I purchased the FT-991A as my first HF all mode radio after watching your videos about a year ago, I mostly use it for VHF/UHF (FM & SSB) and C4FM. Then just recently you started showing the capabilities of the IC-7300, now I needed one of these, WOW! Just recently I bumped into another ham who noticed my vehicle with antennas and license plate.. We started to talk and informed me he was moving to FL and selling off his gear, come to find out he had a 7300 that was 8-9 months old which I purchased for a descent price. Now I have both, thanks Eric !! I need to stop watching your videos. Thanks for the great videos really like watching them.. 73’s
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@@indridcold8433 Save for the Icom IC7300, it is one of the best selling SDR radios of all time, for good reason. You can get it for just under $900 US dollars
Thnx for a great vid Eric! As for me: the perfect shack would be a 7300 combined with a 9700, but you have to pay up! That's why I've chosen the 991A, since it has VHF/UHF next to HF. This radio rocks! I hear/see many people complaining about the difficult menu, but it's really not that hard to use.
One thing, of course I know you aren't familiar with the yaesu 991A, but you can assign anything especially most used items to the four touch screen buttons bottom of screen for the items You claim are easier to get to on the 7300, plus the yaesu is mode specific meaning you can place different items used most for each mode in those buttons and as you change modes they change to what you assigned them. Plus you can long press those buttons for most things on the 991 to goto adjustment sertings, except the one you tried the attenuator only has one setting thats why it did t let you make a further adjustment as you attempted. Reading the manual before you compare would be advisable otherwise it really isn't a fair comparison. But all in all you did a great job except those few errors.
Love my 7300. SDR and features were the right choice for me. I already have a 2 meter radio with fusion and dmr HT. The receive is awesome on HF with the NR and filters you can program per band on the fly. Under a grand with rebates!!! What is not to like!!!
Just ordered one from DX Engineering! Was supposed to not be in stock until about July 29th, but was refreshing tabs and 5 popped into stock. Still out everywhere else. As of 7;00 PM Pacific 6/08/2022 there are two left. Hope I like it. Very little chance I wont.
As I'm about to buy my first Amateur radio, and I have whittled it down to one of these two and one other radio over many weeks of research, it's nice to see a genuine comparison, with no bias to one or the other, just simple facts about each unit. Well done, this is the BEST review of these two radio's I have found so far on RUclips. Essentially, the main difference I can see is the Icom is HF only, the Yaesu is 3 radio's in one. The waterfall really is the only apparent difference when they are turned on. They both do the same thing in the HF and 6m bands, both have 100w output, both are nice to look at. The extra bands available in one over the other depends entirely on who is using it, how they use it and what they prefer. I like having seperate radio's for HF, 2m and 70cm. I can be talking on 21Mhz and still listen to local 2m stuff or UHF on my other radio's. Personal preference's rule this showdown...you still need multiple antenna's for either. I wish I could afford both, this would save the angst.........
Thanks for the efforts and explanatory video. I have both rigs for separate purposes. Mostly to do with mobile requirements. My bottom line is the Icom feels and looks like a Cadillac to drive while the Yaesu gets the job done and has VHF and UHF. Your mileage may vary. Thanks to both corporations for bringing to the ham community these leading edge radio's.
Thanks. You've reaffirmed my opinion on these two also. I like the Icom's user interface and display a lot better but having 2M and 70 CM in the box is nice too For me, I think I'd get a separate VHF/UHF rig and go with the Icom. I think the Yaesu "more than one hundred items" with a knob would grate on me over time. Icom's UI is much more logical and quick to use IMHO.
Thanks Erik for the great video and review. I did finely make up my mind, got the FT 991A. Reason, size, have very limited space for shack equipment, WIRES-X which is a great addition, plus all mode-all band capability. Don't need 5 radios to do what this one can do. SANTA was very good to me this year, HI HI !! Keep up the great work with your videos and i will keep watching. 7 3
I played with both, and ended up getting the 991A. 7300 is definitely better visually, and I have read it's better for HF. But all band/all mode was desirable. Smaller form factor was important. And to me, the 991A felt a good bit "tougher" for travel and field use. I also wanted the 2m & 70cm. (local comms are pretty important to me). I've had no issues with it yet. I have a few items I'd like improved in future models, naturally ... but ultimately my signal gets through, and I hear the distant end well. I constantly get great reports on it from thousands of miles away. THE BANDS ARE NOT DEAD! I'm a new ham - especially to hf - and I make contacts easily! I will probably get a 7300 for home use eventually and use the 991A for everything else. I think they're both great, and I really don't think you can go wrong with either one. If you want 2m & 70cm in the rig, it's a simple choice. If you don't care ... you have some more consideration to do.
So, 3 years on, care to provide us with any more feedback on the 991A? I hear a lot about the clumsy menu system on the Yaesu vs Icom 7300 with many folks selling or otherwise moving away from it for that reason. Right now, AFAIK, the 991A is the only available 100W full spectrum "Shack-In-The-Box." This seemed to me to be an important consideration but many hams prefer to go with a dedicated HF radio and separate VHF/UHF radio. Would appreciate your thoughts. 73, KK7JBZ
That made it even harder for me LOL.. Love them both but the ease of use on Icom I like more BUT more bands on 991 means less radios to buy for shack.. Tough one..
Recently updated my shack. I bought a Yaesu DX10 last month and I bought a 991A last week. I did have the 991A widebanded for 11 metres and it also receives and transmits on the air band. And no, I don't transmit on that band. I did own a 7300 about 7 years ago. All very nice radios.
As a new ham and looking someday to buy a transceiver like one of these, this was very helpful and informative. Hope you continue these type of videos.
I'm getting a 991a because I still haven't gotten my callsign yet, so I'll still be doing VHF/UHF for a bit until I go for general. The 991a will allow me to TX/RX on all bands available to tech, as well as listening on HF and setting up an antenna before I get my general. When I do get general I will probably get the IC-7300 for a dedicated HF rig, and the 991a for VHF/UHF and a more portable shack-in-a-box for if I ever want to do POTA. I hope this is a decent plan and I'm not just falling into the HAM money pit here lol
I had a neighbour, long ago, that showed me a Yeasu FT-857D long ago. It impressed me so much. He made a modification to it that had it functioning on many, many bands. He told me the transceiver, even without modifications, was quite powerful. It looked like a simple VHF transceiver like what a taxi would use. It was definitly all performance without all the useless fluff. It is likely the old transceiver is not even manufactured anymore. The small radio was in his car. He had three antennas attached to the radio. The HF antenna was an 262 centimeter antenna ran through a tuner first. The VHF an UHF were two short antennas, 49.5 centimeters for VHF and 16.5 centimeters for UHF. He was the guy that inspired me to get an old Jeep as a vehicle and made me a radio hobbyist. It is almost time for an amateur radio license since Internet is starting to fall into disfavor for communication because of censorship. He used to talk to our 49 megacycle walkie talkies on his Yeasu.
@@skyterrapin 4 meters is very interesting. I listen a lot. Sometimes there is DX as clear as can be. Other times, it behaves like 2 meter. It is rather an unappreciated band.
Thank you but I am in Manchester. We use both with a preference for metric. I am certain the rest of the planet appreciates it as well. I believe the United States of America uses both as well with the preference for the British Imperial standard.
Great review and video. I have both radios, and much prefer the 7300. The Yaesu’s menus are not intuitive and I dont like having to go hunting for what I want. The 7300, its super easy to quickly find and adjust everything.
I'm more confused now :-) I was partial to the Yaesu FT991A because of the VHF/UHF capability for about a hundred more. However I like the display quality and the overall simpler user interface of the Icom 7300. Turning through over 100 menu choices with a knob just doesn't set with me well. I thought I had my mind "made up" but now I'm swaying toward the Icom and just getting a separate VHF/UHF rig to go with it.
