Many thanks to Rob Sherwood (NC0B) who shares his recent assessment of the new Yaesu FTDX10.
In short: the FTDX10 is now number 3 (at time of posting) on Rob’s receiver test data table— a table sorted by third-order dynamic range narrow spaced. Most impressive!
Click here to download Rob’s full HF test results and his review notes as a PDF.
FYI: I plan to review the FTDX10 this year.
The 10 is the first solid state radio that’s up there with the KWM-2 and R-390A for RX.
Those triode mixers and xtal oscillators are hard to equal for quiet and dynamic range.
I recently picked up another FTDX10 so I can say at least I had the two (101D VS10) side by side for over two months time so it was not a flash in the pan comparo. The Ten did an excellent showing especially on CW, it was soo close that you could barley detect any differences and on SSB again close but without changing the width controls on either radio it seemed at the 3Khz position that the 101D might be slightly more selective but since I did not check it with a signal generator this might be a mot point.
The control layout to change bands is slightly more of a pain but a work around with a mouse cured this plus adding a mouse added more control flexibility without going to the touch screen and this is were Yaesu did a very good job but Icom seems to be behind the times here.
I know the biggest issue from someone who comes from an Icom is averaging and I have had this talk with Tim Factor at Yaesu, he just cannot seem to get it threw his head that more than a few hams would like averaging on the spectrum display but in display setting and go to scope try and use the RBW set to low, its not averaging but it takes some of that grassy look from the spectrum display.
Back to the differences, well the 101D does have the VX tune which works very well if you have a local AM station near your QTH and you like to operate 160 meters or during peak hours on 40 meters when the Cuban SWL station come on the air above 7.300 and they are 60 plus over S9 especially here in Florida, that VC tune takes everything like an image right out but to be honest I never had seen this with either radio’s.
Aside from some things if you do not mind a wee bit more compact radio the FTDX10 gives you very close to the 101D’s performance for not much money these days. I think if Yaesu wanted to really knock it out of the park they would make a radio between the Ten and the 101D, about the size of the 3000 but maybe a six inch display, add the VC tune and maybe one more antenna input but include an IF out plus direct access keypad for band changing or to save space an up and down band button plus price it around $2k but that is a pipe dream. But for now the Ten if you don’t mind the size its an outstanding radio, yes the GUI is not as pretty as Icom but the receiver makes up for it especially if you live in an area were there is a higher consecration of hams like Europe of the East Coast of the USA and you wanna get into the thick of things during a busy weekend on the bands or during a contest weekend. allot of radio’s do well but the Yaesu RX sections seem to handle allot better under crowded band condition and this is were a better RX outdoes a pretty GUI. When I first got into this hobby around 1968 it was the receiver that separated the men from the boys, to this day I still go by that statement.
Jim
KX2t
Want to hear more comparisons between ftdx-3000d and ftdx 10.
I have had many hf radios in the last 45 years. My dx10 is sitting next to what has been my favorite radio for the last three years , my flex 6600m. It hurts my feelings a little that the dx10 out performs it. The only radio I have that can match the dx10 is my Ftdx101mp.
Me 10 is the best guvnor. I got a mouthy one tellin me that I was getting 5×9 in Jackson Avenue. That’s jus aroun the corner from me house it is. A geeza at Ruggers Street give me a 5 x 9 too. He said I blew him outta his shack, I think it’s the geezer nex door, know wha I mean. Jaywick is a great city fellas an we got lotsa hams. We nicked a stack a 10s from a geezers truck in france. Happy brexit we said haha guv. Anyhow s the 10 is the best ever. Ya can talk on it, didja know that? We jus gotta nick us some aerials next but Dazza ses ya can use a clothing line coz the 10s da best! This radio caper is a bit of ok eh!
Thanks for the info. Yes, the ftdx10 has some amazing. RX audio that has the best noise reduction that I have seen in my limited experience. So much so, that’s it’s sometimes unbelievable how it call pull a TX that is deep within the noise floor. And so so clearly at that. Recently I had another operator, unbeknownst to me at the time, that recorded my TX during a quick QSO. He later looked up my email on QRZ and sent me the audio report with recording. Was really a great opportunity to hear how the dx10 and Heil mic we’re working together. In addition to the dx10 capabilities, I also run RX audio through a Heil Parametric EQ system. That too has been a great addition that allows for fairly quick adjustments that allow for pulling a voice out of other surrounding noise that may still be present. Overall I have really enjoyed the dx10. The 991 will remain in my lineup, and still regularly recommend it to new HAMs that are looking to expand their options but just don’t have the time and experience to know what they will ultimately enjoy the most out of this hobby that has so much to offer…whether that is HF itself, SSB, VHF, UHF, digital modes, CW. The 991, in my opinion has to be one of the best “bang for the buck” options out there for versatility and use. It’s RX audio doesn’t even compare to the dx10, but is more than capable of doing the job and allowing someone to enjoy hf.
