Episode 6: Yaesu FTX-1 Reality Check: Our Honest Review + SteppIR Exit

Published: June 5, 2025

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFHhRrDS4Hc

Buzzsprout: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2438895/episodes/17282578

Summary

After months of excitement, the crew delivers an honest review of the Yaesu FTX-1 Optima following days of field testing, covering software bugs, PTT issues, and receiver performance that fell short of the FT-710 and FT-DX10. Plus, SteppIR announces its exit from the amateur radio consumer market, and SLAARC gears up for ARRL Field Day at Brighton State Recreation Area.

In This Episode

• POTA activation at Island Lake State Recreation Area (US-3315)

• Local N8SL repeater maintenance with Rory

• FTX-1 Optima honest review: software bugs, PTT dropouts, Bluetooth problems

• Receiver performance compared to the FT-710 and FT-DX10

• Is the FTX-1 ready for prime time, or are buyers beta testing?

• SteppIR's announcement to leave the ham radio consumer market by August 31, 2025

• What an aging ham population means for the antenna market

• ARRL Field Day 2025 prep at Brighton State Recreation Area (US-3384)

Chapters

• 00:00 Intro and POTA at US-3315

• 03:00 Rory on local N8SL repeater maintenance

• 12:30 Yaesu FTX-1 Optima honest review and problems

• 43:05 SteppIR leaving ham radio

• 58:20 ARRL Field Day 2025 preparation

• 1:10:00 POTA updates and summer operating tips

Mentioned in This Episode

• Yaesu FTX-1 Optima: https://www.yaesu.com/product-detail.aspx?Model=FTX-1%20Series&CatName=HF%20Transceivers/Amplifiers

• Yaesu FT-710 and FT-DX10 (receiver comparisons)

• SteppIR market exit announcement

• ARRL Field Day: https://www.arrl.org/field-day

• Brighton State Recreation Area (POTA US-3384)

• Island Lake State Recreation Area (POTA US-3315)

• N8SL repeater and SLAARC: https://www.slaarc.com