Sold an FT-897D to fund the IC-7300, which was a great step up. But really regret selling the 897. Found a good deal on a FT991A and have both radios. The IC-7300 absolutely blows the 991A away with it's spectrum scope, but the 991A is great for portable and doing VHF/UHF SSB work and is a great replacement for the 897D. When you have them both, it is a really nice combination!
I did pretty much the same thing. I have owned two FT-897D's. I sold the first when I was traveling for work and off the air for 7 years. Got back into HAM and had to have another and found a nice used one. I sold it to fund a new IC-7300 that is an awesome radio and likely a better performer than the FT-991A. But I loved and miss the small, compact, all in one "shack-in-a-box" features of the FT-897D's. I have decided to purchase a new FT-991A soon!
Hi Eric: nice comparison of the two rigs. You may have omitted the GREATEST feature of the iCOM 7300 and that is the wonderful transmit audio design that their engineers built into the rig. The 7300 does a fantastic job of "packing" the audio into the selected bandwidth and adjusting the tones, both high level Eq and low level Eq, and doing it all by just using the stock handheld mic. This allows the average Ham to selectively enhance his/her own transmitted voice to compensate for any deficiency, or to enhance his/her voice to sound more like a broadcast quality station. To equal this feature, one would have to spend about $250 for a mic capable of equaling this capability already built into the 7300. You will never hear a bad sounding 7300, they are distinctive.
We have to remember just one thing : we aren't a broadcast speakers but "Hams" so the "average" Ham should know about the 2400Hz and the benefit if going narrow . All the effort with Behringer racks , condenser microphones etc etc ...and maybe who's listening use a PC speaker *laughs* .
Ended up with the Icom 7300, one of my favorite features (not mentioned?) is the SD Card memory which makes changing and saving settings a breeze. Thank you for the side-by-side comparison!
Thanks for this video, I’m researching a new hf rig, I like that the Yaesu has vhf/uhf, I’ve never been fond of their modular plug for the mic, (I have a 857D and a FT-8800) neither has ever given me problems with the connectors. The Icom 7300 seems to be my choice currently, the screen seems nicer and the menu seems easier. I like and own both company’s gear as well as Kenwood. I still continue to research, it’ll be a bit before I take the plunge.
Seems to me that a lot of people downgrade the Yaesu FT-991A for it's menu system. (In the 'Ford vs Chevy' battle). I find it very intuitive. Most of the settings are 'Set it and Forget it'. I find that the Yaesu and the IC-7300 radios are both excellent and have a valid use for every user. However, the Yaesu is a 'Shack-in-the-box' with it's digital and 2m/70cm bands. This alone made me choose the Yaesu. I also use the Yaesu aviation FTA-750L transceiver and chose it as well for it's additional features for it's price point. You also can't go wrong with the added 3yr warranty. A Square Trade 3yr warranty...$240. Add that to the cost of an IC-7300. Best Regards and 73's.
And you want to use repeaters with different split frequencies? The 991a menus only have one split for each band! (Yes, I know how to get around that limitation - rather awkward!) And what is the 'DT GAIN' function for? And setting up FT8 etc using only the manual is beyond my understanding (though I can work around that, too). I could go on and on.... Summary - the Yaesu FT-991a is very unfriendly and the manual nearly useless.
I bought a 991A, sold it and bought a 7300, and never looked back. I think the 7300 is much easier to use, easier to navigate the menu. The VHF/UHF was not an issue for me as I prefer separate radio for 2m/440. 60 meters easier to use on the 7300. I use mine as base station, if I operated portable I'd go with the FT-891.
Wow, I did just the opposite, but I live in an HF Amateur Operator rich area and the loose receiver of the 7300 got easily wiped out whereas the 991A doesn't, plus the 991A has a real RF gain instead of a silly CB variable attenuator.
Yaesu has its place in HAM radio, but in this case it’s the IC-7300 all the way. It has been said that the 7300 was designed to do one thing very well, rather than the 991 which does many things average. I have the 7300 for HF and I will be picking up the 9700 for UHF/VHF. Definitely the more expensive route to go, but also worth it in my opinion.
This was a very good video! I like that you tried your best to keep the personal opinion out of it! This was a very helpful video! Currently I am leaning very much to the ICOM 7300 as my first base ! I love the simplistic and the larger screen as the best reason for me to go that route. Once again Great video and Thanks for keeping it real!!
Thank you when you were showing how to do certain little tasks it actually helped me figure out how to do those tasks on my 991 a I just hooked up my radio last night absolutely love it love your videos they are very informative 73s for now N0SPW
For me, I think I would go with the 7300 in the shack but I’m considering changing the Icom 706 in the go box for the 991. I like a single radio in the go box and the screen on the 991 would be a big improvement over my 706. Great video. It’s tough to do a comparison when you’re really not comparing apples to apples but you did and I think you answered everyone’s questions who didn’t really know the differences.
Well, for me I just love my monster Icom 740, manufactured in 1983. Other rigs can barely beat the performance both RX and TX, it's a tight radio. And to mod. It for GEN. Coverage {testing purposes only, of course} W/O a crystal swap is fairly involved. I must admit, the 7300 has me really interested. I'd like to see one close up and personal. PS: no comparison between the 740 and the 730, both are from the same era. 745? No offense, but good luck. Old radios are great when designed to perform properly with a decent life expectancy, wear and tear aside. Time for Pizza now so... have a great day everyone.
Both great radio, I personally own the IC-7300 and find it meets my needs. I hear a lot of FT-991a units on the air as well . If I had some extra money burning a hole in my pocket I would consider buying a 991a as well.
I'm a over the road truck driver had a FT891 and screwdriver antenna with a ALS 500 amp I sold the FT891 now looking for another HF rig in the rig LOL. I think I am going with the FT 991A because it has so many bands in one box I always wanted to check out some of the 2 meter repeaters around the country now I will be able to do that and more. It's like a mini base station in a mini home on wheels. I stumbled across another trucker who installed one in his truck he said it performs great in the truck seems to handle vibration and big climate changes with ease now all I got to do is figure out what 2 meter antenna to get.
I would like to add a Patreon but if I dont want to discuss the more easier use of the 7300 (despite I bought a 991a ) I would have been pleased to hear the 2 transceivers trying to hear a weak and difficult signal and see how they manage to understand it (given that the owners know how to do their best however the settings are easy to use)
I have had both brands and I have liked both. I am a little more interested in the 991A as I plan to be mobile for the majority of the time and the 7300 is less able for that method. The 2 and 440 make the biggest difference in that respect as ti is easier to have everything in one unit in a mobile system. I am still using a 706 II G in the motorhome as it is a great workhorse and I would keep that up if it had the digital ability that is needed for some of the 10meter, 2 meter and 440 repeaters.
Considering the FT991A as a more RV friendly rig rather than my current IC7300/9700 combo which is in my opinion a nicer outfit, but way too big to travel with.... Nice to have 2m/70cm built in rather than a 2nd rig.
All joking aside, this is a great video. After watching this, where my thinking is currently, I may be choosing the 7300 for home and the 991 for portable/ ARES.
HI folks. not to correct you Eric but the reason why the rigs wont tune is because there is not tuner attached to them that built in tuner is designed to work with a external unit so if there is a mismatch it wont blow your rig while using a different tuner! PS i hope you still do the nets on 078A I'll catch you on there sometime. 73's to all and to all a good day. DE Eric in VT.
If the ICOM had 2 meter/70 cm it would be the perfect radio..... I still have to go with it, just because of the interface. It feels more intuitive for a newer HAM and more "current". The Yaesu display feels like a 1990's style menu structure, less like a modern Smart Phone.
