The Yaesu FT-891 is a compact 100W transceiver praised for its portability, excellent receiver performance, and affordability, making it ideal for mobile operations. However, users criticize its menu-driven interface, lack of internal antenna tuner, and basic display features. Overall, it caters well to budget-conscious operators focused on portability.

This week’s collection brings forward some interesting projects and analyses, particularly for those operating on the lower bands or experimenting with specialized arrays. We’ve got a detailed look at an 80-meter antenna design, something that comes up often when trying to optimize for that band without a massive footprint. For the builders, there’s a balanced ATU project that emphasizes safety and effective matching, a critical aspect for any home station. Also included is a simple yet effective RF probe, useful for tracking down stray RF, which can plague even well-designed setups. We also touch on packet radio, an often-overlooked mode that still offers robust communication, and a serious EME array for those pushing the limits of VHF/UHF. Finally, a piece on contesting strategy, always worth revisiting for new and seasoned operators alike.