Yaesu FT-450 Running 25 Watts

The Yaesu FT-450 is an exceptional transceiver for portable low-power work when using battery power. The radio was being powered by a 12 volt, 33 Ah battery. The antenna used was a 40 meter dipole hoisted up about 15 feet on a painter's pole.

[@USNERDOC]

What a treat to come home from night shift and find an AI4QT video in my subscription queue! Very cool . . . I could watch that all day. Great set of QSOs and thanks for sharing! I would love to see more of the portable solar charging system . . . I might have missed that so will have to check your prior videos. 73!

[@Tacticalgearhead]

Great contacts on the HF, KF7ETX suggested this channel and I'm glad that he did. 73 to you.

[@captlarry-3525]

the RF output is continuously variable..you can run it down to 1 watt if you want to. many people overdrive their linear amps.. expecially on AM where 25 watts carrier = 100w PEP.. while "normal" AM output is 45 watts. push F.. rotate selector to RF power..push in selector.. dial up your desired output power, push F again. at lowest power check setting with watt meter.. otherwise it is quite accurate.

[@AI4QT]

@QRPisFun. Happy New Year, Chuck. re painter pole-- I just ground-mounted the painter pole with the green stake--- i just shoved the grand stake into the ground a few inches, and the ends of the 40 meter dipole, tied to insulators and trees do the rest :-)

[@AI4QT]

Thanx Tacticalgearhead. KF7ETX is a great ambassador for what we all try to do on YT. Thanx again for watching. Best of 73 from Huntsville.

[@KatzOhki]

Great video. I think this video has convinced me to save up for the 450D for my next HF radio, which I really need cuz my old 20$ HF rig finally gave up. Now to just save up the money.

[@captlarry-3525]

used 450 is fine..you don't need the D or new..

[@m005kennedy]

Like this video a lot. I bought a like new 450d and find the number of buttons a little much! I like your set up here because this is what I wanted to be able to do. Subscribed to your channel, hope you have one on PSK31 or would consider doing one if you don't. Your battery look very large to lug around. how long would that last?(estimate) using 25 watts out? Mike KB1IUI

[@USNERDOC]

Forgot to mention . . . great editing!

[@waltwintsch7483]

Thanks for putting on the video...I'm a new ham and doing "you tube" research on HFs before I purchase.

[@AI4QT]

Thanks Doc. Now with the sun at my QTH at such a low angle (the sun is hidden behind a hill), I'm unable to charge my batteries during the day-- I could go down to curbside for full-sun, but I don't want to risk dropping the panels along the way--BUT I would, if I really needed a charge. There are several of these batteries I have, so they would last several days, maybe a week before I would have to consider other power sources. I picked up the solar panels at the local H. Freight. Later, Wil

[@AI4QT]

Roger. I sure do. I have three panels giving me 45 watts to charge batteries in case of power outages. Thanks for viewing. 73

[@KJ4TUG]

Very informative video. Thanks for sharing. And, love the NRA sweatshirt!!!

[@mobiltec]

Neat. Do you have a solar charger for the battery?

[@trylleklovn]

FT-450 is a nice rig. I'm a new HAM and use it as my primary HF radio. Thought your filter and shift setting where a little weird in this video? 73 de OZ3SR

[@MonteOlsen]

Great video. I hope you check for comments. I'm considering the older 450 as a way to get back into HAM radio. Your phonetics make me think you may have done some RTO work in the military? Regards.

[@captlarry-3525]

not a nickle's worth of difference twixt 450 and 450D just different Knobs !great radio.. get one !

[@AI4QT]

@FGsltw2009. It would be a pleasure to QSO with you. I am mainly on 40 meters (around 7200) when near the radio and at night will check into the AL Net, TN Net, and the GA Net on Sunday afternoons. Hope we can tag up!!! 73 from AI4QT

[@mikeydvd1]

how do you like the roofing filters in this radio,does it reduce alot of line noise, 73s ai1i

[@pd1jdw630]

25 watts is the power limit of Dutch novice operators. There are some more limits. Power limit for full license is 400 watts. But I see here 25 watts is pretty plentiful.

[@AI4QT]

Agree. I have often wondered how the bands would be if everyone used lower power :-)

[@pd1jdw630]

Yeah from 25 watts to 400watts is about 4~5 more s points. Which is about 15 dB ? Over an s9 signal. I'd think if everyone lowered there signal the bands would much cleaner. Never the less. We all want to contact the other side of the world. 73

[@AI4QT]

Good point.

[@AI4QT]

I’m just trying to keep up with ya!!! You have editing down as an art form!!!

[@motorcyclesandthings8633]

I bought one of these 450d and didn't like it , to much fiddly to turn power up and down through sub menus cheers Shane uk

[@captlarry-3525]

set it and forget it ?

[@hillosibul]

Kudos for the NRA hoodie!

[@GunFanactic]

What kind of battery is that?

[@CHEkebo]

YAESU FT450D Emisora multibanda HF 50 Mhz con acoplador automatico incluido - See more at: guixo.net/yaesu-ft450d-emisora-multibanda-hf-50-mhz-con-acoplador-automatico-incluido.html

[@motorcyclesandthings8633]

Also I wouldn't call 25 watts qrp or even low power

[@AI4QT]

QRP is a technical term for low power-- compared to 1000 watts, 25 watts is low power. True, most radio amateurs have made 5 watts and lower, the de facto standard for low power. 73.

[@motorcyclesandthings8633]

thanks

[@captlarry-3525]

since you have to quadruple the power to double the signal strength.. and that is just barely perceptible in all but the most marginal situations.. 25 w or 100 w makes little practical difference unless your antenna resembles a resistor.. which some do.

[@wadepatton2433]

Makes a difference to his battery charge life. Also, I've seen that these rigs will go down to 5-watts. But yes I'd not call 25w QRP either. It is only in relativity terms.

[@captlarry-3525]

No digital radio is "exceptional" in the receive mode.. where the stand by current is on the order of 1 amp... while a squelched analog transistor transceiver might operate at 35-65 ma. It is the digital logic which is the power hog during stand-by.. Anything works for half a day.. but when you want it to work for a week on a battery... digital stuff literally sucks.of course, you wont find the capabilities of an anolog rig that is 50 years old on a par with this modern wonder.. but they do the basic job.