Ham Radio Shootout | Icom IC7300 vs Yaesu FT991a Watch this video before you buy.
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- čas přidán 19. 11. 2022
- I'm breaking it down this time, One of the all time most asked questions I get, Should you buy the Icom or the Yaesu? Do looks matter?
Show Notes:
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Wires X: CZcamsrs 40448
FCS Reflector: CZcamsrs 003/48 - Věda a technologie
When I turn my radios on, I expect them to return the favor.
I'm stealing that line.
I've been in engineering technology all my life, but mostly on the digital end, not the RF end. Yet I've had a fascination with antenna designs/propagation since birth. After helping a ham put up a new antenna, I now have the itch to get my license, and I'm currently pursuing that goal. There's a LOT to learn, especially the terminology. I enjoyed the fact that you actually used the gear in the video so we could see how it operates real time and what fascinates me is that it's a field that IS moving forward employing new methods. Especially loved your final comment. This video was VERY helpful!!
Now this comment is for any manufacturers tuning in. Yes, the larger scope displays are always better. I wonder if we'll see a future feature to mirror the scope display to a large monitor, or can that be done with the USB out? That would be really cool!
Hey Bob, good to see a new video.
My 1st radio was a FT70, followed by a FTM400; so when it was time for a Base Station, I went with the 991A, and I couldn’t be happier.
I went from FTM400 to FT70...
I’m looking at a FTDX10 next, just waiting for a good reason to pull the trigger.
Hope you are doing well.
I have done the same thing! I just got my ftm-400 and am planning on a 991-A as my hf rig.
Nice to see you back. I’ve got the 991a, and love it, but the 7300 seems the most popular
The comment about getting the younger generations into the hobby with newer tech was spot on man. Idk why but I have a fascination with buttons and touchscreen capabilities 😅. Thanks for the video!
Good Video! I am a fan of both makes. I bought a new FT991A a year ago and my bought a IC2730A mobile unit also has a few Yaesu and ICOM HTs. Good video sir and well explained. Love the hobby!
The way you explain things is really great
Hi Bob Good to see you back on CZcams. Heard you a few time on K6SAL, I can hit it with my handheld (FT3). Good review for an "entry" level radio.
Thanks for a great review. Much appreciated, brother!! Miss you down here in Placer county. Hope all is well up there.
Stuart W1SLC
Hi Bob, thanks for the video, of course you know I have the FT-991A, loved the comparison. And YES, ham radio is about staying up with the most leading technology. The new guys getting into the hobby do not want your boat anchors, help move the hobby forward, suggest they get the newest technology radio… besides, the newer radios will have more features and cost less. By the way, Love my FT-991A… I wouldn’t trade it for anything!!! Buying a new radio is like getting a new pair of shoes, they only hurt for a short time before they start feeling comfortable, if I can do it at 77 years old, you can too. Ken KA6SUB
Great to hear from you buddy.
Go, Bob! I'm so glad you made this video.
Thanks and 73. WW5MB.
Good luck on your exam tomorrow, Jim. I have to tell you that the FTM-300DR has some very nice new features that are not in the FT-991A. The big question is, what are your plan, are you wanting to work HF? It sounds to me that HF is one of your main goals, in that case it would be the FT-991A. You can add the FTM-300DR at a later date. I enjoy also listening to the repeaters while working HF, so that is why I have my FTM-400 right beside the FT-991A. I do have the FTM-300DR in my truck. If you haven’t already done so, I would go to the Yaesu website and download the brochure and user manual for the FT-991A and give it a read, I think you will be very happy with it.
You came to a good channel for information like this, mind is more focused on just the C4FM technology. (Shameless plug)
Hope I have helped you some Jim, good luck on your exam tomorrow, 73 Ken KA6SUB
another perfect example of appliance operators.
Your average newly minted ham today couldn't define the difference between capacitance and inductance without googling it let alone calculate the resonant frequency of an RLC circuit but please do talk to me about staying up with the latest and greatest appliance.
nowadays a ham radio ticket isn't worth the paper it's printed on, nothing but a bunch of appliance operators playing the speckmanship.
I adventure a bet that 90% of the people watching this video have no idea what the proper use of RF gain is and how it is used to deal with receiver sensitivity and atmospheric noise.
