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

[@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-

[@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!!!! :)

[@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.

[@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.

[@KX4UL]

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!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@kellypaws]

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

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@DavidSkelhon]

Thanks Tracy, I agree with much of your review. I have owned one for four years and find it great for potable operations where weight isn’t an issue. I can then pack in a 20 Ah lithium battery so I can run 50+ Watts. I rarely operate for more than a couple of hours so providing I start with a fully charged battery the lack of voltage readout isn’t really an issue. It definitely isn’t the easiest radio to use and I recommend learning to drive it in the shack with the manual at hand before a major portable activation. Overall, it’s packed with features and is excellent value for money. I guess the current drain is the price we pay for digital processing on receive and 100W capability on transmit.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience, David!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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. 👍🏻

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@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 🙂

[@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)

[@FIL357]

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

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Phil!

[@TheNoCodeTech]

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

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Yes it is! Thank you.

[@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.

[@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.

[@dawgrules1]

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

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@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!

[@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.

[@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.👍🇨🇦

[@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.

[@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.

[@mountainsunsets]

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

[@martinsalt1839]

Nice review. Did you consider buying the new Lab599 Discovery TX-500 for your portable HF ops ? Admittedly, it's only 10W (but not much difference to your max operating /p of 20W), and it's made in Russia too, but has had excellent reviews and by all accounts is a very rugged radio and waterproof.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you, Martin. Several others have commented about the TX-500. It does look like an excellent low-power rig.

[@radioaxe6964]

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

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Good idea :) thank you!

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@trig6712]

good and good to hear from you again Trig

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

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

[@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.

[@englishandproud1949]

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 .....

[@kevin_wb0poh]

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.

[@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......

[@billryland6199]

I use my FT-891 for both a secondary base station and portable ops at about 50 watts. I use an inline volt/amp monitor to keep track of battery charge. It draws about 1 amp on receive. I have a couple of design complaints, though. The "Clarifier" button should have been another programmable button since most controls are buried in the menus. The memories do not store the power setting. A sound card should have been built in. The "band scope" is completely useless - not enough resolution and is not real time. The receiver works well with good audio. I paid $570 brand new.

[@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.

[@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!

[@kenchilton]

For portable, Lithium type batteries are the choice to make due to power density in weight and volume. With such battery systems, they usually don’t give anything close to a linear warning as they discharge. Looking at the battery voltage on the display is not really as useful as having the battery system audibly and visually warning you at set discharge points, and cutting off completely before letting the output voltage drop below the minimum acceptable for the powered device.

[@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.

[@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

[@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.

[@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!

[@n1mie]

One rebuttal on one of your points. If you are using LiFePo batteries, as I believe you stated you were, the voltage is not a great indicator of battery state. The voltage on a LiFePo will stay fairly high and fairly constant until shortly before it dies when it will fairly rapdily decrease. You should use an external Ah meter of some sort when using this battery formula. Otherwise I thought your review was most excellent. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

That's an interesting and valid point, thank you for sharing it. Too bad they didn't put an ammeter on the display. Carrying an extra item means there is something else for me to forget, and over the years I have forgotten to pack plenty 😀

[@mikestone9129]

Very good review. Direct and to the point.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@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.

[@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

[@bruceforster5993]

I sold a Motorcycle this past week. I took half of that money and purchased an FT-891 AND an FT-200 for use in our Toyota Sienna. I've taken out the seats and converted it into a mini Camper for my wife and I. This also makes it viable as a buyout vehicle if we ever have that need. MY only complaint with Yaesu at this point is centered on the ATAS 120a Screwdriver Antenna. I have one on my van and I like it VERY much. My only complaint is that it will not work on 80 Meters. It seems to me that a company as GOOD as Yaesu could address this matter. If they DO come out with an 80 Meter Capable ATAS, I'd buy it in a heartbeat!

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience, Bruce!

[@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.

[@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!

[@ronniet5680]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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!

[@Robbbbooo]

Hey Tracy, VE7OZR from BC. I am learning a lot from your videos! I got licensed a couple years ago, and have been enjoying VHF and some digital modes, but now I am looking for my first HF radio. Like you, we do a lot of camping (in our truck camper) and I'd like a radio I could easy bring along (we do have a large lithium battery bank in our camper). I may also take the radio on some hikes to try out SOTA. I also want to use it daily at home. Obviously these are quite a few varied uses. Based on this information, would you recommend the FT-891 or FT-817/8? I like the form factor, weight, power consumption of the FT818 but I want to make sure I will still be able to reach the nets and Winlink nodes in Vancouver (about 400km as the crow flies). Let me know what you think! Cheers, Rob.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Hi Rob, fun fact my best friend is VE *3* OZR. There aren't many summits where I live so I don't do SOTA. However, I know a bunch of SOTA ops prefer the 817 series for their compact size, low weight, frequency agility, ruggedness and low current draw. That would be my pick if I was hauling stuff up a peak as the summit provides a very tall tower to put your antenna on. The 891 is probably a better choice if the duty is to be split as a home rig, though. Maybe buy one of those first and add an 817/818 later to dedicate to portable ops. Hope this helps. 73 from VE3TWM.

[@marc_d.357Mag]

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.

[@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

[@adrenalinowner7992]

Hey Tracy, I came across this video as I am getting into ham radio myself.. and thought I would see what I can find out about the 891 from other users… I plan on using as a mobile set up with the ATAS120 antenna..

