| K8EO |
Rating:      |
2002-08-08 | |
| Excellent Value |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought my FT 920 new in May, & I can honestly say than in my 26 years in the hobby, I consider it one of my best purchases. I have other HF rigs, and prefer the 920. Yes it's large, but the conrols are extremely well laid out. Obviously not a great choice if you are considering any mobile work. It's easier to use than my Icom 746. I have the optional INRAD filters installed, and recommend them. Audio quality is excellent on both rcv and tx. You can spend a lot more on a radio, but I dont believe that you will get much more of a rig.
I have a habit of swapping equipment often , but I think this radio will be in my shack for a long time. |
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| WB6JDQ |
Rating:      |
2002-08-07 | |
| Buy one now, they're great: |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| Once I became familiar with all of the controls and adjustments, I was and continue to be very happy with the FT-920, Yaesu Transceiver. I am glad to have it in my shack. The auto antenna tunner is excellent, for it provides a low SWR of typically less than 1.2:1, depending upon your antenna. It puts out 100W pep SSB an all advertized bands including 6 Meters too. You ca expect a well designed and top noch radio from Yaesu, and this is certainly no exception... |
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| NB6I |
Rating:      |
2002-07-17 | |
| Well designed and capable machine ... |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I've been running an FT-920 since 3/99 and its been a pleasure to use. Totally reliable. Never been back to Yaesu and I can drive there from my house.
It also carries Inrad boards. I was one of the earliest installs of the Inrad filter board. That's my comment you are reading on their website. My radio has two boards a 2.8K/2.1K for SSB (Wide) and 400/400 for Digital (Narrow).
Bottom line, the FT-920 is a highly capable radio once good filters are installed. It's not that good without them and the difference is dramatic. If you've never seen what cascaded crystal filters in an 8Mhz IF stage can do for selectivity, you're missing out on one of the best kept secrets in amateur radio. Nothing and I mean nothing gets through that wall.
After playing with various combinations, I settled on the 2.8/2.1 combination for SSB because I like the richer sound of a wider passband for rag chewing. For contests, cascading a 2.1 filter into position makes it workable to snug in between other stations. The radios dynamic range does the rest to pick off the target. It'd probably be more competitive to run a 1.8 filter but I've found the 2.1 is less of a strain over the course of an operating period. Be sure to go into the menu and adjust the carrier offsets to line up the passband so the bottom end is snug with 0 hz audio. That's critical to make it sound good. Here's a tip. Digipan makes a great analyzer for making the adjustment. Just watch the waterfall.
The combination of IPO, attenuation, RF gain and RX-ANTENNA TUNE give adequate tools to manage the front end and the DSP, Auto Notch and Noise Reduction can dig it out most of the time on the back end. There are moments I wish I had one of those tried and true 455khz Yaesu manual notches but not often.
But it's CW and Digital where this radio really shines on ergonomics. For single frequency digital modes like PSK, dial in the base frequency, go to a narrow filter and use the SHIFT knob to sweep the passband like a tuner. Very smooth. Very competitive. And very pretty on waterfall display software.
The front panel NARROW button lets you flip between wide and narrow filters at will so you can surface to scan for new targets.
The RS-232 interface means most computer software can control the rig. It's not purist traditional. It's just the future. Live it.
The Inrad board 400/400 combo is awesome by the way. When Inrad scoped my board the network analyzer ran out of cliff before it hit the bottom of the canyon on the skirt. The brick wall protection created could take the EMP from a nuke. This kind of selectivity is imporant particularly as digital operation brings ever more signal types into overlapping use proximity. An "Inrad-920" delivers on setting up a tight primary passband as the Yaesu brochure expresses it.
I choose 400/400 because it accomodates the wider digital modes. If you are a CW only kind of ham you might try tighter but it impacts RTTY, MFSK, AMTOR, et al if you do. Remember there's only one Narrow chain in this radio. The next level up in radio cost buys you two paths to play with.
