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Reviews For: Yaesu SCU-17

Category: Interfaces, Radio to computer, amp, rotor, coax switch, internet

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Review Summary For : Yaesu SCU-17
Reviews: 16MSRP: 195.00
Description:
USB Interface for Yaesu Transceivers
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
15164.7
SOCAL_RADIODUDE Rating: 2022-12-18
Works great, solid build, worth having for FT891 Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Got this for tinking with digital interfaces to the FT891 and it works GREAT. Kinda figures casue its in brand, and probably a bit pricey for what it is, but it is built like a tank, nice casework, and worked great first time out. Well worth it, a must-have.
NG2Q Rating: 2020-10-15
Great device Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
A great rock solid device for digital modes and amateur radio. This is one of those items that if you ever sell your radio, you keep! On the fly adjustment and no menus to dig through when you are setting your input and output levels. Not just a sound card, but also for radio control in one package. Easy setup and easy to configure your levels. No jumpers to fiddle with. Small and compact.
VK4SKI Rating: 2020-10-10
Robust and effective Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I had one on my FT450 and it worked so well that I got another for the FT891. I followed the connection advice below and with the right cables, is good to go. I like it better than my signalink.
KV4AN Rating: 2020-06-05
Great Computer Interface for Yaesu Radios Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought the SCU-17 to go with my portable FT-891 and FT-817 radios. It does the three things needed for interfacing Yaesu radios to a computer: CAT (radio control), PTT, and Soundcard Audio.

I've heard people say it won't work with the FT-891, but that is not true - it works perfectly. Yaesu just doesn't say how to do it in the operator manual. You just don't use the CAT or PTT COM ports, since the FT-891 already has those built in. Just connect the FT-891 to the computer USB (for CAT and PTT), and the 6 pin mini DIN to the radio and SCU-17 (for audio). Connect the SCU-17 to the computer USB (for soundcard audio). Be sure to use the FT-891 enhanced and standard COM ports and not the SCU-17's. Very easy.

For my FT-817, I bought the CT-62 interface cable, so you plug that into to SCU-17 along with the radio and then the SCU-17 to the computer and it provides CAT, PTT, and soundcard audio.

The unit is also very small and strongly built and has TX/RX volume knobs, which I consider critical for operation. Slightly more expensive then some other interfaces, but matches the radio styling and easy interfacing, so worth it.
MM0BDJ Rating: 2020-03-02
Good, with a couple of caveats Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Overall the unit works well. It worked with Fedora Linux and Raspbian Linux out of the box, and no additional drivers were required. The metal case is sturdy and very compact. The unit came with the necessary cables to connect to my FT450D.

As other reviewers have said, it's three devices in one box:
1. USB audio interface (input and output)
2. Virtual COM port for CAT control
3. Virtual COM port for PTT control

I didn't have any trouble configuring the SCU-17 to work with WSJT-X on Fedora and Raspbian. It's important to note that for PTT control you need to configure your software to use RTS on the second virtual COM port.

There are a couple of annoyances, one of them minor, and one of them quite major.

The big issue is that despite this unit being marketed as providing isolation between the radio and the PC, in my experience the isolation is not effective. At certain transmit power levels, I see large oscillations in output power reported by my rig. The problem is worse when using a desktop PC connected to mains earth, and less severe when using a laptop running from batteries.

I tried a USB cable with ferrites, but this didn't make any difference at all.

I have since found a good solution to the issue. I bought an Olimex USB isolator:
https://www.olimex.com/Products/USB-Modules/USB-ISO/
This goes between the PC and the SCU-17, and for me it completely solved the problem. I now get a clean output on any power setting between 0 and 100W.

The second issue I have with the SCU-17 is that it keys up the transmitter for about 10 seconds when first connected. It's not usually a problem, as long as the rig is set to SSB mode, as it won't be transmitting anything, but it's something to watch out for.

Despite these issues I am happy with the SCU-17 and would buy another. I paid £115 for the unit. This made the SCU-17 marginally cheaper than the popular Signalink unit. When the USB isolator is factored in, the price is similar.
AB9PM Rating: 2019-09-15
Updated review Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I gave the Yaesu SCU 17 a bad review too quick. The problem I had was not with the external sound card, but with the WSJT-X program. As I tried to use that program the sound card would quit communicating with my I7 computer. I found the JTDX program, and after I downloaded that derivative of the original program, my SCU 17 has worked flawlessly with that program and HRD with no issues. So I am a big enough man to admit my mistake. I would recommend buying the unit, and it appears the easiest to wire up to their HF brand of radio, though a little pricey.
Please remove my first review.
AC9DE Rating: 2019-03-17
Not working for me Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have been working with the SCU-17 for a "few" months. The sound quality using FLDigi has been very poor. Really wanted for it to work because all that control over one USB port? Love it. Used it with FT-817, FT-817ND and FT-857D. Sound quality is just is poor. Swapped out to a Signalink USB, special jumper setting done, and a USB62C cable, another adventure, and all is well. From what I am getting out of the reviews and my liking Yaesu products is I need to have a conversation with the technical support people at Yaesu.

Somebody always has issues with a product. And today, that is me.

I am open to feedback on what I may be missing or doing incorrectly.

73,
Mark
KD9EEE
N4JW Rating: 2019-01-12
Solid and Dependable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Follow the instructions (download and install the driver first) and it is literally plug and play. Gets its power from the USB port so there are no AC adapters or batteries to mess with. Only negative: in my opinion it is priced a little too high at $199 (as of Jan 2019), but it is built like a tank and should last forever. I use it in the shack with my FTDX-1200 and am looking forward to taking it in the field with my FT-817ND.
PY2KNK Rating: 2017-08-14
EXCELLENT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I would like to supplement my previous review, and tell all colleagues that SCU 17 works perfectly with Windows 10 + Yaesu FT950. It is very simple and efficient to operate any digital mode.

I would like to report that I bought a new SCU because I had problems with my previous computer that caused some damage to the SCU17 Yaesu through the USB port.

I recommend everyone, great product.

Thanks to colleagues who answered my questions via email, about the problem I was experiencing.

All solved, now I hope to get them soon in digital modes.

73

Leonardo Zucon PY2KNK
K5MOG Rating: 2016-09-01
Great Interface Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This would be everyone solution for a digital interface with just a little more info for setting it up. Once you realize to match the baud rates and RTS DTR inputs it will work with any software.
ZLP data pro is the only other thing that even comes close. I'm referring to connecting Yaesu products