Yaesu FT-7800R Owner's Thread

[DaveInDenver]

So I was over helping KDØDHO get his radio put in last night. Turned out pretty well and we were on the air talking! Bill ended up with my old FT-7800 in a complex Ponzi scheme that involved an illicit exchange of rocker protecting steel and labor for Japanese electronics.

We were going through how to operate the radio and I was just confusing Bill more than I was helping, so I wanted to start a thread for tips on how to work the radio. I could hear myself saying this stuff and it occurred to me just how overwhelming all of this must be to the new hams. I think the idea of simplex is easy enough to explain, but repeater operating and programming (mainly how do you know + or - offsets and tones!) is a pretty tough topic to explain.

So FT-7800 guys, how about some tips? I think the FT-7800 is probably one of the most popular radios installed by new 4WD hams, so I bet a lot of people will have questions. Here's a few basic button operations that are important. Read the manual and post up questions!

I won't insult you, the power button, push-to-talk, volume, squelch. That's all like your CBs.

Key 8 - V/M(MW)
Selects which mode the radio will be in: Memory Mode, VFO Mode, Home Mode
-VFO mode is where you can tune any frequency
-Memory mode is where you select a user preset memory location
-FYI, Home Frequencies on the radio default to 146.520, 250.000, 350.000, 446.000, 850.000 but are changeable.

-To toggle between the alpha-numeric tag and the actual frequency, press the "B" button on the microphone. This was the button I could not remember last night, Bill.

Key 6 - LOW(ACC)
Selects power level (LOW, MID2, MID1, HIGH)
-Power levels are 5W, 10W, 20W and 40(UHF)/50(VHF)W

-If you hold this button down for 1/2 second you will put the radio into weather (WX) mode
-All the NOAA weather stations are pre-programmed in, turn the big tuning dial to find the strongest one

Key 9 - SCAN(SEL)
Tap the button to start scanning
-If you are in Memory Mode, this will scan through the preset stations
-If you are in VFO Mode, this will scan through all frequencies on the band

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[Seldom Seen]

These Guides are a great resource for any radio and should live in the glove box of any rig.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I also print out copies of the Yaesu manuals double sided and multiple sheets to a page and keep it in the truck. This usually ends up at about 8 or so pages. Go to http://www.yaesu.com, you can download the manual in PDF and print it that way.

 

[Romer]

I have the laminated nifty manual for both radios so I don't carry the big manual with me.

 

[Red_Chili]

I just want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU to Dave for all the help he has been getting this rig up and running. What an Elmer!! We were up till 11:30, which was at least part of my confusion, but there is indeed a WHOLE lot of stuff to learn. He was turning this, punching that, stuff came up, other stuff changed...

I felt like what the puppies must feel like when I tell them stuff in English instead of body language and barking. Like, they would have a clue.

I think it would help if I had the programming software (not to mention, as a backup). Which means I need the cable. Geez, more stuff to buy . What software etc, and from where, should I get it?

 

[DaveInDenver]

I do think the software can be helpful, but you don't need to spend the money right now. The 7800 is not too bad to program by hand and so I was thinking this morning that we need to go through setting up a couple of memory locations and that will help understand all the options and why you need or want them.

For your trip this weekend, I think just understanding how to get to a simplex frequency and talk to your buddy (Dave, right?) is a good first step. Stick to easy to manage steps. Scan around, mess with the radio to see what you can figure out. But don't expect to understand everything yet. Next week or two when we have some time, we can walk through it slower. I was rushing last night to show you everything, but being late I really didn't explain anything very well. That's why I started this, trying to condense it down to a few important things.

 

[Romer]

I have been researching this.

You can buy a 7800 to USB cable on ebay

You can buy a 7800 to serial connector on ebay

You can buy the official 7800 to serial cable and ADMS software from Gigabyte for $39 or HRO for $49

The reviews on eham.net suggest that an aftermarket SW package is better

http://www.g4hfq.co.uk/ftb7800.htm

I am leaning towards the USB cable on ebay and the aftermarket SW package. I will probably decide and buy in the next few days

 

[Romer]

Bought this cable http://mailcenter2.comcast.net/wmc/...03019D020A05?cmd=Show&no=26&uid=112803&sid=c0

Got the one for my VX-7r from them and had no issues with quick delivery. Most official kits come with a serial connector and then you can buy a USB converter. I would rather just get USB since external serial ports are becoming a thing of the past with USB.

