On 14 May 2016, at 17:12, Alex Artieda <hb9dri(a)emeham.com> wrote: Hello Serge I have my FT-991 since September 2015, and definitive is a fantastic radio, this is my new flagship on my EME setup BUT the initial batches 2015 has a problem on the HF amplifier, looks like a specific batch come with improper BIAS calibration on the final stage, I test for 4 seconds in 50MHz and the 2 final transistor evaporate, after do my research I found similar problem happens to other ones, I order my radio in Switzerland and look like come from that defective batch, living in South Africa give no other option to repair by my self, better for sure. I order new transistors (50 dollars), replace and adjust the correct BIAS, the radio was after that perfect, the VHF and UHF was not affected, this is the only problem I had, the improper calibration was 2 amps more than the regular idle current but after the repair by myself the HF is giving 100 watts no problem, I use several hours in 14MHz with WSJT-X and running at 50 watts without single failure, this was the bad part but as I said only few FT991 come with this defect, Yaesu correct the problem and now the new batches are perfect. But here the nice part, My radio is connected to the PC via a USB cable, NOTHING else, no more tons of cables, Com port for PTT, Line in Line out...just a single USB cable, the radio has his own USB audio codec embedded, you have TX audio, RX audio, PTT and fully CAT commands via that single USB cable, I configure and use with WSJT-X perfect, just need to use Omn rig software for the CAT part. Another good point is now Yaesu deliver the FT991 with a extreme stable TCXO oscillator, is not GPS lock but I compare with all my other rigs and transverters locked with a 10Mhz GPS external source and the radio is totally solid in frequency, no drift for sure, no drift if the fan turn on/off like most of the other models. I'm very happy with that and the reception and DSP are simple fantastic.. If you want to buy one just be sure to order a radio from latest batch, for sure if is around mid 2015 will have the problem I had, 73 de Alex, HB9DRI From: moon-net-bounces(a)mailman.pe1itr.com [mailto:moon-net-bounces@mailman.pe1itr.com] On Behalf Of serge Sent: Samstag, 14. Mai 2016 15:25 To: moon-net(a)mailman.pe1itr.com Subject: [Moon-Net] FT991 TRANSCEIVER Hello Friends Any of you have a FT 991 for radio. according to what I read it does not required an Interface for digital work which include WSJT X. It has a soundcard but where is the interface???? I am considering a mobile radio which I can carry around easily like a FT857 or a FT991. Please give me your comments & suggestion off line. Thank you very much Serge VE1KG _______________________________________________ Moon-Net posting and subscription instructions are at http://www.nlsa.com/nets/moon-net-help.html

Alex measuring phase noise with a spectrum analyser is a perfectly acceptable way to test. Provided of course that the Spectrum analyser has better PN performance than the device under test. I do not think that this will be a problem with the majority of Japanese transceivers and even a mid price spectrum analyser. I have a R&S FSUP at work and only really 'need' to use it for well designed Xtal oscillators.  After making plenty of errors initially I have tested several synth based oscillators with the FSUP and an FSV and the FSV was good enough in every case. These test oscillators have a performance which is typical of what one can expect in an amateur transceiver. Some of the reasons for PN measurement errors are covered admirably by (who else) but Leif SM5BSZ here: http://www.sm5bsz.com/osc/osc-design.htm An amateur can make a very good PN measurement system should he feel inclined to do so, especially with the wonderful tools at our disposal these days. If I was making such a system I'd be using Linrad to make the measurements. I remember seeing mention recently that cross correlation measurements can be made using Linrad and dual channel SDR's but a google search did not bring up the expected results. Perhaps Leif can remind us where the information is? One final comment is that I think that you may also trust Peter Hart's reviews. I look forward to your results Alex as well as a description of how you made the measurements because I would like to repeat them myself someday. Regards Conrad PA5Y On 14/05/2016 22:51, Alex Artieda wrote: Hello David   Thank you for pointing the phase noise as a big concern. I didn't test the radio on that aspect but I will do soon my own test in the same way I did with almost 20 different radios. Just regarding the big amount of reviews about phase noise; when I was testing the IQ+XT regarding the phase noise I found the numbers and result most of the time far away from the reality.   I don't know why several reports differ so much, probably the metrology differs to much from one bench to another, measuring phase noise is a very complex topic and exist several different ways to do that, probably  people still using just simple spectrum analyzers to do that, something is consider unacceptable, for that reason I create my own data base testing several radios and comparing previous reviews, the result was complete different, never the less I found my numbers far away from the "most popular reviews" and much close to the reviews published by Leif in his Linrad page, for that reason I consider to use as a reference the job done by Leif during the last years and not accept  the big amount of reports if I don't perform the test by myself, I found many times even 15dBc difference from one source compare to another one. Why?, I really don't know.   