Like many, I found the FT818 a real disappointment.
It looks like Yaesu "copped out" and simply upgraded the FT817ND to overcome parts obsolescence. No attempt whatsoever has been made to actually upgrade the radio such as adding a Lithium Polymer battery, speech processor or auto ATU. Basically it is still an FT817ND. What did the FT818 development cost? $10?
However, it is about half the price of the IC7300 which is 100W and a much better radio, so I am told. Maybe Yaesu will introduce an SDR QRP radio soon? That is, if they don't go bust first! Now, I love Yaesu products and have owned many over the years. But, it seems Yaesu has lost its way in recent years.
Had Yaesu wanted to, they could have developed a world beating radio with thousands selling their FT817s and upgrading to FT818s. It seems to me very unlikely anyone will sell their FT817s to buy an FT818. To me, this is a disaster and shows the market intelligence of a 5 year old. My views and others are free to disagree.
The best I can hope for is Yaesu is beavering away on a QRP SDR radio with everything we want. If they don't, I give them 5 years or less and they will be dead - gone forever.
I think that amatur radio market is not main target for Yaesu, so they don't care ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou could be right.
ReplyDeleteNothing could be far from the truth the FTDX101 will soon launch with a better front end filtering system than the barn door system approach to Icom. This will then lead Yaesu's path into the SDR market with a wider range of models. But one thing will separate them from the others, they intend to keep the Superhet technology in a range of models made available to those who prefer against SDR. So you could say they are not putting all their eggs in the same basket as a bit of eXtra insurance backup.
ReplyDeleteTime is not right to launch a successor to the 817/818 at the bottom of the sun spot cycle that will come when QRP becomes more marketable at the rise of the new cycle in another two or three years.
That's the way I see it all happening.
73 Steve
G1KQH