Yaesu FT-8900R User manual

Yaesu FT-8900R
Operating Manual
The W5JCK Expanded Version
Courtesy of W5JCK
Dual Band FM Transceiver
November 2006

TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Table of Contents
About this Manual.............................................................................................................................................5
Introduction .......................................................................................................................................................6
Front Panel Controls.....................................................................................................................................6
LCD Display Screen...................................................................................................................................10
MH−48A6J Microphone Overview............................................................................................................11
Common Tasks ................................................................................................................................................13
Program the Microphone Buttons ..............................................................................................................13
Select the Main Operating Band.................................................................................................................15
Change the Frequency Band.......................................................................................................................16
Change the Frequency................................................................................................................................17
Transmit .....................................................................................................................................................18
Activate the Lock Feature ..........................................................................................................................18
Activate the Key/Button Beeper.................................................................................................................19
Select the Channel Step..............................................................................................................................19
Set the Display Brightness .........................................................................................................................20
Activate the Band Linking Feature.............................................................................................................20
Select the Audio Muting Preference...........................................................................................................20
Set the RF Squelch Level ...........................................................................................................................21
Activate the Time-Out Timer.....................................................................................................................21
Activate Automatic Power Off...................................................................................................................22
Set FM Bandwidth and MIC Gain..............................................................................................................22
Program Band Limits for VFO Mode ........................................................................................................23
Operate through Repeaters ............................................................................................................................25
Automatic Repeater Shifts..........................................................................................................................25
Manual Repeater Shift Activation..............................................................................................................25
Tone Coded Squelch........................................................................................................................................27
CTCSS Tone System..................................................................................................................................27
DCS Tone System......................................................................................................................................28
Tone Search Scanning................................................................................................................................29
DCS Code Inversion...................................................................................................................................30
Regular Memory..............................................................................................................................................32
Overview....................................................................................................................................................32
Store a Frequency in Memory....................................................................................................................32
Create a Name Tag for a Memory Channel................................................................................................33
Store Independent Transmit Frequencies ...................................................................................................34
Recall a Stored Memory.............................................................................................................................35
Tune from a Stored Memory......................................................................................................................35
Delete a Memory........................................................................................................................................36
Set a HOME Channel for an Operating Band ............................................................................................36
Activate Memory Only Mode ....................................................................................................................37
Hyper Memory ................................................................................................................................................38
Overview....................................................................................................................................................38
Store a Hyper Memory...............................................................................................................................40
Recall a Hyper Memory .............................................................................................................................41

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Scanning...........................................................................................................................................................42
Overview....................................................................................................................................................42
Set the Scan-Resume Preference................................................................................................................42
Priority Channel Scanning (Dual Watch)...................................................................................................42
Scan in VFO Mode.....................................................................................................................................44
Scan in Memory Mode...............................................................................................................................45
Standard Memory Scan ..............................................................................................................................46
How to Skip a Channel During Memory Scan...........................................................................................47
Preferential Memory Scan..........................................................................................................................47
Smart Search.................................................................................................................................................49
ARTS................................................................................................................................................................50
Overview....................................................................................................................................................50
Set Up/Operate ARTS................................................................................................................................50
Set Up the CW Identifier............................................................................................................................51
Operating the DTMF Autodialer................................................................................................................53
To load DTMF Autodialer memories:........................................................................................................53
To transmit the memorized telephone number:..........................................................................................53
To set the speed:.........................................................................................................................................54
To set a delay time: ....................................................................................................................................54
Internet Connection Feature......................................................................................................................55
To access a WIRES™ repeater: .................................................................................................................55
To access other Internet Link Systems that use a DTMF string for access: ...............................................55
Operate as a Cross-Band Repeater .........................................................................................................57
To set up Cross-Band Repeater operation:.................................................................................................57
Transfer Data between two FT−8900Rs ..................................................................................................58
Reset Your FT−8900R ..................................................................................................................................59
Menu (Set) Mode .............................................................................................................................................60
Overview....................................................................................................................................................60
Menu Quick Reference Table.....................................................................................................................61
Menu Items ......................................................................................................................................................63
Menu #1 APO.............................................................................................................................................63
Menu h 2 ARS............................................................................................................................................63
Menu h 3 ARTS .........................................................................................................................................64
Menu h 4 BAND ........................................................................................................................................64
Menu #5 BEEP...........................................................................................................................................65
Menu b 6 CLK.SFT....................................................................................................................................65
Menu #7 CWID..........................................................................................................................................65
Menu #8 CWID W .....................................................................................................................................65
Menu #9 DIMMER ....................................................................................................................................66
Menu b 10 DCS.COD ................................................................................................................................66
Menu #11 DCS.N/R...................................................................................................................................66
Menu h 12 DSP.SUB .................................................................................................................................67
Menu #13 DTMF D....................................................................................................................................67
Menu #14 DTMF S ....................................................................................................................................67
Menu #15 DTMF W...................................................................................................................................68
Menu #16 HYPER .....................................................................................................................................68
Menu #17 INET .........................................................................................................................................68