With that said…my advice to the new operators is also that they spend a LOT of time on antenna setup, proper grounding, grounding of coax via use of lightning arrestors (although I think it better suited to call them coax grounding blocks….but I digress), reducing RFI within the shack, keep coax/dc distribution/ AC cables/ data cables as separate as possible. All of these step are so important to gaining good quality audio. Everyone wants the now “toy”, but it’s the foundation of the rest of the system that makes the most improvements by far.
73
I wish someone would compare this new FTDX10 to the FTDX3000 for it’s receiver performance in real world operating, not just by the numbers. Thanks.
Jeff — KX2P
Same here. Would really like to see a side by side real world test between these two. It was a tough decision as to which way to go. I was running an FT-991, and finally decided on the FTdx10. With that said, the FTdx3000 seems like a really solid choice, especially at the current price very similar to the dx10. There have been some good points, and a few not so good, with the dx10 so far. Overall fairly satisfied with the purchase, but more time will tell.
I had owned an FTDX3000 for over 3 plus years then bought a 7300 for a backup, while the 7300 did not have the same control flexibility as the 3000 did the phase noise in the 3000 would rear its ugly head when trying to copy a weak CW signal 1 Khz away and you would hear key clicks on the 3K but not the 7300. Fast Forward to the FTDX10, when the band gets chocked full the Ten is like a sharp knife threw hard butter, I have never seen it overload on the RX side even when there is a 30+over S9 signal 1Khz away and it does the same on SSB but in SSB there are allot more jerks running wide audio with horrible IMD products that splatter but no receiver can block that crap!
I have both the 3000 and the DX10, Receive wise the DX10 out paces the Icom 7300 by wide margins, (having had both to A/B). The DX10 has a slight margin over the 3000 of better receive than my 3000. The DSP seems superior. I think the screens on DX10 are MUCH easier to navigate than the 3000.
Rich, on SSB they are close for casual operating but when there is a contest weekend or the bands are chock full this is were the TEN shines its stuff and on CW when you are 1Khz away from a 20 Plus over S9 signal you will hear key clicks in the 3000 and the TEN there will be none, also the same is true with the 7300 but on the TEN it has a wonderful APF. You are 100% correct the DSP in the TEN is more advanced, Yaesu has not released any schematic on the FPGA and its roll with there DSP chip set but this radio is way more advanced then the 3000, the TEN spanks the K3s and is a K3 Killer for sure plus it has allot more features. The Band pass filter networks in the TEN are very aggressive for ham use almost to the point were its not really that good for an SWL radio, I’m good with that cause I want a radio for the Ham bands not some frigging SWL crap but this is were the 7300 shines but who cares at this point.
I know it’s not exactly what you’re looks by for bu N4HNH compared it to an FTDx 5000 on his YouTube channel
I never had the two side by side but owned a 3000 for 4 years, owned the ten for 9 months side by side to a ic7610 and now the 101d. The 3000 had very similar dsp features but the NR is better on the 10, the 10 can take allot more signal in its front end before it even gives any hint of overload were the 3k just caves this during WW DX contests or weekends when propagation is good and packed with signals. The 3k is a larger radio so the controls are more spread out but the 10 has a much better display but the 3d is to me a waste but some like it.
The 10 trumped the 7610 during the 2021 CQWWDX contest as far as finding holes on bands like 40 and 20 meters, it really struts it stuff if you live in parts of the country like east coast USA or EU were you have allot more signals that combat your RX front end.
The ten may be small but imo one of the better radios on the market for. A very fair price.
I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube videos on this radio as well as reading numerous reviews. It really seems to be a very impressive radio. One person, in their review, posted a noisy change over relay, the same as the noisy one in the IC7300. For a CW op like myself, I guess I would have to use semi break-in instead of QSK. I can live with that. I find the 3D display dumb. I’ve watched numerous videos focusing on just the display and can’t see why some people are fascinated with it?
It looks like a well laid out radio. I have an FT 991A and set up the audio by the book with the use of the on board equalizer. I’ve gotten so many unsolicited great audio reports. If this radio has the same audio settings, I’m am sure we have a real winner.
Barry, KU3X