Nice comparison! I don't have the FT-991 but I do have its older incarnation FT-897D which I like mainly for the excellent performance on VHF/UHF CW and SSB, and I have the "simplified version " ( minus colour display and VHF/UHF) of the '991 - the FT-891 which I bought for my portable work in the parks since it's the smallest 100W HF radio on the market and it demonstrates surprisingly good reception, mainly due to the wise combination of both analogue and digital signal processing. I believe the same reliable designe is applied for the FT-991 too. I do own an IC-7300 for more than a year. The main reason I bought it was... pure curiosity! Because it was a first pure , fully SDR rig made by a major manufacturer. I think it is important to stress: the '7300 is of TOTALLY different design, totally new Software Defined Radio technology. The only analogue part in it is probably the laoudspeaker and the tuning knob :). Is it important if you only want to make a QSO? Probably not, any radio will do if you don't care about the technology and progress :). It's like with cars: it is very hard to compare the gasoline engine and the fully electrical car. Yes, both may bring you from point A to B, but there is no way of comparing which engine is better. They're just different. Knowing these differencies may be an argument while making a purchasing decision. The same with radios IMHO. I have tried the IC-7300 in the field portable work by the way. The impressions are generally good, but it's not my favourite portable rig. There is a short video on my channel explaining why. But I love using this radio for my digital modes due to its simple one-cable connectivity to the PC. 73! Linas LY2H
I like both Radios. In fact, I have one of each. I use the IC7300 for my Base Station at home with a separate VHF/UHF for local repeater activity (TYT TH-7800). Overall, I prefer the ease use of the IC7300 and like the scope better. On the other hand, I bought the FT-991A specifically for the Shack in the Box. It serves as my portable that goes with me in the RV when I camp or travel and a backup for the base if ever needed (it resides in the Pelican box to grab and go as needed). I love it for that and I have all sorts of capabilities with it and the spectrum scope is plenty adequate. They are both awesome radios and I make contacts all over the world on both. You cannot go wrong with either. If I were more into the VHF/UHF modes and I could only have one radio, I'd probably lean more towards the FT-991A as the base, but I like having the separate VHF/UHF for crossbanding with my HT and for monitoring local activity while I am working HF on the IC-7300. At the end of the day, the IC7300 is overall easier to use in my opinion, but that is not a deal breaker by any means. It is all about what you want an need out of the radio. They are indeed different radios each with their own merits. 73's KE4EVL
You did what I did...7300 sits at home...991a as mobile...I'm in an HOA...so I need to rely on a hidden antenna...still works adequately for the 7300 because it's a solid radio...the 991a is a more rugged radio and perfect for POTA with a bioenno 20 amp/hr battery and wolf river coil antenna...scope is good enough, didn't buy the 991a to watch tv... it's a radio for Pete's sake...73s...de...AC3FB...
Thanks for the video. Looking for a HF base radio. I'm liking the IC7300. Display looks better, and common setting's appear to be easier to access on the icon. However having UHF/VHF in the base would be helpful. For the $200 price difference will get you close to a good UHF/VHF radio.
I had a Yaesu FT-991A previously. My main complaint was the touch screen was not very sensitive. I had no problems with the scope, loved it. My other complaint was some of the ways you move thru frequencies and sometimes it didn't do what you pushed.
Great review. Base station System Fusion, D-Star or DMR can be worked via an USB dongle and your home internet. Your local V and UHV repeaters can be worked by a cheap FM radio. If you are looking for serious satelite comunication, better add an IC-9700. Hilton PY2BBQ.
I already own a Yaesu FTM-100D 2 meter/70 cm with C4FM digital I don't see much point in buying another radio that has that feature and you showed how much bigger and easier to understand the 7300's screen and menus are. I just want a better radio than my old Kenwood TS-450 that has a dead internal tuner and is noisy, but hey, it gets out. I'm not legally vision impaired but I am a bit near sighted such that I need a set of computer glasses and I take them off to see close up and a different set for driving. So the bigger, easier to use screen clinches it for me. ICOM, here I come.
Gud day sir, it was so interesting that both radio, i was so happy to hear all the detail each one of the, wish i could have one of those i just use portable and mobile antenna. Thanks for the video
When I tell some hams that all the tuning a tuner does to bring your radio into resonance, makes the tuner eat the power that does not get to the antenna. The further you get, the less power gets to the antenna, and is eaten by the tuner. Some hams go into a frenzy when you tell them that.I
It is common knowledge, or at least is should be. The tuner becomes resonate and is resonating and making heat, or transmitting right there inside the box. That consumes energy. They probably believe you can attach a AC motor to generator and start the motor. When the generator is producing 115 volts, you can, then power the motor from the generator and disconnect the outside power. Some fairytales die very hard, even in people that should know better. Now, Big Foot and Earth being flat, that is real.
@@indridcold8433 Yes, the tuner becomes part of the antenna, so a portion of the RF goes into the tuner and is dissipated as heat, and the rest goes into the antenna. How much RF goes to either depends on how far the antenna is from resonance.
It was always my understanding they bleed off the reflection... and the reflection is the waste... all they do is dump it to ground before it gets back to your tx.
@@ryanbergs7313 The reason tuners come in different power levels is because the power that does not reach to antenna due to its resonance not being on frequency, is that the tuner dissipates the power that does not reach the antenna as heat. If the tuner is not big enough for the power level, it will arc across parts in the tuner making a mess of it. This is why some people insist on seeing the inside of tuner before buying it used. Some run a lot of power until they get caught, which is hardly ever.
Outstanding video! I couldn't decide which one to get so I got both. Now I am learning about the IC-9700 with its power capabilities. Probably my next purchase. Keep up the great work!
Yep. Just getting started and will have to save up for quite a while before I can afford either one, but I couldn’t pick one right now if I had to. I want VHF & UHF on the same main rig, but I also have pretty poor vision and would prefer the larger screen and scope. Good thing I have to wait quite a while anyway before I buy haha
The Yaesu FT-991A is a bargain, and I agree, they did C4FM much better than Icom did Dstar, For one, Icom used the old chip set, so Dstar will always be plagued with problems when new hams get into it and don't realize what is going on when the black hole happens. C4FM works really well, but I do have Dstar, DMR, C4FM, I use the mall, and program all my own radios. To learn about DMR, write your own code plug, it will take time, but you will learn so much.
Icom for me but I did have an 857D for my mobile a few years back. That screen was really small and as I got older was hard to read going down the road. Nice work as always YZI. 73
I`ve had both and i have to say the Icom 7300 is a dream to use. Its just so pleasant. I found the ft991A menus a bit clunky in comparison and the band scope slow and UN-informing.
Good video, before you send back the 991 will you do a comparison with your 7100, please. I’m in the market for a new rig but want to get into VHF/UHF SSB and HF and having been comparing these 2 radios a lot. Keep up the good work, KC5SOZ and KI5EMR.
Thank you for this practical comparison. The 991a seems better for my needs but the Icom is easier and faster, however, I'm not in a hurry, it's supposed to be a relaxing hobby for me. There is no perfect radio but for a base station, I'm looking at the 991a. Cheers. ;)
Good side-by-side w/o the geek-speak! I have a 991 (non-A) and the scope has ALWAYS been less than the 7300. It has improved over time with firmware releases, but still not on par with the 7300. One thing I did notice regarding the scope though... in your video the 991 was set at +/- 50k and the 7300 at +/- 25k. This may have made the 991 a bit choppier, but again... still not a 7300 scope. That said, I don't use the scope much on any of my rigs. The most important place for me would be on HF digital modes and I use the software scope on the laptop. The shack-in-the-box has a big appeal to me, your mileage may vary. 73
I have used both of these radios. The Yaesu is about the most UNfriendly radio I have ever come across and the manual isn't much help either*. The Icom is easy to drive, there is a basic manual for getting going and a great advanced manual if you want something unusual. The Icom display has most everything you need to know at a glance but the Yaesu just has the minimum. However the Yaesu does 2m and 70cm, also C4FM - the Icom doesn't. * Try finding what the 'DT GAIN' setting does - the manual tells you where it is but not what it's for!
