Yaesu Fusion Radio Comparison

There are often many questions on which radio is best if I want to work Fusion Digital C4FM mode?  It can be a complicated answer, depending on what you might want to do with it.

Disclaimer:  Don’t own or never used an FT2DR, FTM3200D, FT-991.  Only imparting info I have been able to glean from various sources about these radios.

Best to go to Yaesu website and study features in more detail after reading this.

A couple of assumptions:

• Only comparing C4FM features or related
• Only concerned with 2m and 440 where Fusion infrastructure might exist (repeaters and Wires-X nodes)
• The FTM-400XDR is the gold standard – most features
• Not mentioning basic features found on most FM radios these days
• DN mode (digital narrow) includes advanced FEC (forward error correction) that increases range usuability

FTM-400XDR

Street Price – $549 as of 2/2017 (been creeping up)

Yaesu Info Page FTM-400XDR

Key Features

• 3.5 inch TFT LCD Touch Screen display
• GPS receiver built-in – Smart Navigation
• APRS Modem
• All C4FM modes, DN and VW (digital narrow and voice wide)
• 2m and 440 bands, 2 VFOs (one digital)
• Cross-band capable in analog mode
• 3 watts audio on internal speaker
• Can be used with camera mic to take and transmit photos
• Can be used as Wires-X Node radio (not a cost effective option for this)
• Callsign and  distance information displays during digital QSOs
• Micro SD card slot

Limitations

• Only one VFO can be digital (one vocoder chip)
• Not really a limitation, but display unit does not mount to main unit.  Designed to be separated

FTM-100DR

Street price Feb 2017 – $309

Yaesu Info Page FTM-100DR

Key Features

• GPS receiver built-in
• APRS Modem
• All C4FM modes, DN and VW (digital narrow and voice wide)
• 2m and 440 bands, only 1 VFO (not as convenient for APRS operation while using radio for listening/communicating)
• 3 watts audio on internal speaker
• Can be used as Wires-X Node radio
• Can control a Wires-X node
• Callsign and Distance info in digital QSOs
• Micro SD card slot

Limitations vs. FTM-400XDR

• Smaller display, no color, no touch screen
• Menu driven with buttons
• One VFO

FT-991A

Street Price Feb 2017 – $1390

Yaesu Info Page FT-991A

Key Features

Obviously, not a great comparison, being a full HF radio, but will mention some features and limitations:

• Covers 2m and 440 with C4FM
• Wires-X capable (some early models may not, may be available with firmware update, not sure)

FTM-3200DR

Street price Feb. 2017 – $149

Yaesu Info Page FTM-3200

Features/Limitations

• 2 meters only
• C4FM DN mode only (not really a problem.  Almost always DN recommended)
• Can’t control Wires-X nodes via this radio.  Can still operate thru them if connected.
• Can’t be used as a Wires-X node radio
• No GPS – no distance during digital QSOs
• No APRS
• 3 watts audio
• 220 memories

FT-2DR

Street price Feb 2017 – $359

Yaesu Info Page FT2DR

Key Features

• Dual Band 2m and 440
• Micro SD card slot
• Touch Screen display
• GPS receiver
• APRS
• Wide band receive
• Band scope
• 5 watts
• 700mW audio

FT-1XDR

Street Price Feb 2017 –  $299

Yaesu Website info – FT1XDR

Key Features

• A Full featured HT – too many to list here
• Dual Band 2m and 440 – 2 independant receivers
• Micro SD card slot
• GPS receiver
• APRS
• Wide band receive
• Does have band scope – (limited display)
• 5 watts
• 200/400mW audio
• Wires-X capable (not as a node)
• Works with camera mic – can take and xmit photos.  Not view.

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