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Menu #18 INET C......................................................................................................................................68
Menu #19 INET M.....................................................................................................................................69
Menu #20 KEY.MOD................................................................................................................................69
Menu #21 LOCK........................................................................................................................................69
Menu #22 LOCKT .....................................................................................................................................69
Menu #23 MIC...........................................................................................................................................70
Menu #24 MUTE .......................................................................................................................................70
Menu b 25 NAME......................................................................................................................................70
Menu h 26 PKT.SPD..................................................................................................................................71
Menu h 27 PKT.RXB.................................................................................................................................71
Menu #28 PG P1 ........................................................................................................................................71
Menu #29 PG P2 ........................................................................................................................................72
Menu #30 PG P3 ........................................................................................................................................72
Menu #31 PG P4 ........................................................................................................................................72
Menu #32 RF SQL.....................................................................................................................................72
Menu b 33 RPT.MOD................................................................................................................................73
Menu #34 SCAN........................................................................................................................................73
Menu b 35 SCAN M ..................................................................................................................................74
Menu b 36 SHIFT ......................................................................................................................................74
Menu b 37 STEP ........................................................................................................................................74
Menu #38 SPCONT ...................................................................................................................................75
Menu b 39 TONE F....................................................................................................................................75
Menu b 40 TONE M ..................................................................................................................................75
Menu #41 TOT...........................................................................................................................................76
Menu h 42 VFO.TR ...................................................................................................................................76
Menu b 43 WID.NAR................................................................................................................................76
Menu #44 X-RPT.......................................................................................................................................76
Menu b 45 AM...........................................................................................................................................77
Menu h 46 AUT. AM.................................................................................................................................77

ABOUT THIS MANUAL
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About this Manual
LATEST UPDATE: 28 November 2006
I made the following improvements to the Yaesu FT−8800R Operating Manual:
Reformatted the material to make it easier to read and locate information
Reworded some of the more difficult to understand passages and key terminology
Greatly expanded the Hyper Memory section
Clarified and expanded the Scanning section
Reorganized the material into a more logical order
Updated some of the artwork to make it more presentable
Added cross-references
This manual is absolutely free. However, if you like, you can donate a small amount to help
defray the cost of developing this (and other) HAM radio manuals. If you would like to make
a donation, please goto http://w5jck.jackswinden.com/manuals/ft-8800r/donations.html.
If you have any questions or comments, please email me at [e-mail].
Happy reading! Jack Swinden, W5JCK
Conventions are used in this manual
The "Main band" is the side of the FT−8800R on which you can transmit. This band is
indentifed on the FT−8800R's LCD screen by the symbol.
The "Sub band" is the side of the FT−8800R on which you can receive only.
The " DIAL knob" is the DIAL knob on the side of the FT−8800R currently set as
the Main band.
Menu items and key terms are shown in bold Arial text, and menu names (functions)
and menu options or shown in monospace text.
For example: "Menu #21 LOCK can be set to OFF or ON."
Notes are presented as below:
This is a sample note. Notes typically contain extra information designed to
clarify the information presented in a topic. Sometimes they contain
CAUTIONs or WARNINGs.

INTRODUCTION
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Introduction
The FT−8900R is a ruggedly-built, high quality Quad Band FM transceiver providing 50 Watts
of power output on the 29/50/144 MHz Amateur band and 35 Watts on the 430 MHz band.
The high power output of the FT−8900R is produced by its RD70HVF1 Power MOS FET
amplifier, with a direct-flow heat sink and thermostatically-controlled cooling fan maintaining
a safe temperature for the transceiver’s circuitry.
Featuring 809 memory channels, full duplex operation with independent Volume and Squelch
controls, and built-in CTCSS and DCS encoder/decoder circuits, the FT−8900R includes
provision for remote-head mounting, utilizing the optional YSK−8900 Separation Kit, which
allows installation even in the most compact of cars.
We recommend that you read this manual in its entirety, so as to fully understand the many
features of your new FT−8900R transceiver.
Front Panel Controls
(1) Left and Right DIAL knobs
These 20-position detented rotary switches are the tuning DIALs for the left and right bands.