I picked the FT 991A SHACK IN THE BOX. GOT everything 140/ 44MHz 6meters and on. Speech processes puts more power out on all levels of your speech on SSB and a equalizer that's makes you sound like a pro. It's got several filters including a 15 stage adjustment digital filter knob. Which makes your noise level so low its like the squelch is on.
I haven't dove that deep in 991A pool... Yet.
After being out of the hobby for a long time I went with the 991a for the house and a FTM 400 for the F150...I found both to be straight forward and easy to use.
Thanks for the video. Just got a 991a
Great to see you bob! Keep up the great work! I have to go with the 7300 for HF personally. Faster display? Menus make more sense to me. Sdr vs analog.
Great to hear from you my friend.
I’ve been experimenting on 17 meter with C4FM and it’s works great…
Thanks for an informative vid and I love the UK number plate (licence plate) callsign (but then again I am English!).
Thanks Bob. Agreed.
Strictly speaking HF here. What I like about my 7300 is the superior menu system and waterfall. Although you can set up the 991A to get your most used items more handy, when you need to set up/change CAT or Digital stuff it can sometimes be a bit of misery. When under QSO pressure I sometimes find myself frantically scrolling the 991 F/Menu pages and I have been operating it for almost 3 years now.
What I like about my 991A is that I find the audio much less fatiguing to listen to for long periods especially with headphones on (this is a very subjective item though) and more reasonable dimensions for mobile use. The 'waterfall' on 991A is quite usable, it is just not on the tier of a true direct sampling SDR rig. Not a dealbreaker for me as I can have just as much fun band-surfing on other 'blind' rigs.
Also note the 991A is a half a pound heavier than the 7300 at 9.7 lbs.
Where do I put my $1 in?
I'm glad I'm not the only one who has to surf through 165 menu items several times during a session. Also thanks for the dollar. You can go to my Patreon.com/k6uda to help out.
Hi Bob, I picked the 991a as I felt it was better form. I have had many comments about it being less noisy, but it ranks lower on the Sherwood list. The main advantage was when camping I have all HF and the local VHF/UHF. I have recently bought a FT-710 for my main radio. The sherwood list is very important to me as it is a factual representation of how well a radio receives and works in crowded band conditions. While the 991a is still good the FT-710 can work stations that my friends 7300 can't even hear. It is rated higher for receive than any Icom ever made. For general ham use it is the radio all new hams should look at. I do not contest. I can see that if some one did then having a big radio with many buttons on the front would be an advantage, rather the having to go through layers of menus. The ft-710 is brilliant with the menu system. I also own and still love my Kenwood TS-50 now 26 years old. It is still fun to use as I am sure a 7300 would be. But if I want to hunt POTA during a contest It won't be a 7300, or the 991a, it will be the FT-710, it is that good.
Having a shack in a box is certainly an advantage. It would have been nice if Yaesu had made the DX10 an all mode all band radio and left the 710 as it's little brother.
I picked the 991A for our survival shelter here in the Northern Rockies.
Yaaaaaa….Bobs back Gday mate. Good entry radio. I love my IC7610 and Flex6400. N
The 991a is a great starter radio. The shack in a box. I think everyone should have a 7300 as well. The 7300 is easier to use. Now I started with the 7300 because I already had three vhf radios, so I bought a DX10. You can never have enough radios.
You’re a smart man
I cannot lie, my first HF radio a few years back was an IC701. I then got a Xeigu x108g for POTA and QRP, then decinded when I could, I would get a IC706mkiig, but now that I am able, I am going with the 7300. Thank you for all your videos and your opinions. It really helps out a ton.
You’re welcome.
Backlit keys are very nice on a rig. Would have been icing on the cake for the Icom.
I wish.
Have both radios and like them both!
But the IC-7300 spectrum display and menu structure are much nicer.
Me too!!
Which one last longer on a battery? I know the FT991a is much more power hungry than like the FT-987(d) which doesn't have the waterfall display.. Is the ICOM as power hungry on a battery? Seeing if the ICOM 7300 is a better option for a mobile rig when power consumption is an issue.