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Welcome to the greatest hobby in the world! Have fun with your mobile station.

[@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.

[@alanbrockmeier6871]

Why would a FT891 quit displaying signal strength? Just started using my 891, it was showing signal strength and now it doesn’t. Thanks NM5SP Alan

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Refer to the bottom of page 36 in the Advance manual. There is a switch to turn off the AGC.

[@alanbrockmeier6871]

Great thanks so much!

[@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.

[@Marty48034]

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

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you!

[@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!

[@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!

[@bunston1000]

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

[@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!

[@Amateur-radio-hobby]

i always enjoy your narration, thank u

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you very much!

[@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!

[@9999plato]

My 891 was knocked off the table by a club member who tripped on the coax the first night of field day. It was not harmed one bit. I bought side rails when I got home. I made a contact in Germany that night with a EFHW antenna that morning. 100 watts comes in handy. The real manual is the one you print out. It is far more extensive than the manual included in the box. Printed full manuals are the standard with most electronics these days like it or not though the included manual was more than sufficient to get me up and running on my first night operating an HF radio and that was bareback in the field. I don't care about battery draw as I have a 40 ah Bioenno battery and have a digital volt meter on hand. I don't stray far from the 4x4 so none of this matters. To each his own. To me low power radios are a niche of the hobby akin to using a 28ga shotgun in the field. If you want to handicap yourself go right ahead. I think 28ga is great under certain conditions but if you must put food on the table I'd rather have a choice of light or heavy loads in a 12 or 20 ga. Same logic goes for radio.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

20 watts vs 80 (or 100) watts...one S-unit.

[@kevinlange8142]

Which can be the difference between contact and no contact. As said: handy.

[@Littrell1966]

Thank you for the great review!! Looking at buying my first HF radio and this is on the shortlist. Mainly price first, portabliity second. And ease of use, what do you think of this radio for a first HF radio??

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Don't wait, go get one. And as soon as you can thereafter, dig out the manuals and learn as much as you can about its' capability. If you do that, you'll really enjoy the rig.

[@M7BCN]

I’ve just purchased one and I’m blown away by it receive capabilities.

[@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!

[@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.

[@Patrickjdee66]

Excellent and in depth review , thank you

[@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 :)

[@Indigenous_Patriot_1175]

Excellent video!! I’m looking for a good quad band radio to include HF for a man pack

[@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.

[@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

[@CE4JDM]

I'm trying WSJT-X on 14.074.000, but each time I TX, my FT-891 transmits on 14.073.500. Why does it jump down like that to TX? Thanks, CE4JDM

[@kenedmonds7599]

I'm just curious if the swr meter can be changed to display input voltage on transmit. I don't own one of these, but I have the 991a, and on it, you can display the voltage while transmitting, and when not, it works as the usual incoming s meter. I'm just curious. Great video.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Sadly, no it can't. There is an ALC voltage reading that can be displayed, but not input voltage.

[@KU9L]

Good review ... now I am more confused than ever as to which radio to buy for my outside portable operating to replace my QRP ATS3-B. Hmmm. Thanks for all of your research. -Dave, KU9L

[@TinyTJ04]

I also have an 897 that I love and use for portable operations. The biggest question I have is this: is the filtering and processing on the 891 something that would net you more contacts? If so, would it net more contacts in total before running out of battery, when compared to the 897 running on the same battery? In my opinion, I really like the form factor and features of the 891, but if it doesn't mean more contacts it really doesn't justify the spend.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You've raised an excellent question that I don't think can be simply answered. But it would be fun to try! Thank you for your comment.

[@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!

[@fraserwilliamson7998]

Nice video I have been using one for 2 months in my truck with an Atas 120 Screwdriver Antenna and have had over 150 Qso’s with it but it’s receive signal on the meter can be low most of the time which I am trying to rectify.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Thank you for sharing your experience! Good luck with the mobile station.

[@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.😊😊😊

[@georgetimm8203]

Thank you for another clear and concise review.

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

You're welcome and thank you for your comment!

[@hcy0]

Your 2 points (high current drain on receive and - not mentioned - on send even if you lower the power to about 5-10 W) and the missing voltage display are the same I would complain about. Apart from that I use the FT-891 both in the shack and mobile / portable. Do you thinkg there is any hope Yaesu can fix the missing battery display with a firmware update?

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Sadly, I'm not holding my breath for Yaesu to make the change.

[@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.

[@cliftonhead9665]

Either I missed it but for me going in the field for pota or sota the less you carry the better. With ft891 you need n ext turne. that along doest work for me

[@budiwaluyo6895]

Thank you, I do appreciate that May I ask question privately? Next yaesu on field, what do you need? And, honestly do you mind if I ask question? Nowaday Yaesu have made many series of ftdx transceiver, please sorry What series do you suggest me, you do prefer on field? Thank you sir, stay healthy

[@OutdoorsOnTheAir]

Hi and thank you for your comment/question. If you are asking which Yaesu radio is best for the filed at this time, I'd have to go with the 891. It's not perfect, but it's pretty good.

[@budiwaluyo6895]

thank you too sir for a very kind and friendship i still don't understand those newer radio has been develop this way? i mean not only for phone and Morse code, and also the size, bigger and huge specifications for examp 991A that Will be my dream radio, do you agree that, sir? have you ever compare those 891 and 991A, please give me advice

[@budiwaluyo6895]

for out door, i prefer 818 maybe? lower consumption of battery