Within the passband the radio has plenty of dynamic range for multiple signals to coexist. This makes the radio ideal for working with the latest generation of point and shoot soundcard programs. It's plenty good enough to copy a PSK signal sitting in between the lines of a PACTOR signal. Don't really know what more one could ask for and still be considered practical.
Quite honestly, I don't turn the DSP on very much. When I do it's just to shave off growl and whine to make my ears feel better. I get just as good service from the low and high cut filters on the SP-5 speaker box.
Again I sometimes wish I had a 455khz manual notch to kill one in the passband. My trusty FT-890 spoiled me. It's more convenient that doing the AGC off, IPO on, ATTENUATOR to something and pull the RF GAIN back trick. I'd even take an audio manual notch.
By the way you control the transmitter of this radio using two knobs MIC GAIN and RF PWR but in different ways. For SSB you set the MIC and vary the RF, for CW just the RF. But for Digital, you turn RF PWR to 100% and vary the output using the MIC GAIN. Do set the voltage coming into the radio from the sound card using a voltmeter based on the what's in the manual depending on whether you are going in the front or back connectors.
If you do use point and shoot software you do have to be careful where you send the signals out in the audio passband. The 920 sends out processed audio and the NR circuit is always in line even when the dial says off. This creates dead zones in the audio passband and if you shoot a PSK or AFK-CW (yeah I admit it, I'm not proud, I use a keyboard) tone into the wrong spot you get low RF output. Don't knock the design. It makes for very readable SSB coming and going. For digital, it's all about turning the shift knob to move the good part of the audio passband over to the signal you want to send full bore RF.
If you do get this radio I can assure you it will provide you with the opportunity to learn a lot about the operating arts. The controls are where they should be. They operate predictably and that says a lot right there. If you are a beginning HF operator, this rig will privide you an enjoyable journey from neophyte to artisan. And you'll sound good.
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| PY3KT |
Rating:     |
2002-07-05 | |
| Nice Transceiver |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I just bought my Yaesu FT920 in june 2002, but I receive very good reports. My personal modulation is too midle/bass, and the punch modulation was poor with average power around of 50/60 watts PEP. I think the ALC circuit is very hard, even with PROC on and MIC gain in correct position. So I put the MC-85 Kenwood condenser microphone and it work best, like a matched pair... All the functions are in a right place. It's true: "... what you pay is what you get." But this factory increase more. Congratulations to Yaesu's staff for a nice job. My another rig is a Icom 706 MKII that works fine, but I prefer big radios over my table in the shack. Sorry my poor english, I speak portuguese. 73, PY3KT - Joel |
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| N8DXN |
Rating:      |
2002-05-15 | |
| Really is a great radio |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had my FT-920 for three years now and worked 20, 15 and 10 meters mostly. It's worked very nice for me. I have never seen such a wonderful DSP notch filter as the one in the 920. It is fast and pounds out the heterodynes and tones fast and completely. I really appreciate a great receiver, but with this DSP notch filter on it, there is little left to desire!
I am just using the hand held microphone that came with the radio and the EQ set to position #1 on menu item #51 of the menu system. I get good audio reports. For an antenna ( I have to hide mine due to subdivision rules ) I use a hamstick dipole(s). I run about 25 to 50 watts P.E.P. and can work nearly anything I can hear. That's wonderful.
The display of the radio is well thought out, easy to use, easy to see. The knobs have a good feeling to rotate them, in my opinion. I've had an Icom 735 and a Kenwood TS-430s in the past. I am happy with the FT-920 and I do not see any reason to replace it with another so-called better radio. What could be better?
And the antenna tuner built into the radio is quick and quiet, too. I look forward to using my 920. I feel the cost of the radio is well below its value.
