SOME THOUGHTS ON FT-891 vs. FT-857D

[@reidlanham2011]

Check page 28 of the operation manual. It shows that you can use the MF knob to adjust frequency up and down if I am understanding correctly.

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for that note! Oddly enough, page 28 in my owner's manual doesn't cover the MF knob. So, I checked for a newer version of the manual. Bingo! The MF knob is covered. Unfortunately, the MF knob can only step as low as 50kHz, where the 857D steps at 1kHz. Still, learning how to use the MF knob for quick frequency selection is an awesome lesson. I appreciate you showing me!

[@SteveH-TN]

Thanks for sharing. Great information. Currently I have a 857 and your video convinced me not to change to 891 for my mobile use.

[@StealthGTI]

Glad I could help! I do like the FT-891. As a POTA activator, the voice recorder and its playback feature make calling "CQ POTA" VERY easy. :-) The digital interface is easier, too. Take Care!

[@Sky1]

I have used a lot of radios in my day and can say the Yaesu FT-857d is so easy to use when driving.

[@StealthGTI]

A very easy radio, indeed, so long as you have a setup that you like and don't need to fidget with the menus. I've returned my 857D to service as a VHF/UHF weak signal radio. Not much need for menu-surfing on those bands. The 891 has proven to be an excellent replacement on the HF bands... 6m, too. Thanks for visiting!

[@BobBob-il2ku]

Want to sell the 857d?

[@allilve]

Liked, commented and subbed. Loved the rooftop installation

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks a ton!

[@allilve]

@@StealthGTI thank you for the content!

[@John_Ai9D]

I love how you start your tuning at the lower end on your privileges. I always have to be really careful, trying not to go outside my band.

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks! When I first upgraded to General in 2007, setting my memory slot to the lower edge of my privileges helped me to remember the lower edge. The upper limit is easier to remember. Over time, it simply became a convenience to jump to the lower edge when I dialed through the memory channels. Thanks for visiting!

[@John_Ai9D]

@@StealthGTII've now done the same thing. Helps especially when mobile.

[@TimSleppy]

Great informative video. I'm looking at the 891 myself. You earned the Like with the 'yagi on the roof' idea.

[@StealthGTI]

Glad you liked it! Wait until you see the trailer-mounted tower that I'm currently road testing. Stay tuned and thanks for visiting!

[@jimbiddlecome13]

Great Video, Thanks for making up my mind..... I recently returned my 857 back into my mobile. Was toying with the idea of the 891 BUT.....I like the old 857 better although it will probably never see 2m ssb use again....my good friend and elmer is now a SK and I don't think there is another 2m ssb op in the county. Don't worry about a fancy beam for mobile V/U ssb my SG7900 works great. even the ATAS does pretty good for local talk. On VHF its more about the band conditions than polarity, unless your trying to work TROPO. Andy replaced my display at least 5 years ago. still looks like new. He's a great guy to know. he saved my old IC 746 from the swimmin pool and I gifted it to a new ham when he passed his Gen op ticket.......Thanks for your great video! 73

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for that excellent report! I use my 857D for VHF contesting. See my KE4WMF/R playlist for details, including my crazy antenna farm. Also, I'm watching the FTX-1F; it may be my next contest rig. 73!

[@DavidS-iw4ei]

Thank you for taking the time to go over the 891. I think I will wait for my 857 to die. Before I go and get the 891. I just like the shack in the box for my Mazda CX-5. Oh I have two 857. So it wil be a while before I need the 891. I don't think Yaesu will start making a mobile shack in the box for mobiles again. I hope they do.

[@StealthGTI]

I'd buy a notional "FT-891V" with HF/VHF/UHF in an instant! Oddly enough, my FT-857D is in the car again. It's been my VHF/UHF SSB contest rig since last year. See my KE4WMF/R playlist for more info. Thanks for visiting!

[@DavidS-iw4ei]

I can't wait for the "V" model. :o

[@KK6USYHamRadioAdventures]

Try a Halo antenna for 2m SSB as a mobile antenna, they work pretty good also 70cm and 6m

[@StealthGTI]

Great minds think alike! I've been interested in building a "rover" for VHF contesting. K5ND's setup has been an inspiration. I cannot recall if I said it in this video, but I'll be putting the 857D back in service as a VHF/UHF SSB rig. I'll eventually have the full roof setup with a rotator and beams, very similar to K5ND. Until then, I have a 6m loop as well as a 2m loop. I use the 6m loop for a couple of weekend nets. The 2m is just to have an "abbreviated setup" for the upcoming CQ VHF contest (6m/2m only), which would be my first contest effort. I'll get out and activate a few grids and see how it goes, perhaps develop a method for larger contests. My hope is to have the beams ready for September's ARRL VHF contest. Eventually, I'll add a 222 MHz transverter to complete my "Limited Rover" setup (amplifiers to come later). Take care! -KE4WMF

[@paulsharp5473]

It’s not a real replacement though because the 891 doesn’t have VHF UHF.

