Yaesu FT-857D
The Yaesu FT-857D is the smallest HF/VHF/UHF mobile radio made. It's an all-mode rig that covers HF, 50 MHz, 144 MHz, and 430 MHz. I have had mine in my car for about 4 years now and I love it. In the first 18 months, I made close to 300 contacts including 48 countries. This does not include the daily round tables on 40 meters in the mornings.
I do not have any additional filters in this rig. I found that working IPO/ATT and the RF gain does just fine on 95% of the QSOs out there. I am using the Yaesu ATAS-120A screwdriver antenna and have added the Yaesu MH-59A8J remote microphone. This is a very hot mic, so you will need to perform the ALC adjustment on HF and adjust the mic gain for AM and FM after installing it. But the audio punch I get with this mic is amazing. I get so many unsolicited comments about how nice the audio is. I love the performance of this rig.
Below are some downloads and the settings I use for this rig. The settings might be a good starting point for someone who just got this rig, but please keep in mind that these settings are for my voice, with the ATAS-120A antenna, and using the MH-59A8J microphone.
Downloads:
- FT-857D Manual
- FT-857D Brochure
- W7HD's Settings for Digital Use
- ATAS-120A Manual
- ATAS-120A Illustrated Parts Breakdown
- ATAS-120A Technical Supplement
- MH-59A8J Manual
- MH-59A8J Technical Supplement
- CT-39A Packet Interface Cable Pinout
- Chirp Programming Software (Windows)
- Chirp Programming Software (Linux)
Tutorials:
- Yaesu FT-857D Reset Procedures
- Yaesu FT-857D Relay Cleaning Procedures
- How to set ALC for SSB
Yaesu FT-857D Settings
| No. | Menu Item | Function | Default Setting | My Setting |
| 1 | EXT MENU | Enables/Disables Extended Menu Mode | OFF | ON |
| 2 | 144MHz ARS | Activates/Deactivates ARS on 144 MHz | ON | ON |
| 3 | 430MHz ARS | Activates/Deactivates ARS on 430 MHz | ON | ON |
| 4 | AM & FM Dial | Enables/Disables Dial Knob in AM and FM Mode | DISABLED | ENABLED |
| 5 | AM Mic Gain | Adjusts Mic Gain level for AM Mode. | 50 | 25 |
| 6 | AM Step | Selects the AM Mode Tuning Steps | 5 KHz | 5 KHz |
| 7 | APO Time | Selects the Auto Power Off Time | OFF | OFF |
| 8 | ARTS Beep | Selects the ARTS Beep Mode | RANGE | RANGE |
| 9 | ARTS ID | Enables/Disables CW ID During ARTS OP. | OFF | OFF |
| 10 | ARTS IDW | Stores Your Callsign into the CW Identifier | YAESU | KB4MTO |
| 11 | Beacon TXT 1 | Stores the Beacon Message | - | - |
| 12 | Beacon Time | Stores the Beacon Interval Time | OFF | OFF |
| 13 | Beep Tone | Selects the Beep Frequency | 880 Hz | 880 Hz |
| 14 | Beep Volume | Selects the Beep Volume Level | 50 | 50 |
| 15 | CAR LSB R | Sets the RX Carrier Point for LSB | 0 Hz | +150 Hz |
| 16 | CAR LSB T | Sets the TX Carrier Point for LSB | 0 Hz | 0 Hz |
| 17 | CAR USB R | Sets the RX Carrier Point for USB | 0 Hz | +150 Hz |
| 18 | CAR USB T | Sets the TX Carrier Point for USB | 0 Hz | 0 Hz |
| 19 | CAT Rate | Sets the CAT Baud Rate | 4800 bps | 9600 bps |
| 20 | CAT/Line/Tune | Selects the Device Type using the CAT port. | CAT | Tuner |
| 21 | CLAR Dial Set | Defines the control knob to be used for the clarifier. | CLAR | SEL |
| 22 | CW Auto Mode | Enables/Disables the Key Jack in SSB/FM | OFF | OFF |
| 23 | CW BFO | Sets the CW Carrier Oscillator Injection SIde | USB | USB |
| 24 | CW Delay | Sets the RX Recovery Time during QSK | 250 ms | 250 ms |
| 25 | CW Key Rev | Sets the Keyer Paddles Wiring Configuration | NORMAL | NORMAL |
| 26 | CW Paddle | Enables/Disables using the mic up/down buttons | ELEKEY | ELEKEY |
| 27 | CW Pitch | Sets the Pitch of the CW Side Tone | 700 Hz | 700 Hz |
| 28 | CW QSK | Sets the Time Delay between PTT and TX | 10 ms | 10 ms |
| 29 | CW Side Tone | Sets the CW Side Tone Volume | 50 | 50 |
| 30 | CW Speed | Sets the Sending Speed of the Built-In Keyer | 12 WPM | 12 WPM |
| 31 | CW Training | Sends Random CW Characters via Side Tone | N | N |
| 32 | CW Weight | Sets the Dot/Dash Ratio for the Built-In Keyer | 1:3.0 | 1:3.0 |
| 33 | DCS Code | Sets the DCS Code | 023 | T:023 |