I am lucky I own both. I sold my Kenwood 2000 for the 981a money. I Sold my tentec for the 7300 money. Both are awesome I use both. Best shack I have had in My +50 years on the air. Shack looks great with both side by side. I'm very lucky. :-)
The display on the 7300 is much better but I did not see that you could remove the waterfall on the 7300 like you did on the 991A.I hate the waterfall so I would not want to see it Ever just the Band Scope for me.👍🎙
After watching this.... 7300 for me. It's a huge jump from the 100w to the 200w stations. As a beginner I'm perplexed. $750 for a 450D or a few chunks more for an iCom 7300? I'm sold. Now to get this sectioned tower up with a few verts.....
The FT-991a appears to be designed as a portable, front key jack, smaller display, modular mic connector with a dust boot, handle, etc. The IC-7100 would probably be more comprobable to the FT-991a, and note it uses a modular mic jack.
I have a 991a and a Icom 705. I'm a general for 1 year now. The Digital modes confuse the crap out of me. Plus I'm not sure there are any repeaters with digital modes available in my area. Is there a video that helps with digital?
These are both great radios, and to think of what I would have given to have either one of them when I got my first amateur license back in the 1970s! I have used both, but I personally own the Icom IC-7300. One thing I can say is the IC-7300 is very fast and easy for making frequency changes and filter settings. Icom did a very good job leveraging the touch screen in what I would call a hierarchical structure. The 991A is more like the screen is a button front end for the traditional Yaesu menu structure (which can be a good thing). I have a VX-7R, FT2-DR and an 817, etc. and I appreciate the family resemblance between the Yaesu products. To me, the biggest difference is the 991 is the shack-in-a-box since it includes all mode VHF/UHF. For all-in-one mobile, I still have a venerable Icom 706mk-IIg, but it would be sweet to update to a 991A. One feature I know is the IC-7300 has a so-called, “emergency,” antenna tuner mode that will allow the radio to match to a difficult load with VSWR higher than 3:1, however the max power output is reduced. I don’t know if there is an equivalent mode on the 991A.
My first bench radio was the Yaesu FT-847. I totally regret selling it because it was so awesome for its time. Worked a guy on UHF from Texas to Arizona via amateur ham sat, with handheld high gain antenna. Yaesu comes close to replicating the 847 with the 991, but missing all the usability of the older model. Yaesu never replicated all the functionality and usability of the 847. Miss it so much.
The water fall is good, but smaller, that is all. The radio has way more than the 7300, for a small increase in price. You can increase the size of the waterfall by using a bigger screen and some software. There is a lot of software out there, so go look around.
I have seen them by people at home and in the field. Overal the icom is the better radio!!!!,......BUT! If you want to use one of these radio's at fielddays and JOTA, i would absolutely go for the Yaesu. The Strong signal handling of the Icom is Not all that great. I love both radio's equal. If i need a HF radio for at home or in an RV not realy close to other hams i would defnetly go for the Icom. If i need a radio for gatherings, meetings, fielddays, ARES, JOTA and so on, i would defnedly go for the Yausu. Good luck with your choice.
I've not bought or used either yet, but as I've passed General last week, getting into HF would be nice with either of these. Eric always has great videos explaining the differences. And for myself, while I like the pluses that were pointed out on the ICOM 7300, I am willing to choose the FT-991A over the 7300 as the one I'm saving for and looking to see what shows on used. Why? For the shack in the box aspect, all mode from HF up to VHF 2 Meter and UHF 70cm in one box.
@@sammiller6631 ok yes, thanks for pointing that out about DStar. The 7100 you mentioned looks very nice as well, with good specs. However, unfortunately my two biggest obstacles that can't be overcome are money and housing rules prohibiting antennas. I'm on Disability so the income is fixed, and the housing is county low income. I may in the future be able to get a mobile unit in the minivan, but even that's on hold.
I just reviewed this video again after many times and just realized there is no mention of the ICOM's 4 pin power adapter to let's say an LDG Autotuner VS the FT 991A's lack thereof. So I assume a separate DC power supply cable to an external tuner with an accessory cable or stereo jack between tuner and radio would do it?
Thanks for sharing this information and video. It’s been helpful I’ve been considering getting an ICOM 7300. Your video convinced me the ICOM 7300 will be my choice. I also own a Yeasu FT 857D which I will keep for mobile. The 7300 will be both QTH and POTA/SOTA Portable . Appreciate your providing enough information on each radio for me to be able to determine which will be best for me. 73 Steve AA4SH
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Passed my tech exam on sunday. !
congrats!!
Congrats, dont wait to go general. Alot of the tech knowledge can help with general.
Congrats! I passed mine about the same time, studying for General and Extra now. 73, KN6NPZ
Just upgraded to General-Cody
Congratulations
The 991A has one thing that sets it apart from others: backlit keys! Very nice to have and not available on most other transceivers.
that's true. my 7851 doesn't. I miss it (but no won't trade it)
I purchased the FT-991A as my first HF all mode radio after watching your videos about a year ago, I mostly use it for VHF/UHF (FM & SSB) and C4FM. Then just recently you started showing the capabilities of the IC-7300, now I needed one of these, WOW! Just recently I bumped into another ham who noticed my vehicle with antennas and license plate.. We started to talk and informed me he was moving to FL and selling off his gear, come to find out he had a 7300 that was 8-9 months old which I purchased for a descent price. Now I have both, thanks Eric !! I need to stop watching your videos. Thanks for the great videos really like watching them.. 73’s
Still have both?
@@Justin-bd2dg Doubt it, but probably still has the 991A. 😉
I love my FT-991 but the IC-7300 with it's SDR is so appealing. For my needs the FT-991 is awesome.
alberto sobieski idiot
Electronics obviously he deleted his comment
Electronics it was 4 weeks ago I don’t remember now
(In a radio announcer big voice)
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@@indridcold8433 Save for the Icom IC7300, it is one of the best selling SDR radios of all time, for good reason. You can get it for just under $900 US dollars
After watching your video, I bought both.
Great video comparison. I like the versatility of the FT-991A, but in 2022 its out of stock everywhere. :(
having watched a number of videos i found yours helped me the most of my choice of radio - i went with the IC7300 !
Thnx for a great vid Eric!
As for me: the perfect shack would be a 7300 combined with a 9700, but you have to pay up! That's why I've chosen the 991A, since it has VHF/UHF next to HF. This radio rocks! I hear/see many people complaining about the difficult menu, but it's really not that hard to use.
showing the menus made a big difference to me, thanks from a non pro
Thanks,,,,, haha, instead of helping me pick one, now I want them both.... Arrrrgh, off to go work more overtime for radio money.
One thing, of course I know you aren't familiar with the yaesu 991A, but you can assign anything especially most used items to the four touch screen buttons bottom of screen for the items You claim are easier to get to on the 7300, plus the yaesu is mode specific meaning you can place different items used most for each mode in those buttons and as you change modes they change to what you assigned them. Plus you can long press those buttons for most things on the 991 to goto adjustment sertings, except the one you tried the attenuator only has one setting thats why it did t let you make a further adjustment as you attempted. Reading the manual before you compare would be advisable otherwise it really isn't a fair comparison. But all in all you did a great job except those few errors.
Thanks for the info
Love my 7300. SDR and features were the right choice for me. I already have a 2 meter radio with fusion and dmr HT. The receive is awesome on HF with the NR and filters you can program per band on the fly. Under a grand with rebates!!! What is not to like!!!
I have a small space available for my ham equipment. The shack in the box 991a is a good fit for my needs.
Just ordered one from DX Engineering! Was supposed to not be in stock until about July 29th, but was refreshing tabs and 5 popped into stock. Still out everywhere else. As of 7;00 PM Pacific 6/08/2022 there are two left. Hope I like it. Very little chance I wont.
Which radio did you get?
