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Yeticom Optima MK3 Mobile
- Thread starter SMILEX2692002
- Start date
fair enough. just wish it had a 6th digit display. 5 is really useless on ssb only reason
why i havent really consider this one. dont really care for my magnum delta force
for this very reason
no problems tuning to people with the optima mk3 here,, clarifier comes unlocked, just tune till they sound good and talk. even if it did have a 6th digit , it wouldn't move with the clarifier.
I use my OPTIMA Mk1 extensively on 10 and 12M. No problems tuning in any sideband station, as the clarifier has a wide range. It is a superb radio for what it is and I find it superior to the Magnum 257. The continuous tuning is a lot easier, and the 5 khz increments are useful on 10M AM. I love mine.
The tuning is vastly different from any Magnum radio. The OPTIMA tunes like an actual HF radio.
yes i do like the vfo tuning better than the magnum...thats for sure. i like my ts5010
better than my magnum for same reason too.only reason why i perfer the 6th digit
is cause when dx is really high on ssb ,locals will use 27.3900,274000,ect. just easier
with the 6th digit
I had an Optima MK3 and really really liked it. I ended up selling it, however, because I couldn't get used to not having the 6th digit. On receive it doesn't really matter since you can tune to the other station. Calling CQ, however, it's a deal breaker, for me any way. When you call CQ on an open frequency, you just don't know exactly where you are. With the unlocked clarifier, you can guess about where "center slot" is, but you are likely to be off at least 100Hz, often more.
It's not a terrible tragedy to be off 100-200Hz when calling CQ, but it makes it a bit easier for answering stations if you are close to a round frequency, say 28.425.00 rather than 28.425.20 or 28.424.80. For me, it comes down to good operating practice. It's just sloppy practice to not know where exactly you are transmitting.
The earlier Optima versions had a detent at center slot which would be very helpful for staying within 50Hz or so of where your VFO reads. Alternatively, there should be an RIT on/off switch so that you can lock the clarifier and be sure that your transmit was exactly the same as your receive frequency. Ideally, there'd be a 6th digit AND a clarifier on/off button. Especially for a radio as good as the Optima which has excellent frequency stability, it's a glaring shortcoming not to have the capability for better frequency control.
According to Dave at Yeticom, he is mindful of this shortcoming and hopes to include a 6th digit and/or a clarifier on/off in future versions. Once he does that, I will be first in line to buy the new version.
It's not a terrible tragedy to be off 100-200Hz when calling CQ, but it makes it a bit easier for answering stations if you are close to a round frequency, say 28.425.00 rather than 28.425.20 or 28.424.80. For me, it comes down to good operating practice. It's just sloppy practice to not know where exactly you are transmitting.
The earlier Optima versions had a detent at center slot which would be very helpful for staying within 50Hz or so of where your VFO reads. Alternatively, there should be an RIT on/off switch so that you can lock the clarifier and be sure that your transmit was exactly the same as your receive frequency. Ideally, there'd be a 6th digit AND a clarifier on/off button. Especially for a radio as good as the Optima which has excellent frequency stability, it's a glaring shortcoming not to have the capability for better frequency control.
According to Dave at Yeticom, he is mindful of this shortcoming and hopes to include a 6th digit and/or a clarifier on/off in future versions. Once he does that, I will be first in line to buy the new version.
Wayfarer I have to say I don't key the mic unless I hear someone and tune to them, sorry at my age I am not a CQ CQ kind of guy I am patient and listen for someone to tune to then talk. Just My 2 Cents
this is EXACTLTLY what i was talking about . was begining to think i was the only one
optima mk3 has 5khz default channels/vfo tuning, just turn the vfo one notch and you go from 27.385 to 27.390 on the display, this is one of the very nice features of the optima radio's, and you can push the step button to change your tuning steps also if you want to go to 1khz or 10 kHz tuning steps
Strange
I pick up a used Optima last week. I thought It was an MK2, since the fan was recessed in the heat sink. It turns out that it is an MK3. The fan is recessed again. The last MK3 I owned had the fan mounted on the very end of the heat sink. My serial is: S068XXX.
Wonder what else has changed.
I remember the early MK3's did NOT have a recessed fan.
http://www.survival-systems.com/yeticom/how to.html
I pick up a used Optima last week. I thought It was an MK2, since the fan was recessed in the heat sink. It turns out that it is an MK3. The fan is recessed again. The last MK3 I owned had the fan mounted on the very end of the heat sink. My serial is: S068XXX.
Wonder what else has changed.
I remember the early MK3's did NOT have a recessed fan.
http://www.survival-systems.com/yeticom/how to.html