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02-08-08, 02:45 PM
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#1 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| Yaesu 8800/8900 extended transmit mod OK, Please don't let this turn into a discussion of whether this is right or wrong. I just want to show what is involved in modding a Yaesu FT8900 for extended transmit. I believe the procedure is the same for the FT8800. I'll check.
First, remove the radio from your vehicle and get set up in a comfortable place with good lighting.
You will need the following tools (no soldering iron is needed).
- small phillips head screwdriver
- small needle nose pliars
1. Remove the (8) screws on the cover of the radio. There will be two on each side and four on the top. Do not remove the screws holding in the speaker. In the picture you will see four large screw heads. These are for my quick release bracket (which I highly recommend). The arrows just show where the screws are located to be removed.
Last edited by Azrocks; 02-10-08 at 03:14 PM.
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02-08-08, 02:47 PM
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#2 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| 2. As you remove the cover, the speaker connection will have to be removed. Just give a slight tug on the wires and they will easily come unplugged. Set the cover aside. |
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02-08-08, 02:55 PM
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#3 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| 3. Now position the radio so the front is facing you. On the far left corner facing you is a row of diode slots. There will only be two diodes installed. All the other instructions I have read say that it is necessary to use a soldering iron to remove the diode. Good luck with that! The diodes are tiny.
All I did was use a pair of small needle nose pliars to crush the diode. This worked wonderfully and took about a second.
I have indicated in the picture the diode slot strip in the rectangle and the arrow shows the diode that needs to be crushed. |
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02-08-08, 03:07 PM
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#4 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| 4. That's about it as far as the mod goes. Reconnect the speaker and screw the cover back on.
NOTICE!
A. Don't freak out when you go to turn the radio back on. The radio does a factory reset. All the indicators on the dispay will light up and then show your original factory settings.
B. All your programming will be lost! I use the following software for programing. G4HFQ Radio Programming Software
It works great and gets good reviews over the junk Yaesu recommends. I just reprogrammed my radio to what is was before.
C. You will have to change the radio type from a drop down menu in the software if you are using that to put programming back in. My radio type went from "81" to "80" after the mod.
That's it!
Here's a pic of my setup as I am reprogramming it in my Dodge. I can easily move the radio between my FJ40, truck, and suburban.
Good luck! Do this mod at your own risk.....etc, etc. |
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02-08-08, 03:18 PM
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#5 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| I found this picture that shows the location on the FT8800 of the diode strip. It looks a little different than the 8900 but bascially the same. |
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02-08-08, 10:09 PM
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#6 (permalink)
| | You want to do what...?
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: PRK
Posts: 12,053
| similar mod to that for the 7800 where you have to remove the "lower" resistor jumper (R1288).
a bit confusing cuz 2 different documents show 2 different resistors locations but should perhaps be obvious when opened up... looks like there are some differences between the US and euro models too. caution required I think.
__________________  : '97: 90K, 3xlock, 285 MT/Rs on steelies, Hanna sliders, 851+1.5"/863/N73/N74E/SD24, ARB bull with M12, Kaymar with duals, Kaymar rack, Slee TC skid, 2m/440, more stuff, loose nut behind the wheel!). Custom HD roo bar for sale!  : '03: 115K
DDs: Accord, Prius  : souped-up DR650
Last edited by e9999; 02-08-08 at 10:42 PM.
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02-08-08, 11:38 PM
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#7 (permalink)
| | Cook Free or Die
Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Sacramento, California
Posts: 1,640
| Looks like the closest diode to the corner.
Not too hard.
Regards
Alvaro |
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02-09-08, 12:12 AM
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#8 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| Yup, that's the one. |
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02-09-08, 08:37 AM
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#9 (permalink)
| | You want to do what...?
Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: PRK
Posts: 12,053
| why do you keep on calling these things diodes?
__________________  : '97: 90K, 3xlock, 285 MT/Rs on steelies, Hanna sliders, 851+1.5"/863/N73/N74E/SD24, ARB bull with M12, Kaymar with duals, Kaymar rack, Slee TC skid, 2m/440, more stuff, loose nut behind the wheel!). Custom HD roo bar for sale!  : '03: 115K
DDs: Accord, Prius  : souped-up DR650 |
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02-09-08, 10:46 AM
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#10 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| Quote:
Originally Posted by e9999 why do you keep on calling these things diodes? | Because everything I've read call them diodes. They do look like resistors to me. I'll have to look at the schematics. |
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02-10-08, 02:02 AM
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#11 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Victorihhhhhaaa
Posts: 266
| you guys happy with the 8900? Im thinking of getting into radios etc, and have been looking at this fellow... good buy? It wont do air band or marine band will it?
