FT818 replacement?

There is much speculation that the now old FT817/818 Yaesu had been discontinued about a possible successor. When it was first introduced it had no competition. These days there are many competitors, so Yaesu may decide not to bother.

One of the competitors is the DX Explorer TX-500. This is available from MLS. I have no idea where this is made, but it is rugged and feature rich.

As a Yaesu fan I would consider a new Yaesu portable at the right price and with the right features. Sorry, but in recent years I think Yaesu has been reactive rather than proactive. They will have a tough time unless there are some "killer" applications.