I have never liked the 991a and the 7300 being pitted against each other. I think that they are very different in their use case. One is a shack in the box and the other is an HF radio. The FTdx-1200 was much more comparible to the 7300 and it (ftdx1200) lost that battle. But now that Yaesu has the FT-710, Yeasu is probable on top with this level of HF radio. But then again, it's almost 8 years newer.... I wonder when the 7310 will be out? :) Great to see you making vids again!
I like both Radio's equally, I opted for the 991a for the shack in the box reason as far as the menu goes that is not a problem for me I have everything set up for me i don't even mess with the menu anymore unless i have to. Another thing i like about the 991a is that the have the Aircraft frequencies as well and MW I enjoy listening to those.But im not taking anything away from the 7300 that Radio Rocks and now they are getting pretty reasonable on the used market if there were any changes i would make on these radios would be this,They should have an external monitor connection that would be beneficial other than that Which ever Radio you go with you can't lose.🍻
I have had my eye on both of those. The 7300 will do just fine by me. I am that idiot that's buying gear before I get my license. I have spent many years listening to short wave videos and this would definitely expand that hobby. Finding a radio club with good folks would be nice. I enjoy your channel and educational output. Thank you.
Same here tere is one on sale and I'm just edging on buying it
It's a lot of money but stil you are gone buy the expensive one anyway
Looks like the FT-710AESS may be more equivalent. Had a 7300 but when I saw how much better that the ft-891 DNR was, I sold it. Even compared to my FT-101D, there are certain small aspects of the 7300 display that I miss. Plus the audio is consistently excellent with the Yaesu vs. Icom.
Yeah, I like the DNR on the Yaesu a bit better, but overall, I hate the sound of DNR. I'll only use it when absolutely necessary.
you sale your radio because of the DNR hahahahaha serieus
I bought my FT991A a few weeks after getting my General ticket. I took the time to research what would work best for me. I got to play with both. Ease of things and user friendly, IC7300 any day of the week. Visually and ease of use. For me it was about finances and what would work best for my budget and what I want to do with it. I'm involved in ARES, POTA oO(going to do SOTA also but not lugging this up a mountain), etc. For the price point, functionality and what you get for the same price point, the FT991A wins. It's more difficult to run the menu system on the FT991A but I have no regrets on the purchase. I think any new ticket would be happy with both. If you are just wanting a rig for HF, I would go with the IC7300. If you are space limited like I am, the FT991A fit the bill. The key thing here is what works for you and getting on the air.
Now if you can get the wife? What? You dropped off there.
@@BryanTorok that part was supposed to be deleted. Oh qell
Great video! Both radios are winners. The ability to do 2meter SSB is good
Don't think the 7300 does VHF/UHF.
I love my 991A as a Tech class radio operator and like you said a shack in the box and being that the 991A has 2M/70CM is what sold it to me. Love the video great job.
I just looked up tech class amateur radio. Did you know you can use 40 meters and 80 meters, as well? Get a telegraph and start tapping your lob distance connections. I am getting conflicting information on American amateur radio licenses. One says there are three levels. Another site says there are five levels with two of them retired and no longer issued, but still recognised. I did not know what a Tech class was and looked it up and found the United States of America's amateur radio information.
Nice comparison video Bob. Good to see you posting. (Even the ugly wives part)🤣
Haha, looks do matter, Indeed. I like the interface and look of the Icom as well.
I would love Yaesu to make a bigger version of the 991a.
I have both the IC-7300 and FT-991A. I use the IC-7300 as my base station. I have a Yaesu FTM-400 also so I can monitor 2M/70CM as well as use the HF function on the Icom IC-7300. On FT-991A, you either use the VHF or the HF.. can't use both bands at same time. I prefer the IC-7300 for ease of use and better display....HOWEVER, hands down, th FT991A is my portable shack IN THE BOX that I take on the road in my RV. It gives me all the bands and is a great radio. So bottom line... home base is the IC-7300 portable operation is the FT-991A.
Great video
Thank you for the video. First one I have watched of you - clear and concise, that is what I like in any video. Well done in my opinion. I've been doing my research on my next radio. I still cannot decide - lol.. 73 KF0LHU
(wb8p) i myself have both 7300 is used primarly for digital modes... 991a for 2m / 440 beside collecting dust
I have been using the Kenwood 420ST (I think). It doesn’t have a scope and I setup a pan adapter using a SDR Play. Kenwood has its own internal T/R switch which is cool. I am interested in these 2 radios you are showing. I am considering getting something that will go portable (the Kenwood has lots of luggage to haul).