As I'm about to buy my first Amateur radio, and I have whittled it down to one of these two and one other radio over many weeks of research, it's nice to see a genuine comparison, with no bias to one or the other, just simple facts about each unit. Well done, this is the BEST review of these two radio's I have found so far on RUclips. Essentially, the main difference I can see is the Icom is HF only, the Yaesu is 3 radio's in one. The waterfall really is the only apparent difference when they are turned on. They both do the same thing in the HF and 6m bands, both have 100w output, both are nice to look at. The extra bands available in one over the other depends entirely on who is using it, how they use it and what they prefer. I like having seperate radio's for HF, 2m and 70cm. I can be talking on 21Mhz and still listen to local 2m stuff or UHF on my other radio's. Personal preference's rule this showdown...you still need multiple antenna's for either.
I wish I could afford both, this would save the angst.........
Great tutorial.
I jumped in at the entry level on the IC 7300. Thank you!
Keep the videos rolling pls.
Thanks for the efforts and explanatory video. I have both rigs for separate purposes. Mostly to do with mobile requirements. My bottom line is the Icom feels and looks like a Cadillac to drive while the Yaesu gets the job done and has VHF and UHF. Your mileage may vary. Thanks to both corporations for bringing to the ham community these leading edge radio's.
Thanks. You've reaffirmed my opinion on these two also. I like the Icom's user interface and display a lot better but having 2M and 70 CM in the box is nice too
For me, I think I'd get a separate VHF/UHF rig and go with the Icom. I think the Yaesu "more than one hundred items" with a knob would grate on me over time. Icom's UI is much more logical and quick to use IMHO.
Buy one of each! I like the ‘991A for the mobile and ‘7300 for the shack...
Sure, but understand that there are people that cannot afford 2 radios in a lot of cases.
Thanks Erik for the great video and review. I did finely make up my mind, got the FT 991A. Reason, size, have very limited space for shack equipment, WIRES-X which is a great addition, plus all mode-all band capability. Don't need 5 radios to do what this one can do. SANTA was very good to me this year, HI HI !!
Keep up the great work with your videos and i will keep watching. 7 3
Thanks for the comparison, there are features on both radios that I really like but choosing is still a challenge
I played with both, and ended up getting the 991A. 7300 is definitely better visually, and I have read it's better for HF. But all band/all mode was desirable. Smaller form factor was important. And to me, the 991A felt a good bit "tougher" for travel and field use. I also wanted the 2m & 70cm. (local comms are pretty important to me). I've had no issues with it yet. I have a few items I'd like improved in future models, naturally ... but ultimately my signal gets through, and I hear the distant end well. I constantly get great reports on it from thousands of miles away. THE BANDS ARE NOT DEAD! I'm a new ham - especially to hf - and I make contacts easily! I will probably get a 7300 for home use eventually and use the 991A for everything else. I think they're both great, and I really don't think you can go wrong with either one. If you want 2m & 70cm in the rig, it's a simple choice. If you don't care ... you have some more consideration to do.
So, 3 years on, care to provide us with any more feedback on the 991A? I hear a lot about the clumsy menu system on the Yaesu vs Icom 7300 with many folks selling or otherwise moving away from it for that reason.
Right now, AFAIK, the 991A is the only available 100W full spectrum "Shack-In-The-Box." This seemed to me to be an important consideration but many hams prefer to go with a dedicated HF radio and separate VHF/UHF radio.
Would appreciate your thoughts.
73,
KK7JBZ
That made it even harder for me LOL.. Love them both but the ease of use on Icom I like more BUT more bands on 991 means less radios to buy for shack.. Tough one..
Recently updated my shack. I bought a Yaesu DX10 last month and I bought a 991A last week. I did have the 991A widebanded for 11 metres and it also receives and transmits on the air band. And no, I don't transmit on that band. I did own a 7300 about 7 years ago. All very nice radios.
As a new ham and looking someday to buy a transceiver like one of these, this was very helpful and informative. Hope you continue these type of videos.
991A Forever! my ICOM IC-7300 it has been in my shack 1 month...
I'm getting a 991a because I still haven't gotten my callsign yet, so I'll still be doing VHF/UHF for a bit until I go for general. The 991a will allow me to TX/RX on all bands available to tech, as well as listening on HF and setting up an antenna before I get my general. When I do get general I will probably get the IC-7300 for a dedicated HF rig, and the 991a for VHF/UHF and a more portable shack-in-a-box for if I ever want to do POTA. I hope this is a decent plan and I'm not just falling into the HAM money pit here lol
The Yaesu includes VHF and UHF all mode (inc digital). That's no small difference. If you need/want these then it's a no brainer.
7300 has 4 meters though
I had a neighbour, long ago, that showed me a Yeasu FT-857D long ago. It impressed me so much. He made a modification to it that had it functioning on many, many bands. He told me the transceiver, even without modifications, was quite powerful. It looked like a simple VHF transceiver like what a taxi would use. It was definitly all performance without all the useless fluff. It is likely the old transceiver is not even manufactured anymore. The small radio was in his car. He had three antennas attached to the radio. The HF antenna was an 262 centimeter antenna ran through a tuner first. The VHF an UHF were two short antennas, 49.5 centimeters for VHF and 16.5 centimeters for UHF. He was the guy that inspired me to get an old Jeep as a vehicle and made me a radio hobbyist. It is almost time for an amateur radio license since Internet is starting to fall into disfavor for communication because of censorship. He used to talk to our 49 megacycle walkie talkies on his Yeasu.
@@skyterrapin 4 meters is very interesting. I listen a lot. Sometimes there is DX as clear as can be. Other times, it behaves like 2 meter. It is rather an unappreciated band.
I have to agree with you Simon Bussey. I don't have the space for 2, 3, or 4 different rigs.
@@skyterrapin useless to US hams though...
For the benefit of those not in the US:
3:30 - 23.5 cm, 22.9 cm, 25.4 cm, 23.5 cm.
4:12 - 10.9 cm, 8.9 cm.
Thank you but I am in Manchester. We use both with a preference for metric. I am certain the rest of the planet appreciates it as well. I believe the United States of America uses both as well with the preference for the British Imperial standard.
I wear a watch with a slide rule bezel just so I can convert units in my head
Great review and video. I have both radios, and much prefer the 7300. The Yaesu’s menus are not intuitive and I dont like having to go hunting for what I want. The 7300, its super easy to quickly find and adjust everything.
I came to reinforce my choice with the ICOM but I realized the 991A is the better choice for my life on a sailboat.
Great video!!
I'm more confused now :-) I was partial to the Yaesu FT991A because of the VHF/UHF capability for about a hundred more. However I like the display quality and the overall simpler user interface of the Icom 7300. Turning through over 100 menu choices with a knob just doesn't set with me well.
I thought I had my mind "made up" but now I'm swaying toward the Icom and just getting a separate VHF/UHF rig to go with it.
Imho its better to have a dedicated hf rig as you scroll through the bands. Have a vhf rig seperate so you can monitor the local repeaters
Sold an FT-897D to fund the IC-7300, which was a great step up.
But really regret selling the 897. Found a good deal on a FT991A and have both radios.
The IC-7300 absolutely blows the 991A away with it's spectrum scope, but the 991A is great for portable and doing VHF/UHF SSB work and is a great replacement for the 897D.
When you have them both, it is a really nice combination!
I did pretty much the same thing. I have owned two FT-897D's. I sold the first when I was traveling for work and off the air for 7 years. Got back into HAM and had to have another and found a nice used one. I sold it to fund a new IC-7300 that is an awesome radio and likely a better performer than the FT-991A. But I loved and miss the small, compact, all in one "shack-in-a-box" features of the FT-897D's. I have decided to purchase a new FT-991A soon!
I’m planning to buy the 991a. Any issues with it?
Hi Eric: nice comparison of the two rigs. You may have omitted the GREATEST feature of the iCOM 7300 and that is the wonderful transmit audio design that their engineers built into the rig. The 7300 does a fantastic job of "packing" the audio into the selected bandwidth and adjusting the tones, both high level Eq and low level Eq, and doing it all by just using the stock handheld mic. This allows the average Ham to selectively enhance his/her own transmitted voice to compensate for any deficiency, or to enhance his/her voice to sound more like a broadcast quality station. To equal this feature, one would have to spend about $250 for a mic capable of equaling this capability already built into the 7300. You will never hear a bad sounding 7300, they are distinctive.
