Is The Yaesu FT-891 Really A Great Portable Transceiver?

There are a lot of ham radio ops using the Yaesu FT-891 with success in the field. But how well matched is the 891 to this task? Here are my thoughts.

[@taganize]

This video production was clean, crisp and clear. The author did a great job explaining the radio, pros & cons, while giving a cross reference into Yaesu history and ham expectations for features contained in future product releases. The author gave sound criticism that helped me stop and think some more. This was a very honest video review of the FT-8921worthy of your time to watch.

[@101jumpit]

The receiver on the 891 is outstanding ..a BEAUTIFUL LITTLE RADIO :)

[@David53D]

I find the ft-891 AM broadcast band unable to receive signals my Tecsun portable clearly picks up. which is very disappointing.

[@georgeetherege8347]

Just a thought - a number of “general coverage” and multi-band transceivers will employ (by default) a broadcast band reduction filter, so the radio is less sensitive on the AM broadcast band than even the 160 meter band-160 meters is just above the 530 - 1700 KHz broadcast band. The rationale seems to be that such a filter minimizes the possibility of nearby AM stations overwhelming the receiver front end. It may have been further assumed that when the user is listening to AM broadcasts he/she is not attempting to bring in extreme DX. You might want to check into disabling any band pass or band-stop filter that may be active by default. -73-

[@TheSlinq]

Never heard of low battery voltage causing a problem for anything, ever. I'd be highly highly surprised if a well-made piece of kit by Yaesu suffered any ill effects at all from low battery. When they talk about not exceeding the voltage - they mean going over voltage. Under voltage will do no harm.

[@bhambhole]

The 891 was first modern appliance I could afford and I enjoy it very much. Thanks for tip on the advanced manual . Great review!

[@mountainsunsets]

Thanks for the review Tracy. I’m happy with my FT818 purchase last summer so I’m kinda glad I went that route.

[@N4KRX]

You made some very good and accurate observations of the FT-891. I bought one 2 years ago and was very impressed with it. It's a lot of radio for the price. I even used mine as a base while my main rig was out for repair. I also considered owning 2 of these rigs, 1 for base and 1 for portable/mobile. I like small rigs that do a big job. The current drain is an issue though. I had sold my FT-897D to buy the FT-891 and quickly missed my ole' trusty FT-897D where current drain was concerned. I recently purchased another FT-897D but still kept my FT-891. I love that radio. Although the FT-891 uses more battery it is still small, lightweight, full powered, has good filtering and has a larger screen than the FT-897D. I agree with your closing thoughts...well said! 73 my friend!

[@jerutley]

Excellent Review, Tracy. I recently picked up an 891 for my own portable ops (POTA and camping). For me, one of the plus factors was the full 100W output in a small form factor. My prior portable rig was a KX3, and to get 100W with it, you also need the KXPA100 amplifier - which means a whole lot more cables to hook up. I'm also a pretty big digital modes guy, so I like the simplified hookup to the computer for that purpose as well - wish Yaesu had integrated a USB Sound card with the radio like the 705/7300. I never noticed the power draw being a negative - but then again, for POTA I'm usually only on-air for a few hours tops, and if I do an extended portable operation, it's usually at a campground that has AC capability, so I can bring along a power supply to run it off mains.

[@stevewarner8880]

Your video is well thought out and makes valid points. I have a 891 for camping use primarily and have found it very capable indeed. I’m primarily a CW operator and it’s ZIN and DNR functions are great. Things I would like to see in a updated version of this radio; color display, real time band scope and built in tuner. Having said that I still believe the 891 at its price point is a high quality transceiver for any Ham to have

[@notsure7874]

Color displays generally wash out in the sun, hard to read. A band scope / waterfall can be done separately, but not as well as an onboard one. SDR + android tablet + antenna switch, or more costly, one of those isolators (I forget what they're called). Or maybe instead of SDR and tablet, a spectrum analyzer like a TinySA or something.

[@kellypaws]

It's also great to see another of your videos.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@donalfinn4205]

Just bought an 891. Great to see your review and thoughts. I’m still glad I did. Thanks for the vid.👍🇨🇮🇵🇸

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Glad to hear you are enjoying the 891. It's a lot of radio for the money, and very well built.👍🇨🇦

[@davidsradioroom9678]

1. I always look forward to your videos. I like your motto of "Get outdoors and on the air." Current conditions prohibit me from doing so, so I get out vicariously through your videos. 2. I think your review of the 891 is fair and balanced.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@KM4ACK]

A well thought out video as usual. Thanks Tracy 👍

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much, Jason! Those people reading this comment should go check out Jason's KZbin channel, he's done some great stuff!

[@phils2180]

A very useful review here Tracy from a seasoned radio outdoorsman😊 I have both an 891 and (my favourite really) 897. I have the 891 mounted in the car and would say it is a better mobile radio than a fully portable one. The face-off facility helps here for mobile mounting and there is less of a power issue when vehicle mounted with generally bigger batteries on hand. Hands down the 891 is a better performer with enhanced receive and filtering functions but I just LOVE the form factor of the 897 and the superior menu layout as you pointed out here. A hybrid 897/891 radio with the pro's of both, now THAT would be a portable radio to die for👍. Over to you Yaesu!