Smiling!
I have both and agree the 7300 screen and menu is better and more user friendly. Yaesu just can't get away from large menus and that makes it more of a pain to use. I also have a ft 857D and same thing with menus. I also like the fact you can record a QSO if need be on the 7300. I have two 7300 icoms, the first one got a glitch and the receive audio was hard to understand. Local guy had one for sale with desk mic pwr supply and 200 ft of RG8x for 1000 dollars so I bought it to use and was going to send the other back to ICOM but i reset it again and it died dead as a door nail. Few hours later I hooked it back up and it came on and has been working great every since. I zapped it trying to build a relay between my 4-1000A amp and I think all the jumper wires got reversed, causing a more than normal glitch. Smiling.
73
You should turn that fridge upside down to get the door swing correct!😅
Thanks for doing this. Would be interested to hear your observations/comments regarding RX/TX quality between the two.
I was going to go into that whole aspect but really, they are so close in RX sensitivity the human ear can't tell the difference. Even Rob Sherwood said that on my live show a few years back.
@@K6UDA Cool, thanks! I have a 991A and bought an FTDX10 awhile back. After using them both side by side for a short while I sold the FTDX10 because I also couldn't tell the difference to my ear and couldn't justify the extra expense of the FTDX10. Sweet radio though. Thanks again for doing this, I feel like the 991A doesn't get enough love.
I think the 710 is a closer match to the 7300. Dedicated HF SDR. The 710 (and higher) have really good audio. That said, interface matters and that’s where are Yaesu tends to fall short for me. From pop up menus on a timer requiring quick responses to buttons too close to the VFO. Icom on the other hand has done an amazing job with its easy user interface which is consistently applied across their product line. Icom also has progressive tuning so you don’t have to hit a button to tune across the band quickly. The bottom line is that Yeasu are generally rated high for performance but not as pleasant to use as an Icom. So at the end of the day it depends on what you’re looking for. There is a reason Rob Sherwood uses a 7610.
Rob has said he uses three 7610’s 😮
@@forgetyourlife The 7610 is a really nice rig. The have a built in server as well so remote operation is there from get go.
IDK why this popped up in my feed, but I had to watch. My FT 991A I snagged for portable use, but it sits between my 7410 and 847 and gets used 99.9% of the time because it's that great. I considered the 7300 but it can't do what the 991A does, can't do what 7410 does and like said about which radio gets used the most it's a no brainer. Menu settings? No big deal, it's easy and once things are dialed in why go back into the menu? We live in a push button society and are rewarded like chimps for pushing buttons because any other way is too much lol. I wouldn't get rid of the 991A for a 7300, nor would I get rid of the 7410 for the 7300. Since I'm not a Ford vs Chevy guy and drive a RAM, and sold my HD but kept my Yamaha and bought a new Kawasaki, it isn't about brand when it comes to the radios. I love my 991A and despite ALL of the bad things folks on the air say about them, I get nothing but great reports with it. Oh too, as for numbers, iPhone is #1 but I have never owned one and never will, AAAND I do not use any microshaft OS either.
And that my friend is exactly why different companies build different types of radios, trucks and motorcycles. BTW, proud Ram 2500 owner with a BMW 1250GSA and a Yamaha scooter in the garage.
Hi Bob, I must admit that I would not want to advise anyone as to a good choice of starter radio. Neither are bad radios, quite the opposite but neither appeal to me. I guess we all get used to a set of requirements. The lack of a dedicated band button is annoying but so is the lack of a sub-receiver and limited interfacing possibilities. I don't like compact 12v HF rigs I guess.
Bigger radios often have a lot of controls that are not hidden by menus, it does not mean that you cannot have the advantages of SDR. A friend has a few of the new Yaesus, as much as I can criticise them I must admit I envy the noise reduction. Well done with the overview. 73
I've excluded most dual receiver radios from my entry level list simply because adding that second receiver adds hundreds to the cost Thereby rendering it a mid level radio.
@@K6UDA, I know, it is a tricky choice, TBH I would prefer to buy a used flagship but understandably not everyone wants to go that path. I would advise anyone to try to sit with a radio a few hours to see what they think. There are rigs that look good on paper that may not suit an individual.
