When I first made the move from FM to SSB satellites, I was using just an FT-100D (predecessor to FT-857D.) While it is semi-duplex by itself, as VE6WK suggested you can use it with a second receiver for full-duplex. For several months, I experimented with an FT-857D as my transmitter and FUNcube Dongle Pro+ as my receiver. It made for a very nice "poor man's Flex" station.
The easiest bird to work with a single FT-857D is probably FO-29. You can setup on a fixed transmit/uplink frequency, and tune the downlink to compensate for Doppler shift. I've made many contacts this way in a pinch. My video for the FT-817 on YouTube can be carried out very similarly using an FT-857D: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vke3pWkKULU
73 Clayton W5PFG
On 1/21/2016 11:55, skristof@etczone.com wrote:
Anybody using a Yaesu FT 857D to work the SSB satellites? If so, what do you think? Can you take it outside and use it with an Arrow antenna?
Steve AI9IN
Sent via AMSAT-BB@amsat.org. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb