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New Yaesu FTdx 5000 Preview

Moleculo

Ham Radio Nerd
Apr 14, 2002
9,194
1,674
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I just learned that the FCC has approved the new ultra high end, dual receiver, 200 watt Yaesu FTdx5000 HF/6m transceiver. It's not available for sale yet, and a price hasn't been released, but you can be sure it won't be cheap. It also includes a built in power supply. The specs of this new rig are on Yaesu's site, but i've also listed them below. More interesting, some photos have been released, and I'm also including the pre-release manual.

This is a pic of the rig with the optional station monitor attached.

moleculo-albums-yaesu-ft-dx-5000-picture1662-yaesu-ft-dx-5000-front-optional-station-monitor.jpg


On some of the newer VHF/UHF rigs like the FTM-350, Yaesu is starting to use more "soft button" functionality where the button changes function depending on what is shown on the screen. However on the HF rigs, they seem to continue to go out of their way to make sure there is a button for every function causing a somewhat cluttered look, in my opinion. I realize that a lot of people like buttons and knobs, but it certainly seems like there is some room for modernization of the interface on this rigs. Sorry, I just couldn't help the commentary :)

Here is a pic of the back of the rig:
moleculo-albums-yaesu-ft-dx-5000-picture1663-ft-dx-5000-rear.jpg


Notice that the CAT port on the bottom right is an old style DB9 Serial port. I just don't understand why they continue to use anything but a USB port. At least this is one area that Icom is finally getting right.

I've talked to several people that say the Icom HF rigs' receivers are absolutely top notch. I'm sure that will be the case with this unit, as well...especially given the price tag.

I've attached a few other interesting documents, including a pre-release manual. The other two documents are the results of the FCC tests (an interesting read for the hard core techs), as well as photos of all of the internal boards.

Enjoy!

Specs from Yaesu
- 200 watts power output
- SM-5000 Station Monitor – Optional
- 300 Hz Roofing Filter – Optional
- ±0.05ppm TXCO – Included.

The FTDX 5000 robust and high-power Final Amplifier Stage incorporates two super reliable FET, VRF-150 (Drain-Source Voltage 170 V/Gate Source Voltage ±40 V, Total Device Dissipation 300 W) in a push-pull configuration, offers solid 200 W output (75 W Class A operation).

- Internal Power Supply

- TWO Totally Independent Receivers
All FTDX 5000 Transceivers include Two (2) Totally Independent Receivers to give you Performance and Flexibility previously only provided by much more expensive radios.

- SUPERB 3rd-Order Dynamic Range & 3rd-Order Intercept Point (IP3)
SSB (2.4kHz BW)
10 kHz SEP.:106 dB, IP3 +40 dBm
CW (500Hz BW)
10 kHz SEP:112 dB, IP3 +40 dBm
2 kHz SEP. :105 dB, IP3 +36 dBm
1 kHz SEP. : 99 dB, IP3 +25 dBm
VFO-A/Main Receiver @ 14 MHz, IPO1

Super sharp “Roofing” filters for VFO-A/Main Receiver.
- Filters are Selectable between *300 Hz, 600 Hz, 3 kHz (6-pole crystal filter), 6 kHz, 15 kHz (4-pole MCF)
- 300 Hz filter is optional for FTDX 5000 and FTDX 5000D. It is included in the FTDX 5000MP

High Performance Yaesu Custom-designed 32-bit Floating Point DSP
- The legendary high performance Yaesu Custom-designed 32-bit Floating Point DSP based on the TI TMS320C6727B (@300 MHz), one EACH for VFO-A and VFO-B.

Variable CW Audio Peak Filter & High/Low-Cut Filtering
- Variable CW Audio Peak Filter, and High/Low-Cut filtering created through the very latest in DSP technology.
- CW Width: 50/100/150/200/250/300/350/400/450/500 Hz
- CW Pitch Frequency: 300~1050 Hz (10 Hz Steps)

- True Analog Meter Precision

New Function Displays for Ease of Operation
- Three Electro Luminescence clear Displays included for easier operation and control of the Sub-Frequency, Graphical Wave and Menu function.

IF Output Available
- IF Output (9 MHz) from VFO-A/Main Receiver

Practical Level Indication System for Most Important Settings
- The FTDX 5000 provides loads of practical Level Indication that clearly show settings of Mic-Gain / RF Power / CW-Pitch / Keyer Speed / Processor Level / VOX Delay Time / Break-In Delay Time.
-They can be controlled ON/OFF independently!

