Issues with the FTdx101 D Panadapter
The following screen shots from the FTdx101D panadapter set out some observations I have made.
1. Wavering Frequency
Set mode = CW.
Viewing mode = CURSOR (the background and received signals should appear static).
SPAN = 20KHz or less.
MAIN or SUB? = Both receivers are the same.
When tuning into a CW signal, it's frequency appears to vary - this is quite noticable when looking at the waterfall trace. For the shot below, I have reduced the SPAN to 5KHz to highlight the effect, but even at wider SPAN values - if the user is tuning over a pileup or looking for weak signals, the wavering effect can be really annoying and might result in a DX opportunity being missed.
The wavering display when tuning signals in CURSOR mode is slightly frustrating - if I see a station calling and I want to tune to his frequency, I can't go straight there with the tuning knob, it takes two or three attempts to land on the right frequency due to the moving display. I tend to use narrow SPAN values to get a real close look at band activity but this is where the issue is highlighted most.
2. Distorted Panadapter signals on the SUB Reciver
FIXED WITH FIRMWARE RELEASE IN MARCH 2020 - Thanks Yaesu!
There are many occasions when I am tuning around on the SUB receiver, looking at the waterfall for signals while listening to a station on the MAIN receiver. This could be when contesting in SO2V mode or looking at a DX pile-up, seeking out the calling signal. However there is an issue with the panadapter whereby if the SUB RX is OFF (i.e. you want to look at signals on the SUB receiver, but not listen) then the display within the roofing filter passband becomes distorted. The screen shot below demonstrates this - the SUB receiver is selected but I am listening only to the MAIN RX.
Of the three issues, the distortion in the SUB RX passband is the most annoying. If I am calling a weak DX station working split, I will often have both ears on MAIN RX while I tune my TX frequency on the SUB VFO. I will put focus on SUB so I can see the pileup and look out for the calling patterns, but because of the panadapter display distrotion I am losing the most important part of the display - the frequency I am tuned to. So this is really frustrating and would probably be a deal breaker for me if I was buying the radio today.
3.. Missing Panadapter signals on the MAIN Receiver
FIXED WITH FIRMWARE RELEASE IN MARCH 2020 - Thanks Yaesu!
If I have focus on the MAIN receiver but I am listening around the band on the SUB receiver - in this scenario the MAIN Rx is OFF, SUB Rx is ON - the signals in the MAIN Rx roofing filter passband disappear and the panadapter shows a blank display - see the black band below. This is totally unacceptable! In the shot below you can just see the clicks produced by the signal I'm listening to, but you cannot see the actual signal.
Loss of received signal on the MAIN RX is less of an issue to me because I rarely switch off RX on MAIN to listen on SUB only, however it doesn't seem correct to me.
John Warburton G4IRN - March 2020.