__________________ ___________________________________________
83 BJ60 SOLD
89 BJ74 24V RHD |
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02-10-08, 07:54 AM
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#12 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| I really like the radio. There's probably a reason to question the practicality of FM 6 and 10 meter though. I got it to expand the usefulness of cross band repeat using 6 meter simplex.
If you don't need the extra bands, I'd probably look at the 8800. Memory management on the 8800 is a little different than the 8900 as well.
The dual receive is wonderfull. There is also a home channel scan that is really useful. With it I can monitor two channels on one side of the radio while scanning all frequencies on the other side.
There is an AM receive mode that I use to scan aircraft frequencies. Along with every open repeater in AZ, I also have police, fire, fbi, fema, dps, some other public service freq, FRS, GMRS, aircraft, and some others. Like all HAM radios, it doesn't scan fast enough to be a super effective scanner. At some point I will get a dedicated scanner.
Anyway, back to your original question. The 8900 is a great radio. For the price differential I felt it was worth getting the FM 6 and 10m. Go to Eham.net and look at the reviews of anything you might be interested in.
Last edited by Azrocks; 02-10-08 at 03:16 PM.
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02-11-08, 06:29 AM
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#13 (permalink)
| | Site Addict
Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sonoran Desert
Posts: 2,355
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Azrocks Along with every open repeater in AZ, I also have police, fire, fbi, fema, dps, some other public service freq, FRS, GMRS, aircraft, and some others. | Would you be willing to share the list?
__________________ Pskhaat (Scott) UZJ100 FZJ80 FJ45 |
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02-11-08, 10:12 AM
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#14 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| Quote:
Originally Posted by Pskhaat Would you be willing to share the list?  | Sure! I can send either the excel spreadsheet or if you are using the same programing software and have the same radio I can send the direct programming file. Let me know. |
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02-12-08, 03:36 AM
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#15 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Victorihhhhhaaa
Posts: 266
| are there any simmilar radios that can both receive AND transmit on FM as well as AM? im looking for a unit I can use when wheeling, but also use for work (Airband)... and id rather not have to dish out for two radios...
__________________ ___________________________________________
83 BJ60 SOLD
89 BJ74 24V RHD |
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02-13-08, 07:16 PM
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#16 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Out here in the middle
Posts: 641
| x2...is there a possibility of transmission and/or reception on UHF and VHF aviation bands with this mod?
__________________ 96 FZJ80 | 97 FZJ80 |
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02-15-08, 05:19 PM
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#17 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| Quote:
Originally Posted by psfpilot x2...is there a possibility of transmission and/or reception on UHF and VHF aviation bands with this mod? | Couldn't tell you. Here's what the mod leaves you with on the FT8900. There may be more but this is what I'm sure of.
TX: 28-29.7 / 50-54 / 144-148 / 150-170/ 430-470 MHz (USA)
RX: 28-29.7 / 50-54 / 108-180 / 320-480 / 700-958 MHz (Cellular blocked in the US)
TX: FM
RX: AM/FM |
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02-15-08, 09:55 PM
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#18 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Redwood City, CA
Posts: 373
| I may be wrong but dont the AV bands use AM still, This is an FM radio
Mark
__________________ Mark Weiss Ham Radio Call Sign K7VQU
1985 FJ60 Nickname: "Leaky"  Expedition Camping Rig Outfitted with H55F. ARB Bull Bar, Man-A-Fre 4+ Rear Bumper, Warn XD9000, OME Heavy Lift, 33" BFG AT's, 4.11's, Oasis2 RTT, Mean-Green Alt, Dual Batteries, Cargo Cabinets. http://web.mac.com/mrlocksmith |
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02-15-08, 10:07 PM
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#19 (permalink)
| | 250+ Club
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson / Vail, AZ
Posts: 522
| There is an option in programming that allows reception of AM but it is FM transmit only. I can scan aircraft and DPS AM bands. |
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02-15-08, 10:28 PM
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#20 (permalink)
| | addict.
Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Broomfield, Colorado
Posts: 1,412
| This is cool stuff, thanks for posting that. I agree it's a good idea to have this capability some day, kind of like knowing CPR. I hope I never need either.
__________________ 96fzj80, mostly stock except for the suspension, steering, gears, brakes, batteries, lights, bumpers, running boards, skid plates, stereo, speakers, cargo area, and tires. Also a 2001 Taco DC.
custom 80 series mic holders, dash bezels, seat repair parts, and clear ARB lenses, all available right now, right here www.gamiviti.com
and some of my best friends are TLCA members. |
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