IC-7300 vs FT-991A vs FTdx5000MP (SSB mode)

This is the ninth in a series of videos I have shot featuring the ICOM IC-7300. This video is another SSB shootout between the ICOM IC-7300, the Yaesu FT-991A, and the Yaesu FTdx5000MP. In this video I was able to show the radios receiving a strong station in conversation with a weak station.
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73, de N4HNH

[@arayboomer]

Sold my 7300 for a 991a based on your videos on Yaesu DSP, Doug. I'm still happy with the decision.

[@n4hnhradio]

Wow A-Ray! I didn’t know that. What do you use for SOTA?

[@arayboomer]

@@n4hnhradio For SOTA only my HT is Yaesu. Usually my VX-8. I love my 891, but it mostly stays in the truck. You're a tougher guy than me to pack that sucker. For SOTA HF, I take my KX2 or one of my MTRs.

[@radioman6489]

Very surprised that the 991 A sounded great. I'm thinking of trying one even though I'm an Icom guy.

[@n4hnhradio]

If I could only own one radio, I would own a FT-991A. 73, de N4HNH

[@frankENZC]

I appreciate the video! Good job. Of course, a big advantage of the 991A is the 2 meters and 70cm.

[@n4hnhradio]

Indeed the FT-991A is the ultimate “shack-in-a-box.” 73, de N4HNH

[@frankENZC]

@@n4hnhradio Yes it sure is. I've been doing a numbers comparison with the IC-7100 and the Yaesu looks better. 73 de WA3RSL

[@imaflatpicker3066]

You explain everything so well. Can you call my wife and explain to her how much more enjoyment I would get with a new radio?

[@n4hnhradio]

Don, I’m afraid I haven’t mastered that with my own wife yet. Hi Hi! Every time I put up a new antenna I tell her, “you can’t have too many antennas.” Ha! I think 4 antennas is going to be my limit. 73, Doug

[@stevewarner8880]

Another great video Doug. The Yaesu rigs are definitely good rigs. I love my 7300 and it has served me well for over 2 years. I would be interested to know how they compare in price. You mentioned the 991 at the end being more expensive and I’m sure the 5000 is much more. Perhaps the 7610 ICOM would be a better comparison. I think you would agree the 7300 is a hugely popular radio in use today 73

[@n4hnhradio]

@@stevewarner8880 the FT-991A is currently on sale for $1,129.95 from Ham Radio Outlet. To me that makes the decision a no-brainer. 2m, 70cm, and 6 to 160 in one rig, and the better SSB receiver. Sometimes the best seller isn’t because it’s the best performance. People are probably drawn to the screen and the price.

[@N4EJM]

I got the 991a due to the shack in the box format plus I use Wires-X.

[@n4hnhradio]

Congratulations! I consider the FT-991A the “Swiss Army Knife" of radios. 73, de N4HNH

[@russturner3454]

Dont expect most people would understand what you are saying when competing with the radios audio !

[@r9scp638]

ФТ 991А рулит !!! Я тоже такой хочу....... но как говорится .........хотеть не вредно.....вредно не хотеть!

[@n4hnhradio]

FT-991A - отличное радио. Я надеюсь, что однажды вы сможете его получить. С FT-991A можно делать практически все, что угодно. 73, de N4HNH

[@EvgeniX.]

@@n4hnhradio интересно, как он по ставнению с FT-710? слышал вроде у семьсот десятого чуть лучше dynamic range?

[@n4hnhradio]

Динамический диапазон FT-710 превосходит FT-991A. FT-710 превосходят FTdx10 и FTdx101D или FTdx101MP. 73, de N4HNH

[@EvgeniX.]

@@n4hnhradio Спасибо за ответ! 73

[@manuelit9-mok968]

Hi but your have ipo on yaesu.. for compare It with 7300 you must set amp1! Or use rfgain on 7300. For have same signal on smeter because ICOM and yaesu have different setting fa the factory. But you can see the signal Is stringer on 7300.. and 991 seem quiet ..but in weak signal 7300 is Better i have tried , 73

[@leericelli_w8rnb202]

Doug you are comparing $1000/$1000 radios vs $4100 radio( FTDX5000 with SM-5000 to make them equal). The 5000 should be better just based on cost alone. Yeasu does have very good DNR on all their radios.

