Yaesu FT-891 Accessory Bundle - 5 Items - Includes Yaesu ATAS-120A Mobile Antenna, Comet Lip Mount with Coax, YSK-891 Seperation Kit, Nifty! Bandplan and Ham Guides TM Quick Reference Card $577.87. Only 2 left in stock - order soon. Yaesu YSK-891 Separation Kit for FT-891 HF Mobile Transceiver. Yaesu FT-DX1200 HF/50 MHz Amateur Radio Base Transceiver, 100 Watts. Yaesu Original FT-891 HF/50 MHz All Mode Analog Ultra Compact Mobile / Base Transceiver - 100 Watts - 3 Year Warranty. Yaesu FT-857D Amateur Radio Transceiver - HF, VHF, UHF All-Mode 100W Remote Head Capability.
- 10) Click F on the FT-891 (short click) 11) Goto MON on the FT-891 menu. 12) Click on MON. 13) Turn down the MON level to 0 Note: This applies regardless if you have MON ON or MON OFF (this is a bug in Yaesu’s firmware. LOL) 14) Now you have CAT control without any clicking sounds on your FT-891. 15) Enjoy your Yaesu FT-891.
- We hope this new firmware will increase your enjoyment of your FT-891. Thank you for choosing Yaesu radios. If you have any problems or questions, please contact Yaesu, Amateur Tech Support. Best regards, Mikio Maruya, WA6F. Executive Vice President. Engineering & Customer Service.
There was a lot involved in getting this working so I thought I would write a post about getting the Yaesu FT-891 to work digital modes (FT8 in this case) with a new Mac the only has USB-C ports. There are probably other ways to do it but I think what I am describing will be the lowest cost route.
First, here are the settings in the FT-891 menu system that I ended up using:
- 05-06 CAT RATE – 9600bps
- 05-07 CAT TOT – 100msec
- 05-08 CAT RTS – ENABLE
- 07-12 PC KEYING – RTS
- 08-01 DATA MODE – OTHERS
- 08-03 OTHER DISP – 1500Hz
- 08-04 OTHER SHIFT – 1500Hz
- 08-05 DATA LCUT FREQ – OFF
- 08-07 DATA HCUT FREQ – OFF
- 08-09 DATA IN SELECT – REAR
- 08-10 DATA PTT SELECT – RTS
- 08-11 DATA OUT LEVEL – 50 (some sites recommended 10 for this, I hardly received any signals at 10, use the WSJT-X waterfall colors to calibrate this)
- 08-12 DATA BFO – USB
- 16-14 DATA DATA GAIN – 50 (this is the default, I didn’t change it)
- There’s also WDH on the FUNCTION-1 menu, I am not sure that this effects DATA mode(I think 08-05 and 08-07 override it) but you can set this to max (3000Hz)
See the Yaesu FT-891 Advance Manual for information on these settings.
Next step is to get CAT control working. I would have an antenna or dummy load connected to the radio as if you don’t have all the settings right there’s the possibility of it going into transmit mode. The FT-891 has a USB-B port on the back, most commonly used on printers. I tried using an old USB printer cable and a USB-C adapter to the Mac but this didn’t work. I’ve had issues with a couple of USB devices using the adapter so it may work for you. I ended up purchasing a USB-C printer cable(USB-B on one end and USB-C on the other). After obtaining the cable, OSX requires the Silicon Labs UART driver for the serial communication between the Mac and the radio to work. The driver can be found here:
https://www.silabs.com/products/development-tools/software/usb-to-uart-bridge-vcp-drivers
It’s a fairly standard Mac driver install and may require security authorization and a reboot to get it fully working.
For logging software I’m using RumLogNG which is a free logging program for Mac. You can install it now and test the CAT control functionality. Here are the CAT settings for RumLogNG that I used:
While you’re in the settings for RumLogNG, click on the UDP tab and setup the UDP server the WSJT-X will use for CAT control. Here’s are the settings:
Now is a good time to create a new log file in RumLogNG, otherwise contacts from WSJT-X won’t log due to not having a log file.
