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Reviews For: Yaesu FTdx-101D

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FTdx-101D
Reviews: 55MSRP: 4000
Description:
The FTdx-101D is utilizing the latest SDR Technology and classified as our High-End HF line, the FTDX series, which amateurs have come to know represents quality, A Few Of The Remarkable Features Of The New FTdx-101D Are: YAESU High-Class HF/ 50MHz 100W Transceiver SDR Technology and Waterfall Display Large Touch Panel precision color display Active Band Monitor enables rapid band changes with LED illumination of the operating band Independent control of the Main and Sub Bands allows effortless operation for the serious contester needing to move quickly between the amateur bands High-Q VC Tuning Front-End Main tuning dial for Main and Sub Band frequency control includes an Outer Dial for clarifier, VC tuning, fine tuning or custom settings Hybrid SDRs (Narrow Band SDR & Direct Sampling SDR) 2kHz RMDR 123dB+ 2kHz BDR 150dB+ 2kHz 3rd IMDR 110dB+ 400MHz HRDDS (High Resolution Direct Digital Synthesizer) 2kHz Phase Noise -150dBc/Hz VC-TUNE (Variable Capacitor Tune) signal peaking 3DSS (3-Dimensional Spectrum Stream) visual display Narrow band SDR & Direct Sampling SDR Emphasizes Basic Performance and Hybrid SDR Functionality Includes Digital Processing Generated Real-Time Spectrum Scope In addition to the Narrow band SDR receiver, that boasts overwhelming Basic Performance, the Hybrid Configuration Digital Processing with Direct Sampling SDR permits inclusion of the superb Real-Time Spectrum Scope. *300Hz and 1.2kHz roofing filters (Optional) PC control software performed remote operation of the transceiver from a remote location via the LAN or the Internet is available.
Product is in production
More Info: http://yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=102&encProdID=959169DE998192AB87295E90077D740D&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
84.3554.1
W5NM Rating: 2023-09-20
Just did Firmware Update Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Had my 101D for about 6 months now and quite frankly,
I was a little disappointed..... I am mostly a CW operator,
and found several things about the receiver I did not like...But, I just did the August firmware update on the
rig and the DSP and AGC operation and several other minor tweaks have made the radio sound much better to my ears.
Well done Yaesu.... Thank you very much.

Carmine W5NM
W6AD Rating: 2023-08-22
A class of their own. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The latest generation of Yaesu FTDX (and the Ft 710) radios are in a class of their own. The FTDx-101 is the top of that class.