[@n4hnhradio]

Cost doesn’t always mean better but I threw the 5000 into the mix because one of my Patreons asked me too. He wanted to validate why he spent the extra bucks for his FTdx5000MP. I do happen to agree with those who commented that the little FT-991A held up pretty good against its older brother. 73, de N4HNH

[@joen8joe231]

I’m happy you had the 5000 in there just as a reference point

[@n4hnhradio]

@@joen8joe231thank you. One of my Patreons requested that. Chuck wanted to be sure his money was well spent when he purchased a 5000. 73, de N4HNH

[@paulhastings3109]

It that being equal. Antenna, height and power.!!!

[@n4hnhradio]

All three radios using the same antenna. Did not transmit, so power irrelevant. The antenna is a ZS6BKW at 45 feet.

[@paulhastings3109]

@@n4hnhradio is that not like G5RV

[@n4hnhradio]

Yes, it is an improved G5RV that is resonant on 12, 17, 20 and 40 meters, plus the FM portion of 10 meters. It is my best 40 meter antenna. All three radios were using that antenna. But for the purpose of a receiver comparison, it doesn’t matter which antenna I used. The test was to see which radio can pull out the weak signals the best.

[@paulhastings3109]

@@n4hnhradio tnxs 73 KQ4CD

[@bwoutrage21]

Something is not right. The 991 and 7300 are not that far apart in performance. I can comment more after tomorrow. I have a 7300, and FedEx is dropping of a FTDX 5000 tomorrow. No don't have a 991A.

[@n4hnhradio]

The 991A has the same receiver front end as the FTdx series.

[@cacciskagrana6603]

991 tooop

[@n4hnhradio]

tooop?

[@robertrockwell7581]

would not buy the 7300 as it does not have 2 meter or 70 cm. 991a all day.

[@n4hnhradio]

The FT-991A is the one radio to own if you will only own one radio.

[@Manuelgcv6]

Sorry but can t you compare in this condition...yaesu must be on amp1 for compare with ICOM radio. And ip+ off... In this mode ICOM Is most noisy .. Is normal.... Sorry... 73

[@n4hnhradio]

The ICOM has no preamp enabled. The Yaesu has no preamp enabled. That’s what IPO means in a Yaesu; no preamp. It’s SDR versus superheterodyne. They aren’t exact equivalents. This is as equal as it gets. IP+ makes no difference. I’m sorry if you want the ICOM to be better, but it fails in DSP and front-end filtering.

[@williamchildress5869]

@@n4hnhradio What I don’t understand is why you had the bass boost plus 4 on the receive on the Icom. That makes it sound muddy and harder to understand. Am I missing something?

[@n4hnhradio]

As I recall, I also had the bass boosted on the FTdx10 when I featured it in the earlier videos, prior to acquiring the SP-30 external speaker. All of the transceivers were using their internal speakers, except for the FTdx5000MP. The internal speakers of most transceivers lack a resonance cavity sufficient to naturally reproduce the lower frequencies of the AF spectrum. The FTdx5000MP doesn’t even have a receive EQ but it was connected to the SM-5000 external speakers. In the case of the IC-7300, it has an inherent high-pitched hissing sound coming from it’s audio amplifier. Boosting the low frequency a bit helps de-emphasize the hiss somewhat. We can use a good external speaker/equalizer and make the audio quality good on either radio. My focus is the receiver’s sensitivity and selectivity. I care if the receiver can pull the weakest signal out of the noise floor. If you prefer ICOM, that’s great. I have a couple myself. I don’t even like Yaesu the company. I just put the radios on the air in real scenarios and see how each handles it. It is common knowledge that a SDR lacks the filtering needed to compete with a superheterodyne receiver. But the manufacturers hope that we prefer the straight SDR, because they are relatively inexpensive to produce. The superheterodyne receiver doesn’t suffer from front-end overload like the SDR does, but the amount of discrete components required, and the quality of the components required, to build a high quality superheterodyne receiver, can cut into the profit margin significantly. So the manufacturers want us to migrate completely toward SDR. It is very difficult for a SDR to achieve the selectivity of the superheterodyne receiver without driving its cost up significantly with physical filters. The IC-7300 has no such filtering. It only has the customary bandpass filters. But that doesn’t make the IC-7300 a terrible radio. It has its own strengths. But being a contest class receiver isn’t one of its strong suits. When it comes to user-friendly and beautiful, the 7300 shines. 73, de N4HNH