My most modern HF rig is not a pleasure to use, and does not "feel" good either. It is all a bit intangible at times. Sorry if my post sounded aggressive. 73
This is good info. Its ICOM for me.
I bought the FT-991A as my first radio because it was a "ham shack in a box." But as I've matured a bit (lol), I would have bought the IC7300 for HF and a dedicated VHF radio, like the FT-2980.
Bob, I currently am the high bidder on EBay for both Radios. Yes my wife will have something to say. Luckily she’s a Ham tech as well. So maybe I can get her using both Radios during the next few months. March 9th we’re having a MTARS Hamfest in Tullahoma TN where I hope to sell my older equipment. The 991 is an upgrade of my old FT857d.
Selling old equipment hopefully offset the cost of these new equipment per agreement with the XYL.
Really appreciate you sharing this video with us. Great job !
73 Steve AA4SH
You are a lucky man.
Bob I gave up on Bidding EBay so many of items didn’t include Custom’s fee nor shipping.
I ended up ordering a Ft-991a online from GigaParts on Saturday and it’s scheduled to arrive tomorrow only 2 days via FedEx. GigaParts is only 50 miles from my QTH but the Radio is traveling about 150 miles 🤪 73 Steve AA4SH
I have a ft991a. I've sort of regretted not getting the 7300...but I'm not even sure why. I have mostly yaesu stuff (ft3dr, vx-7r, ft4, ftm300, ftm500)...so it was pretty easy transition for me. I don't really have any real complaints about the 991, it does everything I would want a radio to do.
BUT, everytime I'm at my friends house...I still get that feeling that I should have gone that route.
The Yaesu FT-991a has a tremendous following. I acquired a destroyed one. One, I believe is beyond repair. I left it on a work bench to attend to someone else. The man saw the wrecked 991a and was captivated. He offered to trade a functioning Icom IC-7000 for the destroyed FT-991a. He said he needed the housing and screen from my salvage. He tested the Icom IC-7000 in front of me with a dummy load and meters. The only thing that was wrong was the 70 centimeter band was limited to 5 watts output. The final MOSFET amplifier are common Mitsubishi MOSFETs. I felt guilty but agreed. That S how valuable the Yaesu FT-991a radios are to many. I should be able to repair the Icom IC-7000 with ease. Hopefully it will fetch a handsome price after I am done with it. Or, maybe I should just get my amateur radio license and use it. Either way, I realise just how valuable the Yaesu is to many.
You make some good points about the two, Im surprised you did not consider the FT710 as a direct competitor to the 7300.
The FT710 hadn't even been released when i made this. I think the DX10 is a very close competitor to the 7300 and I actually bought one and eventually sold the 7300 to help pay for it.
I have both units, they compliment each other.
I had a 7300, then one day I bought a very lightly used Kenwood TS-590S off Craigslist. I sold the 7300 about 2 weeks later. The receiver on the TS-590S was just soooo much better "to my ears" than the Icom. The 7300 (and every one I've used ever since) seems to have a hiss to it that is very unpleasing "to my ears", especially on CW. I now also have an FT-991A in the shack next to the Kenwood. About the only thing I like better about the 7300 versus the 991A is the waterfall display. The 991A's waterfall just feels archaic to me compared to the 7300; very slow and choppy. The 7300's waterfall is just superb. I also have an IC-705, and love the waterfall on it too. It would be nice if the 991A had the same touch capabilities as the 7300 (changing bands, modes, touching a signal to switch to that freq, etc) but that is not at all a deal breaker to me. I love the menu on the 991A also, not as deep at the Icom. Two places to go, and really once I had everything set, I haven't needed to return to either menu. The things I might want to change on a regular basis is set as hot keys for the different bands and modes. So I'm a happy camper with the 991A. And the Kenwood, well, that one of two rigs I'll never sell. The FT-891 being the other. Be safe brother! Bob, W0BNC. Retired LEO 11/2022.
technically it's not. The 7300 has far better third order dynamic range.
The 7300 has a more sensitive receiver.
But why let the facts get in the way of brand loyalty
@@dannelson8556 technically I couldn't care less what is in Rob's report, hence the emphasis on the "to my ears" part. I have one of each from the big four on my desk, no band loyalty here.
I love the fact that the Yaesu 991A menu is nicely displayed and explained in the manual. For me, personally, the manual made it easy to understand some options that were a bit ambiguous just by reading the screen. For those who are concerned that the radio might be complicated to operate - don't be. It just takes 2-3 days to get familiar with the radio an the manual is great.
Icom has sold a ton of the 7300 models and I have one but my favorite is a Yaesu DX10.
I know at least 12 people that have the 991A and all had to send them back into yaesu for repairs and adjustments on their finals. Never heard of any issues with the 7300.
Right. Forgot you moved to TF. 1.5 hours away just down the road. Whats the best mode/setup to get ahold of you for a log book contact? DMR? NVIS? 2m wont quite make the 110 miles.
I've got the Southern Idaho Command up on WiresX and a radio on most mornings. Hit & miss on 40 Meters.
YOU ARE KILLING ME.. THE WIFE COMMENT MADE ME BUST A GUT!
So maybe I should keep my ftm 500 for my home base vhf/uhf and get a Ft710 it seems to have some newer features!
I have owned both of these radios and love them both. The Yaesu has a few quirks about it, but it does everything. I think that the Icom is the better radio, but I would rather have the Yaesu. There is no perfect radio. It is always give and take. I am currently using the Yaesu FT-710 which I love. I think that the Icom IC-7300 is great especially if you are into digital modes as the Icom programming is just more fluid and has less bugs and problems. The Yaesu has some quirks as always. I do quite a bit of FT-8 on my FT-710 and it works great, but the Icom was better. Now, as far as weak signal and receive goes, the Yaesu FT-710 is better and has a quieter noise floor. The Icom though has the ability to show all the meters at once which I "Greatly" miss when running digital. I am constant having to check my SWR and my ALC and my PO by switching the meter around on the Yaesu. But, the mouse and the external display do make up for that some. The older your eyes get the more the extra display helps. You won't go wrong with either one of these radios. Thanks for posting.
Icom has the ergonomics thing figured a little better. Older Yaesu menu navigation was an exercise in frustration.
Ugly wives line had me rolling!! Was not expecting it haha 🤣
The worst part of the FT-991A is the fact that the RF power level is not stored when memory settings are saved. So if you work repeaters where you need 50 watts and hotspots where you need 5... you are constantly scrolling the power setting up and down from one end of the scale to the other. Really an unworkable situation. This is why I sold mine.
IC-7300 open question. Can you record conversations in duplex and store them on the SD card?
Yes
Your last point in the video was SPOT ON imho. 62 years old. Getting back into ham after almost 30 year absence. IC-7300 is my radio of choice.
Welcome back to the hobby.
"You got ugly wives!" HAHA! Standby for flames! ;-) I'm a mobile-only user. So, I'm accustomed to digging into menus to get what I want. BUT that also compels me to chose a setting and run with it instead of perhaps messing around with different settings. I have an ID-5100 for VHF/UHF/D-STAR, but an FT-891 for HF and my FT-857D for VHF/UHF SSB. Again, I guess I'm used to Yaesu's menus, but still went Icom for D-STAR. 73! Scott, KE4WMF
I think the screen of the 991a is of lower quality because as you see throught your camera it's flickering around and the waterfall is slow because I assume the tech behind it is not powerful enough as in the 710 or dx10. The Icom has 1 Hz steps (the finest you can imagine to have a perfect tuning of lower signals) and the minimum steps I could find on the 991a based on the manual is 5 Hz for CW/RTTY/SSB, 10 Hz for AM, 5 KHz for FM/C4FM (without warranty, this is all I have found.If there is 1 Hz possible, I would correct my text). A real transceiver as I would define it has 1 Hz! I am technically not qualified to compare these devices in all aspects but my opinion is, even if it sounds hard, if you want a transceiver,I would buy a pure one like the icom or the Y 710 or Y dx10 device but no mixed thing where I really do not know why the pricing is similar, in this case I can assume something is missing or different quality. It's a hard decision, everyone has it's own opinion, all devices are great things anyway. If you already have some 2m/70 devices and antennas, you may think you want to integrate everything together, but sooner or later you could maybe get a strange feeling that something is missing. I asked some experts about these 2 radios, people who really do this every day with contests and antenna setups that may really frighten a person because their antenna look like dangerous pulse generators... so I assume they know what they are talking about... they said to me they prefer the icom device over the 991a. I don't know how they solve the 2m/70cm stuff there was no more time to talk about it at that day. I know it's a hard decision what to buy it's up to you as a reader what you do. The real competitor to the 7300 is the yaesu ft-710 or the yaesu ft-dx10. These devices are so powerful that I am not able to say which one of these is better.
