FT-891 and TRX-manager CAT control software

I have successfully got FT891 running under TRX-manager: http://www.trx-manager.com/index.html

1) Install the dual serial port driver from Yaesu website. 
See manual here: http://www.yaesu.com/airband/downloadFile.cfm?FileID=9515&FileCatID=42&FileName=USB%5FDriver%5FInstallation%5FManual%5FENG%5F1610%2DB0.pdf&FileContentType=application%2Fpdf

(Note: the 891 has dual serial ports, it does not have an USB soundcard).

2) Reboot the PC and check that you see two serial devices in your Device manager (type device manager when clicking the start button)

3) Hold F on the FT-891 in a couple of seconds (long click)

4) Goto menu 05-06
Set CAT RATE to 38400

6) Goto menu 05-08.
 Set CAT RTS to DISABLE (unless you do that you may have a problem getting data thru)

7) Set the rate to 38400 in TRX-manager (setup menu) and select FT-891. Also select correct COM port (on my PC it was COM5. It may be different on yours).
Remember: unless you set CAT RTS to DISABLE (see above) you will not get data thru and you will mess around in the TRX-manager menus while the problem was a setting in the FT-891 menu.

8) Stop and restart TRX-manager

9) You may hear a clicking sound for every CAT transmission in your FT-891 loudspeaker (A bit annoying… I have to admit that even if I like Yaesu radios)

10) Click F on the FT-891 (short click)

11) Goto MON on the FT-891 menu

12) Click on MON

13) Turn down the MON level to 0
Note: This applies regardless if you have MON ON or MON OFF (this is a bug in Yaesu’s firmware. Rare. LOL)

14) Now you have CAT control without any clicking sounds on your FT-891

15) Enjoy your Yaesu FT-891

Comments about the FT-891: 

Plusses: the FT-891 has in my view a better and more modern RX than the ageing FT-857, even better than IC7300 (some ppl. claim) http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/13042?page=2 , it is a low cost modern mobile 100W HF rig with a small detachable front, it has DSP RX, a nice variable RX filter, works well down to low voltages even if someone claims it doesn’t, has a much better menu system and a better VFO, it has a reasonable current draw on RX (even if the datasheet overstates this a bit it is below 1A on my rig).

Minuses: No VHF or UHF ( however that may be a benefit. Not the compromises that probably are in the 857 rf chain). No USB soundcard (do you really need that in a mobile station?), 60M USB has to be programmed in a memory and you go memory tune from there and it will keep USB even if you are below 10 MHZ.

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3 Comments

  1. Gabor Jordan

    Hello,
    It is not the main subject, but you say it works down to low voltage level. What is your experience? The main reason I’m asking it because I do not know if I need 3 or 4 series LiPo cell on the field? I had other Yaesu radios before and I have the impression that wilt higher voltages it just dissipate more. It would be interesting if someone would make a voltage vs. output power graph with distortion. I do not need 100W on the field, but it would be good to know how much I can get from 10V for example, where the 3S LiPo discharges. Also, a 12V SLA battery goes to 11V easy during transmit, I do not know how much that is a problem. It would be good to have the 100W from a 14Ah SLA.
    What is your opinion?
    Thanks,
    JG

    • I haven’t tested power out vs voltage with the 891. What I noticed is that the radio doesen’t turn off when the voltage drops a bit. This is a common problem when running on a 12V car battery with some other radios.

  2. ame here. I have rigged a CAT (Silicon Labs UART Advance RS232 Port) on my Win 7 Laptop USB/Com #6, but still cannot get the
    PTT signal to go to transmit thru the CAT port (mini-USB on the 891). I have the Data In and Data Out 6 pin
    DIN plug coming from computer laptop with the mic-in and mic-out 1/8 plugs.

    The rig works fine with PSK31 on the DIGITAL MODEM from China, with its own
    onboard sound card thru the 891 using the 6 pin DIN plug on the 891 to 6pin DIN on the DIGITAL MODEM.

    The rig runs DigiPan on the LAPTOP in receive AOK, but NO
    TRANSMIT. I can hold down the Mic. PTT and it does seem to send, but cannot get the PTT
    signal from the LAPTOP through the Cat Cord to work, even though DigiPan recognizes Com#5 PTT-RST-on.

    I want it to work PSK-31 like is described on Page 64 of the 891 advanced manual using a
    laptop. I have gone thru the 891 memory menu settings several times. Is the lower diagram P.64
    in the 891 advance manual NOT CORRECT?

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