[@jaceizzonn877]

I've assembled a Lithium Ion battery pack from a number of 1.5v cells and the lightness for energy ratio is 2nd to none and three times what I used to get from my 2 x 12v/7A battery pack! Your portable station is nicely set up & done!

[@DrHWO]

Hi Tracy, I share your frustration at the complexity of operation for some of my less used features - particularly now that I have a range of transceivers to take portable. For my commonest used "hidden" features, I have a miniature cheat sheet (the other side some simple band plan info). The cheat sheet is lanyarded to my home made LiFePo4 battery to which is Velcroed a power meter which displays voltage, current draw, power on a backlit screen. Yes, it would be easier not to have to do these, but for my portable operating style (now SSB and CW), it was an easy compromise. The compromise will be different for all of us, but what your video clearly and accurately details is a method by which we can arrive at our own decision. As always, thank you for your knowledge, experience, insight and highly developed communication skills. 73, M0YZT, Howard

[@FIL357]

A very clear exposition. The most helpful ft891 briefing available in my experience, thank you. Phil - Suffolk, U.K.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Phil!

[@Patrickjdee66]

Excellent and in depth review , thank you

[@trig6712]

good and good to hear from you again Trig

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Hello my friend, Trig! Hope you are well. 73 from VE3TWM.

[@barrykery1175]

Great video, as usual. No ATU? No problem. Like me, I always use only resonant matched antennas. Great point on operating at 20 watts out to conserve on current drain from the battery. For portable, I run either 40 watts or 5 watts. By running lower power out, you can use antenna antenna with a little bit higher SWR. Most of the time you can go up to 2.5 to 1 SWR and not effect the finals and get your 20 watts out when using a radio that's designed to output 100 watts. I wish the FT 891 and FT991A had a version that would only allow up to 25 watts out. By biasing the finals down to 25 watts on a 100 watt radio, you still draw high current off of the battery. If the radio was designed properly to operate at no more than 25 watts, the radio would not draw high current like a 100 watt radio does when the power is turned down. Going back in time, Kenwood made a TS120V and a TS130V that was designed for lower power output and less current drain on a battery. You pointed out a lot of valuable point in your video, well done. Barry, KU3X/QRP

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you! Always nice to hear from you, Barry.

[@reidlanham2011]

My biggest complaint about the 891 is the radio's inability to free up time in my life so that I can get out and use it!! Thanks for the very good video!

[@ralphnunn3]

I'm thinking that ALL radios tend to have that problem... ;-)

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

This is the right answer!!!! :)

[@TXLorenzo]

Tracy, nice run down. I own two FT 891s, one for the SUV and one in a manpack. When the sunspot cycle was down, the manpack version with higher output really paid off, but with a higher battery requirement. I think the FT891 is a great POTA radio with the potential on tap for higher power than your standard QRP rigs. My main beef is the clunky menu system and the initial problems setting up digital. However, once sorted out, the FT891 is a good portable/mobile rig. All things said, that DSP audio is still one of the best in the business.

[@bhambhole]

💯

[@dawgrules1]

Great job providing an actual user review, it is both refreshing and appreciated !

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@thuff3207]

Thank you for your very good description of the 891. Mine is in my jeep and I agree not having the voltage displayed is an issue that I have not resolved. It is a good radio but not my favorite for field use.

[@mikes6844]

Food for thought! I do t own one but have been drawn close to buying one. I own an Elecraft KX3 that I’ve had for nearly 10 years now if on certain bands I can turn the wick up to 15 watts. Outdoors I don’t need 100 watts, but occasionally it would be nice to say have 50 watts at my disposal but I’d be defeating one of the main reasons I go outdoors on low power. The debate will continue no doubt. Thanks for posting and igniting the debate. 👍🏻

[@Blue-Collar-Radio]

Great review. I personally like how the menu is grouped. It took a little bit of practice to get used to navigating, but it's pretty much second nature, for what I do with mine. I don't mind not having a built in tuner. As I run an EFHW, dipole, or a screwdriver antenna in the field. I do have a manual tuner in the shack for my 9:1 if I want to use it at home. I think it's a good all around radio. I really do like the FH2 controller. Comes in handy for POTA or contests.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

I appreciate your perspective, thank you for sharing it!

[@FloridaRadioMan]

Great review!! I am looking at getting a new rig and this was a super big help!

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you and I'm glad it helped you!

[@Amateur-radio-hobby]

i always enjoy your narration, thank u

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much!

[@TheNoCodeTech]

That 897d is a dream radio. Great video mate. thanks

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Yes it is! Thank you.