If the 7300 had offered multimode VHF/UHF, I probably would've considered it. As it is, the 991 offered everything (and more) that my FT-950 and FT-897D could, combined.
The Wife comment... so true. 😆
991A is new? IC-7300?
2016 called. They want their product review back.
Wow!! I reneg the whole thing. Never happened. BTW, I never said either one was a new release.
The waterfall on the 7300 is higher framerate looks like. Considering a FT991a to put at my father's house, just for the 2m/440, really.
If I didn't have 2m/440 already, I'd have the 991A in Studio A.
And that's why the ICOM 7100 is the best shack in a box radio.....Hey good video Bob...I like how you sugar coat things....HA
I’m bad like that. I need to learn to assert myself.
Miata in the backgground wall.?
I must be hopelessly old fashioned, but I love lots of knobs and switches. Scrolling through menus and screens is not efficient.
Great review, but you didn't mention the benefits of having UHF/VHF on the Yeasu? Is the Icom a better quality HF because it doesn't have this feature? Cheers.
I would rather pair the 7300 with a 9700 and have more power on 2m/70 and also have 23cm.
Yes you would be correct. Shack in a box radios are a “Jack of all trades and a master of none”.
I don’t believe the 7300 has a APF filter for CW, I love the 991A because it does have the APF, and I can take the bandwidth filter down to 50Hz.
The 7300 has 3 filter sets: 3.0K 2.8 and 1.8k That's sounds pretty tight to me.
UI aside, what is the RF performance like? I know the 7300 is an SDR radio internally, whereas the 991A uses more traditional circuitry. How did you find the relative performance, or are they so close as to not matter? I'm looking for my first radio, and I'm leaning towards the 991A as I heard good things about its TX/RX performance, the fact it supports 2m/70cm, and also a few digital modes.
It’s a big part of what’s missing in this video, although it’s a great video. If you’re gonna compare 2 radios, performance between the 2 should at least be mentioned. I get content providers try to keep the videos as short as possible since most people’s attention span is a lot shorter these days.
Without mentioning the CZcamsr, he did show a comparison in performance between the 2 and the IC-7300 won hands down. The problem with any shack in a box radio is that it’s a “Jack of all trades and a master of none”. SDR radios are much better receivers but can be subject to front end overload, especially if you live near any strong AM stations. But I haven’t noticed anyone complain about that with the 7300, but have with cheap Chinese SDR transceivers. The latter is why I won’t touch one with a 10 foot pole, they’re a lot cheaper for a reason.
It all really boils down to do you want better performance? Then go with the 7300. You want a Swiss Army knife of a radio? Go with the 991A. The thing that the 7300 also has over the 991A is it has an emergency mode which reduces power to 50W but the built in tuner will tune up to a 10:1 SWR vs the standard 3:1 in both radios. Hopefully this helps.
@@truckinguy92 It's funny, some comparisons show that the IC-7300 is the better receiver, others show that the 991 is the better receiver, and most show there's no real difference. I wonder if there's something either variable about the receivers, or there are differences in pre-amps, or there's a certain tolerance to impedance or the like, which determine if for any particular setup one could be better than the other?
The 991A needs an update. A bigger screen, better UI etc.
The Yaesu FT-710 is nearly identical to the 7300 the 991 is a completely different breed but the price of the 991 & 7300 is so close people think shack in Box or just HF , I have the Yaesu 710 and it's fantastic but so is my 991 - lol, ps 991a been around over more like 7 years .
I haven't actually seen a 710 in the wild so I really can't comment on it. I didn't realize that the 991A has been out that long. Wow. I'm freakin old.
@@K6UDA Love your Videos more please .
How do you find the 710 compared with the 991 for HF?