INTRODUCTION
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Press the adjoining knob momentarily to switch the Main band to the side where the
knob is located.
When in the Memory mode, press this knob to enable rapid tuning (in 10 channel
steps) using this knob.
When in the VFO mode, press this knob to enable rapid tuning (in 1 MHz steps) using
this knob.
When in the VFO mode, press and hold in this knob for ½ second to toggle the
operating band as follows:
29 MHz → 50 MHz → 144 MHz → 350 MHz → 430 MHz → 850 MHz
(2) Left and Right VOL Knobs
The VOL (Volume) control adjusts the speaker audio level for the adjoining receiver.
Clockwise rotation increases the audio level.
Press this knob momentarily to switch the Internet Connection feature on and off.
(3) Left and Right SQL Knobs
The SQL (Squelch) control is used to silence background noise on the adjoining receiver.
Clockwise rotation decreases the squelch level.
It should be advanced clockwise just to the point where the noise is silenced (and the
indicator on the display turns off), so as to provide the best sensitivity to weak
signals.
(4) Hyper Memory Buttons …
Press and hold in one of these buttons for 2 seconds to store the current total
configuration of the radio into a special Hyper memory bank.
Press the appropriate button momentarily to recall the desired Hyper memory.
(5) Left and Right Side Key
Left Side Keys
Right Side Keys
The left side keys
function as LOW, V/M,
HM, and SCN.
The right side keys may
be set to function as
LOW, V/M, HM, and SCN
(default) or as MHz, REV, TONE, and SUB
().

INTRODUCTION
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Left Side Keys (always) and Right Side Keys when in Key Mode 1
Key: (Default)
Press this key repeatedly to toggle the transmitter power output level of the adjoining
band:
LOW → MID2 → MID1 → HIGH
When the adjoining band is set to the Memory mode or Home Channel, press and hold
in this key for ½ second to switch the memory channel display between the Frequency
format and the Alpha-numeric Tag format.
Key: (Default)
Press this key momentarily to switch the frequency control for the adjoining band
between the VFO and Memory Systems.
When the adjoining band is set to the VFO mode, press and hold in this for ½ second to
activate the Smart Search Feature.
When the adjoining band is set to the Memory mode, press and hold in this key for ½
second to activate the Memory Tuning feature.
Key: (Default)
Press this key momentarily to recall a favorite Home Channel on the adjoining band.
Press and hold in this for ½ second to activate Priority Channel Scanning on the
adjoining band.
Key: (Default)
Press this key momentarily to activate the Scanner on the adjoining band.
When the adjoining band is set to the Memory mode, press and hold in this key for ½
second to set up the Scan Skip List or Preferential Scan List.
Right Side Keys when in Key Mode 2 ( )
To set the right side keys to Key Mode 2:
1. Press the SET key momentarily to enter the Set mode.
2. Rotate the DIAL knob to select Menu #20 KEY.MOD.
3. Press the DIAL knob momentarily, then rotate the DIAL knob to change the
setting to KEY 2.
4. Press and hold in the DIAL knob for ½ second to save the new setting and exit to
normal operation.0.

INTRODUCTION
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When set to Key Mode 2, the indicator is displayed and the keys function as follows:
MHz Key: while in Key Mode 2
Press this key momentarily to allow tuning in 1-MHz steps on the Main band VFO.
Press and hold in this key for ½ second to allow tuning in 10-MHz steps on the Main
band VFO.
REV Key: while in Key Mode 2
Press this key momentarily to reverse the transmit and receive frequencies on the Main
band during split-frequency (i.e. Repeater) operation.
Press and hold in this key for ½ second to change the frequency shift direction:
RPT –(minus shift) → RPT + (plus shift) → RPT OFF (simplex)
TONE Key: while in Key Mode 2
Press this key momentarily to change the Tone Squelch mode:
ENC (CTCSS Encoder) → ENC.DEC (CTCSS Tone Squelch) → DCS (DCS operation)
SUB Key: while in Key Mode 2
Press this key momentarily to activate the Sub band function (the icon will blink
on the Sub band). When the Sub band function is activated, any keys you press act on
the Sub band.
When the Sub band function is activated (the icon is blinking on the Sub band),
press this key momentarily to deactivate the Sub band function.
(6) SET Key
Press this key momentarily to enter the Set (Menu) mode.
Press and hold in this key for ½ second to transfer the contents of the Main band VFO
into a Memory register.

INTRODUCTION
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LCD Display Screen
Icons
: Preferential Memory Channel
: Skip Memory Channel
: Minus Shift
: Plus Shift
: Odd Split
: Tone Encoder
: Tone Decoder
: Transmission in Progress
: Main Band
: Busy Channel (or Squelch Off)
: Memory Tune Mode
: Audio Mute Active
: Digital Code Squelch (DCS)
: AM Reception
: 9600 bps Packet Mode
: Low TX Power Selected
: Middle TX Power Selected (No Icon
indicates High TX Power)
: Automatic Power-Off Active
: Keypad/DIAL Lock Active
: Menu (Set) Mode
: Key Function Mode is set to
KEY-2