We have to remember just one thing : we aren't a broadcast speakers but "Hams" so the "average" Ham should know about the 2400Hz and the benefit if going narrow . All the effort with Behringer racks , condenser microphones etc etc ...and maybe who's listening use a PC speaker *laughs* .
Ended up with the Icom 7300, one of my favorite features (not mentioned?) is the SD Card memory which makes changing and saving settings a breeze. Thank you for the side-by-side comparison!
Thanks for this video, I’m researching a new hf rig, I like that the Yaesu has vhf/uhf, I’ve never been fond of their modular plug for the mic, (I have a 857D and a FT-8800) neither has ever given me problems with the connectors. The Icom 7300 seems to be my choice currently, the screen seems nicer and the menu seems easier. I like and own both company’s gear as well as Kenwood. I still continue to research, it’ll be a bit before I take the plunge.
Great presentation and useful, professional opinions. I chose the IC-7300. Thank you and 73 from Poland.
Seems to me that a lot of people downgrade the Yaesu FT-991A for it's menu system. (In the 'Ford vs Chevy' battle). I find it very intuitive. Most of the settings are 'Set it and Forget it'. I find that the Yaesu and the IC-7300 radios are both excellent and have a valid use for every user. However, the Yaesu is a 'Shack-in-the-box' with it's digital and 2m/70cm bands. This alone made me choose the Yaesu. I also use the Yaesu aviation FTA-750L transceiver and chose it as well for it's additional features for it's price point. You also can't go wrong with the added 3yr warranty. A Square Trade 3yr warranty...$240. Add that to the cost of an IC-7300. Best Regards and 73's.
And you want to use repeaters with different split frequencies? The 991a menus only have one split for each band! (Yes, I know how to get around that limitation - rather awkward!) And what is the 'DT GAIN' function for? And setting up FT8 etc using only the manual is beyond my understanding (though I can work around that, too). I could go on and on.... Summary - the Yaesu FT-991a is very unfriendly and the manual nearly useless.
@@NoiseWithRules Never said anything about that or anything you have replied. You may need a Thorazine drip.
Get help or counseling soon. God Bless.
I bought a 991A, sold it and bought a 7300, and never looked back. I think the 7300 is much easier to use, easier to navigate the menu. The VHF/UHF was not an issue for me as I prefer separate radio for 2m/440. 60 meters easier to use on the 7300. I use mine as base station, if I operated portable I'd go with the FT-891.
Wow, I did just the opposite, but I live in an HF Amateur Operator rich area and the loose receiver of the 7300 got easily wiped out whereas the 991A doesn't, plus the 991A has a real RF gain instead of a silly CB variable attenuator.
Yaesu has its place in HAM radio, but in this case it’s the IC-7300 all the way. It has been said that the 7300 was designed to do one thing very well, rather than the 991 which does many things average. I have the 7300 for HF and I will be picking up the 9700 for UHF/VHF. Definitely the more expensive route to go, but also worth it in my opinion.
Neither one has a cup holder. That’s rather disappointing.
That would be at least a 1000 dollar option bro hahahaha
Nor a cigarette lighter or ash tray
@@nicklikesradio I disagree - both have slots/holes on the top which are there for stubbing out your cigarette.
I know right......when do we get the cup holder guys???
Heh… 🤪
This was a very good video! I like that you tried your best to keep the personal opinion out of it! This was a very helpful video! Currently I am leaning very much to the ICOM 7300 as my first base ! I love the simplistic and the larger screen as the best reason for me to go that route. Once again Great video and Thanks for keeping it real!!
Thank you when you were showing how to do certain little tasks it actually helped me figure out how to do those tasks on my 991 a I just hooked up my radio last night absolutely love it love your videos they are very informative 73s for now N0SPW
For me, I think I would go with the 7300 in the shack but I’m considering changing the Icom 706 in the go box for the 991. I like a single radio in the go box and the screen on the 991 would be a big improvement over my 706. Great video. It’s tough to do a comparison when you’re really not comparing apples to apples but you did and I think you answered everyone’s questions who didn’t really know the differences.
Well, for me I just love my monster Icom 740, manufactured in 1983. Other rigs can barely beat the performance both RX and TX, it's a tight radio. And to mod. It for GEN. Coverage {testing purposes only, of course} W/O a crystal swap is fairly involved. I must admit, the 7300 has me really interested. I'd like to see one close up and personal. PS: no comparison between the 740 and the 730, both are from the same era. 745? No offense, but good luck. Old radios are great when designed to perform properly with a decent life expectancy, wear and tear aside. Time for Pizza now so... have a great day everyone.
Both great radio, I personally own the IC-7300 and find it meets my needs. I hear a lot of FT-991a units on the air as well . If I had some extra money burning a hole in my pocket I would consider buying a 991a as well.
Thanks for your help. I will go with the Yaesu for sure.
I'm a over the road truck driver had a FT891 and screwdriver antenna with a ALS 500 amp I sold the FT891 now looking for another HF rig in the rig LOL. I think I am going with the FT 991A because it has so many bands in one box I always wanted to check out some of the 2 meter repeaters around the country now I will be able to do that and more. It's like a mini base station in a mini home on wheels. I stumbled across another trucker who installed one in his truck he said it performs great in the truck seems to handle vibration and big climate changes with ease now all I got to do is figure out what 2 meter antenna to get.
On the 991A, can the waterfall be output to a laptop in the field?? Is the receive audio as good as the ICOM 7300??
I would like to add a Patreon but if I dont want to discuss the more easier use of the 7300 (despite I bought a 991a ) I would have been pleased to hear the 2 transceivers trying to hear a weak and difficult signal and see how they manage to understand it (given that the owners know how to do their best however the settings are easy to use)
I have had both brands and I have liked both. I am a little more interested in the 991A as I plan to be mobile for the majority of the time and the 7300 is less able for that method. The 2 and 440 make the biggest difference in that respect as ti is easier to have everything in one unit in a mobile system.
I am still using a 706 II G in the motorhome as it is a great workhorse and I would keep that up if it had the digital ability that is needed for some of the 10meter, 2 meter and 440 repeaters.
I work DX on 10m with the IC-7300 on my lunch break most days from the mobile
Considering the FT991A as a more RV friendly rig rather than my current IC7300/9700 combo which is in my opinion a nicer outfit, but way too big to travel with.... Nice to have 2m/70cm built in rather than a 2nd rig.
I like how you say, “I’m giving you the features of each with no personal preference. By the way, the Icom is mine 😂”
All joking aside, this is a great video. After watching this, where my thinking is currently, I may be choosing the 7300 for home and the 991 for portable/ ARES.
We all are very lucky. Both radios are great and you can't really go wrong either way. Just personal preference.
HI folks. not to correct you Eric but the reason why the rigs wont tune is because there is not tuner attached to them that built in tuner is designed to work with a external unit so if there is a mismatch it wont blow your rig while using a different tuner!
PS i hope you still do the nets on 078A I'll catch you on there sometime. 73's to all and to all a good day. DE Eric in VT.
Man, this is one of the best comparison reviews I ve ever seen. 73 from R4HIR!
If the ICOM had 2 meter/70 cm it would be the perfect radio..... I still have to go with it, just because of the interface. It feels more intuitive for a newer HAM and more "current". The Yaesu display feels like a 1990's style menu structure, less like a modern Smart Phone.
Nice comparison! I don't have the FT-991 but I do have its older incarnation FT-897D which I like mainly for the excellent performance on VHF/UHF CW and SSB, and I have the "simplified version " ( minus colour display and VHF/UHF) of the '991 - the FT-891 which I bought for my portable work in the parks since it's the smallest 100W HF radio on the market and it demonstrates surprisingly good reception, mainly due to the wise combination of both analogue and digital signal processing. I believe the same reliable designe is applied for the FT-991 too. I do own an IC-7300 for more than a year. The main reason I bought it was... pure curiosity! Because it was a first pure , fully SDR rig made by a major manufacturer. I think it is important to stress: the '7300 is of TOTALLY different design, totally new Software Defined Radio technology. The only analogue part in it is probably the laoudspeaker and the tuning knob :). Is it important if you only want to make a QSO? Probably not, any radio will do if you don't care about the technology and progress :). It's like with cars: it is very hard to compare the gasoline engine and the fully electrical car. Yes, both may bring you from point A to B, but there is no way of comparing which engine is better. They're just different. Knowing these differencies may be an argument while making a purchasing decision. The same with radios IMHO. I have tried the IC-7300 in the field portable work by the way. The impressions are generally good, but it's not my favourite portable rig. There is a short video on my channel explaining why. But I love using this radio for my digital modes due to its simple one-cable connectivity to the PC. 73! Linas LY2H
I like both Radios. In fact, I have one of each. I use the IC7300 for my Base Station at home with a separate VHF/UHF for local repeater activity (TYT TH-7800). Overall, I prefer the ease use of the IC7300 and like the scope better. On the other hand, I bought the FT-991A specifically for the Shack in the Box. It serves as my portable that goes with me in the RV when I camp or travel and a backup for the base if ever needed (it resides in the Pelican box to grab and go as needed). I love it for that and I have all sorts of capabilities with it and the spectrum scope is plenty adequate. They are both awesome radios and I make contacts all over the world on both. You cannot go wrong with either. If I were more into the VHF/UHF modes and I could only have one radio, I'd probably lean more towards the FT-991A as the base, but I like having the separate VHF/UHF for crossbanding with my HT and for monitoring local activity while I am working HF on the IC-7300. At the end of the day, the IC7300 is overall easier to use in my opinion, but that is not a deal breaker by any means. It is all about what you want an need out of the radio. They are indeed different radios each with their own merits.
73's KE4EVL
You did what I did...7300 sits at home...991a as mobile...I'm in an HOA...so I need to rely on a hidden antenna...still works adequately for the 7300 because it's a solid radio...the 991a is a more rugged radio and perfect for POTA with a bioenno 20 amp/hr battery and wolf river coil antenna...scope is good enough, didn't buy the 991a to watch tv... it's a radio for Pete's sake...73s...de...AC3FB...
Thanks for the video. Looking for a HF base radio. I'm liking the IC7300. Display looks better, and common setting's appear to be easier to access on the icon. However having UHF/VHF in the base would be helpful. For the $200 price difference will get you close to a good UHF/VHF radio.
I had a Yaesu FT-991A previously. My main complaint was the touch screen was not very sensitive. I had no problems with the scope, loved it. My other complaint was some of the ways you move thru frequencies and sometimes it didn't do what you pushed.
Great review. Base station System Fusion, D-Star or DMR can be worked via an USB dongle and your home internet. Your local V and UHV repeaters can be worked by a cheap FM radio. If you are looking for serious satelite comunication, better add an IC-9700. Hilton PY2BBQ.
I just purchased the 7300 this past weekend and after watching this video I am glad that I did.
Ah, yes. The sad troll speaks.
I already own a Yaesu FTM-100D 2 meter/70 cm with C4FM digital I don't see much point in buying another radio that has that feature and you showed how much bigger and easier to understand the 7300's screen and menus are. I just want a better radio than my old Kenwood TS-450 that has a dead internal tuner and is noisy, but hey, it gets out. I'm not legally vision impaired but I am a bit near sighted such that I need a set of computer glasses and I take them off to see close up and a different set for driving. So the bigger, easier to use screen clinches it for me. ICOM, here I come.
I already went down the Yaesu Fusion Wires X rabbit hole. Its a thing. Great review! 👍👍😎🇺🇸
Gud day sir, it was so interesting that both radio, i was so happy to hear all the detail each one of the, wish i could have one of those i just use portable and mobile antenna. Thanks for the video
When I tell some hams that all the tuning a tuner does to bring your radio into resonance, makes the tuner eat the power that does not get to the antenna. The further you get, the less power gets to the antenna, and is eaten by the tuner. Some hams go into a frenzy when you tell them that.I
It is common knowledge, or at least is should be. The tuner becomes resonate and is resonating and making heat, or transmitting right there inside the box. That consumes energy. They probably believe you can attach a AC motor to generator and start the motor. When the generator is producing 115 volts, you can, then power the motor from the generator and disconnect the outside power. Some fairytales die very hard, even in people that should know better. Now, Big Foot and Earth being flat, that is real.
@@indridcold8433 Yes, the tuner becomes part of the antenna, so a portion of the RF goes into the tuner and is dissipated as heat, and the rest goes into the antenna. How much RF goes to either depends on how far the antenna is from resonance.
It was always my understanding they bleed off the reflection... and the reflection is the waste... all they do is dump it to ground before it gets back to your tx.
@@ryanbergs7313 The reason tuners come in different power levels is because the power that does not reach to antenna due to its resonance not being on frequency, is that the tuner dissipates the power that does not reach the antenna as heat. If the tuner is not big enough for the power level, it will arc across parts in the tuner making a mess of it. This is why some people insist on seeing the inside of tuner before buying it used. Some run a lot of power until they get caught, which is hardly ever.
@@ryanbergs7313 No, the tuner becomes part of the antenna, and the power that does not reach the antenna is burned off as heat in the tuner.
Very helpful! Even though I am somewhat vision-impaired and tend toward the IC 7300 I really would prefer the all in one box in my shack.
They both look good but I reckon the Yaesu wins by a whisker due to HF to UHF coverage.
Thanks for the comparison. Paul.👍
I already have half a dozen VHF UHF radios of some sort. IC-7300 is superior if you don't need those bands, in my opinion.
@@jimm8596 why?
@@Justin-bd2dg IC-7300 is direct conversion receiver Yeasu ft991a super heterodyne Ic-7300 gets overloaded by strong signals in cities or urban areas
@@mindblast3901 I thought they were both SDR?
@@YZFoFittie no yeasu ft991a is super hetrodyne better in high rf areas etc cities signal front end rejection
Outstanding video! I couldn't decide which one to get so I got both. Now I am learning about the IC-9700 with its power capabilities. Probably my next purchase. Keep up the great work!
Plenty of the filthy lucre then? 😀
Mike C oh no, all earned through honest days work.... I know it’s shocking.
@@WJ6FRadio teehee yeah it's amazing how much loot you can accumulate with compounding interest and... not buying $70k pickup trucks. Smh
I love the look and structure of the ICOM, but I really like that the Yaesu does VHF/UHF. Ugh, choices!
Yep. Just getting started and will have to save up for quite a while before I can afford either one, but I couldn’t pick one right now if I had to. I want VHF & UHF on the same main rig, but I also have pretty poor vision and would prefer the larger screen and scope. Good thing I have to wait quite a while anyway before I buy haha
The Yaesu FT-991A is a bargain, and I agree, they did C4FM much better than Icom did Dstar, For one, Icom used the old chip set, so Dstar will always be plagued with problems when new hams get into it and don't realize what is going on when the black hole happens. C4FM works really well, but I do have Dstar, DMR, C4FM, I use the mall, and program all my own radios. To learn about DMR, write your own code plug, it will take time, but you will learn so much.
So i had to buy both after watching this :) Cheers 73's
Icom for me but I did have an 857D for my mobile a few years back. That screen was really small and as I got older was hard to read going down the road. Nice work as always YZI. 73
When Yaesu released the 891, I was hoping it was a reduced footprint 991 to replace the 857d (which I own and enjoy backpack portable).
I`ve had both and i have to say the Icom 7300 is a dream to use. Its just so pleasant. I found the ft991A menus a bit clunky in comparison and the band scope slow and UN-informing.