WSJT-X can be downloaded here. I’m not going to go into all the configuration options for this program, it’s heavily documented on the Internet. To configured communication between RumLogNG and WSJT-X I used the following settings on the Radio tab:
To pass the QSO’s to the log, set the following setting the UDP Server section on the Reporting tab:
This completes the software configuration. The final part took me the longest which is getting the audio into WSJT-X. It took me the longest mostly due to being cheap. I first tried using an old PS/2 keyboard cable to plug into the data port of the FT-891. These cables only have 4 of the pins wired and of course missing the ones we want. The official CT-39A cable is almost $20 but it’s the same connector used on old PS/2 mouse and keyboards. I purchased a 10ft PS/2 extensions cable (male to male, in case I screwed up I’d have 2) and cut it in half. The extension cables have all 6 pins. I cut in half an 3.5mm AUX audio cable and connected the red cable of one to the DATA Out Receive Audio, and the red of the other to the DATA In Transmit Audio and both the white and shield cables to the GND of the PS/2 connector. Here’s the pinout of the male plug:
The female pinout can be found on page 64 of the FT-891 Advance Manual.
Here’s what my cable looked like, pluged into a USB-C Sound Card adapter for Mac:
In the Audio section of WSJT-X configure the send and recieve to USB Audio. I’ve seen some mention of going into Applications->Utilities and Audio MIDI Setup to configure the USB Audio to use 48kHz but mine was already set to that by default. Another post had mentioned setting it to 41000Hz if you had issues but I didn’t need to do that.
The point of this project was to be able to get quick contacts from my car for Parks on the Air. I’m going to be hitting quite a few parks soon and for the less interesting ones I figured I would just work FT8 from the car and then move on to the next. For power I have wired some anderson power pole connectors to the power terminals I have setup for my car audio system. I bought a bunch of ham stick antennas at the club swap meet and then ordered a magmount for my car and adjusted the 20m hamstick to resonance at 14.074MHz. I could only get 1.9 SWR but that was good enough. I tested this setup from my driveway and found it works pretty well.
I’m heading out on a Parks on the Air adventure soon and I’ll be posting on how this all works in practice.
The Yaesu FT-891 is a great HF radio. It’s one of few HF two way radios that comes with some great advanced features while still being very easy to use.
But if you want to get high-end functionality out of it and make your Ham experience easier and more convenient, then you need to get a few accessories specifically designed for it.
If you’re looking to set up a solid Ham radio system around your FT-891, then you should consider getting the following accessories.
Best Yaesu FT-891 Accessories
Here are our Yaesu FT-891 accessory reviews.
1. Yaesu ATAS-120A
The Yaesu ATAS-120A is one of the few antennas that will work for your Yaesu FT-891. It covers the HF band through UHF, and even comes with auto self-tuning. The exact frequency range it covers is 40 meters to 450 MHz, which is pretty wide and also covers many other Yaesu FT-857D.
It measures around 60 inches, which also makes it one of the biggest antennas you will find on the market. However, HF antennas have to be this long to cover the required bands.
As per user reviews, it improves the range and performance significantly for your Yaesu FT-891. While it’s definitely very pricey, it’s a high-end antenna that will make your Yaesu FT-891 work like a high-end radio.
Pros:
- One of the few antennas that will work for your Yaesu FT-891
- Comes with an auto self-tuning feature that works great
- It covers a huge range from 40 meters to 450 Mhz
- It’s a high-end antenna that improves the performance of your radio significantly
Cons:
- It’s an expensive antenna
2. Yaesu YSK-891 Separation Kit
If you’re looking to add more convenience and functionality to your Ham expensive with the Yaesu FT-891, then this separation kit would appeal you. It packages a microphone extension cable that allows you to use your microphone without having to sit beside your radio, a control cable, a front panel bracket, and a speaker extension cable.
Just like the microphone extension cable, you can use the speaker extension cable to be able to use and operate the radio in a more flexible way. The other cables, too, allow you to use your radio more conveniently.
While it’s a pricey kit, all the cables are very long and well-made, and the quality is certainly there.
Pros:
- This kit offers a lot of convenience and flexibility in using your Yaesu FT-891
- You can use the microphone and the speaker without having to sit beside the radio
- Cables are long and well-made
Cons:
- Pricey
3. MFJ RF Power & SWR Meter
If you want better tuning with the antenna we reviewed above than what its auto self-tuning function can offer, then this SWR meter would be a great choice. It covers both the HF and UHF that the Yaesu FT-891 operates on.
