[CQ-Contest] Yaesu's New Baby, FT-DX5000

[Calvin Darula K0DXC]

I know that it's been about a month since everyone was raving about Yaesu's new FT-DX5000, but I want to put my 2 cents in now...

I had the opportunity to use one during the IARU contest this year at K1LZ. I did a single op with my callsign. Full SO2R setup - Left radio was the FT-DX5000, right radio was an Icom 781.

The reviews are true. FTDX5000 has an AMAZING receiver. I ran on both radios, and the pileup always sounded "cleaner" out of the Yaesu. There was also a lot less hash out of the 5000, and it was able to handle more signals at once than the IC-781. 

Yaesu also did a tremendous job with the filtering. It was very easy to quickly adjust the settings, and I was surprised at how good they were.

It's also an ergonomically friendly radio. Throughout the entire 24 hour period, I never had to go searching through menus to find what I needed. It's all laid out in a nice, knob format. Very fun to use.

Overall, it's a pretty solid radio. The thing was fun to use, performed extremely well, and as a bonus - it's beautiful! I even see it rivaling the IC-7800 in multi-op setups. 

Now, some of you are probably thinking I'm full of crap right now, and are about to go back to your inbox. If you are, then you read my IARU soapbox. 

QUOTE, K0DXC: (http://lists.contesting.com/pipermail/3830/2010-July/201228.html )

"No offense to Yaesu's latest and greatest, but I would have thrown that thing straight through the window and outside onto the street if I knew what it was doing." (doing, in regards to the clicks).

END QUOTE

Yeah, at that point in time, I would have blown it up with the anti-terrorist robots Krassy makes. Not gonna lie, I was pretty ticked off when I listened to a few recordings people sent me after the contest.

BUT, after Krassy talked to Yaesu, and had his technicians look at it... The "problem" seemed to just be a menu setting that wasn't adjusted correctly. That must be true, because we also used the radio in the CQ WPX CW contest this year and our signal was perfect then. So, I guess there wasn't an actual problem. I wish I would have known about the setting, but it's too late now. I hope you guys had fun laughing at my signal (or me) during the IARU. I know it was pretty terrible. 

All that being said, the FT-DX5000 is a sweet creation. Yaesu did a fantastic job with it, and I would definitely suggest it if you're looking at getting a new radio. I'm glad I got to use one, and I know I'll be using one again in the near future. 


73,
Cal, K0DXC

73,
Cal Darula, K0DXC
http://k0dxc.com

Powered by IdeasUnplugged


Sent from my iPhone