would change..... what rig doesn't have that issue? LOVE the Contour control.... set it to BOOST instead of CUT on SSB, and you won't believe how it can help you copy signals in the mud. QUIET receiver... and QUIET rig in operation. Want to use AUTO-notch in conjunction with MANUAL notch simultaneously? Yup, you can do that on the Yaesu, and it is a powerful tool at times. Icom does not allow this. Noise blanker laughs at electric fencer next door, WITHOUT degrading received audio! Add the Win4Yaesu suite software, and a $100 SDRplay, and you have full PC control, with as large a panadapter as your monitor. Love this thing. PS- only Yaesu warranties new rigs for 3 years. |
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| W5ZYX |
Rating: |
2019-03-24 | |
| Great performing transceiver |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I've been using my new FTdX 3000 for three months and have concluded that its the best ham radio transceiver I've ever owned. Having been licensed more than 60 years, there have been a bunch of them.
The FTdX 3000 has a superior receiver that can pull signals out of the heaviest adjacent channel interference and very clean and crisp received audio. Likewise, I have never gotten anything but compliments on the audio quality of my transmitted signal. Add in the built in bandscope (albeit small), on board digital features and a host of other built in features and you have a transceiver that can't be beat at its price point. |
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| KE5GFJ |
Rating: |
2019-03-09 | |
| Good not great |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I have my FTDX3000 sitting right beside my FT-990 and have tested them side by side daily for three weeks. The 3000 is definatly a feature rich radio with one exception. The antenna tuner on mine does not work as well as the one in my FT-990. First, when it does work the AT in the FTDX3000 is VERY noisy and takes a long time to tune. The first time I heard it I thought the radio was coming apart. And it appears to be much pickier about the antenna than the FT-990. Many times when I hold down the AT button to tune it immediately kicks out instead of tuning. In contrast, the AT in the FT-990 is quiet and will tune about any antenna (within reason). The AT in the FTDX3000 will not even try to tune some of the antennas that the FT-990 tunes with ease. It appears the AT in my FTDX3000 needs the antenna almost perfectly in tune to begin with, then just does slight tuning as you change the frequency up and down the band. At least that's about all mine will do. Other than that the FTDX3000 has tons of other features the FT990 doesn't have. So there is somewhat of a trade off. If I had to give one of the two radios up it would be the FTDX3000 because of the weak AT. The FTDX3000 would be a great radio if I had perfect antennas to begin with. But who has perfect antennas? And if you do, who needs an AT? I will keep my FT-990 for sure. The jury is still out on the FTDX3000 for me. |
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| WA0UAY |
Rating: |
2019-01-15 | |
| Excellent |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
For those of us who insist on a low noise floor, quiet receiver, I wanted to make a few practical comments about the 3000. I have other high end radios and will not bore anyone with specs. You can get those off the manufacturers website and once you make the step to these radios, there is really not that much to discuss, at least that is worth discussing in a real world environment. In my humble opinion, perhaps the biggest strides in performance from the 60's forward, has been in receivers. I have,as many others have experienced, and enjoyed, trying to hear signals with some of the older technology. Let's be honest, the new receivers are simply amazing! There are still some differences to note and one is how quiet, what I call, the listening comfort or fatigue factor. I have had multiple radios that have gone down the road for that reason.
Okay, back to the 3000. I have had many radios of nearly all brands thru the years. I now have just three radios on my desk. My requirements are a quiet, selective, sensitive receiver with full range audio. A very good communications transmit audio. Ergonomically easy to use. Menus don't bother me. Come on guys, they are not really that big of a deal. And lastly, dependability. A few years ago, I picked up a Yaesu FT950 in a trade. I was amazed at the pleasant receive audio and it was just so easy to listen to. Regrettably, I sold it this past year, thinking I wanted to try a 991 for the two meter SSB. A mistake. Remembering the nice audio of the 950, I considered a 5000 or a 3000. In speaking with HRO, they made me aware the receiver in the 3000 is the same as the primary receiver in the 5000. I know.....check the specs yourself. I have an amplifier so that takes care of the 200 watt advantage of the 5000. There are other things about the 5000 compared to the 3000, but please remember the point of this review, real world, everyday performance for probably the majority of hams.
The 3000 performs beautifully in all the areas I mentioned earlier. So if you are looking for the same things that I believe many hams are, hopefully this review was of some help.
Just for a bit more information, I use a Heil PR781 mic. The speaker is the SP2000 with Selectable filters, which DO make a difference. I also have a pair of amplified Bose Companion speakers fed from the output jack on the SP2000, which when balanced with the 2000's speaker, gives a beautiful rich sound.
I also have an SDR radio which performs beautifully as well. All my radios have spectrum scopes, which is another requirement for me. Good luck! Once you figure out what makes you smile in a radio, the choices narrow! |
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| YO2CNH |
Rating: |
2018-12-09 | |
| Superb |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have this equipment for more than 60 days making an excellent need at a good price, before I used Icom 775dsp, icom ic-756pro, ft-1000mp, ic-7410 knock on all the DNR is awesome, the outline fitter is extremely elastic mic eq is especially using the hand microphone which together with the small eq and the processor at 50% make a good modulation, the receiver is very sensitive, selective and resistant to close signals.