Good video, before you send back the 991 will you do a comparison with your 7100, please. I’m in the market for a new rig but want to get into VHF/UHF SSB and HF and having been comparing these 2 radios a lot. Keep up the good work, KC5SOZ and KI5EMR.
The 991 only does something like 50 watts on vhf/uhf. That a bummer. Still need bricks if you're going to get serious.
I love VHF SSB on my FT-897D!
Thank you for this practical comparison. The 991a seems better for my needs but the Icom is easier and faster, however, I'm not in a hurry, it's supposed to be a relaxing hobby for me. There is no perfect radio but for a base station, I'm looking at the 991a. Cheers. ;)
Guess Im staying up late tonight. Just the video I've been waiting for. Just passed tech and general last weekend. Great videos. Much appreciated.
Congratulations on getting Your Tech and General licenses and welcome to the Ham Radio world. 73's K0ELY
Congratulations!
Ham Radio: Skip almost-always to somewhere throughout the 11-year sunspot cycle.
Well done and welcome to the hobby!!
Congrats and welcome.. 73
Good side-by-side w/o the geek-speak!
I have a 991 (non-A) and the scope has ALWAYS been less than the 7300. It has improved over time with firmware releases, but still not on par with the 7300. One thing I did notice regarding the scope though... in your video the 991 was set at +/- 50k and the 7300 at +/- 25k. This may have made the 991 a bit choppier, but again... still not a 7300 scope.
That said, I don't use the scope much on any of my rigs. The most important place for me would be on HF digital modes and I use the software scope on the laptop.
The shack-in-the-box has a big appeal to me, your mileage may vary.
73
Great video. I do like the menu of the Icom over Yeasu. But, I’m a Yeasu kinda guy.
Can these (or any other radios) be connected to an external monitor to duplicate the displays on a larger screen? If not, I'm wondering why.
Eric, thank you for the great videos. These are great for the new ham like me, KN4UHA, 73 hoop
oooohhhhh.....i'm sooo ....not confused....but holy crap!!!! which one!!!! i'm still floating towards the icom. great vid....Thanks!!!!
Go with the Icom and get yourself an HT for local vhf/uhf
I have bad vision and was looking at the 991a, but that 7300 with bigger display. I might have to get that Icom.
Muchas felicidades, me gustó el vídeo y esas voces de locutor están sensacionales muchas bendiciones máster
I have used both of these radios. The Yaesu is about the most UNfriendly radio I have ever come across and the manual isn't much help either*. The Icom is easy to drive, there is a basic manual for getting going and a great advanced manual if you want something unusual. The Icom display has most everything you need to know at a glance but the Yaesu just has the minimum. However the Yaesu does 2m and 70cm, also C4FM - the Icom doesn't.
* Try finding what the 'DT GAIN' setting does - the manual tells you where it is but not what it's for!
A really good presentation and you helped me decide.
I am lucky I own both. I sold my Kenwood 2000 for the 981a money. I Sold my tentec for the 7300 money. Both are awesome I use both. Best shack I have had in My +50 years on the air. Shack looks great with both side by side. I'm very lucky. :-)
The display on the 7300 is much better but I did not see that you could remove the waterfall on the 7300 like you did on the 991A.I hate the waterfall so I would not want to see it Ever just the Band Scope for me.👍🎙
Hey tell me which is better .. ok .. I WANT YOUR OPINION OK ... please which would you get .. Thank you.
After watching this.... 7300 for me. It's a huge jump from the 100w to the 200w stations. As a beginner I'm perplexed. $750 for a 450D or a few chunks more for an iCom 7300? I'm sold. Now to get this sectioned tower up with a few verts.....
What I really want is an hf vhf uhf radio that is as simple as a cb to use for in my semi truck
857d or the equivalent from Icom.
The FT-991a appears to be designed as a portable, front key jack, smaller display, modular mic connector with a dust boot, handle, etc. The IC-7100 would probably be more comprobable to the FT-991a, and note it uses a modular mic jack.
I have a 991a and a Icom 705. I'm a general for 1 year now. The Digital modes confuse the crap out of me. Plus I'm not sure there are any repeaters with digital modes available in my area. Is there a video that helps with digital?
These are both great radios, and to think of what I would have given to have either one of them when I got my first amateur license back in the 1970s! I have used both, but I personally own the Icom IC-7300. One thing I can say is the IC-7300 is very fast and easy for making frequency changes and filter settings. Icom did a very good job leveraging the touch screen in what I would call a hierarchical structure. The 991A is more like the screen is a button front end for the traditional Yaesu menu structure (which can be a good thing). I have a VX-7R, FT2-DR and an 817, etc. and I appreciate the family resemblance between the Yaesu products. To me, the biggest difference is the 991 is the shack-in-a-box since it includes all mode VHF/UHF. For all-in-one mobile, I still have a venerable Icom 706mk-IIg, but it would be sweet to update to a 991A.
One feature I know is the IC-7300 has a so-called, “emergency,” antenna tuner mode that will allow the radio to match to a difficult load with VSWR higher than 3:1, however the max power output is reduced. I don’t know if there is an equivalent mode on the 991A.
My first bench radio was the Yaesu FT-847. I totally regret selling it because it was so awesome for its time. Worked a guy on UHF from Texas to Arizona via amateur ham sat, with handheld high gain antenna. Yaesu comes close to replicating the 847 with the 991, but missing all the usability of the older model. Yaesu never replicated all the functionality and usability of the 847. Miss it so much.
love the 991a but wish the waterfall was as good as the 7300 one
The water fall is good, but smaller, that is all. The radio has way more than the 7300, for a small increase in price. You can increase the size of the waterfall by using a bigger screen and some software. There is a lot of software out there, so go look around.
Maybe a comparison with the 7100 in the background would be a good idea.
Great video, Eric. I'm in the market for a new rig and your video is giving me a lot of needed information. Thanks
I have seen them by people at home and in the field. Overal the icom is the better radio!!!!,......BUT! If you want to use one of these radio's at fielddays and JOTA, i would absolutely go for the Yaesu. The Strong signal handling of the Icom is Not all that great. I love both radio's equal. If i need a HF radio for at home or in an RV not realy close to other hams i would defnetly go for the Icom. If i need a radio for gatherings, meetings, fielddays, ARES, JOTA and so on, i would defnedly go for the Yausu. Good luck with your choice.
I've not bought or used either yet, but as I've passed General last week, getting into HF would be nice with either of these. Eric always has great videos explaining the differences. And for myself, while I like the pluses that were pointed out on the ICOM 7300, I am willing to choose the FT-991A over the 7300 as the one I'm saving for and looking to see what shows on used. Why? For the shack in the box aspect, all mode from HF up to VHF 2 Meter and UHF 70cm in one box.
If you want shack in the box 2m and 70cm, you can get IC-7100. That has D-STAR which the Yaesu does not have.
@@sammiller6631 ok yes, thanks for pointing that out about DStar. The 7100 you mentioned looks very nice as well, with good specs.
However, unfortunately my two biggest obstacles that can't be overcome are money and housing rules prohibiting antennas. I'm on Disability so the income is fixed, and the housing is county low income.
I may in the future be able to get a mobile unit in the minivan, but even that's on hold.
I just reviewed this video again after many times and just realized there is no mention of the ICOM's 4 pin power adapter to let's say an LDG Autotuner VS the FT 991A's lack thereof. So I assume a separate DC power supply cable to an external tuner with an accessory cable or stereo jack between tuner and radio would do it?
Thanks for sharing this information and video. It’s been helpful I’ve been considering getting an ICOM 7300. Your video convinced me the ICOM 7300 will be my choice. I also own a Yeasu FT 857D which I will keep for mobile. The 7300 will be both QTH and POTA/SOTA Portable . Appreciate your providing enough information on each radio for me to be able to determine which will be best for me.
73 Steve AA4SH