[@mikestone9129]

Very good review. Direct and to the point.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@charlieb.4273]

Nice to see a review that matches my interests almost exactly. I never considered this radio before but maybe someday. Charlie in Virginia

[@johnpawlicki1184]

Great video. The plusses and minuses all make sense to me. I use a Volt Tattler to monitor my voltage both portable and at home. I don't have to watch the reading all of the time.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@Marty48034]

Well done. Thank you for this great, and thorough information.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@theoldhobbit3640]

Hi Tracey, love the channel and have been a subscriber for some time. I only operated HF in the field and with my restricted 10w (Foundation Licence, M6KVK), my choice of equipment is extremely important. For field operation I will use 1 of 2 radios, FT 817 or the FT 857 powered by a Tracer 14amp Lithium with a homebrew dipole resonant on the band of my choice. I have to say, I will be sticking with my FT 857 for the moment as there are no radios currently in the market that catches my eye. Many Thanks for sharing and best wishes......

[@DK5ONV]

Hello Tracy, good to see you are back again. Even me as a non Yaesu Fan were eye balling with that sneaky lil FT-891 because of its small rugged size. And the little Display with a great readout impressed me at the 1st Look. My eyes are not the very best anymore. But Uncle Guenter is still happy with his IC-7200 (6yrs now) and the IC7300 (15month new). I am a very humble guy who doesn't need to have every new radio got thrown on the Market. Thx for the neat Product Info & hope to make the Contact on air with you this Year. Stay safe Tracy & 73 de Your Friend Uncle Guenter

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Always nice to hear from you, Uncle Guenther! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@cwqrpportable]

Good morning Tracy and thanks for sharing another great video. The FT-891 looks like a good, low cost rig for a portable, low power, HF phone operator. Good choice and I agree with all your points. After watching your videos for years, I think you made a wise choice in the FT-891. I sort of gave up on purchasing new Yaesu rigs years ago, partly due to the fact of their hidden menus. Some Icom rigs, on the other hand, tend to be more intuitive when it comes to operating ease.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Great points, thank you for your comment.

[@joecraft4409]

Tracy, I own 2 of the 891's and findmthem adequately suitable for Portable outings. Yes, the form factor is great and the compactness is a plus when considering it or the 897D (which I also own and use almost daily in my shack for Winlink and SSB)

[@theElderberryFarmer]

Very nicely done and well-balanced review, Tracy. I have an FT891 that I use as my primary home radio, and it works very well for me in that role (I don't have a room permanently dedicated as a shack, so I need to move my radio out to my screened porch for use, then back inside when I'm done). I can definitely see where the points you've highlighted would be shortcomings for doing truly portable operations. While not show-stoppers they do add a bit of annoyance that could have been easily addressed at design time. 73, KO4AZY

[@TheMan1510]

This was fantastic! Thank you.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You're welcome!

[@FidoHouse]

Very helpful as I decide what to buy as a fulltime RVer who boondocks on solar power most of the time.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Now that sounds like fun (boondocking in an RV)! Good luck with your decision.

[@michaelhodgkinson2050]

Great review. I got the side bars to protect the front knobs. The equaliser is important but very difficult to understand. It wins because it is the only rig in its class.

[@sparksw9dkb187]

Nice video. I operate quite a bit using an FT-857D. It works well, has low receive current draw, and operates well on battery voltages even below 10 volts. I was considering the FT-891 due to the IF DSP but it’s not worth the risk of permanent damage due to low battery voltage. And I agree, even one amp is too much on receive.

[@georgetimm8203]

Thank you for another clear and concise review.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You're welcome and thank you for your comment!

[@ramonpe1ouw]

Hi Tracy, nice to see you taking the time to check out the FT-891 for outdoor use. I replaced the FT-891 with an FT-991A back in August 2021 just for the sake of it. I've been using the FT-891 for about 2 years for /P work, comparable with your way of working outdoor. The FT-891 never failed me since the day I bought it (used, by the way). It has always delivered in each and every occasion out in the field with a 70Ah, HAM radio dedicated car battery (which was one of the parts that survived a severe car crash in a Mercedes Benz A class vehicle :o) ). I can run about 3 sessions of about 3 hours with the same charge and sure enough, the power output will be lower at the end of session 3, but there is no such thing as damaging the rig when the voltage drops below the - 15% tolerance. The modulation is outstanding when configured correctly and with the 100W it will regularly cut through heavy pile ups, even with simple antennas like, among others, the end fed we like to use as well. It's not that I regret swapping the FT-891 for the FT-991A, but for some occasions I still would have loved to use the '891' instead. OK, sure enough, there are folks that go up the mountains with the least possible weight, so a bulky car battery would be out of the question. But apart from the current draw in RX I think is is also a great rig for /P outings. Maybe, someday, I get myself an '891' again just for the fun of it. Thanks for the great videos! Cheers, Ramon, PE1OUW

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

70 Ah!!!! Wow, that's a beast. Good pull from the wreck. I'm glad to hear you came through it OK, Ramon.

[@ramonpe1ouw]

@@OutdoorsOnTheAir For the record, I wasn't in that car when it kissed another car. I just bought the battery 🙂

[@vodkanaut9166]

great review thanks for posting.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thanks for watching!