[@StealthGTI]

I agree that it's not a DIRECT replacement. However, since I was only using my 857D for HF, then the 891 is a real replacement. Ironically, I didn't use my 857D for VHF/UHF weak signal ops during its first 15 years. I've since returned it to the car exclusively for 144/222/432 SSB ops during VHF contests. See my KE4WMF/R playlist for details. Thanks for visiting.

[@aj2isotadxing]

Hopefully the 891 doesn’t have the zebra stripe issue all of the 857 radios eventually get if used mobile.

[@StealthGTI]

I'm relatively confident that it won't be a problem. The FT-857D displays were eventually improved. The guy who replaced my 857's 15 year old display claimed that they had improved and that he not seen any come back with the exception of heavily abused units. I imagine the much newer 891 design could have an even better screen. We'll see! Thanks for visiting!

[@HFbastler1]

@@StealthGTI Hi, where did you get it changed?

[@StealthGTI]

@@HFbastler1 - Look up WD8BWW on QRZ. Good luck!

[@mrz80]

That is a LOT of antenna on not a lot of car, neighbor! Don't think I've ever seen a full size screwdriver antenna on a subcompact before, even in the parking lot at Orlando Hamcation (where you some really out-there setups :) ). I just put an 891 in my car to replace my beloved old FT-100, that alas died of extreme old age. It's just a hair smaller than the -100 was, and was comparatively simple to mount in one piece in my Honda's cubby hole (the -100 I had to separate and put the radio in the center console); the mounting screws are easily accessible so I can pull the rig out for portable operation. Nice. I'm just starting to get a feel for the capabilities of the rig, and learning my way around yet another encyclopedic Yaesu menu structure.

[@StealthGTI]

You should see my latest project! This kick-off video, kzbin.info/www/bejne/fqHVqYuuhqZ1d6c, feeds straight into the latest update. If you attend Hamcation, you should see me there in February! I cannot believe how fast it's approaching. It will be tough to miss the car with its rover setup on display. Give me a shout if you want to meet in person. See my "KE4WMF-Communications" playlist or visit KE4WMF.com for more about my car. Thanks for visiting!

[@mrz80]

@@StealthGTI Cool. I'll def. keep an eye out for you in Orlando. I've gone pretty much every year for the last 20 or so :D

[@regularuser492]

FT-857D is a cult piece despite the early problem with the filter & zebra display ! Design, all band&mode was a milestone for his age ! The FT-891 is just another transceiver, period !

[@StealthGTI]

The 857D is a fine radio for sure. I still use it as my VHF/UHF SSB radio. My display was replaced two years ago. The new displays are said to be VERY robust. My primary goal with moving to the 891 was getting the larger display and modern filtering for HF. Thanks for visiting!

[@rjy8960]

They are going for silly money in Europe second hand. My use case is purely for portable use and ABSOLUTELY use VHF/UHF as well as HF with my FT-857. It is such a damn shame that this is only HF; I would love to have IF DSP filtering and the processor that the FT-891 has although AFAIK the current consumption on RX for this radio is higher than the 857. My personal feeling is that Yaesu have lost their flair and creativity. Their radio's used to be disruptive and innovative but that ship has sadly sailed - and that is from someone who has owned and coveted Yaesu radio's for over 40 years. Why couldn't they have introduced a true replacement for the 857? I don't think they are up to it any longer and left space for Icom who are doing very nicely with their later radio's. I feel no desire to buy - My latest radio's have been Icom and Lab599 and I'm seriously considering going for Flex for my next main shack HF transceiver. Plus the build isn't where it used to be - plastic wobbly knobs don't belong on top-flight radio equipment. I have no excitement for the brand any longer.

