[na-user] Re: FT-980

[dap14@chrysler.com]

     Milt, N5IA recently asked about making the FT-980 work with either CT
     or NA.  The FT-980 is one of Yaesu's earliest radios which had the
     CATS computer interface.  While I am not familiar with the specifics
     of the FT-980, in recent times I have been asked to support the FT-767
     and the FT-736, two radios of roughly the same vintage.  In studying
     the data protocols between these radios and the computer, I found that
     while commands were provided to control virtually every front panel
     function, Yaesu failed to provide a protocol to read ANYTHING from the
     radio (frequency, mode, NADA!).  Without this capability (without
     which the computer cannot follow the radio band-wise) the rest is not
     worth fooling with.  Apparently CT and TRLog felt the same.

     Yaesu has proven to be the most difficult of all the radio
     manufacturers with regards to the computer interface.  Many of you
     might not be aware that the early FT-1000's would lock up for four
     seconds while sending data to the computer.  As a result, none of the
     contest logging programs would support it and sales of the radio
     languished until this was fixed.  Furthermore, experience has shown
     that data coming out of certain Yaesu radios often does not match what
     the manuals say, which means that many times I have to have an actual
     radio to make Yaesu radio support work.  BTW, Kenwood has hands down
     and far away the best radio data protocols that are constant from
     radio to radio.  I wish all the manufacturers would copy Kenwood...

     73,

     Dave/K8CC

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