Introducing the SM-5000 Station Monitor Bandscope
- If you need a good Bandscope to enhance your operations, you are going to love our all-new SM-5000 matching station monitor. Included with the Bandscope is a complete, enhanced stereo speaker system with superb audio quality - the speakers are point at you instead of up into the air above the radio!

Other Valuable Options
- Yaesu Data Management Unit DMU-2000, and utilize its powerful Audio Scope, Oscilloscope, Spectrum Scope, logging, and Rotator Control capabilities using your own personally selected and purchased computer display monitor.
- Yaesu External Fully-Automatic Micro-Tuning Units. Three modes available: A (160 m Band), B (80 & 40 m Bands), C (30 & 20 m Bands)
 

Attachments

  • ftdx5000 manual.pdf
    3.1 MB · Views: 2,783
  • ftdx5000 manual 2.pdf
    2.7 MB · Views: 593
  • test results.pdf
    514.5 KB · Views: 381
  • internal photos.pdf
    4.1 MB · Views: 333

Sweet rig, I have been looking seriously at the FT-2000 lately but now after seeing this I may hold till this comes out.
 
With USB vs serial some of the reasons

1) USB requires a specific driver depending on the USB chipset they use. Some of these drivers _do_not_ work properly when you have multiples of the same driver running at once. No workaround, pure bus conflicts with them. FTDI seems the best at working this way, but many many hams can't get their drivers installed for FTDI and bitch about those heh.

With drivers, you are pinned down to manufacturer support for that driver over time or your device becomes a brick...this is already a problem as USB devices age and MS requires fees for submission of 'signed' drivers.

Serial ports don't have this same issue...they 'just work'.

2) software support of USB is a big issue too as many manufacturers for whatever reason go the proprietary route of how to control the interface and don't publish spec on them. It can be sniffed to an extent, but serial is easier to deal with in this regard.

3) Programming for USB is a world more tedious than serial. It requires a lot more tedious hoop jumping for each instruction.

4) Tons of software is already written for serial control and all that software would have to be rewritten to support varying USB protocols.

It's nowhere near as simple an issue as people think unfortunately.

I just use an FTDI based USB to serial four port hub here to deal with all the serial devices on my USB only Atom 330 shack computer. Works fine.
 
FTdx-5000-Brain/Eye Candy

I agree-Yaesu needs to get it together on the usb port-rs232 is getting ancient-
With all the controls on the new Xcvrs how many folks actually use them all? and what
they are for. I myself do not care for the bandscopes on any rig,Ill most likely will buy the
FT Dx 5000 in a yr or 2 after production starts and most of the bugs are worked out.
Lots of EYE Candy for sure-I could do without the ssb part-and sub. for the filters
roofing etc.......I like these new rigs with all the menu changes you can do,but you sure
can mess your rig up if you dont write down all your previous settings and know whats
what.Take Care all-73/GL/DX

Paul
I also agree that usb support sucks-and I like serial ports -(they work !) dont have to
search for drivers every-week,my laptops do not have them now-crazy
 
Last edited:
Computer Aided Transceiver (CAT) may have been intended for more than just a computer controlling a radio. It may have also been meant for a radio to control an external device such as antenna tuner or something else from the radio. Or even cloning one radio to another.
This could explain keeping the RS-232 interface for CAT: because a USB port can be a host or a device, but not both. A USB host is your computer, a USB device is something you plug into your computer. But RS-232 makes no such distinction, both sides have the same connector, just perhaps a different gender.

I'm not sure there is any ham radio equipment with CAT connector available as a USB device. If Yaesu were to provide it as such, you would hear screams that it wasnt provided as RS-232.

As a side note: If a USB device implements a "Communication Class Device" (CDC), it appears to your PC software as a "COM" port. This same this is called a "virtual com port" by FTDI. All your PC software written to work with RS-232 will work with a USB virtual com port as if it were RS232, unless that software does stupid things like use modem control pins for I/O.
 
Pricing was released today for this new rig. Universal Radio is showing a price range of $5500 to $6300 depending on which version you get. The Station Monitor feature is an additional $350 option.

So, who's getting one first?
 
I thought they was sending you one for a review, and I'll do a follow-up :p


Hell, If I can get them to send me one for review, you can be the first person I hand it off to for a second opinion.

Sound good?
 

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