I'm still waiting for Yaesu to give us the ability to selectively group channels like you can on their HTs back to the FT-60. I don't understand why this isn't in any of their fancy mobile radios.
I want to like this radio, but when the Yaesu Rep takes 20 minutes to stumble through sending a APRS message on a $650 radio. Kinda makes my Old android tablet, with APRSdriod look pretty good. Your first Pre canned MSG needs to be "HELP!"
I was really excited for this radio but after watching this it is disappointing that no radio manufacturer has made a mobile radio better than the unobtainium that is the Kenwood 710. I'll just use my current setup with APRSDroid as well.
John mentioned APRS on a plane. I’m in Nebraska and a couple months ago I picked up a beacon from southeast Iowa at 3000’ and heading sw at 180mph. I checked the call sign and the pilot was going home to Texas.
Ive Had about ten yaesu radios including FT3DR, FT5DR, FTM400DR, FTM300DR, and now FTM500DR. Why Yaesu cant make a more intuitive APRS messaging experience is beyond me. Its horrible. It should be REAL easy to make it just like text messaging. Select message, Hit reply, type message, hit transmit.
What's worse is that it's 2024. Should be a Yaesu app on your phone with virtually unlimited channel banks and access to all the settings which allows you to send APRS messages from your phone and store unlimited APRS. Also would be trivial to include the ARRL repeater list, custom banks by zip code maybe? How about custom configs from your phone for different setups and activities. Crossband repeater config that I can just select without pushing buttons and scrolling 100 item settings menus? Instead, they made the screen smaller and added more physical buttons. smh
They lead you to believe it has an in built GPS. John CROOK is out there promoting this junk. Brand new out of the box, there is no functional GPS in the FTM-500.
The manuals are already available for free download and you can print the entire thing or any portion. Also, if *you* don't want to print it yourself, you could have a print/ copy shop print and bind very inexpensively.
I’m brand new to ham radio. Passed both my tech and general in the last three weeks. I’m in the market for my first radio and am admittedly looking for the new cool shiny release from either Yaesu or Icom. I want to like the FTM-500, but just can’t get excited about it. There are even fusion repeaters in the Houston area, but I think I will end up with the “older” Icom-5100.
Does anyone know where the GPS antenna is? Looking to mount the main body unit under the seat, and the display unit near the dashboard. Thanks in advance
Excellent party! I would really love to see John how setup the Winlink from A-Z on FTM-500. I have hard time to send the PTT through DigiRig and I am sure I am missing something on the radio as the setup works with a different radio. Winlink become more and more desired for EmComm as APRS, so wouldn't be a good presentation? Thank you and 73!
On the 400 i could lock aprs to one memory channel 144.390 so that i didnt accidentally bump vfo and go off frequency. But the 500 has one memory group for both A and B band. There fore you cant save just one memory channel in B band for aprs. kinda unhandy.
That makes sense - however, since there is no VFO for the B-band on this radio, it would be impossible to bump it. Leave 144.390 on the sub band and there is no way you can change it, except for pressing the switch button on the top of the head, which would be really hard to do on accident.
Jason, did you ever do that video on Winlink for the Yaesu FTM-500? (You mentioned you planned to in another comment). If not, do you know of a good tutorial that would get me closer to getting that done?
Is it possible to dual watch 2 memory channels on main/sub and have APRS auto beacon at the programmed interval on 144.39? The Anytone 878/578 does this and I havent found anything in settings or the manuals for the FT5/FTM500...
I don’t think so, but I’m relatively new to using amateur radio. I recently bought this radio primarily for APRS and discovered that I was sending all my beacons over my local repeater and not the standard APRS frequency. This radio follows the complete opposite of “the principle of least surprise”. If it was a programming language it would be C++
I think this is the rig I want to go with for my semi truck I’m new to all this about to get my technicians license. Do you have a video or recommend any videos on a complete guide of everything I would need for my truck and how to use it best while driving across the country, and will it scan for repeaters? And what’s the best way utilize wires X while driving over the road? I do have Wi-Fi in my truck but do I need it for the wires X?
This is a rumor that was started as someone returned a radio to a dealer claiming that the radio was broken when it was doing AESS mode. Yaesu USA has issued no recalls on the radio.
It does with APRS, yes. We discussed this with John when that radio was new, and I had him on for a Livestream. But it doesn't dual RX both bands like the FTM-300 does.