| 34 | DCS INV | Sets "Normal" or "Inverted" DCS ZCoding | Tn-Rn | Tn-Rn |
| 35 | Dial Step | Sets the dial knob tuning speed | Fine | Fine |
| 36 | DIG Disp | Defines the displayed frequency offset | 0 Hz | 0 Hz |
| 37 | DIG Gain | Adjusts audio level from terminal equipment | 50 | 50 |
| 38 | DIG Mode | Selects the digital mode and sideband | RTTY-L | RTTY-L |
| 39 | DIG Shift | Defines the carrier offset frequency | 0 Hz | 0 Hz |
| 40 | DIG VOX | Sets the gain of the VOX's input level | 0 | 0 |
| 41 | DISP Color | Sets the color for each operating status | - | FIX:26 |
| 42 | DISP Contrast | Setting for the display contrast level | 5 | 5 |
| 43 | DISP Intensity | Sets the display brightness level | 3 | 3 |
| 44 | DISP Mode | Sets up the LCD lamp mode | AUTO2 | AUTO2 |
| 45 | DSP BPF Width | Sets the BW for the DSP CW audio filter | 240 Hz | 240 Hz |
| 46 | DSP HPF Cutoff | Adjusts the low-cut char. of the DSP filter | 100 Hz | 100 Hz |
| 47 | DSP LPF Cutoff | Adjusts the high-cut char. of the DSP filter | 6000 Hz | 2290 Hz |
| 48 | DSP Mic EQ | Sets the DSP mic EQ pattern | OFF | BOTH |
| 49 | DSP NR Level | Sets the degree of DSP Noise Reduction | 8 | 11 |
| 50 | Emergency | Enables the Alaska Emergency Channel | OFF | OFF |
| 51 | FM Mic Gain | Adjusts the mic gain level for FM mode | 50 | 25 |
| 52 | FM Step | Selects the tuning steps in FM mode | - | 5 KHz |
| 53 | Home --> VFO | Enables/Disables moving Home channel to VFO | ON | ON |
| 54 | Lock Mode | Selects the operation of the LOCK key | DIAL | DIAL |
| 55 | MEM Group | Enables/Disables memory grouping | OFF | OFF |
| 56 | MEM Tag | Stores alpha-numeric tag for MEM channels | - | - |
| 57 | MEM/VFO Dial | Selects function when MEM/VFO knob is pushed | MHz/MEM GRP | MHz/MEM GRP |
| 58 | MIC Scan | Enables/Disables scanning access from the mic | ON | ON |
| 59 | MIC Select | Selects the microphone being used | NOR | RMT |
| 60 | MTR ARX Sel | Selects the meter config for receive | SIG | SIG |
| 61 | MTR ATX Sel | Selects the meter config for transmit | PWR | MOD |
| 62 | MTR Peak Hold | Enables/Disables the meter's "Peak Hold" Feature | ON | ON |
| 63 | NB Level | Selects the blanking level for the IF NB | 50 | 50 |
| 64 | OP Filter 1 | Not Available | - | FIL1 |
| 65 | PG A | Programs the "A" key | MONI | MONI |
| 66 | PG B | Programs the "B" key | Q.SPL | Q.SPL |
| 67 | PG C | Programs the "C" key | ATC | ATC |
| 68 | PG ACC | Programs the MH-59 ACC button | MONI | SCN |
| 69 | PG P1 | Programs the MH-59 P1 button | Q.SPL | TUNE |
| 70 | PG P2 | Programs the MH-59 P2 button | TCALL | REV |
| 71 | PKT 1200 | Sets the audio input level for 1200 bps operation | 50 | 50 |
| 72 | PKT 9600 | Sets the audio power level for 9600 bps operation | 50 | 50 |
| 73 | PKT Rate | Sets the radio's packet rate | 1200 bps | 1200 bps |
| 74 | PROC Level | Sets the compression level in SSB/AM modes | 50 | 30 |
| 75 | RF Power Set | Sets the RF power out for the specific band | 100 | 100 |
| 76 | RPT Shift | Sets the magnitude of the repeater shift | - | .60 MHz |
| 77 | SCAN Mode | Sets the desired Scan-Resume mode | TIME | TIME |
| 78 | SCAN Resume | Sets the delay time for scanning resumption | 5 SEC | 5 SEC |
| 79 | SPLIT Tone | Enables/Disables split CTCSS/DCS coding | OFF | OFF |
| 80 | SQL/RF Gain | Selects the configuration of the SQL/RF knob | - | RF-GAIN |
| 81 | SSB Mic Gain | Adjusts the mic gain level for SSB mode | 50 | 27 |
| 82 | SSB Step | Selects the tuning steps for SSB mode | 2.5 KHz | 2.5 KHz |
| 83 | TONE FREQ | Sets the CTCSS tone frequency | 88.5 Hz | 103.5 Hz |
| 84 | TOT Time | Sets the Time-Out-Timer time | OFF | OFF |
| 85 | TUNER/ATAS | Sets the device to be controlled by the TUNE key | OFF | ATAS(HF&50) |
| 86 | TX IF Filter | Sets the transmit IF filter | CFIL | CFIL |
| 87 | VOX Delay | Sets the "hang time" for VOX | 500 ms | 500 ms |
| 88 | VOX Gain | Sets the VOX audio input gain | 50 | 50 |
| 89 | XVTR A Freq | Used for transversers | - | - |
| 90 | XVTR B Freq | Used for transverters | - | - |
| 91 | XVTR SEL | Used for transverters | OFF | OFF |