There’s also VHF that could turn out to be useful for you if you have other mobile Ham radios that operate on the VHF band or are a dual band Ham radio. It also reads power up to 200 watts, which easily covers the Yaesu FT-891.
There’s an LED light that makes it easier to read in dark conditions or during the night. It’s also easy to use and a great addition to an experience Ham’s setup.
Pros:
- Covers both the UHF and RF band needed for the Yaesu FT-891
- Offers better tuning than an antenna’s self-tuning function
- Supports up to 200 watts of power
- Comes with an LED light
Cons:
- The build quality isn’t the best, but you will do fine if you just use it with a bit of care
4. Roeam Antenna Analyzer Meter
If you’re setting up an advanced Ham setup with your Yaesu FT-891, then the Roeam Antenna Analyzer Meter would make a pretty good addition to it too. It covers the 1 to 60 MHz HF range, while the highest the FT-891 will go is 56 MHz, so it will work pretty well for analyzing antenna you use with your radio.
You can get all the detailed analysis and waveform measurements on your PC using a USB cable, which is not included, but you can use the cable that comes in the separation kit we reviewed above.
It’s easy to operate and quick with its analyzing functionality, while also being easy to read and very well-built.
Pros:
- A fairly advanced HF antenna analyzer
- Covers beyond the 56 MHz frequency that the FT-891 can reach
- Ability to get the analysis on your PC using a programming cable
- Easy to use and durable
Cons:
- A bit on the higher side, but reasonably priced for an SWR meter that can do HF measurements
5. Yaesu FT-891 Accessory Bundle
If you’re a beginner and want to make your life easier programming the Yaesu FT-891, then this accessory bundle is precisely what you need. It’s a programming software, cable kit, and includes a mini manual and Ham guides for easier programming and better operation of your radio.
It goes a long way in making your FT-891 easy to operate, while probably being the best way to program it for beginners. The cable works well and is also very well-made. Yamaha motorcycle engine serial number decoder.
The included Ham guides and mini manual turns out to be a pretty handy resource too.
Pros:
- Makes programming much easier for beginners
- Includes a programming software and cable
- The included manual and Ham guides makes the operation easier to understand
Cons:
- Some might find it a little pricey, but for programming a HF radio like the Yaesu FT-891 it’s reasonably priced
Yaesu FT-891 Accessories Buyer’s Guide
Some users, particularly beginners, might wonder why exactly they need to buy such an expensive antenna for their FT-891. Well, as we mentioned while reviewing the Yaesu ATAS-120A Ham radio antenna, it’s an antenna particularly designed for your Yaesu FT-891.
There aren’t many antennas that work with the HF band, and the Yaesu ATAS-120A is one of them. It also covers a large frequency range, including the entire range the Yaesu FT-891 offers.
It greatly adds to the overall performance of your FT-891, and helps it offer a kind of range and capability comparable to a truly high-end radio that’s much more expensive.
Easier Programming
The reason we reviewed a programming kit is that the most frustrating part of using a Ham radio for beginners is the programming. The programming kit we reviewed in this post makes programming much easier for the beginners, and is a great way to program the FT-891 for advanced Hams as well.
The included manual and Ham guides also make a useful resource for beginners, allowing them to explore the advanced functionalities of the FT-891.
Antenna Analyzer and SWR Meter
Mac Software For Yaesu Ft 891 Ti
While the antenna we reviewed in this post comes with a self-tuning function that works well, but not all users may buy such an expensive antenna. Similarly, there may be users that would want a better tuning than what the self-tuning function offers.
Yaesu 891 For Sale
An SWR meter may turn out to be a great tool in such a case. The one we reviewed in this post works on the HF band while also supporting up to 200 watts of power making it a perfect fit for the FT-891.
The antenna analyzer is another great tool if you want to set up an advanced Ham system or looking to perform advanced Ham operations. It would help you analyze the issues with your antenna that you need to fix in order to get the best performance from your Ham radio setup.
Mac Software For Yaesu Ft 891 Advanced Manual
Marvel vs capcom 2 fightcade rom gamecube. It covers up to 60 MHz, while the max frequency of the FT-891 is only 56 MHz, which makes it another perfect tool to be used with the Yaesu FT-891.