Hi Jason, Was a little late to ask John what radios are full duplex. I think the FTM-300 is, but don't know if there any others. Great live stream today. Stay safe. WJ3U
Sorry, but this is a horrible way to communicate with APRS. My absolute favorite is SarTrack with a D710, that method is absolutely amazing. The android tablet with the D10 using APRSDROID is even much better. I realize its a little harder to get a D710 than it used to be but that is THE WAY !
Sorry just scrolling through comments, are you going to do a video with 710 or the 500. I've been trying to figure out if I can do data on the B band of the 500 while still using voice on the A band@@HamRadio2
@@HamRadio2 I figured out exactly what it is. It’s funny as hell. Think about it: You’ve got a hobby that is so complex that you have to pass an exam in order to participate in it, and there are even multiple stages to gate certain aspects of the hobby to the hobbyists with the best understanding of it, and then at every level of the hobby, there are people complaining about the complexity of a user interface on a device with a touchscreen. Never mind whether it’s because some people just don’t get it or the interface is really that complicated. Either way you put it, that’s just funny as hell!
@@AtomicArcherGuy Hmm..interesting. I wonder if there are other hobbies that require exams. Such as skydiving, airplane pilots, drone pilots. Nah... probably not. I am sure we are the only ones with "complex" exams and complainers.
Jason thank you for having John on to walk through this. The FTM-500 will be my first mobile when I get a new vehicle next year. Also I'd love to take the class on the FT5 when they have it - how can we signup for it ?
I have the FTM500 and will never use APRS for messaging based on the onerous input methods. Beaconing is one thing, but text is just plain dumb...and on their "Flagship" mobile radio no less. Yaesu needs to get their act together. Again, this is coming from an FTM500 owner/user.
After setting up a FTM-400 and 500 for my friend I'd never buy a Yaesu radio. Their drivers for wires-x are rubbish, the APRS messaging is so bad, it's beyond pathetic and their menus may as well be in Arabic or Chinese... they make absolutely no sense. What a shit job they did with their top radios! And now we know DTMF is broken on the 500. Like WTF? Yeasu needs to learn to polish stuff up before releasing crap like this.
Who ever offers me a radio I can program via my Mac Laptop wins a large contract with me. I’m looking for a retirement era radio the three types HT, MOBILE, HF. But I struggle with these stacked up menu’s. I would be able to make (especially a mobile or HT) operate from memory banks much more efficiently for travel and navigation. Anyway geniuses; mac laptop->radio settings, would appeal to a massive block of “BOOMER RETIREES”. I don’t want to own a windows computer just for this one activity. I just newly back into HAM RADIO as a job interfered with operating, but now that I have some time, I need help understanding that I want to spend 10 hours learning a peculiar menu of trivia. That sounds like a “wet blanket” type of barrier.
Hi. I also only use Macs. I have an FTM-500 and programmed it with software from RT Systems. You just save the file to an sd card and then put the sd card into the radio and load from it. Very simple. Same deal with my ID-52 HT. I use an older HF radio so I haven’t looked into that, but I think you can probably program an IC-7300 with an SD card from a Mac too. Definitely look into RT Systems. 73.
You have informative videos but you really need to get a non directional mic. You talk away from your mic so much causing audio to drop it likes riding a roller coaster. Most of the time have to skip over your videos. Hate being that guy but it has to be said.
I'm still waiting for Yaesu to give us the ability to selectively group channels like you can on their HTs back to the FT-60. I don't understand why this isn't in any of their fancy mobile radios.
Thank you for inviting John to your stream today and discussing the FTM-500D with APRS functionality.
I want to like this radio, but when the Yaesu Rep takes 20 minutes to stumble through sending a APRS message on a $650 radio. Kinda makes my Old android tablet, with APRSdriod look pretty good. Your first Pre canned MSG needs to be "HELP!"
I just bought this radio. It’s damn near inscrutable and seems to always chose the least intuitive default behavior whenever possible.
I was really excited for this radio but after watching this it is disappointing that no radio manufacturer has made a mobile radio better than the unobtainium that is the Kenwood 710. I'll just use my current setup with APRSDroid as well.
John mentioned APRS on a plane. I’m in Nebraska and a couple months ago I picked up a beacon from southeast Iowa at 3000’ and heading sw at 180mph. I checked the call sign and the pilot was going home to Texas.
Nice
Ive Had about ten yaesu radios including FT3DR, FT5DR, FTM400DR, FTM300DR, and now FTM500DR. Why Yaesu cant make a more intuitive APRS messaging experience is beyond me. Its horrible. It should be REAL easy to make it just like text messaging. Select message, Hit reply, type message, hit transmit.