As a general coverage unit, I ended up buying the AM 6K filter from International radio. It had added some fidelity to SWBC stations, but the advantage of using the 3K SSB filter for AM DX is being able to pluck out the weaker stations without much trouble. There is a RX antenna connection on the back of the 920 in addition to the 2 antenna (a/b) selections. That's a nice touch for jumping around all over the place to see how the other bands are coming in. I know that there is no one radio that can please everyone. Speaking for myself, I can honestly say I have liked the radio since the day I turned it on, have not had a problem, and would suggest to any of my friends that it is worthy of hard earned dollars. |
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| KF4DHE |
Rating:      |
2002-05-10 | |
| Great Radio |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Sold my first one and always wanted another so after sending the Jupiter back(bad RF problems) I purchased another one. This is currently one of the best buys on the market for a new radio. Many features and with the right menu setup and microphone it sounds just as good as anything else out there. Seems like they have worked all the bugs out of them now as the first one did have to go back for repairs but was great after I got it back. This one was perfect right out of the box. 100+ watts no problem and excellent receiver. I really like this radio. Had the 1000MP and can honestly say that I can't see the extra money for what little more it has to offer. |
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| WD8OST |
Rating:      |
2002-05-08 | |
| great |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| bought july 1997 on 8-10 hours aday. never failed. best radio at prices they are selling it for now---mike |
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| W0EWM |
Rating:      |
2002-03-12 | |
| Great Radio |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
The 920 is a real pleasure to use. The front panel controls layout is excellent. The radio gets very good audio reports (Using a Heil HC-5 cartridge mic). The auto-tuner performs very well. The metering on the radio is useful and easy to read. The split operation (Dual - VFO ) is excellent and I like the "alternate receive" feature to monitor key frequencies - even on other bands.
The only weak point on the radio is the standard 2.5/5Khz SSB filter. I installed the INRAD Switch Board with the INRAD 2.1KHZ and their 1.8KHz filters (You can either use the 2.1KHz alone or cascaded with the 1.8KHz filter). I also installed the INRAD 400HZ CW filter. The change in the receive selectivity is dramatic. It also helps the usefulness of the IF Shift capability. The filter change turns a really good radio into a "GREAT" radio. |
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| KC5BJ |
Rating:      |
2002-03-02 | |
| Excellent Rig - 5 stars |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I have an Icom 746 and wanted an addition to the shack. I chose the FT-920 based on the reviews on EHAM.NET and features of the radio. I am a dyed in the wool ICOM person, nothing would ever pry my 746 out of my hands until I got the 920. This is one sweet radio... There are things I like about each radio but the 920 does win hands down in several area. 1st is ease of operation, it is a large footprint radio with lots of goodies. I am a carry over from the Drake C Line and really like a radio that has a "presence" on the desk. The controls are easy to use and understand. I was operating it quickly and it worked perfectly.... The thing that really impressed me the most is the tone quality of the radio. It reminded me of the Drake, smooth, rich sound. The DSP is excellent, sorry ICOM but the DSP on the 746 can't compete. Split operation is excellent and easy.... I added the Yaesi M-100 mic and get excellent reports. Once I switched from the Yaesu 920 to the Icom 746 using the Heil HM-i mic and the station on the other end said he detected no difference in the audio...
The only thing I really dislike about this radio is that AM and FM are optional add ons.
Overall I love the radio. It sounds great, works great and is an excellent rig in the same class as the ICOM....... All in all I suppose the ICOM is a little better value for the money with 2 meters and the AM & FM features, but it would be a really tough choice if I could only keep one. |
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| KC2KU |
Rating:      |
2002-01-23 | |
| Great Radio |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Previously, had a 756-PRO and when I put both side by side, I felt the receiver and DSP was much better on the 920. PRO required the preamp to even get in the ball park. I compare it to a FT-1000 with DSP and 100 watts. Also, like the way you work split. So easy to use. Also, when you get the radio set up, you don't have to go back to the menu.
Prices have really dropped and you can pick up a good used or even a new one at some very good prices. Very, very good value. Have had FT-1000, 570D, PRO, 706 MKII, and a several others. This is one of my favorites.
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