Why I love Yaesu Fusion

I've purchased my first Yaesu this last spring and I love it. 

I picked up an FT-70D and I now know how a radio truly designed for amateurs is a great thing. This is now my go to radio and the only radio I use with my hotspot anymore.

Anyone interested in the easiest way to get on digital through a hotspot should definitely consider Fusion.

My first experiences with HAM radio has been with Chinese radios like  Baofeng, Radioddity and Anytone. These all have good functionality but none are as simple to use as a Yaesu. When I first dove into the digital world, like many, I went straight for DMR, the cheapest option. DMR was designed for business use and requires a lot of computer work to use properly. It is fun to learn how it all works and understand exactly what the radio is doing, but it's also a lot of work. In contrast the FT-70D doesn't require any code plug and you can easily program and save channels with the front panel keypad. In my opinion the Yaesu is just designed better. All the main functions and settings are easily available and the radio is more intuitive than any other I've used.

You may be thinking that DMR is much more popular with networks like Brandmeister and TGIF. That might be true and I've spent countless hours programming radios and writing code plugs for DMR. However I now realize that for hotspot purposes I never use anything but My FT-70D. With cross modes it's actually easier to use Yaesu Fusion for DMR and other digital networks. With the right settings in PiStar you can connect to a DMR network and change talk groups by simply putting the numbers in with the keypad. I'll write a full article on how all this is done when I have time but it's not hard to figure out. There's also no need for a user database with Fusion. Your callsign is transmitted by the radio and if you're using a hotspot PiStar sends the callsign to your radio without the need for any database. There is a CPS for this radio but honestly I haven't needed it at all. I've played around with it but I find it's actually easier to just program everything directly on the radio.

This is a great radio and I highly recommend it. 73s K9NPX