I agree
What's worse is that it's 2024. Should be a Yaesu app on your phone with virtually unlimited channel banks and access to all the settings which allows you to send APRS messages from your phone and store unlimited APRS. Also would be trivial to include the ARRL repeater list, custom banks by zip code maybe? How about custom configs from your phone for different setups and activities. Crossband repeater config that I can just select without pushing buttons and scrolling 100 item settings menus? Instead, they made the screen smaller and added more physical buttons. smh
lol, Clear as mud. My brain has seized on this learning curve.. I'll keep at it.. Cheers
They lead you to believe it has an in built GPS. John CROOK is out there promoting this junk. Brand new out of the box, there is no functional GPS in the FTM-500.
Seems like texting while driving is much much more safe then aprs while driving 🙂
Yes it does
@@HamRadio2 btw, thank you very much for your videos! Watching you for almost 2 years now. 73! KC3UTT
I wish Yaesu would sell print copies of the extra manuals so you can it in hand and read it.
That would be a great idea
The manuals are already available for free download and you can print the entire thing or any portion. Also, if *you* don't want to print it yourself, you could have a print/ copy shop print and bind very inexpensively.
clear as mud
🤣
I’m brand new to ham radio. Passed both my tech and general in the last three weeks. I’m in the market for my first radio and am admittedly looking for the new cool shiny release from either Yaesu or Icom. I want to like the FTM-500, but just can’t get excited about it. There are even fusion repeaters in the Houston area, but I think I will end up with the “older” Icom-5100.
Congrats on your license
Wouldn’t it have been easier for you two to send and receive messages to each other since you both are using same radio.
Will it be possible to add memory banks to this radio thru an update perhaps..?
Thanks for all that great info on the ftm-500!
Any time!
Just got my FTM-500 and will be installing in my Jeep , do you have a video on installing in a vehicle
Not really a How To video, but I did a follow up to this video and showed my install
Does anyone know where the GPS antenna is? Looking to mount the main body unit under the seat, and the display unit near the dashboard. Thanks in advance
Excellent party! I would really love to see John how setup the Winlink from A-Z on FTM-500. I have hard time to send the PTT through DigiRig and I am sure I am missing something on the radio as the setup works with a different radio. Winlink become more and more desired for EmComm as APRS, so wouldn't be a good presentation? Thank you and 73!
god job Jaison
On the 400 i could lock aprs to one memory channel 144.390 so that i didnt accidentally bump vfo and go off frequency. But the 500 has one memory group for both A and B band. There fore you cant save just one memory channel in B band for aprs. kinda unhandy.
That makes sense - however, since there is no VFO for the B-band on this radio, it would be impossible to bump it. Leave 144.390 on the sub band and there is no way you can change it, except for pressing the switch button on the top of the head, which would be really hard to do on accident.
You can always change B band, memory chanel or vfo with sub dial.
Jason, did you ever do that video on Winlink for the Yaesu FTM-500? (You mentioned you planned to in another comment). If not, do you know of a good tutorial that would get me closer to getting that done?
Is it possible to dual watch 2 memory channels on main/sub and have APRS auto beacon at the programmed interval on 144.39? The Anytone 878/578 does this and I havent found anything in settings or the manuals for the FT5/FTM500...
I don’t think so, but I’m relatively new to using amateur radio. I recently bought this radio primarily for APRS and discovered that I was sending all my beacons over my local repeater and not the standard APRS frequency. This radio follows the complete opposite of “the principle of least surprise”. If it was a programming language it would be C++
I think this is the rig I want to go with for my semi truck I’m new to all this about to get my technicians license. Do you have a video or recommend any videos on a complete guide of everything I would need for my truck and how to use it best while driving across the country, and will it scan for repeaters? And what’s the best way utilize wires X while driving over the road? I do have Wi-Fi in my truck but do I need it for the wires X?
So what's the deal with the recall for the 500??
This is a rumor that was started as someone returned a radio to a dealer claiming that the radio was broken when it was doing AESS mode.
Yaesu USA has issued no recalls on the radio.
The ftm200 does dual receive aprs. It replaced my 300 in my car. So much easier to use mobile
It does with APRS, yes. We discussed this with John when that radio was new, and I had him on for a Livestream. But it doesn't dual RX both bands like the FTM-300 does.