73, andy w6ad
KC8HXO Rating: 2023-08-13
Superb Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Yes, I agree with some previous comments about possible areas of improvement. The scope DOES show weak signals, when properly adjusted.... I am an inveterate "control rider", so am constantly adjusting my rigs as conditions change..... I think operating a radio can be akin to driving a car. Some want auto-pilot. I prefer to drive mine more like a race-car that has only a little automation, but the ability to control almost every aspect of the machine myself. You almost get that with the current 101 series. The performance is staggering.
KX2T Rating: 2023-08-08
Competition Grade Performance Worthy of Every Dollar! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased this radio in November 2021, I already owned a FDX10 for 9 months and figured it would be just more of the same but I was blown away, this radio is one of THE BEST HF RADIO's out today!
I sold two radio's to pony up the investment for this rig, one was a IC7610 and the other was the FTDX10. I really liked those two rigs but this one is a cut above the rest, the receiver is just outstanding, you can slice between two contesters on 20m band during SS and have a rag chew with a VK4 on the long path, its like a knife with butter, every selectivity control works like there on steroids', they just perform far better then anything I have used in 50 plus years. This radio amazed me on 20m SSB were I was running station in the lower part of the CQWWSSB with big signals all around me yet I was able to carve a hole 1Khz apart between them and run some EU from my very modest station here in SW Florida.
I have not owned but did operate the a TS890S which was very nice but no second RX and no front end pre selector like the VC tune or digi select on the 7610. First of all this radio doesn't feel cheap just wiggle the dual concentric knobs of the 7610 and to me that feels cheap, even the 7300 had nice feel to its controls. Does this radio have some negatives well no averaging on the spectrum display would be nice, they do have it on the remote software but not on the radio, Yaesu I hope you read some of these posts. The only thing I really liked on the 7610 was the ability to use HDSDR with the radio's I/O output, that was a nice touch and Yaesu could do these things but they are very pig headed to add these little extras.
Added 8/08/23 Yaesu added new firmware and this time they did address some of the small things on my wish list. First off the DNR is drastic improvement, until you get above level 5 it has almost zero artifacts, maybe a slight boost in the midrange and not as much bass in the audio compared to without but it works far better than before. Yes if you bring it over level 7 there is some of that watery effect but that is a way aggressive setting but for having a rag chew on 75m at night with some annoying static crashes and then you just lower the rf gain a bit and its fantastic, great job Yaesu and thanks for listening to us Yaesu owners. The NB has improved as well, it can only do soo much but like back in the days turning on the NB was like making your receiver open up its IF filter with blow by but they seemed to nip it in the bud, same as the DNR way to aggressive is not recommended but up to level 4 is fine. I think Yaesu upgraded the firmware on all three of there newer radio's not just the 101D so maybe the guy/gal who writes the code plus the engineering staff really hit it right.
Now if you could only add averaging and I am sure this has been said by many in this and many other forums but they are on the right track!
W2SAS Rating: 2023-06-06
Super HF radio in one box Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The FTDX101 is my go to radio for anything HF. Has a fantastic receiver section and it really is full featured.
Such an easy to operate unit.
I especially like the way that it remembers the antenna tuner settings when using the QMB button. Great DNR allows you to clean out the noise floor. Would buy it again!
VE3NYZ Rating: 2023-05-01
Cheap construction Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I had the radio for two weeks and returned it. The adjustable feet got jammed and they were secured with only sheet metal screws that stripped. The back panel decal began to peel which cleverly hides the aluminum casting. The radio does receive well, menus' are confusing and after some time fiddling to dig out a signal from the noise, it sounds like someone is talking inside a barrel. My opinion it is over priced for what you are getting!
RA4RT Rating: 2023-04-01
mediocre Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It's funny to read puppy delights. In this transceiver there is nothing that could please. Not only that, it does not receive what the neighboring TS 990 hears.
As we say in Russia, the third grade -not marriage.
Another amazing thing: I had and have 950sdx, 9000D, 7700, K3, ts890 990 on all of them cats sleep with pleasure. Not a single one has climbed 101. What is this technical idea made of? From what kind of waste?
F1BAV Rating: 2023-03-30
Top Performance Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The FTDX101D open a new era in HF transceivers performances. The selectivity is very high. The crystal form filter at -6dB -60dB is 1,3. 2 kHz third order IMD dynamic range is 110 dB. 2 kHz RMDR is 125 dB. The Digital Noise Reduction (DNR) is extraordinary. The transmit phase noise is very low. The modulation and compression are very good. The ADC chip work with 18 bits. Each receiver has his proper FPGA and DSP 32 bits, (total 2 FPGA and 3 DSP). The reception is quiet and clear.
W9BB Rating: 2023-02-25
Unbelievable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I have owned Anan radios (200d/7000dle mkII) Flex radios (6500/6400/6300) and many other brands by far the ftdx-101d has the quietest receiver I ever owned and the filtering is amazing ! Don't get me wrong Anan, Flex are great radios but I am amazed with what I have been missing (Receiving)..Let your ears be the judge.. We are all very lucky today because of the radios that are manufactured today .There is something for everyone. 73
G8FXC Rating: 2022-11-21
Very impressive performance Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I'm an urban ham fighting a massive noise floor from a thousand cheap electronic devices dotted all around me. I've been running an IC-7300 which has done a decent job, but my accountant told me to "go out and spend some money", so I decided to try an upgrade!

The decision really came down to a choice between the IC-7610 and the FTdx101D - both excellent radios and almost the same price. My local dealer set the two up close together for me and left me with a supply of coffee to compare them - a couple of hours later, I paid for the FTdx101D. The reason? Quite simply Yaesu Noise Reduction which is head and shoulders above the same function on ICOM radios. Turning up the NR on the IC-7610 just reduced the hiss, adjusting the algorithm on the FTdx101D deleted it along with a lot of electronic mush.

There's no doubt that ICOM ergonomics are better than Yaesu, and the Yaesu firmware still has a few quirks - though not as serious as some will paint them. I would love Yaesu and ICOM to get together to put the FTdx101D electronics into an IC-7610 case and let the ICOM QA team finally clean up the bugs in the firmware - but that's not going to happen! So, the answer is Yaesu - despite the fact that I went along to the showroom really wanting it to be ICOM... I find it easier to live with Yaesu ergonomics and firmware oddities than the noise!

Follow-up : since I wrote the above, I've been experimenting with low-noise dedicated RX antennae on the FTdx101D - and the results are amazing. I installed a small, non-resonant loop at the furthest point of my garden with a low-noise, high gain amplifier at the feed point. I run this back to the Ant3 socket on the radio, configured as an RX only antenna input. I also turn on the pre-amp in the FTdx101D. The result is incredible - the S9 noise floor I often get on the main antenna (dipole) is reduced to an S3 but without any loss of strength in the real signals that I'm trying to receive.

Martin