Yaesu FTDX5000D HF PRODUCT REVIEW
PRODUCT REVIEW
Yaesu FTDX5000D HF and
6 Meter Transceiver
Reviewed by Rick Lindquist, WW3DE
Managing Editor,
National Contest Journal
Yaesu’s latest colossus rules, delivering
top tier performance at a substantially less
than a top tier price. The FTDX5000 series
establishes a new benchmark, the highest
close-in IMD dynamic range and third-order
intercept we’ve ever measured. It can and will
do the heavy lifting for the most demanding
DXer or contester.
This radio shares DNA with earlier Yaesu
offerings. Over the past several years, Yaesu
has deployed an array of such signature
signal enhancing features as Contour, VRF,
µ-Tune and Class A. As with the FT-2000
and FTDX9000 models reviewed previously,
the FTDX5000 builds upon this legacy, and
it may be helpful to reread those reviews
(you did read them already, right?).1 Three
FTDX5000 models are available according
to option package: The FTDX5000, the
FTDX5000D and the FTDX5000MP. The
basic 5000 is very well equipped. The D
model adds the SM-5000 monitor scope, and
the MP adds the SM-5000, 300 Hz roofing
filter (optional on the other models) and high
stability oven controlled crystal oscillator.
The FTDX5000D with optional 300 Hz
roofing filter reviewed here is a transceiver
for the discriminating contester or DXer,
who may even consider its roughly $6000
price a bargain. Although extremely rich in
performance, it lacks some “convenience”
features. For example, you cannot connect
a keyboard for digital modes or data entry.
Then again, you don’t put a backup cam on
an Indy car. Optional Yaesu accessories let
you trick out your ride.
Some Broad Strokes
Main (A) and subreceiver (B) performance tops that of several vaunted radios
already on the market, although the main
1
The following QST Product Reviews
may be of interest: FT-2000 (Feb 2007),
FT-2000D (Oct 2007), FTDX9000D
(Aug 2005), FTDX9000 Contest (Mar 2006)
and FTDX9000MP (Jul 2010). Past QST
reviews are available to ARRL members
at www.arrl.org/product-review.
receiver does outperform the subreceiver (see
Table 1). The two discrete and comparable
receivers make it possible to transmit and/or
receive on separate bands — SO2R in a box
(details to come)!
Both receivers cover from 0.03 to 60 MHz.
Receiver A is double conversion, with the
first IF at 9 MHz and the second DSP IF at
30 kHz for SSB and CW and 24 kHz for AM
and FM modes. Receiver B is a tripleconversion design, with the first and second
IFs at 40.455 MHz and 455 kHz, respectively,
and the DSP third IF identical to the second
IF in the main receiver. The 300 and 600 Hz
roofing filters are not available to the subreceiver.
The radio delivers 200 W on HF and
6 meters on SSB and CW. Yaesu advises
reducing the power to 1⁄2 to 1⁄3 of maximum
when using high duty cycle modes such
as RTTY or PSK31 for “longer than a few
minutes,” and rolling back to 50 W on AM.
As revisions become available, you can
update the radio’s firmware via an RS-232
port using files downloaded from the Internet.
Since most new PCs don’t come with RS-232
serial adapters/ports, USB would have been
a nice option; there are arguments on both
sides of this technological issue, however.
A serial to USB adapter (Prolific chipset)
worked fine for me. We did not perform a
firmware update on our review radio, since
this would have presented a moving target
for evaluating performance. The procedure
is relatively straightforward, and Yaesu has
resolved early issues with the update writer.
The FTDX5000 takes DSP noise reduc-
tion to a new level — absolutely the best
implementation I’ve ever experienced. It’s
just spectacular and could even make the
horrid racket from my neighbor’s solar array
system melt into the background.
To enhance selectivity, the ’5000 offers
a selection of six pole crystal roofing filters
(300 Hz, 600 Hz, 3 kHz, 6 kHz and 15 kHz
are available for the main receiver), a feature
several quality transceivers have begun offering. On CW the 300 Hz roofing filter is
amazing. Coupled with a narrow DSP filter,
you can sidle up to the strongest signals on
the band to pull someone out.
In general, the radio’s various DSP
tools may impart some echo — the audio
equivalent to “ringing” — especially at more
extreme settings. This apparently is a result
of latency.
A 46.3 Pound Gorilla in the Shack
This is a substantial radio, although it
doesn’t match the girth or weight of the
FTDX9000MP reviewed in July 2010 QST,
nor that radio’s 400 W output. The ac power
supply is built in. The FTDX5000 presents
the user with a surfeit of knobs, buttons and
displays that let you know you’re at the helm.
The ample main tuning knob augments this
sense of control. It can be daunting at first.
Some controls probably could have been
relegated to menus; MIC gain, for example, is
not something you typically adjust on the fly.
The front panel layout is sensible, although I did wish the legends were in a more
contrasting shade. Style does not triumph
over substance here. I’d expressed similar
Mark J. Wilson, K1RO
From December 2010 QST © ARRL
Product Review Editor
k1ro@arrl.org
136*
concerns in reviewing the FTDX9000 Contest
(see “Product Review,” Mar 2006 QST). On
the other hand, all readouts are easy on the
eyes. The three subdisplays are crisp, organic
light emitting diode types. The multipurpose
meter has a D’Arsonval movement. As in
earlier Yaesu incarnations, a system summary
panel, part of the main display, shows basic
signal paths and settings for the main receiver
(VFO A) and the subreceiver (VFO B) per the
antenna, attenuator, IPO, roofing filter and
AGC settings.