[@christophermarshall5765]

I've got one of these radios. I love the myriad of features it has. I also have the ATAS-120 antenna. The battery I use is an AGM type 25aH for it's capability to withstand high current draw. I have the fans set to operate as soon as I key up the transmitter. I'm not fussed about the voltage being displayed all the time. I like that the 891 has a current draw display.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@livingadamman7994]

Great video, very well explained indeed. Cheers

[@TheTechPrepper]

This is perhaps the best overview of the FT-891. Nicely done! I've taken my FT-891 on several SOTA activations along with a much larger 12Ah LiFePO4 battery to handle the current draw. It's portable, but it's pushing the limits on comfortable man-portable operations. The receiver quality and DNR are amazing. My only complaint is the the lack of 2m/440. This would have been the logical successor to the FT-857D. I always look forward to your well-thought out videos. 73 de KT1RUN

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@ae1tpa92gwtom2]

Tracy, u r second to none with any topic, n thx for such a thorough review. The 991a is also not providing the dc voltage level, n miss that as compared to my 897d, but that being said, still love the 991a. I use an inline voltage monitor when portable, Cheers stay well, 73

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Tom! Always nice to hear from you. 73 from VE3TWM.

[@nvrumi]

I have all three of the suite of Yaesu rigs -- the 897D, 857D, and 817ND in my stable. The FT-897D was my primary portable rig until I bought a couple of low-power radios. The 857D will eventually go into my 4Runner for HF operations as well as a second VHF/UHF rig. A good friend had either an 891 or 991 for awhile, but he elected to sell it. The reason was the menu system. He was quite frustrated with it, to the point that he elected to get rid of the radio. For that reason I have no intention of "upgrading." I think your analysis is solid. Everyone has to determine what features they need and what issues they will tolerate. It is unfortunate that Yaesu elected to go the route they did with this radio. Well done, sir! 73 de AG7TX

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, David! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@Linas_LY2H]

Nice review, thanks! I have my FT-891 for a few years now and like it a lot. I only use it for my outdoors operations, and as a go-rig it is indespensible. The specs are surprisingly good, in fact, it is an fully SDR transceiver at the III-d IF level which brings a unique feature to use digital filters if your own configuration. The receiver is quite and the transmitter stands contest-style operation on CW heavy duty cycle at 80 W level for continuos hours in the 27C of ambient temp. with no overheating protection stepping in. I permanently installed mine into my GO-Box together with the 20A Bioenno LiFePo4, battery booster and a small 100W ATU. The set weighs in 9kg only. The draw on RX is 0,9A ( it's a mistake in the manual reading 2A!) and abt 14A on TX. The menus are a bit complicated but it's OK :) . At this price level the FT-891 is a hard -to -beat portable ops work horse. 73! Linas LY2H

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Linas. I hope people reading this comment will go check out Linas' KZbin channel, he's done some fascinating work!

[@iu5khp]

@@OutdoorsOnTheAir I read the post and follow Lina's KZbin channel. It's very interesting. IU5KHP Nicola

[@bunston1000]

Yes, I agree with pretty much all you say in your video, especially packing it carefully when taking it out portable.

[@ATOMSHAMRADIO]

Great introduction thanks💯👍

[@ronniet5680]

Excellent, you are now our official leader, please carry on

[@brianmatthews232]

Awesome rig!

[@ianharling9569]

Hi Tracy. A very great diagnosis of this fine transceiver.I must admit I still use and love my very old Alinco dx-70 th. I hope to catch you on the bands one day. 73.G7HFS/PA3IKH

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

I'm looking forward to ur contact, Ian! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@adam-g7crq]

Hi Tracy, I was waiting for you to mention the current draw on RX at just over an amp I wouldn't classify the ft-891 as a portable radio but a very good mobile radio, I've been using the Lab599 Discovery TX500 since late summer last year and it's great, bombproof front end and sips power on receive and suites the type of portable radio I do. Thanks for the video Adam G7CRQ

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your comment, Adam. People keep mentioning the TX-500 to me, that must mean something. One day, maybe!

[@iu5khp]

Very nice radio the Lab599, but... Too much expensive for me.

[@MaciejBaur]

I use similar set. Started from FT-897D in first activations but it is relatively big and heavy so can be OK for car trip to the park, but not for backpacking. Due to that I add FT-891 to the shack and now bigger and older brother stays at home as a base station and small guy traveling with me for field activations. I'm happy with that choice so far.

[@devosd]

Good Review - Thank You!

[@fujichrome64]

Hi there Tracy. This was an excellent equipment review and gave me some things to consider before buying. I believe the 891 suits my style of portable operation, ie spending a few hours out doing a POTA activation and/or checking in on nets. I’m going to put one on order. This is the first of your videos I have seen, and I’m very impressed with it! I’ve subscribed and will be checking your other offerings now. 73 de Paul VA7XQ

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much, Paul! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@brianumbrell4049]

Own two of them, one in the car and one for portable digital work. Also is a fine CW rig. The DSP is awesome.

