Yaesu System 600 SSB Transciever Experience

[fairbank56]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Whoa.....this from the guy who likes to turn on compression in the 802 (thereby voiding it's certification) and setting it up for ham use as well?

Come on, Eric....lighten up!

:-)

Well, you got me on the ham use but the only time Iv'e turned on compression in the M802 was for bench testing and comparison with other rigs, not as a service for customers. Gordon West is the one who openly advocates enabling it permanently.

Eric

[Dsanduril]

According to the manual the FT-600 and FC-800 work together. All of these places claim online to have them in stock, I suspect you'll be lucky if even 1 of the 3 actually has one:

FC-800 | HamCity / Ham Radio Equipment

YAESU FC-800 Remote External ATU for FT840 - Radioworld

Ham Radio Outlet | YAESU FC-800 | EXTERNAL AUTO ANTENNA TUNER

[tolly]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Jan,

I believe that Icom could use some competition :-)

Bill

Okey, so then I will be the Swedish competitor with this System 600, since everyone around here uses ICOM.

You Bill have your rig connected with a Pactor modem, where is it connected to the radio?

As for the various keys: There can be a LMR (Land Mobile Radio) key, a Marine key, a FT-600 (Amateur radio, which also explaines the difference between the System 600 and FT-600) key or the "dot" key (General key for programming by the dealer or installer, also used for governmental or other "General Coverage" applications).
I have now bought the radio and the "key" installed is the "General Coverage key", which I suoppose overrules the other ones? or do you know?
Does this then mean that I can use the radio in all the different key applications?

Together with the radio I got the Dealer's manual, the Customer's manual, some Quick operating refence cards for the various applications and, strange enough, a FT-847 Menu Selection Quick Code Sheet.
The use of the last one I don't know though.

And as for you Dsanduril, thanks for your tips, I have tried to order a FC-800 and I can only hope it turns out well.

I'm looking forward to getting my radio licence and setting up the system in the boat. Backstays (both) are already insulated, since there earlier was a HF radio system on the boat.
Why both back stays are insulated, one "antenna" also being about 3ft shorter than the other, I don't know.

Rolf

[Goudurix]

Rolf,

as Bill Trayfors suggested, the SGC-230 is the thing to buy. I don't find any trace nor user manual on the yaesu site on the FC-800. I guess it was also designed to be used together with specific Yaesu transceivers, where the tuning can be managed via a tuning command on the transceiver.

I had the Yaesu FC-40 atu, to be used with the FT-897 or FT-857, hence needing a 12V supply and a command cable between atu and transceiver. Frankly speaking I have been very disappointed with the FC-40 on my boat because of limited tuning range.

I have now installed an SGC-230, which cannot be steered from the FT-897 but starts its tuning range just by applying power. IT IS A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE! I can now, with the same antenna and grounding system, tune on every HAM band and every marine band even 2 Mhz!
I am sure you will be able to order it in Europe, eg. from Antennen, WLAN UMTS GSM Antennen, konfektionierte Koaxialkabel, Amateurfunk Funkgeräte und Zubehör where I have bought it mail order and delivered in Belgium after ± 5 days.

Jan
ON3ZTT

[Goudurix]

Oops I typed the link to:

www Dot Wimo Dot de that is their site.

Jan

[btrayfors]

Rolf,

Yes, Jan is right: forget the FC-800 and get an SGC SC-230.

You can buy them at Amateur Electronic Supply in Milwaukee WI or any Ham Radio Outlet store.

Welcome to AESHAM.COM

or

Ham Radio Outlet - World's Largest Supplier of Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) Equipment. Sales, Supplies, and Service.

Re: the General Config Key, yes, I believe you can transmit on any frequency. The legality of doing so will depend on licenses, circumstances, and interpretation.

Bill

[tolly]

Originally Posted by Goudurix

Rolf,

I don't find any trace nor user manual on the yaesu site on the FC-800. I guess it was also designed to be used together with specific Yaesu transceivers, where the tuning can be managed via a tuning command on the transceiver.

Jan
ON3ZTT

Looking in the "antenna tuning" section of the System 600 manual, it only relates to the FC-800, as if it's only that one to use for this radio. Also it gives instructions on how to install it with the radio, so I guess it will work, as long as I manage to get the tuner. If not, I will turn my head to the SG-230.