 

[Crawler#976]

I've sorted my local repeaters by PL tone. See example below.

OUTPUT, INPUT, LOCATION PL TONE
146.77 146.17 BILL WILLIAMS 91.5
449.75 444.75 BILL WILLIAMS 91.5

146.88 146.27 PRESCOTT 100
147.38 147.99 PAYSON 100
442.0 447 Window Rock 100
442.85 447.85 Shaw Butte 100
444.5 449.5 Mt. Ord 100
448.47 443.47 Mt. Elden 100
448.47 443.47 Pinal Peak 100
448.5 443.5 P. Mountain 100
448.57 443.57 Towers Mtn 100
448.87 443.87 Mt. Elden 100
449.52 444.52 Shaw Butte 100

145.16 144.57 PAYSON 103.5
147.25 147.86 MT UNION 103.5
147.25 147.86 MT UNION 103.5
448.42 443.42 Pinal Peak 103.5

This allows me to manually enter repeaters fairly quickly since I don't have to change any settings once the Transmitter output, CTCCS mode and PL tone have been entered. Once that group is complete, set the next PL tone and cont. programming. Here's what seems to be working for me...

Select the VFO mode.

Select the transmitter power desired.

Set the CTCCS for "ENC" via the Tone/Rev button. Once set, the radio will stay in the "ENC" mode.

Press the "Band/Set" button for approx 1/2 second to get into the set mode. Dial to menu #44, press the Band/Set button again, select the PL Tone for the first group of freq's. Press Band/Set again to enter the PL Tone.

In the VFO mode enter the freq on the mike key pad.

Press the V\M(MW) key to enter the freq and modes into memory. Turn the dial to select a memory number, press the V\M(MW) key again to select that location.

Mark

 

[Romer]

So I bought the Software I listed above for the 7800. Was able to import the csv file from my VX-7r and there is a lot of stuff that is obvious about this radio I still don't understand.

Just look at the tabs for all the different stuff. Starting to learn about Personal Messaging System (PMS) now.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Not sure if you're kiddin', but the PMS on the 7800 (and other Yaesu radios) is a band limit scan (Programmable Memory Scan = PMS). You put in an upper and a lower frequency limit for Ux/Lx. Then when you are operating the radio, you can select which pair of limits to use.

This is useful for VFO scanning. It's mostly designed so that you don't accidently walk all over particular frequencies, like the CW/QRP and satellite ranges when you are working 50W simplex or using repeaters. This is irritating if you've ever tried listening for a weak station and someone stomps all over them with over-deviated 50W splatter.

Another example could be say you are scanning listening for aircraft, then you could bound the radio to only listen over 108 to 137 MHz using AM. Or if you wanted to hear only 2m CW, you could limit your radio to scan only 144.00 to 144.275 MHz.

 

[Romer]

Dave I wasn't kidding. I did a search on PMS Ham and thats what I came up with.

Not a scanner on the radio so I guess its not come up

 

[Romer]

Searching the internet I find lots of confusion on these Hypermemories. Seems lie a powerful tool if used right, but on qrz and eHam very few could understand how to use it properly.

Any help here would be appreciated.

I think I am going to buy the book "Ham radio for Dummies" I certainaly qualify.

 

[Romer]

The new Software seems pretty cool, just you can't start editing until you either read in the Radio or a Sample or another 7800 file. So I started with a sample file from the web site since I did not have the cable yet.

The SW author sent me the following tip in case anyone else does the same

There is one other thing to mention regarding using the sample files - your radio type may not exactly match the radio type in the file. If you get a message saying that the radio has refused permission to write then do this:
1. read your radio and note the Rig type in the top right of the window 2. read the file you want to write and compare the Rig type with that seen in 1 3. if different then click on the words Rig type - a drop-down appears 3. choose the value that matches your own radio and write to the radio.
Writing the sample file will reset all of your menu settings to defaults. If you don't want this to happen then do this instead of the above:
1. read the file you want to write and use Export to create a .CSV file of memories. Remember where you save it.
2. read your own radio and use Import to read the .CSV file of memories you created in step 1 3. write to your radio.
Best regards,
Bob G4HFQ
​

 

[DaveInDenver]

There is one other thing to mention regarding using the sample files - your radio type may not exactly match the radio type in the file.