[@k2cjbradio]

I have contemplated an 891 a few times but never pulled the trigger for a few of the reasons you mentioned. I’m looking forward to warmer wx in the coming weeks and improved propagation to get the 817 out again. Thanks Tracy! 73 de K2CJB

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You and me both, Chris! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@paulhastings3109]

Great information tnxs KQ4CD Paul ⚓️

[@aurtisanminer2827]

My biggest gripe about my 891 is the volt meter, also. Maybe yaesu will one day add an update to allow constant voltage monitoring. I use mine as a base station and for portable use. It would have been nice to have a smaller current draw on receive but I dont leave mine on all the time while doing portable ops. I mostly use it to check into nets and make scheduled contacts to check in with my wife from remote areas with no cell signal.

[@USXPOP]

I recently won a 991A in a raffle. Best $50 USD I've ever spent. I keep the manual close at hand to find the features available. I do like the way Yaesu has kept the menu items listed and the ease of setting it up. If you know the 857D or the 897D, the 991A is like greeting an old friend.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Congrats on the win, Lew! Hope you enjoy that rig for many years to come.

[@alvarogaitan2529]

hello Tracy thanks for my my favorite radio radio is Yaesu ft818

[@modeltrainsahoy-hoy6129]

Hi Tracy, Another Great Review! Agree with you on all aspects of the radio! I use the 891 for drive-in outdoor areas and back yard portable operations that usually have plug in utility or generator power and have good results with the radio in all modes. It is a compact radio for 100 watts. I have incorporated the radio into a "go box" that has a power supply, remote tuner, sound card interface and swr/power meter - it is a plug in & play operation. My biggest disappointment for the modern 800 series radio is the missing VHF/UHF bands and considering they discontinued production with the 857 and 897 it is a bit surprising Yaesu did not include the those upper bands. I also agree with 20 watts being a very good selection for portable operations - for my "go bag" in the field - power or battery I use the 857. For home as a second radio and away use such as vacation homes etc, I will use the 897, great form factor with the built in power supply and added tuner. For my summary: the 891 is a really a nice HF radio for the price. Your field videos are educational as well as entertaining, I am glad to see you have been including more on your camping equipment, set up and food as well. Keep up the enthusiasm for being "Outdoors on the Air". Best Regards, Doug, N3WGH

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Hi Doug, thank you for sharing your experience! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@nr3rful]

Great review. I have and love my FT857 and 897. I will never get rid of them. The VHF/UHF feature is attractive to me. Why would I want to buy two radios to get VHF/UHF when the 857 has it all in one. More gear to carry. The 891 had me considering it for a time but will hold off. I also echo your thoughts on the China radios....will leave it at that.

[@kevingaukel4950]

This may be a late comment, but you gave a good and balanced opinion. I agree that an internal tuner is not a big deal - I use antennas that are either resonant or close to resonant. My big concern - and something I will need to review - is the current draw at receive. If I want to go portable, I will likely need a LiPO.

[@anymouse6202]

Thanks for the video.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You're welcome!

[@sarhtaq]

Nice review, been thinking about getting a 891 or find a 857 as I sorta miss 2m as well (and my trusty TS-700 has applied for semi-retirement ;) )

[@oobihdahboobeeboppah]

I'm in the process of building a [new] go kit around the 891. I came from the 857D which served me well for many years but I wanted something new. I'm also at the age where I'll only lug this type of rig in my SUV and so using a deep cycle battery is my power source of choice. For truly portable operation, I have a couple of sub 5 watt radios, and a lipo battery that fit into a backpack. Thanks for the run through and yes, keep raging on Yaesu to pay attention to what they're doing. Perhaps the onscreen voltmeter will show up in a firmware update. I plan on handling them a list at Dayton!

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

When you see Yaesu, tell them i sent you :)

[@marc_d.357]

Great review! Antenna tuner exclusion makes only sense. You want the portable radio as small as possible, and the requirements for antenna matching differ a lot depending on the portable use case. So best is to “bring your own device” for that, if needed at all. The biggest downsides for me are, receive current, no UHF/VHF and no IF out or receive out, which I whish they put on small radios too. These are reasons why I still use my old FT897 and 857 (with IF out mod), which still work great after decades and there hasn’t been a modern radio to replace them so far.

[@davidbinkowski4825]

I have read that all an antenna tuner does is "lie to the radio". If that is true, and it only keeps the radio happy by not returning any unused energy back to the rig, then it seems easier, cheaper, and more "sporting" to simply omit the antenna tuner and use antennas that are resonant on the bands you wish to transmit on. Part of the hobby is understanding and using suitable antennas and feed line.

[@profdc9501]

Power draw on receive was a major reason I bought the 857 over the 891. VHF/UHF didn't hurt either. Having an IF DSP is a nice feature, but it does consumer power.