Rolf

[Goudurix]

Hi Rolf in all honesty you will be better of with the widely available SGC-230 (yes a bit more expensive than the others) but it is the Mercedes (or for Sweden the Volvo V-90) of atu's.
The big disadvantage of having an atu dedicated to a certain brand and type of transceiver is that you will not be able if for some reason you wish to change to another transceiver....eg my former Yaesu FC-40 needs to be hooked into an FT-897 or 857 to be able to store tunes and to tune, it needs the control cable.
The SGC-230 and the cheaper CG-3000 only need 12V feed (although the SGC230 can be connected to some form of control box to force it into a retune or stop from tuning or reset it) and will tune simply on the forward power when transmitting. It can be used with every transceiver that can apply the minimal needed power which is about 5 watts if I remember well. So it will work with the FT-600 and if you change to another transceiver or want to use it during the winter at home with another transceiver, you can do that with the SGC-230. Jan

[tolly]

Then my following question would be, what is then the difference between the SGC-230, the SGC-237 and the SGC-239? Prices are quite different but I can't see the real difference maybe xecept the 239 is for indoor use.

[tolly]

Have checked myself.
239 for indoor use and needs 100ft antenna for below 3.3MHz.
237 has only 100W max and 40 continous, compared with the 230 which has 200W max and 80W cont. 237 about $250 lower in price than 230.

Question: I s there a problem with only 40W cont? It's only when tranmitting I will use the 100W and that will hardly be continous.

Rolf

[btrayfors]

Rolf,

Last try:

1. Buy the SG-230. Don't even consider any other SGC tuner.

2. Buy the necessary Pactor connecting cables already made up from Pactor-II/III Radio Modem sales, FCC License filing, Marine SSB & HAM Radio Net schedules &amp frequencies. Gary can advise you on which ones fit the FT-600 (same ones fit the FT-900).

Bill

[tolly]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Rolf,

Last try:

1. Buy the SG-230. Don't even consider any other SGC tuner.

Bill

Okey, I've got your point Bill.

The problem is that I'm always curios in knowing facts (or experiences) when I'm interested in something. All to make the best decisions.
My own experience when it comes to things I'm not so familiar with, is that asking x persons gives x more or less different answers...and in the end I will have to be logical and get my own opinion and make the best of it.

As for this 230 issue, I have now cancelled my order for the FC-800 (Hamradio had it), and the comments I have got from you guys points in the direction of the 230...and then my curiosity and investigation mind clicks in.

Checking SGC's site gave me the impression that the 237 was almost the same as the 230, except for the lower Wattage. That together with the substantially lower price made me interested, but not if it doesn't meet my needs.
Could it be that the 237 is so new that noone has any experience of it, since the 230 lasts and has been around for so long that there has been no use replacing it? Why break a working concept?

I know I can be stubborn when it comes to finding facts to make the best decision , and in this case when I order from Sweden, the price when shipping and possible customs are cleared, will raise with about $200, so initial price is of some importance.

Do you Bill or anyone else have any experience from the 237, or is it because you know that the 230 works that you recommend it (which could be more important than "facts" from a manufacturer)?

Rolf

[Goudurix]

Rolf, the SGC-230 is the most widely used since its power ratings match best with your typical 100W PEP SSB Ham transceiver, allowing extra room with the extra 100W rating and the 80W continuous rating gives ample headroom for digital mode use.
It will even suit the 150W PEP Icom marine SSB's.

There is also an SGC-235 with 500W power rating....but you will never need that unless want to use a small linear amp in your marine setup. Really no need; a good backstay or sloping wire antenna with ATU will "concentrate" your radiated power in a low take-off angle bundle ideal for DX - you might say you will have "a lienar-amp" effect if compared to a similar setup on land over average ground.

I am not exagerating when I tell you that my mouth fell open from astonishment when I skipped the FC-40 and saw tge SGC-230 tuning every frequency between 2.2 Mhz and 30 Mhz.

Jan

[Goudurix]

Rolf,

one extra reply on what you mentioned about double backstays both insulated, one insulated part 3 feet longer than the other.

Maybe the previous owner had problems with tuning certain frequencies and used either one or the other (less likely I guess)

It was probably done as some form of "good practice" to not have a long stretch of (grounded?) cable next to the radiating backstay wire.
However an insulated strech of wire 3 feet longer or shorter than the radiating one will also interact.....and cause directivity.

Once you have decided on which side you will install the ATU (preferably as close as possible tobase of the backstay to be used - the wire between the lower part of the insulated backstay and the ATU antenna conncetion is also part of you antenna) - I would also experiment with bridging the lower insulator of the not used backstay, and even ground its chainplate, to see what the effect is....nothing complicated, just some experimenting to see if the directivity is altered.

Good luck with the installation!

Jan

[tolly]

Thanks for your suggestions about the SGC-230.

I also can see that it's better planning to have a higher wattage on the atu as a security and also if I eventuelly get a radio with higher power.
I was earlier unsure but am now convinced that the SGC-230 is the best for marine installation.

As for te backstays, it was also my idea that it could be because of being able to handle different frequences. Looking at the atu that is initially installed in the boat, I would guess that it was installed at the same time the boat was built, in 1980, and I guess that the atu quality at that time wasn't the same as later on...?

Anyway, I will wait a while now and see if I can find a SGC-230 on Ebay or some other site, or otherwise I will get me a new one.

Rolf