Yep. I only use b bend for aprs so it works perfect for me. If I'm going somewhere I need to use crossband or digipeating I bring my 710
Hi Jason,
Was a little late to ask John what radios are full duplex. I think the FTM-300 is, but don't know if there any others. Great live stream today. Stay safe. WJ3U
The FTM-500 supports cross-band repeating, so it is indeed full duplex.
The FTM-500D and FTM-300D are current full duplex mobile radios.
No mention of entering and sending messages using mic keys
Correct
lol driving down the road trying to fiddle with APRS menus on this thing. 😬
Sorry, but this is a horrible way to communicate with APRS. My absolute favorite is SarTrack with a D710, that method is absolutely amazing. The android tablet with the D10 using APRSDROID is even much better. I realize its a little harder to get a D710 than it used to be but that is THE WAY !
I'm going to do a video with this radio and APRSdroid.
Sorry just scrolling through comments, are you going to do a video with 710 or the 500. I've been trying to figure out if I can do data on the B band of the 500 while still using voice on the A band@@HamRadio2
There must be a reason to have 2 minutes of intro music.
#teamreaply Man John is an awesome guy.. Thanks for all your help guys !
Ham radio folks complaining that APRS on a modern rig is too complicated is oddly amusing to me and I can’t figure out how to explain why.
You'd understand better if you tried it
@@HamRadio2 I figured out exactly what it is. It’s funny as hell. Think about it:
You’ve got a hobby that is so complex that you have to pass an exam in order to participate in it, and there are even multiple stages to gate certain aspects of the hobby to the hobbyists with the best understanding of it, and then at every level of the hobby, there are people complaining about the complexity of a user interface on a device with a touchscreen.
Never mind whether it’s because some people just don’t get it or the interface is really that complicated. Either way you put it, that’s just funny as hell!
@@AtomicArcherGuy Hmm..interesting. I wonder if there are other hobbies that require exams. Such as skydiving, airplane pilots, drone pilots. Nah... probably not. I am sure we are the only ones with "complex" exams and complainers.
Jason thank you for having John on to walk through this. The FTM-500 will be my first mobile when I get a new vehicle next year. Also I'd love to take the class on the FT5 when they have it - how can we signup for it ?
Way too darned menu’s
I have the FTM500 and will never use APRS for messaging based on the onerous input methods. Beaconing is one thing, but text is just plain dumb...and on their "Flagship" mobile radio no less. Yaesu needs to get their act together. Again, this is coming from an FTM500 owner/user.
After setting up a FTM-400 and 500 for my friend I'd never buy a Yaesu radio. Their drivers for wires-x are rubbish, the APRS messaging is so bad, it's beyond pathetic and their menus may as well be in Arabic or Chinese... they make absolutely no sense. What a shit job they did with their top radios! And now we know DTMF is broken on the 500. Like WTF?
Yeasu needs to learn to polish stuff up before releasing crap like this.
and don't get me started on the ftdx10 and the antiquated video out they use lol what a joke.
"Yay-zoo", LOL
It's even confusing for the engineer.
Kenwood tmd710ga muchchchh better fantastic Kenwood number 0ne
Yep - too bad they aren't made anymore.
Who ever offers me a radio I can program via my Mac Laptop wins a large contract with me. I’m looking for a retirement era radio the three types HT, MOBILE, HF. But I struggle with these stacked up menu’s. I would be able to make (especially a mobile or HT) operate from memory banks much more efficiently for travel and navigation. Anyway geniuses; mac laptop->radio settings, would appeal to a massive block of “BOOMER RETIREES”. I don’t want to own a windows computer just for this one activity. I just newly back into HAM RADIO as a job interfered with operating, but now that I have some time, I need help understanding that I want to spend 10 hours learning a peculiar menu of trivia. That sounds like a “wet blanket” type of barrier.
Hi. I also only use Macs. I have an FTM-500 and programmed it with software from RT Systems. You just save the file to an sd card and then put the sd card into the radio and load from it. Very simple. Same deal with my ID-52 HT. I use an older HF radio so I haven’t looked into that, but I think you can probably program an IC-7300 with an SD card from a Mac too. Definitely look into RT Systems. 73.
Confusing as hell!😕
You have informative videos but you really need to get a non directional mic. You talk away from your mic so much causing audio to drop it likes riding a roller coaster. Most of the time have to skip over your videos. Hate being that guy but it has to be said.
Buy a second radio then give it away. KL7HRO