Yaesu FTX1 Reality Check: Our Honest Review and Experiences + SteppIR Exit

In this episode of Everyday Ham, we give you our honest review of the Yaesu FTX1 Optima after days of testing in the field. Plus, we discuss SteppIR's shocking announcement to leave the amateur radio market.

🔧 FTX1 Optima Reality Check
After being fanboys for months, we share our real-world experience with the $2,000 FTX1 Optima. We encountered software bugs, PTT issues, Bluetooth problems, and disappointing receiver performance compared to the FT-710 and FT-DX10. Is this radio ready for prime time, or are we beta testing an unfinished product?

📡 SteppIR Exits Ham Radio
We break down SteppIR's announcement to leave the amateur radio consumer market by August 31st, 2025. What does this mean for the future of ham radio antennas and the aging ham population?

⚡ Field Day 2025
Get ready for ARRL Field Day! Jim shares details about South Lyon Amateur Radio Club's Field Day at Brighton State Recreation Area. Perfect for new hams to get on the air and learn HF operations.

🎧 Topics Covered:
00:00 - Intro - POTA @ US3315
03:00 - W8KNX talks Local N8SL Repeater Maintenance
12:30 - Yaesu FTX1 Optima honest review and problems
Software bugs and firmware updates
43:05 - SteppIR antenna company leaving ham radio
Ham radio market trends affecting the decision
58:20 - ARRL Field Day 2025 preparation
1:10:00 - POTA updates and summer operating tips

Hosted by: James Mills K8JKU, Jim Davis N8JRD, Rory Locke W8KNX

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Website: https://www.everydayham.com
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All links at: https://www.everydayham.com/

#AmateurRadio #POTA #HamRadio #YaesuFTX1 #AmateurRadio #SteppIR #FieldDay #EverydayHam #HamRadioReview #POTA #HamRadioNews