Actually I'm busy finishing my EME station but as soon I found some free time I will do the properly test on the FT-991 , I have access to a Professional E5052B Signal source Analyzer, an expensive and difficult to find on our amateur arena.   73 de Alex, HB9DRI   From: David Anderson [mailto:david@gm4jjj.co.uk] Sent: Samstag, 14. Mai 2016 16:53 To: Alex Artieda; Moon-Net Subject: Re: [Moon-Net] FT991 TRANSCEIVER   Alex,   My only concern with this rig is that the TX phase and composite noise is very poor according to the reviews.   This may not matter if you don't live next to other hams, but if you do and you amplify this rig with a PA it will be very unpopular with them.    Peter Hart, in his excellent review of the FT991 in February Radcom says the following: "The wideband transmitter noise output is rather poor, particularly on VHF. The 6m and 70cm figures are similar to 2m. At spacings closer than 20 kHz the noise equates closely to the receiver reciprocal mixing figures and hence is due to frequency synthesiser phase noise. Further out it is probably due to amplitude noise in the amplifier stages and is independent of power level, even present at zero power output." Comments by G8DOH: Even out at 200 kHz offset from the signal this transceiver radiates noise at -118 dBc/Hz, (-83 dBc in 3kHz J3E bandwidth), so if a station using this transceiver is S9+36dB with you, the noise across the band will be S1. This performance is substantially worse than the much maligned IC910 and 17 dB worse than where I hope the RSGB CC will set the code of practice limit for radiated noise, when they get round to revising it. 73   David GM4JJJ   On 14 May 2016, at 17:12, Alex Artieda <hb9dri(a)emeham.com> wrote: Hello Serge   I have my FT-991 since September 2015, and definitive is a fantastic radio, this is my new flagship on my EME setup BUT the initial batches 2015 has a problem on the HF amplifier, looks like a specific batch come with improper BIAS calibration on the final stage, I test for 4 seconds in 50MHz and the 2 final transistor evaporate, after do my research I found similar problem happens to other ones, I order my radio in Switzerland and look like come from that defective batch, living in South Africa give no other option to repair by my self, better for sure. I order new transistors (50 dollars), replace and adjust the correct BIAS, the radio was after that perfect, the VHF and UHF was not affected, this is the only problem I had, the improper calibration was 2 amps more than the regular idle current but after the repair by myself the HF is giving 100 watts no problem, I use several hours in 14MHz with WSJT-X and running at 50 watts without single failure, this was the bad part but as I said only few FT991 come with this defect, Yaesu correct the problem and now the new batches are perfect.   But here the nice part, My radio is connected to the PC via a USB cable, NOTHING else, no more tons of cables, Com port for PTT, Line in Line out...just a single USB cable, the radio has his own USB audio codec embedded, you have TX audio, RX audio, PTT and fully CAT commands via that single USB cable, I configure and use with WSJT-X perfect, just need to use Omn rig software for the CAT part.   Another good point is now Yaesu deliver the FT991 with a extreme stable TCXO oscillator, is not GPS lock but I compare with all my other rigs and transverters locked with a 10Mhz GPS external source and the radio is totally solid in frequency, no drift for sure, no drift if the fan turn on/off like most of the other models.   I'm very happy with that and the reception and DSP are simple fantastic..   If you want to buy one just be sure to order a radio from latest batch, for sure if is around mid 2015 will have the problem I had,   73 de Alex, HB9DRI   From: moon-net-bounces(a)mailman.pe1itr.com [mailto:moon-net-bounces@mailman.pe1itr.com] On Behalf Of serge Sent: Samstag, 14. Mai 2016 15:25 To: moon-net(a)mailman.pe1itr.com Subject: [Moon-Net] FT991 TRANSCEIVER   Hello Friends Any of you have a FT 991 for radio. according to what I read it does not required an Interface for digital work which include WSJT X. It has a soundcard but where is the interface???? I am considering a mobile radio which I can carry around easily like a FT857 or a FT991. Please give me your comments & suggestion off line. Thank you very much Serge VE1KG _______________________________________________ Moon-Net posting and subscription instructions are at http://www.nlsa.com/nets/moon-net-help.html _______________________________________________ Moon-Net posting and subscription instructions are at http://www.nlsa.com/nets/moon-net-help.html _______________________________________________ Moon-Net posting and subscription instructions are at http://www.nlsa.com/nets/moon-net-help.html

