The Infamous FT-90R Squelch Problem and Solution
THE PROBLEM: The squelch on 2-meters opens and closes at a fast rate when receiving signals. This makes it impossible to receive a signal without manually opening the squelch, then you have to listen to white noise when the other station is not transmitting. The problem seems to affect some signals and not others, some repeaters and not others. There does not seem to be a problem with the 440MHz side. There have been many different solutions to this problem, including sending the radio back to Yaesu, a full squelch alignment at a shop with the proper test equipment, etc.
THE CAUSE: None of the above listed solutions will create a permanent fix, the problem can come back because the problem is actually a bug in the radio's SOFTWARE. If the 2-meter frequency step in a memory location is set to anything other than 10KHz, the problem can manifest itself. The problem is much worse when the frequency step is set to 5KHz.
THE SOLUTION: Either with programming software, or manually with keypad entry, go through ALL memory locations where a 2-meter frequency is stored and CHANGE THE FREQUENCY STEP TO 10KHz. My radio was in the shop twice for the same problem and it kept intermittently and unpredictably returning until this was done. I've had no problem since which was not directly attributable to a different frequency step being stored in a memory location.
This Mod from Dave, KD5E.
73
Jeff
THE PROBLEM: The squelch on 2-meters opens and closes at a fast rate when receiving signals. This makes it impossible to receive a signal without manually opening the squelch, then you have to listen to white noise when the other station is not transmitting. The problem seems to affect some signals and not others, some repeaters and not others. There does not seem to be a problem with the 440MHz side. There have been many different solutions to this problem, including sending the radio back to Yaesu, a full squelch alignment at a shop with the proper test equipment, etc.
THE CAUSE: None of the above listed solutions will create a permanent fix, the problem can come back because the problem is actually a bug in the radio's SOFTWARE. If the 2-meter frequency step in a memory location is set to anything other than 10KHz, the problem can manifest itself. The problem is much worse when the frequency step is set to 5KHz.
THE SOLUTION: Either with programming software, or manually with keypad entry, go through ALL memory locations where a 2-meter frequency is stored and CHANGE THE FREQUENCY STEP TO 10KHz. My radio was in the shop twice for the same problem and it kept intermittently and unpredictably returning until this was done. I've had no problem since which was not directly attributable to a different frequency step being stored in a memory location.
This Mod from Dave, KD5E.
73
Jeff