Explorer I
- 4,285
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Denniston
- Member #
3030
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7LYZ
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
I’m looking into a little hand held... was going to skip it... but it might fit my needs better than a dual band mobile rig... I’m thinking I need a better “Base Station” rig than my FT-2900... it’s a great radio and I’m loving the heck out of it, but feel I’m seriously lacking air time.
Explorer I
- 4,285
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Denniston
- Member #
3030
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- KJ7LYZ
I get "lacking airtime"! I have yet to make a contact dispute numerous attempts. I am ready to pull the pin on a ftm-400 but have realized shipping is out 4+weeks.
Enthusiast III
Absolutely!!! more than enough ground plane for any mobile antenna. This is what I have on my Jeep. It works fantastic. Diamond Antenna Dual-Band Mobile Antennas SG7900A
One thing to keep in mind when It comes to mobile antennas is that the ground plane only needs to be the length of the antenna itself. Yes, there is much more to discuss on that topic but I will spare you the boring details. haha. You will love that FTM400. Its is fantastic!
Advocate III
- 5,584
- First Name
- Michael
- Last Name
- Rose
- Member #
20990
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- W7FSB
- Service Branch
- US ARMY Retired
Ship from HRO to your home in Kennewick... then have wife send it to you...
I’m sorry you haven’t made a contact yet... I have already made several contacts, quite a few of those more than once...
Look up the repeaters close to you, and see if there is a “Rag Chew” net scheduled for any of the said repeaters... then jump in on the Net.
When you get back here to the Northwest, there is a Nightly Net at 7:00 pm you could jump onto. We have several Hams from Tri-Cities joining nightly. Home
I also have a list of repeaters in the area to program into that 400 for you if you don’t already have most of them.
Enthusiast I
Hi all, I've seen this mentioned before but not with any specifics. Does anyone have any detail about what actual usability is lacking in the ftm400 aprs compared with the tmd710ga?
Enthusiast I
Enthusiast I
The 400 works great. Very user friendly and feature rich. I would do it again given the choice.
Member III
As far as using just the radio for APRS, they are about the same but the ftm-400 does do messaging a bit easier by having an on screen keyboard.
If you want to add a map display for APRS packets you have received, the tm-d710ga does that a bit easier with a simple data cable from the head to the device. You can do it with the ftm-400 as well but it requires a bluetooth device to connect the tablet to the radio (such as this: Mini FTM400 Radio Car Bluetooth Converter Box for FTM-400D FTM400XDR FTM-100D 827719113209 | eBay)
Most of this has been covered but I saw this chart online today and thought it might be useful to others considering these options:
Member III
I think the only differences are in how the frequency ranges are setup for use in respective areas. And yes, Yaesu is famous for avoiding APRS details. Downright maddening. I have no clue why but it’s always been a thing with them.
Enthusiast III
So with these two radios the question isn't one of quality it is one of feature set. So both have built-in GPS and both do APRS and both are dual band 2m/70cm. The question you have to asked yourself is regarding APRS and C4FM. If digital voice is important to you then the 400XDR is the radio you want. But if packet/APRS is more important then the D710 is your go to. The 400XDR is capable of C4FM operation where as the D710 isn't. What the D710 has that the 400XDR doesn't is a hardware TNC that you can directly access. Thus allowing for a more robust and capable APRS system. For me I am more concerned with APRS thus I run a D710.
Enthusiast I
Thanks RockyMountaineer, that helps... to make sure I understand what you mean... it's not the direct in-radio aprs packet send-receive that's the issue/difference, just the lack of directly-accessible built-in TNC, is that correct?
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Enthusiast III
The D710 has a hardware TNC that is built into the radio that is completely accessible and fully functional by cable and external device. As such you can utilize that TNC to do more then just APRS on the radio. However the 400XDR utilizes a software TNC that isn't as easily accessible or versatile. So both radios will operate APRS natively and both can be used to plot other APRS users on external mapping devices. But the TNC in the D710 is more functional and lets one operate a more robust packet/APRS system if one desires. Example I can run my D710 in APRS mode then go plug my laptop into the back of the control head and run an APRS client (or any packet client) and utilize the radios TNC direct from the laptop. That is something one just can't do with the 400XDR. To some this functionality isn't important. To me it is.
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RockCreekFisherman
Rank 0
Contributor I
Where did you mount the antenna on your Jeep? I have an 18 JL and am considering mounting the antenna on the back of my JL up high so the bottom of the antenna will be about the height of the roof. I have the Yaesu FTM 400XDR. For now I’m using it as my base station, but plan on getting another one in a few months for the Jeep.
Enthusiast III
I use a Diamond K400 UHF mount on driver side of hood about 1.5 feet from the window. I have the FTM400 in my Jeep (2012 JKU) I have had it in there for about 3 years and its a great radio.
RockCreekFisherman
Rank 0
Contributor I
Protector III
- 14,131
- First Name
- Bjoern
- Last Name
- Eldracher
- Member #
20111
- Ham/GMRS Callsign
- DC3BE
The FTM-300 and FTM-400 can also do APRS and voice radio simultaneously, right? That's something that bothers me about my FTM-100, that it doesn't work (so either only send out APRS or voice radio on the FTM 100). Thanks.
Member III
I have questioned that as well and have been told that the 300 does APRS and Voice at the same time.