[@dc5723]

Thank you for a great video. I just got mine and is still playing with it to file a negative. It's not an Icom 706MKIIG that I sold years ago but good enough. If doing POTA I'll operate for 1-2 hours then call it quits.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your comment! Enjoy your new rig.

[@geoffvk3sq113]

Hi Tracy, I have bought this rig and are very happy with it. I too noted that the voltage metre was not available, even asked on the 891 group page. No joy there. I think it could be done by a software update easily, just need to watch out for an update on the Yaesu ft-891 page. Thanks for another great video. Take care and stay safe 73 de Geoff vk3sq

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Geoff! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@aerozg]

Nice review, as usual. Like yourself, i am only interested in portable/mobile HF SSB, so 160/80/40/20m, with matched/resonant antennas, either my HyEndFed or my monoband wire antennas. I have been using my FT-818ND for well over a year now, and i am getting tired of working QRP all the time. I even got a Xiegu amplifier for the 818, but it's not ideal, not really portable, and not very elegant (to many cables...) so i am looking into the 891, just because of the 100 watts and still the small form factor. I've watched some other youtube reviews and did my research, nobody mentioned the voltage display thing, which really is a slight annoyance as you have pointed out, but i now use a GreenCell 50Ah LiFePo4 battery and i'm always out with the car so the weight is not an issue. Thanks for a great review!

[@rjy8960]

I've been using an FT-897 and FT-817ND for years for portable operating. I love both radio's very much. Most of my operation tends to be SSB and digital although I am looking to up my CW game. This year I've decided to upgrade. Most of my digital ops tend to be sub 10W and I also run resonant antennas - mainly ex-PAR Electronics excellent end fed half waves and resonant dipoles for NVIS. I tend to listen a lot so decided to go for the Lab599 TX500 and a 50W linear for when I need the extra power and put the CW filter in my 817 into the 895, so I will have the TX500 for HF and the 897 for V/UHF main radio with the 817 as QRP backup. Receive power consumption will be greatly reduced compared to the 817 and 897, I get a full DSP RX and bandpass filters on the front-end, large functional display and the capability to run more power should I need. I tend to rarely use V/UHF portable. I'm also ditching the lead acid and moving across to LiFePo and solar, so again, RX current reduction will be useful. The panel is a 60W with a Gensun MPPT charge controller (which are supposed to be the best for low QRM).

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Sounds like a great station!

[@VK4LL]

Great video. My 891 had the dot matrix line missing after only 6 months. Front panel had to be shipped to Japan to be repaired. Took 3 months, but radio has been ok since. The worst thing in my opinion is the (lack of) mode switch. Menu system is rather complex, but still love the radio. Fast QSK on CW.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience!

[@larrypicard5969]

Thanks for all the work you put into this video. From my point of view the the FT-891 is a great rig. This radio is best suited to mobile/portable use. Operators who use it in line with its design purpose are going to be the most satisfied. While it will transmit on low-power, it is not intended as a strictly QRP rig. Recently, I had great success operating field portable and at 100 W SSB easily working into Europe for a long ragchews. I don't think I could have done that on lower power. My main suggestions for improvements are to make RF output adjustments from the front panel a lot easier. A built-in USB soundcard would also be nice. I would put a colour display a little bit lower on my wish list. The menu system creates a bit of a learning curve. This is mainly a reflection of the many things that the radio is capable of doing and a great many features that it has. Some other radios have nested menus with submenus and sub- submenus etc. One benefit of the flat menu system on the FT-891 is that scrolling through it a few times, you eventually learn what the potential settings are and how you might access them. With the menu-submenu approach it is difficult to locate a specific item without the manual in front of you or the Internet. With so many settings available, I don't think that an alphabetical menu would be helpful. Also, every language is going to have a different alphabet making programming the firmware very difficult. A built-in 100 W tuner would take up a lot of space and I doubt they could produce the radio in the same form factor. Given the limited amount of space available for a display, a real-time spectrum scope would do more to complicate the operation of the radio.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your very insightful comment!

[@pulponair]

Hey Tracy, this rig is my first and only HF rig. I bought it, because it is the only modern 100W HF Transeiver that fits portable and base station needs. Even though it is a great rig i totally agree with you on the following points: RX current draw is to high, the menu drives me crazy, i just can not remember what setting belongs to what group. So most of the time i end up scrolling through the whole menu. I would like to another point to consider: TX current draw is pretty high on low power. But after all it is good rig for the money and a great rig for beginners like me who want to operate from home as well as portable :).

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

I agree!

[@radioaxe6964]

Great video Tracey. Would love to hear your thoughts around the receuver performance. Maybe a seperate video 😉

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Good idea :) thank you!