This is true of many radios, but definitely true of most Yaesu radios. You can also make your life tough if you modify the radio (i.e. , extended RX, MARS/CAP or freebanding whatever you want to call it). In those cases you have to read the radio first, edit the file and program it. There is configuration information in the file and if the radio configuration and the file configuration are not the same that can sometimes confuse the software or the radio.

 

[Romer]

Great post on Mud about Hypermemories. I saved the links to my harddrive for future reference

Ken,

I use the Hyper memories and they are very useful. There is a good write-up on what they are and how to use them. The Yaesu manual is weak in this area. The purpose is similar to what Eric says about the presets but it is more than that.



Basically, each of the 5 Hyper memories is like a setting for a different radio configuration. Almost every radio setting can be configured the way you want it for a specific purpose and configured for one of the HMs (or all 5 of the HMs)



I'll give you a couple of examples:



HM1- Set for your configuration while in town. Local repeaters, custom power setting per mem location, mem alpha code, local simplex that RS uses, etc.



HM2 - Set for your travel mode. Simplex frequencies, state police freqs, FRS/GMRS, etc.



HM3 - Set for your state-wide repeater network.



HM4 - Set for your off-road club events. Your RS simplex freq, 145.52, maybe the closest repeater that would have coverage in the area where you have the event.



When you press the HM button the radio will automatically go into scan mode if that is the way you set up the HM, or into VFO mode, or into Memory mode.



The FTB7800 software gives you a great visual into the workings of the radio and it has a pretty good explanation of the Hyper Memories. It takes some time and tinkering to get it set up the way you want it but, like anything else, the effort will pay off in giving you more flexibility in using the radio.



I tweak mine about every 2 months and would do it more often if the radio wasn't mounted under the front seat.



Here are some links:

Hypermemories

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/MDDfR_...W9YwecITpl_A/Yaesu_FT-7800R_Hypermemories.pdf

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/MDDfR-...BvyJI-zydT5A/Hyper Memory thing on the FT.doc



-B-

 

[DaveInDenver]

I have a couple of hyper memories set up on my FT-8800, but I use the memory groups quite a bit. MG1 is local repeaters, MG2 is NOAA weather, MG3 is simplex, etc. I see hyper memories as a quick way to access memory groups. So what I have is HM1 is MG1 on both sides, typical configuration. HM2 is MG1 on the left side and NOAA o the right. HM3 is MG1 on left and MG3 on the right. That's about the extent of it because these are the configurations I use most often here in town. Anything else I have to do two key strokes to get MG4 thru MG10.

 

[Red_Chili]

I got to talk to Tramontana on the road to and from Moab over the weekend. I listened to the weather bands. I was all excited about this until I read all this stuff... whew! My brain is full.

The radio certainly has reach though. Tra was a few miles ahead of me in Glenwood, breaking up, he could barely hear me. I punched it up a bit, and he said later it really cleaned up well even in the canyon. His HT of course was limited.

 

[Tramontana]

Hey now...

...His HT of course was limited.

I resemble that remark!

 

[Shark Bait]

I have a couple of hyper memories set up on my FT-8800, but I use the memory groups quite a bit. MG1 is local repeaters, MG2 is NOAA weather, MG3 is simplex, etc. I see hyper memories as a quick way to access memory groups. So what I have is HM1 is MG1 on both sides, typical configuration. HM2 is MG1 on the left side and NOAA o the right. HM3 is MG1 on left and MG3 on the right. That's about the extent of it because these are the configurations I use most often here in town. Anything else I have to do two key strokes to get MG4 thru MG10.

Dave, I was looking at your 8800 file. Did it program both sides? Did you also include Moab and Utah repeaters? I am having trouble finding your post again with the file.