CAT with FT-891 on Windows 10

Windows 10 does not like Yaesu's COM driver. I believe this is because it only works on USB 1/USB 2 ports and this machine only has USB 3.0.

FT-818ND no power indication bars while transmitting on 6 meter, but these bars are there when transmitting on 2 meter or 70 cm - - is there something wrong with this radio?

I tried calling CQ several times on the calling frequency and noticed something interesting: the screen lights up with "PO" but shows zero bars alongside it like it does in 2 meters or 70cm. If you watch the first 5-10 seconds of this video, you will see that he is speaking in a normal voice and this causes the bars to move on 6 meters. Apparently this question has been posted before by other users of the FT-817/818 [1]. On 6 meters USB, speaking into the microphone does not display any SWR or ALC bars.

My settings for the 818ND are as follows:

• Operating from a fully charged 6Ah battery.
• Band is set to 6 meters, USB mode.
• Power is set to 6 watts.
• Speaking in a very normal voice directly into the microphone, PO is displayed on the screen but zero bars alongside it. (On 2 meters, several bars appear).
• SSB Mic gain is at 80.
  
• Menu 7 the antenna is set to FRONT and I'm transmitting through the YHA-63 (50/144/420 MHz antenna).

Of course, the band is dead here so nobody can respond to me to let me know whether my signal is even getting out. At the moment, I'm waiting for my mast to arrive to get my EFHW antenna up to see if this same problem appears on 20m or 40m. Has anyone encountered this issue on either the FT-817 or 818? Is there something wrong with my new radio? I've posted this in a couple of different places but no solution has been found. 

[1] Sources: Other people reporting the same problem

Need help/tipp for my FT-817ND - only very faint SSB signal

 

FT-817 zero power - ideas before I repair? 

 

[2] Updates

 

I posted this at several locations with no solution. An e-mail was sent to Yaesu. I also called and left a message with them. Not long after, I received a call back from tech support. They said it was normal for no PO bars to be displayed while operating USB on 6 meters. They could not explain why the video I sent them, showing someone with the same settings I have set, shows PO bars on TX. 

Tropospheric ducting forecast

This is a great website that forecasts tropospheric ducting which is hugely beneficial to VHF/UHF propagation. 

 https://www.dxinfocentre.com/tropo.html

 

Anderson Powerpole installation

With four different radios requiring a power supply, it became unwieldy to unwind and rewind binding posts on my 30 amp Yaesu FP-1030A when I needed to switch from one radio to another. I decided to get a DC power distribution panel and wire all my radios to use Anderson Powerpole connections.

This model can deliver up to 40A (aggregate) through 6 different fused outlets + two USB connections. The USB connections have a maximum charge current of 4A. One thing to note on the FP-1030A is that the binding post does not fully remove, therefore you will need to cut 1/3 of a spade connector in order to deliver power to the panel. 

 

Getting the 30A contacts into the housing was easy with the West Mountain PWRcrimp tool. The tool to make the proper crimp is worth the $40. 

Polarity of DC cable for FT-818

 I'm not sure what the polarity is of this cable. Asking the wise folks @ QRZ and Yaesu FT-818 group! Edit: A continuity test was required. Place the probe on the outside of the barrel and another probe on one wire at a time. The wire the beeps is the negative wire. In this case, the wire on the left in the photo below is positive. 

 

 

FCC Proposes to Reinstate Amateur Radio Service Fees

 From the ARRL:

Amateur radio licensees would pay a $50 fee for each amateur radio license application if the FCC adopts rules it proposed this week. Included in the FCC’s fee proposal are applications for new licenses, renewal and upgrades to existing licenses, and vanity call sign requests. Excluded are applications for administrative updates, such as changes of address, and annual regulatory fees. [...] Deadlines for comments and reply comments will be determined once the NPRM appears in the Federal Register. Interested parties may file comments by using the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS), posting to MD Docket No. 20-270. This docket is already open to accept comments, even though deadlines have not yet been set. 

I entered a public comment:

The FCC should not raise the amateur radio application fee from $15 to $50. On page 9 of FCC it states that “personal licenses are mostly automated and do not have individualized staff costs for data input or review (pg. 9)”. Since the ULS is mostly automated, what reason is there to justify a 233% price increase for ham radio applications? The budget of the FCC has grown consistently since 1993 which only adds to the confusion as to why this price increase is required. I personally feel this is nothing more than a money grab by the FCC.

Amateur radio provides a valuable service to the public. Radio plays a key role in disaster recovery efforts for every major disaster in the United States and around the world. This service is provided by volunteer radio operators who have spent years studying and training for such events. The increase from $15 to $50 will make it more expensive for new people to enter an already expensive hobby. We need more radio operators, not fewer. I strongly encourage the FCC to reconsider this fee proposal. Thank you for taking the time to read my public comment.

Jade Shain / KG7WBW

Correction:

KU4X correctly pointed out that the base price is not $15 but actually $0! Some VECs charge $15 (mine did) and that is where the confusion came from.