On May 14, 2016, at 13:51, Alex Artieda <hb9dri(a)emeham.com> wrote: Hello David Thank you for pointing the phase noise as a big concern. I didn't test the radio on that aspect but I will do soon my own test in the same way I did with almost 20 different radios. Just regarding the big amount of reviews about phase noise; when I was testing the IQ+XT regarding the phase noise I found the numbers and result most of the time far away from the reality. I don't know why several reports differ so much, probably the metrology differs to much from one bench to another, measuring phase noise is a very complex topic and exist several different ways to do that, probably people still using just simple spectrum analyzers to do that, something is consider unacceptable, for that reason I create my own data base testing several radios and comparing previous reviews, the result was complete different, never the less I found my numbers far away from the "most popular reviews" and much close to the reviews published by Leif in his Linrad page, for that reason I consider to use as a reference the job done by Leif during the last years and not accept the big amount of reports if I don't perform the test by myself, I found many times even 15dBc difference from one source compare to another one. Why?, I really don't know. Actually I'm busy finishing my EME station but as soon I found some free time I will do the properly test on the FT-991 , I have access to a Professional E5052B Signal source Analyzer, an expensive and difficult to find on our amateur arena. 73 de Alex, HB9DRI From: David Anderson [mailto:david@gm4jjj.co.uk] Sent: Samstag, 14. Mai 2016 16:53 To: Alex Artieda; Moon-Net Subject: Re: [Moon-Net] FT991 TRANSCEIVER Alex, My only concern with this rig is that the TX phase and composite noise is very poor according to the reviews. This may not matter if you don't live next to other hams, but if you do and you amplify this rig with a PA it will be very unpopular with them. Peter Hart, in his excellent review of the FT991 in February Radcom says the following: "The wideband transmitter noise output is rather poor, particularly on VHF. The 6m and 70cm figures are similar to 2m. At spacings closer than 20 kHz the noise equates closely to the receiver reciprocal mixing figures and hence is due to frequency synthesiser phase noise. Further out it is probably due to amplitude noise in the amplifier stages and is independent of power level, even present at zero power output." Comments by G8DOH: Even out at 200 kHz offset from the signal this transceiver radiates noise at -118 dBc/Hz, (-83 dBc in 3kHz J3E bandwidth), so if a station using this transceiver is S9+36dB with you, the noise across the band will be S1. This performance is substantially worse than the much maligned IC910 and 17 dB worse than where I hope the RSGB CC will set the code of practice limit for radiated noise, when they get round to revising it. 73 David GM4JJJ On 14 May 2016, at 17:12, Alex Artieda <hb9dri(a)emeham.com> wrote: Hello Serge I have my FT-991 since September 2015, and definitive is a fantastic radio, this is my new flagship on my EME setup BUT the initial batches 2015 has a problem on the HF amplifier, looks like a specific batch come with improper BIAS calibration on the final stage, I test for 4 seconds in 50MHz and the 2 final transistor evaporate, after do my research I found similar problem happens to other ones, I order my radio in Switzerland and look like come from that defective batch, living in South Africa give no other option to repair by my self, better for sure. I order new transistors (50 dollars), replace and adjust the correct BIAS, the radio was after that perfect, the VHF and UHF was not affected, this is the only problem I had, the improper calibration was 2 amps more than the regular idle current but after the repair by myself the HF is giving 100 watts no problem, I use several hours in 14MHz with WSJT-X and running at 50 watts without single failure, this was the bad part but as I said only few FT991 come with this defect, Yaesu correct the problem and now the new batches are perfect. But here the nice part, My radio is connected to the PC via a USB cable, NOTHING else, no more tons of cables, Com port for PTT, Line in Line out...just a single USB cable, the radio has his own USB audio codec embedded, you have TX audio, RX audio, PTT and fully CAT commands via that single USB cable, I configure and use with WSJT-X perfect, just need to use Omn rig software for the CAT part. Another good point is now Yaesu deliver the FT991 with a extreme stable TCXO oscillator, is not GPS lock but I compare with all my other rigs and transverters locked with a 10Mhz GPS external source and the radio is totally solid in frequency, no drift for sure, no drift if the fan turn on/off like most of the other models. I'm very happy with that and the reception and DSP are simple fantastic.. If you want to buy one just be sure to order a radio from latest batch, for sure if is around mid 2015 will have the problem I had, 73 de Alex, HB9DRI From: moon-net-bounces(a)mailman.pe1itr.com [mailto:moon-net-bounces@mailman.pe1itr.com] On Behalf Of serge Sent: Samstag, 14. Mai 2016 15:25 To: moon-net(a)mailman.pe1itr.com Subject: [Moon-Net] FT991 TRANSCEIVER Hello Friends Any of you have a FT 991 for radio. according to what I read it does not required an Interface for digital work which include WSJT X. It has a soundcard but where is the interface???? I am considering a mobile radio which I can carry around easily like a FT857 or a FT991. Please give me your comments & suggestion off line. Thank you very much Serge VE1KG _______________________________________________ Moon-Net posting and subscription instructions are at http://www.nlsa.com/nets/moon-net-help.html _______________________________________________ Moon-Net posting and subscription instructions are at http://www.nlsa.com/nets/moon-net-help.html