For all of these features it is worth more than 5 |
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| KL4QG |
Rating: |
2018-12-01 | |
| Great Radio |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have FTDX 3000 for few days Digital is greatest
My icom 7410 a great radio but Yaesu just sounds better
Still learning how use 3000
Default setting 3 on DNR -were do must users keep this setting at 1-15 is range about 10 I start loosing volume but ssb sounds llike nice FM
Please email about any tips
Stock mic does anyone use Mic EQ factory setting
Have a connector coming for my Heil 781 need some good setting for that mic
Joe
Kodiak Alaska
Conover1956@gmail.com
Thanks All
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| KM4NYI |
Rating: |
2018-10-25 | |
| Fantastic Rig |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
After operating a Yaesu FT450D for several years, I started thinking about upgrading. I had pretty much chosen an FTDX1200, but when I got ready to order, Yaesu was offering $500 off on the FTDX3000 so I chose that instead. I could have saved a little bit with the 1200, but by the time you upgraded the options to make it comparable to a 3000, the savings would have been minimal (plus the receiver on the 3000 would still be better).
The receiver on the FTDX3000 is excellent. It's much more quiet than what I was used to, and the sensitivity is fantastic. Easy adjustment of the contour, width, notch, and IF shift functions make it simple to dig out weaker stations in crowded band conditions, and the DNR function really helps with QRN situations. Four selectable roofing filters are built-in, and moving the filter up and expanding the width will give you great quality receive audio for rag chewing with strong stations.
There are some people who don't like the waterfall display, but I've found it to be useful. It has an IF output that I ran to a cheap SDR Play radio and with my computer I have a large-screen panadapter. I downloaded the factory rig control software and driver, and it linked up with my computer and WSJT software without any issues.
It will take you some time to figure out everything this rig is really capable of, but thankfully there is plenty of information out there on the internet to guide you. I suggest spending some time monitoring your transmit audio with a set of headphones in order to adjust the mic equalizer for your particular voice. I get consistently great audio reports using a Yaesu MD100 desk mic or my Heil Pro-7 headset.
Other positive notes: the built-in tuner seems to do a better job bringing SWR down than my old rig. The CW decode feature works very well. The cooling fan is very quiet, the color display is perfect, and the entire rig has a good quality "feel" to it.
There's really not much I can think of about this rig that I don't like. It would have been nice to have a specific button to switch the meter between ALC/SWR/etc so I wouldn't have to move out of the waterfall display to adjust, but that's not a big deal. I have also noticed that the power output meter never gets close to 100 watts on voice peaks like my old 450D used to do, but I think that's likely more to do with reaction time of the meter than anything else.
For the money, I'm not aware of anything better on the market today. I would highly recommend the FTDX3000. |
|
| KY5U |
Rating: |
2018-10-17 | |
| Best in Class |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Excellent rig and especially great on a noisy band. Filters and notches work great. You can even enter a high positive menu number for contour so in a busy band or weak signal condx, you can roll the contour over a signal and it will pop out of the noise.
These Yaesu rigs are menu driven and prime candidates for ownership by Ham Zombies. They are in over their head so they wander around the band eating the brains of competent ops to tell them how to use their rig.
NOT a beginner's rig unless you're willing to learn things and have the aptitude to do so. Don't be a Ham Zombie.
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Earlier 5-star review posted by KY5U on 2016-01-29
History: TS-2000 to a new FT950 then 2 years later a new FTdx3000.
The FT950 got a bad rap when it was first introduced because it had a rotten default setup and the menu was beyond the cranial energy of many hams. Along comes the FTdx-3000 and it's menu is the same level of complexity. This is not a negative to me but when I hear critics I have to wonder whether they can comprehend the subject.
I have helped hams set up at least 10 FTdx3000s in the last year, mainly understanding the Parametric Equalizer and deciphering the manual. Once past this roadblock they are very happy. An example is the latest software release changed menu 177 from the power setting for the rig to the power setting select for the proc/car knob. Many hams go into cranial vapor lock over this, "I can't even adjust the power on this #$#@ thing!!" Yes you can, just change 177 to pwr and adjust with the outer ring of the PROC/CAR knob on the rig.
Having had the FT950, I set my 3000 up in 5 minutes and nobody could tell the difference in audio between the two. Any good ham could have a new 3000 up in a half hour MAX. That said, it took me quiet reading and experimentation to understand all the bells and whistles and get past the pretty face. (For those interested, the FTdx1200 is a 3000 without the IF output on the back and without the real time scope plus a few doo-dads.)
I love my FTdx3000! It was the best bang for my buck considering I am not an ICOM, TenTec, or Elecraft Fan. If you buy one, read the manual and look up stuff on the Internet. Get help if you need it. Then enjoy a great rig. |
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