[@shipsahoy1793]

Although the FT-891 doesn’t have some of the desired attributes of the 857D, it’s worth is highly dependent on your use case and situation. I’d say it’s one of the few “budget” transceivers available that is the best space-saving desktop or moblie HF radio for voice communication and the budget-minded that is currently on the market. Although, I will never give up my 857D. Owned it since 2013, and still love that radio in the mobile for HF and VHF SSB. Back then, I purchased the ATAS-120A screwdriver antenna, the optional TCXO, and an IRC 2.9 kHz wide IF filter, and an IRC low-loss narrow SSB filter. There’s nothing quite like making DX contacts on the upper HF bands from the car, or rag chewing on 40 m with stations in the surrounding states when the 40m band is “short.”

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@rjy8960 oh, I feel your pain and I agree with a lot of your sentiments. It is really a shame that they (Yaesu) now “talk the talk” in their marketing blurbs, but they definitely do not “walk the walk.” Thanks for sharing!

[@rjy8960]

@@shipsahoy1793 Since writing that last post, I have bought a new radio and went for the TS-990. I couldn't find any excitement for the FT-DX101MP in the way that I did for the Kenwood. Shame it's now discontinued :(

[@jjsemperfi]

I wish the 891 was more like the 857. Shame they don’t make a good all band portable anymore.

[@StealthGTI]

I'd love to see the FT-891 be updated to an FT-891VU (made up name). I'd buy one in an instant. HAHA! Thanks for visiting!

[@kleekp43]

Have you ever used the 891 in AM mode.if so how Was the transmitt And receive?

[@StealthGTI]

Sorry, I have not. SSB and FT8 only so far. Thanks for visiting!

[@williamshepherd1128]

I too miss the 1mhz step of the multi knob

[@StealthGTI]

Interesting twist: I've reinstalled the FT-857D! The 891 is still in the car, but the 857D will become my VHF contesting rig. I've built a modest 6/2m "Rover" for this weekend's CQ World Wide VHF Contest. We'll see how it works. I don't expect outstanding results with omni-loops, but I'm getting my feet wet and hope to have an improved setup in September. See the initial setup at stealthgti.com/ke4wmf-r/, if you're interested. Thanks for visiting.

[@bradl2636]

Pardon my ignorance but what kind of power supply do I need to run the FT-891 from an AC base source? Can you recommend antenna tuners for various bands? I'm just getting into the hobby and I gather this rig has a great bang for buck for base, mobile and portable use cases. For portable POTA style what kind of battery do you recommend? I've also looked at the 991A but it seems much heavier power draw.

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for visiting, Brad! The FT-991 is more of a base station; so, not ideal for portable use. As for power supply demands for the FT-891, it's max current draw is 23A. So, I think a 30A power supply would be more than adequate. You could get away with less if you operate from a LiFePo4 battery and use a charger instead. That will catch up with you if you're a heavy user, though. Battery need will depend on how much power you use. I think I've seen plenty of POTA activators get by with a 20A battery. Take care!

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@StealthGTI Something to consider.. the current draw in receive for an 891 is almost double that of an 857d, so that’s going to cut into your useable battery lifetime for portable field use. The 891 is more of a base/mobile rather than a mobile/portable.

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for the note, @shipsahoy1793. I have a 100-Ah LiFePo4 battery and 360W charger in my car. So, I don't worry much about a little extra current draw. 👍

[@shipsahoy1793]

@@StealthGTI no problem but I wasn’t addressing your mobile use. I just wanted to point it out for anybody who wanted to work the radio portable in the field and had concerns about the battery life. In fact, a radio that does a lower maximum output power will be more efficient (power saving) on transmit than a radio that can 100 watts and is set to that lower power, but these comments are/were more for the unaware. That is not necessarily you.😉The mindset for what constitutes a “field radio” seems to have gotten lost over at Yaesu. There are many good reasons why the 857/817/897 family of radios were so popular and actually preferred IF they were available for purchase… this is not to say that the ft-891 is a bad radio, but some of the mobile/field aspects of the radio seem to have gotten lost in the design process. I think the radio is great for a space saving new budget HF base radio, but Yaesu is not marketing it that way.

[@dougdunlap5889]

very practical info

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks! I finally got the 891 setup for digital modes. I like the interface much better than on the 857D. I'll try to create a video about it soon. Take care!

[@RobertLeeAtYT]

That’s entirely too fiddly to use while driving. I think Yaesu screwed up some on the user interface. Needs more dedicated buttons, ones operable by touch alone. Having to look at a menu is trouble in the making. I have a ft857d. Better user interface, but no HF while driving even then. It’s UHF and VHF repeater work only if the wheels are turning.