[@toddbu-WK7L]

As always, a great video. It's too bad that you didn't consider a Lab599 TX-500. It has all the pluses of your FT-891 with the exception that its power output is limited to 10W. I run my TX-500 every day with an 80-10 EFHW antenna and never have a problem getting out. You mention the cheap Chinese junk at the beginning of the video and I agree. But I also sensed that you would only buy from one of the big three. If so, I'd encourage you to rethink that position. When I bought my TX-500, I was nervous as I had never bought equipment that wasn't Yaesu or Icom. It didn't take long after receiving the rig for those fears to disappear. It's built like a brick and is water resistant as well. Receive current on the TX-500 is a mere 110ma, so I can run for nine hours for each hour that you get on your FT-891. At 10W TX, the TX-500 power draw is around 2A compared to the FT-891 at a whopping 7A. The design is like a KX-2/KX-3 with the display on the top of the rig, so it's way easier to read under all conditions. It has a panadapter built in. The menu is super simple to use. The aluminum body means no need for fans. It has an on-display volt meter. It's small enough to fit in your hand. The list goes on and on. Anyway, the FT-891 sounds like a decent rig but with limitations. I have yet to find anything about TX-500 that I don't like, perhaps with the 10W power output limit (20W would be better).

[@Hero1395]

I’ve never seen the TX-500 in stock. Nor the amplifier.

[@toddbu-WK7L]

@@Hero1395 It took me 4.5 months to receive mine but it was well worth the wait. In fact, most reviews will tell you the same thing. It really is a radio in a completely different class

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your thoughtful comment. There are a number of other comments responding to my video that mention the TX-500. It really does look like a great rig.

[@DxiLanyap]

Tracy, Great video. I like your assessment. I too like portable and have been using an FT-897 for years and love it. I especially like the low current drain when using SLA batteries. Frankly, for me, the features in the FT-891 especially the DSP make it a no-brainer for portable as my ears are getting old and i have a heck of a time hearing. The DSP on the 891 is just the ticket. I guess the high current draw is “payment” for that feature. Thanks again!!! AC7AX

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Good point, Jim!

[@LifeAtTerminalVelocity]

Thanks for this video. I am strongly considering getting one of these to replace my IC-706MkIIG for parachute mobile and your field concerns and features list are similar to mine in my application.

[@mortimersnerd801]

... good review Tracy.. but we have to remember one size does not fit all. I own a brand new FT891, fired it up last night for the first time. and is a big step up from the (gulp Chinese) Xeigu G90 which in itself is a pretty cool rig with it's built in ATU. I think the new menu system is confusing because your so used to the same old. Using info on the net I carefully set up my compressor audio, something you can't do with the FT 857.. My first contact with this rig using a simple EFHW 20m long antenna I called and worked a (admittedly a big gun) station in Bulgaria...I use an MFJ tuner for the antenna. Power output during battery operation ... there is an efficiency sweet spot.. 45-50 watts... plenty for SOTA or picnic table POTA...My FT 891 draws .93 amps on RX ... the Xeigu .6 amps. The TX PA current can be monitored in a menu. Saw a video where the FT 891 operated OK at 10.75V. I am permanently on a battery, using a solar panel to charge it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r528pp2HiKl6gKc No smoke was seen at 10.75V. Tracy, for $50 you can buy a DC inline featherweight power analyzer from Powerwerx that will monitor your battery current consumption and voltage in real time. I'm ordering one. Richard VA7AA

[@scottdunbar4898]

I am always amazed when a reputable company makes weird, illogical changes to an otherwise fine product like Yaesu did with the voltage indicator readout on the 891. Thanks for the video from K1NEO.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your comment and 73 from VE3TWM!

[@alzeNL]

Very interesting metrics used in the evaluation here. Being an Icom QRP user, I could use the same assements to determine its portable ability and pro/con over any other rig. Great metrics and good critical analysis.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@DK5ONV]

👀 Hey Uncle Alan . . . happy sunday

[@brentjohnson6654]

Tracy, I am back watching this very informative radio again. My year lapse into real life distractions may be lessened so I can get out and operate again. Did you mention there is no sound card? There are workarounds of course but it can be important for digital. Maybe not your mode to worry about. I am very new and won’t say I will or will not use a certain mode. I do like the preparedness approach to use digital with like winlink as a operational control in emergencies. But I will not say they messed up. I just see it as missing. Thanks for reading all this if you are still here. All the best, 73 de KI5HXM

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Hi Brent! Glad to hear you'll be able to get out again. Good point, the 891 does not have the built-in sound card. It's not a big issue to add the capability though. 73 from VE3TWM.

[@yamakawa511]

Arcane menu system, yes I can agree, that's my only serious beef with the 891. I don't have a problem with using an external ATU if it helps keep the size of the rig down. I would have liked to see an RX out for a pan adapter and I wish the display would tilt higher. I find the performance excellent. Y

[@evanbetter]

Thank you Tracy, again for this comprehensive review. I looked at the 891, too, but found that yaesu really did a step backward with this rig. it lacks too many things to be a valuable successor to the 857. and the menu is by far worse imho. it just feels unloved from yaesu… I bought a used 857 and I am more than happy. receiver is really good for field operations. btw: you can assign individual functions to the a/b/c buttons on the 857/897 - and not sure, 817 - as well.