A couple of things struck me. First, there
is no separate indication on the main display
to let you know when VOX is enabled, beyond
a tiny red LED on the VOX button. Second,
there is no main display SPLIT indicator. You
must instead pay attention to whether the
TX indicator adjacent to the VFO B knob is
illuminated. (You’ll also see the TX indicator
switch to VFO B when transmitting.).
The VFO A and VFO B subdisplays continue to show the set value, even after the
function is off. For example, if you turn off the
NR, the display dims, and turning the knob still
changes the displayed setting while not affecting reception. Enabling another function shifts
the subdisplay’s focus to the new function.
Through menus, the operator can set individual brightness levels for the analog meter,
main frequency display, subdisplays and
SM-5000 when the DIM switch is pressed.
Color and contrast are not adjustable. There
are several color choices for the SM-5000
screen, but color and contrast are not adjustable on the main radio displays.
The FH-2 keypad accessory can be used
for controlling the built-in CW memory keyer
and voice keyer, as well as for frequency
adjustments.
At first I didn’t figure the FH-2
would come in handy, but it turned out to be
just the thing for those times when you’re
repeatedly calling a DX station that’s generated a massive pileup (and you’re running
200 W to wires).
A Problem Solved
Out of the box, our ’5000 would not key
properly, especially with an external keying
source. We found dit shortening at 60 WPM,
which was not affected by the waveform
shaping menu or by adjusting the break-in
(QSK) delay. In addition, while using the
internal keyer in full break-in, unwanted
spikes materialized between dits above
33 WPM, possibly a result of some sort of
relay bounce. ARRL Lab Test Engineer Bob
Allison, WB1GCM, described these as “phantom spikes” that looked “like triangles in the
blank spaces between dits, causing a not so
pretty keying waveform.”
A Yaesu-provided circuit modification
fixed the problem. The manufacturer says
its production line incorporated the keying
modification starting with Lot 2, although
not all Lot 2 radios were modified. The
problem has been corrected in all Lot 3
and later radios, however, and Yaesu says
it will fix any radios already in the hands
of customers.
A Problem Unsolved
So called “spurs” in the ’5000’s main
receiver generated considerable chatter
among owners and wannabes on the Yaesu
FTDX5000 reflector. While Yaesu is looking
into this issue, it remained unresolved as this
review went to press. Here’s the thing: You
have to be looking for these artifacts (they are
not “spurs” in the true sense of the word) in
order to hear them. If the radio is set for 1 Hz
resolution and a signal — preferably a strong
one — is on or near certain frequencies in
certain bands, you can hear a faint blip as you
turn the VFO knob past certain other specific
frequencies. They’re easy to miss altogether
and may give the impression of tuning past a
real signal very quickly, but there is no spur
that you can actually tune to. Some users
consider this a serious issue that’s deserving
of Yaesu’s attention.
High Fidelity
SSB enthusiasts will enjoy the FTDX5000’s
comprehensive transmit audio tailoring capabilities using the three octave equalizer. There
are two tiers of settings — one for when the
processor is off, the other for when it’s on.
The PROC button steps through MIC EQ and
PROC steps, as indicated on the main display.
These settings allow you to adjust gain,
bandwidth and even Q for each bandwidth
range in the equalizer, punching up one range
of frequencies and tempering another to suit
your voice. This is akin to the sort of audio
processing broadcasters use on their studio
microphones to make even the most modest
voice sound appreciably more robust.
The equalizer can take some time to set up,
and for situations in which multiple operators
will be using the radio, you may just want to
go with the flat response defaults and trim
your audio using any adjustments available
on your mic or headset. The radio is capable
of enhanced SSB (ESSB) operation. The
FTDX5000 offers similarly extensive audio
tweaking capabilities for the receivers’ audio.
Intercept Point Optimization
and Preamps
Yaesu employs IPO buttons on its HF
transceivers. The ’5000’s main receiver has
two IPO settings, IPO1 and IPO2; the subreceiver has just IPO1. IPO stands for intercept
point optimization, referring to third order
intercept point (IP3), a popular metric that
takes into account a receiver’s sensitivity and
dynamic range (see Table 1). What the IPO
buttons actually do is turn off any preamps,
which typically degrade dynamic range.
Pushing the IPO button can improve the
dynamic range on a band that has external
Key Measurements
Summary
70
20
20 kHz Blocking Gain Compression (dB)
70
2
2 kHz Blocking Gain Compression (dB)
,
50
20
20 kHz 3rd-Order Dynamic Range (dB)
,
50
2
2 kHz 3rd-Order Dynamic Range (dB)
,
-40
20
20 kHz 3rd-Order Intercept (dBm)
,
-40 +30
2
2 kHz 3rd-Order Intercept (dBm)
-30
,
TX
-20
Transmit 3rd-Order IMD (dB)
,
TX
-20
PR053
Key:
Values shown are for Receiver A
with 600 Hz roofing filter.
Dynamic range and intercept values
with preamp off.
Intercept values were determined using
-97 dBm reference.
*
See Table 1.
‡
Transmit 9th-order IMD (dB)
Off Scale
**
Blocking exceeded the levels indicated.
Class A operation.
Bottom Line
An extraordinary transceiver for
the discerning contester or DXer.
This one will become the gold standard for operators seeking the best
receive performance and best value
in its class.
From December 2010 QST © ARRL
-47
136*
136*
114**
114**
41**
40**
-43‡**
-72
80 M
136*
109
32
-35
‡
**
20 M
140
140
110
110
+35
-70
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