Episode 15: Are Radio Prices Going Up? FT2, Bouvet 3Y0K, Yaesu & HamClock

Published: March 5, 2026

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KJN_OA-oZnQ

Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2438895/episodes/18794950

Summary

Are radio prices going up? Yes, and the crew has the numbers. Significant Yaesu MSRP increases hit the FT-DX10, FT-891, and FTDX101MP, driven by tariffs, logistics, and yen-to-dollar swings. Plus the new FT2 digital mode's speed-vs-sensitivity tradeoffs, strategy and sportsmanship for the historic 3Y0K Bouvet Island DXpedition, and the community efforts keeping HamClock alive after Elwood's passing.

In This Episode

• Around the shack: a Bird 43 wattmeter score at the Livonia swap, plus the Radtel RT-910B and Quansheng UV-K1 budget handhelds

• FT2 mode: 3.75-second cycles and ~240 QSOs/hour, but weaker signal performance than FT8

• 3Y0K Bouvet Island: pileup strategy, Fox and Hound, and knowing when your station won't win the slot

• Using PSK Reporter or GridTracker to confirm your signal before calling

• Yaesu price increases explained: tariffs, components, logistics, and exchange rates

• Buy now or wait for Hamvention deals?

• HamClock lives on: hamclock.com, OpenHamClock, HamVision, and Geochron

• ARRL win: amateurs exempted from foreign adversary contact reporting

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome and Follow Us

• 0:50 Around the Shack Updates

• 5:15 New Gear: Bird 43 Wattmeter and HTs

• 6:35 Contesting and CW Progress

• 9:30 Repeater Maintenance Troubles

• 11:05 Travel Plans and Hotel HF

• 12:10 FT2: Speed, Sync, and Tradeoffs

• 19:45 Bouvet Strategy and Ethics

• 23:50 Following the DXpedition Live

• 28:10 Yaesu Price Increases Explained

• 36:55 What to Buy Now vs Later

• 42:40 HamClock After Elwood

• 49:00 Open Alternatives: Web and Self-Hosted

• 54:30 ARRL Win on Reporting Exemptions

• 56:45 Community, Feedback, and Sign-Off

Mentioned in This Episode

• Radtel RT-910B: https://www.radtels.com/products/radtel-rt-910b-bluetooth-app-programming-multi-band-6-meter-walkie-talkie-45-59mhz-tx-rx-with-960-channels-am-fm-two-way-radio-air-band-type-c-spectrum

• Quansheng UV-K1: https://en.qsfj.com/products/8740

• Bird 43 wattmeter

• 3Y0K Bouvet Island DXpedition

• FT2 and FT8 digital modes

• Yaesu FT-DX10, FT-891, and FTDX101MP price increases

• HamClock continuation: https://hamclock.com (W4BAE)

• OpenHamClock: https://openhamclock.com

• HamVision: https://hamvision.net

• Livonia Amateur Radio Club Swap & Shop: https://livoniaarc.com/larc-annual-swap-and-shop/