[@kd5you1]

You can assign individual functions to the a/b/c buttons on the 891 as well.

[@keithh5053]

The biggest downside when using the FT-891 against the FT-897D is the receive amp draw when used portable. FT-891=2amps. FT-897D=0.75amps. The battery drain is important when portable. The FT-897D wins easily .....

[@63snampook]

Hi, my FT-857d draws 680 mA on recieve and it is a " Shack in a box", like the 897. For those reasons alone, it is a keeper for me, when working portable. I added an optional ceramic 2.7 kHz SSB filter (Muarata CFJ455K-13) which gives slightly better audio than the stock SSB filter (Murata CFJ455K-14). With the "DNR" set on "6", the audio for me sure is quite ok and not resulting in listening-fatigue. 73 from Holland de PC7H.

[@susanthompson6881]

Tracy…..I pretty much watched all your KZbin videos. They are all very revenant and informative to our Ham Community especially those who share outdoor operations as much as you do. Thank you for all you do for the new hams out there and for us seasoned old timers too! I known you are seasoned Yaesu fan. But I wonder if you have given up on your Icom 703 in your radio stable and departed with it? Mark K9ADT

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Hi Mark, thank you for your comment! I did sell my 703Plus. I used the proceeds from that sale to buy a 891. Having said that, if I were to come across a 703Plus in very good condition with a wide SSB filter, I'd buy another one. I really liked that rig.

[@joebidet2050]

7 years now How times flies😊

[@vironpayne3405]

As always, Tracy, an accurate assessment geared toward portable ops. If I did not own two FT-857D and one FT-897D radios, the FT-891 would be at the top of my list for portable and ECOM. The next closest rig is the FT-991A that has 2m & 7cm, but it is less rugged, larger, and a bigger power hawg. I too operate almost exclusively SSB phone, except for digital mode practice geared to ECOM. Even though I typically operate a =

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for this very insightful comment! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@hillbilly4christ638]

I use an adjustable unit in line for my rigs. I can read and adjust the voltage as necessary. So I set up a bunch of Anderson power pole connectors so I can do pretty much anything with my mobile power. Yes, a bummer on the manufacturer but like most rigs there are workarounds. External atu or a qrp mechanical atu to expand your capabilities or a random wire.... To me that is what keeps this a focused endeavor and adventure.

[@1crazynordlander]

The FT-891 is my best transmitting mobile radio. I am not impressed with the receiving but I am hard of hearing. I should really use a one ear headset with it as I do with my other mobile setup with the IC-7100. The voltage readout is ridiculous. I have used it as a portable rig and it is just okay. I am glad I purchased it. It is a solidly built radio and I have not had any failures with it. I had to send my IC-7100 in for corrosion on the circuit board. Mobile environments are tough on radios.

[@brucenelson3787]

Thanks, this is super informative and helpful as my main QTH is a sailboat and now it's clear to me I gotta be more careful in keeping on eye on the voltage. Like a heads-up display in an aircraft, it is indeed true having to look at another gauge can be dangerous and detrimental to equipment. While rigs of the past were more tolerant, this can not be said of present day equipment. With regard to knobs, yeah I am certainly no fan of plastic as it is definitely no replacement for the super robust knobs of yesteryear which were made of bakelite or a fiberus material. Bruce KQ4EIH

[@paulplack490]

I'm considering an 891, and your review is the best I've seen in regard to answering my specific questions. I'm taking my IC-7300 into the field, and that's clearly not optimal. Given that an 891 and a 20-AH LiFePO4 will be under 10 pounds total, I think this is my next radio! By the way - If you try solar, you'll be amazed at how it expands your limits. Running 100 watts will no longer be an issue.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for your thoughts, Paul! Truth is, I don't feel the need to run 100 watts. I do just fine with 20. As far as the solar thing goes, it usually rains when I go camping (or so it seems). But maybe one day I'll give solar a try.

[@paulplack490]

@@OutdoorsOnTheAir Thanks for the reply. My 891 arrived on the porch yesterday, and I just finished getting a few settings and memories loaded. So far, I'm delighted! Thanks again for the review that got me off my butt. I paid $620 through HRO with the Hamvention-week discount.

[@jozefbezan2501]

Danke für das tolle Video.Ich lernen von Sie.73,von S56CJG.😊😊😊

[@kbjerke]

I really should get active again. My Dad and I used to chat every evening until he became an SK in 2010. We both enjoyed weak signal SSB on 2 meters and 6. I donated most of our equipment to the CNIB, but still have a few bits left. Thank you for piquing my interest again! 73 de Karl, VE3GUN

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

See you out there, Karl! 73 from VE3TWM.

[@kbjerke]

@@OutdoorsOnTheAir I see you are located very close to my Dad's QTH. (Condor Dr. in "Birdland.") Brings back memories, not all bad. Perhaps we'll meet on six or two USB sometime! 73!

[@budiwaluyo6895]

very inspiring

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!