I love Yaesu HT's and mobile radios. I just don't trust their HF gear to last. It may work great when it works but over the years, they have burned too many hams with radios that fail. I liken them to Audi. Great cars but how many older Audi's do you see on the road?
I hear the same story about Icom and Kenwood. There is no winner only good runs and bad runs by all 3.
New Ham here. If the FTDX-10 is sitting at the same price point, what advantages does it have over the FT991a as it's only RF? just a larger screen and monitor out?
+Gary Stango it sports a much more sensitive receiver, a more friendly user interface, plus the bigger screen, monitor out.
@@K6UDA ty! i went from non-ham to extra in 30 days last month and I'm looking at all the HF stuff now. I have a few cheapy chinese HTs, but grabbed the new FTM-500DR for the truck. Out of money right this second after that latter purchase, but looking for what I will need for my future office/shack.
Congratulations on your extra.
I agree the 7300 receiver is better than 991a but you are getting the additional frequencies that the 7300 does not have. For the casual operator you were getting much more for the buck with the 991a. On the other hand, the FTDx10 reciever is much better than the 7300.
I have both the 7300 and the 991A and the receive on the 991A sucks compared to the 7300! The 7300 is a much clearer and easier on the ears with very articulate audio. One the 991A I have to play with the DNR, noise blanker, receiver width, contour just to get where its not harsh and distorted. The 7300 is much easier to operate too. I would not recommend the 991A to anyone unless they just have to have 2 meter and 70cm. The display and spectrum/waterfall on the 7300 is much more useful too where the one on the 991A shows you basically nothing! My vote, hands down is for the 7300!
Yaesu radios are just sexier than ICOM Radios. Looks do matter. 73!
I use a 7300 and find it to be a nice radio.
get today the 7300, looks and sounds better
Hi my 2cents as a serous dxer I have listened to 1000s of 7300 and quiet a few yaesu radios. Ive never heard bad audio on the 7300. Yaesu is just average to poor audio. Go for the 7300 because good audio is what's going to get you heard here in ZL
Loved the "You've got ugly wives" comment....
The 991 (both models - non-A & A) are great shack in the box radios. The internal speaker in the 991 is garbage. I've had issues hearing sound from it many times on my POTA activations. The speaker of the FTDX10 is WAY WAY WAY better. The menu system does stick, but if you know where to go (like having instructions on how to set the radio up for digital modes) it's just scrolling to the number you want, it's cake. Unfortunately my 991 died last December. I LOVE MY FTDX10!!!!!
I've used a 7300 once. Once. Not a bad radio, but I went with Yaesu for C4FM/System Fusion when I got my 991 (non-A) after getting my General.
You can't go wrong with either radio. They both have pros & cons on their own and compared to each other. It all depends on what you want, need & like.
73 Bob! Good to see another video from you! Have a great Thanksgiving! 73 again de Jeff K3JRZ
The external speaker in the 991 is garbage? Did you mean internal? Just trying to figure this out since you should be able to plug in a variety of externals to the 991.
@@NickFrom1228 Internal. Corrected original comment.
Yea, but she sure can cook!🤣
The FT-DX10 is now upper entry level at $1400.
Ten Tec Century 21 🎉
they are very different radios
Have the ft991A and wouldn't think twice about getting it again,
Got the ft991A, the ftdx10, Ft857D, to me the yaesu is so easy and I'm used to it, the icom don't do anything to me...
I am wanting to get my license but I have a very hard time at some things can you help me to get my license
We’re still talking about this? These are almost ten years old
What's wrong with the 991? 991A = 991 - Faults, right?
This video is way late to the game. Wouldn't the 710 or dx10 be a better comparison to the 7300? Since those 2 are HF and 6M only, like the 7300?
The fact that I'm not sponsored, don't get radios sent to me, and don't have an unlimited radio budget means I don't get to review every new toy on the market. This 991A belongs to my local club. I'm fortunate enough to have it here on loan.
Great video but my choice is definitely the yaesu ft 991a
Icom menus & interfacing peripherals much easier to navigate & configure. C4FM? Not a fan. DStar much more capable digital mode.
I think the best way to look at digital modes is to look at what's most popular and most used in your area. In my case, Southern Idaho is full of C4FM repeaters and only one D-Star Repeater.