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for the note. I have both the FT-891 and FT-857D in the car now. I enjoyed using the old interface of my FT-857D while working POTA sites during my recent two road trips. With the 891, I choose a band and leave it there. Thanks for visiting.

[@vironpayne3405]

The FT857 has the same scan feature on the stock microphone. I like your idea of a memory channel to quickly go to an HF band. Of course with the FT857 the ergonomics made it easy to switch bands or modes without looking. I am still waiting on an updated shack in the box rig with a full 100W. The FT-991 almost got there. A FTDX-10 with VHF & UHF would definitely float my boat. Shack in the box floats my boat as a condo dweller that does most HF portable.

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for sharing that, Viron! I never felt a need to scan on my FT-857D since "micro-tuning" was easier. Also, I think an FT-891 with VHF/UHF would be awesome. Take Care!

[@bentleys5059]

Came across your channel. Nicely done. Subbed.

[@StealthGTI]

Awesome, thank you! Stay tuned; my next several videos will be about my equipment. It's time to update the channel and my next efforts will be linked to each other. Thanks for visiting!

[@alvarogaitan2529]

thanks for sharing this video fantastic radio yaesu ft 891 73 from kb2uew

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for visiting!

[@alvarogaitan2529]

Thanks you great videos nice job thanks

[@davidhume2842]

If your ever interested in selling your 857, give me a holler. I’ve been looking for one for a while

[@StealthGTI]

Thanks for the note! Yes, the 857D is still a sought-after radio, for sure. Ironically, I didn't use mine for SSB above 50MHz during its first 15 years of service. I have since returned the radio to the car for exactly that mode. I'm building a rover setup and have been working in various SSB nets. See my rover intro video at kzbin.info/www/bejne/iHSyh2SNm6-qrbM. There's a chapter that gives a tour of the station. Thanks for visiting!

[@TAKEONEURBANPRODUCTION]

Ft857 the best mobile just look at what they going for used. The 891 cant compare or replace it.

[@StealthGTI]

Feature for feature, you're right! But I will say that the receive audio on the 891 is better when tested back to back against the 857D on the same antenna. IF the 891 was ever to see the addition of 2m/70cm, it would be a winner in my book. Thanks for visiting!

[@davidfdesouza7895]

Gostaria muito de adiquirir um rádio desse ft 857

[@StealthGTI]

I'm glad I didn't sell mine. I'm on the verge of returning mine to my car for VHF contesting on SSB. Looking at the used market, it appears that my radio could sell today for more than I paid 15 years ago. Who knew that could happen? ;-) Thanks for visiting!

[@hyperionsixzeroeight5064]

FT-857D has worst display of ANY radio, horrible, fails often.

[@StealthGTI]

I guess that depends on how you define "often." If you mean "widespread," then I agree. My display failed after about 15 years in a hot car. The repair part is reportedly an upgrade. WD8BWW replaced mine and many others over this years in the business. He told me that he's only seen two of the newer displays return. One was involved in a serious crash and the other was at a truck stop when the rig next door caught fire. Those seem like good odds! 🙂 Thanks for visiting!

[@TAKEONEURBANPRODUCTION]

Stop loving the head in a hot car.

[@문인호-g3f]

Ft857d중고 무전기 구함 저렴한기게부탁드립니다

[@StealthGTI]

Good luck with your search. Thanks for visiting!

[@VASGENR6DJF]

Thank you for the video. Subscription from me.

[@StealthGTI]

Excellent! Welcome aboard!

[@straightpride451]

Too much facetime.

[@StealthGTI]

HAHA! It was either going to be my face or the radio doing absolutely nothing. I had a camera on the radio any time I was manipulating it. Thanks for the feedback.

[@amsoiltek]

Posting on an old thread here, Hi Scott, I have a MK7 TDI SEL that I want to "ham up" but not as crazy as your setup. Now I just need to figure out what HF radio I want to go with. de N6OIL

[@StealthGTI]

No worries about bumping the old video. I still get hits on videos from 2019 and earlier! If you like the idea of a small, remote-mounted face with the body hidden elsewhere, the FT-891 is a great option, especially for the price. If you want more capability and have the space, then an FT-991 or small Icom units may work for you. What are your goals?

[@amsoiltek]

@@StealthGTI I'm mostly an HF guy but would like to only have one radio, might need a 2nd for GMRS to stay legit. I have been looking IC-7100, I do have an IC-7000 but it's a company radio. I really love the idea of remote mounting. Probably will go with the lil Tarheel. Decisions, decisions.