Whether you’re looking for a desktop ham radio or a mobile unit for a truck or car, the Yaesu FT-891 combines powerful features with solid value. Its HF receiver, in particular, is extraordinary, rivaling even some base station radios.
Good
- Stellar signal quality – This radio uses Yaesu’s bit floating point Digital Signal Processing (DSP) for crystal clear audio quality.
- Adjustable signal processing – The aforementioned DSP features can all be tweaked and adjusted, which helps you get exactly the sound you want from this radio.
- Loud, clear speaker – The built-in speaker provides clear, loud audio output, especially combined with this unit’s signal processing features.
- Ease of use – A clear screen, large multi-function knob, and intuitive design make this mobile transceiver easy to use, especially on-the-go.
- 100W transmit power – 100 watts of power ensures you get amazing coverage when transmitting, especially when paired with the right antenna.
Bad
- Can get hot – When transmitting at more than 70 watts for a prolonged period of time, the radio tends to heat up quite a bit.
- Programming frustrations – It can be a challenge to program and customize the unit to your preferences, due to the small screen and some user interface quirks.
Bottom line
If you’re looking for a powerful mobile HF radio, it’s hard to beat the Yaesu FT-891, particularly considering its price range. You get all the features you’d expect in radios that cost hundreds of dollars more – and all of the power, performance, and reliability you’d expect from Yaesu.
Product Specs
| Frequency Range | Tx: 1.8 MHz – 54 MHz (Amateur bands only) Rx: 30 kHz – 56 MHz 1.8 MHz – 54 MHz (Specified performance, Amateur bands only) |
| Channel Step | 2/5/10 Hz (SSB, CW) 10/100 Hz (AM, FM) |
| Frequency Stability | SSB/CW/AM ±0.5 ppm [14 °F to +122 °F (-10 °C to +50 °C)] FM: ±1 kHz [14 °F to +122 °F (-10 °C to +50 °C)] |
| Modes of Emission | A1A (CW), A3E (AM), J3E (LSB, USB), F3E (FM) |
| Antenna Impedance | 50 Ohms, unbalanced |
| Supply voltage | 13.8 V DC ±15%, negative ground |
| Current Consumption (typical) | Rx: 2.0 A (signal present) Tx: 23 A |
| Operating Temperature Range | 14 °F to +122 °F (-10 °C to +50 °C) |
| Case Size (W x H x D) | 6.1” x 2.0” x 8.6” (155 x 52 x 218 mm) (w/o knobs) |
| Weight (Approx.) | 4.18 lb (1.9 kg) |
| Power Output | 100 W (40 W AM carrier) |
| Modulation Type | J3E (SSB): Balanced, A3E (AM): Low-Level, F3E (FM): Variable Reactance |
| Maximum Deviation | ±5.0 kHz (Wide) ±2.5 kHz (Narrow) |
| Spurious Radiation | Better than -50 dB (1.8 MHz – 30 MHz Amateur bands) Better than -63 dB (50 MHz Amateur bands) |
| Microphone Impedance | 600 Ohms (200 Ohms to 10 k Ohms) |
| Circuit Type | SSB/CW/AM: Triple-conversion Superheterodyne FM: Double Conversion Superheterodyne |
| Intermediate Frequencies | SSB/CW/AM: 1st: 69.450 MHz 2nd: 450 kHz 3rd: 24 kHz FM: 1st: 69.450 MHz 2nd: 450 kHz |
| Sensitivity | SSB/CW (S/N 10 dB) 0.16 µV (1.8 MHz – 30 MHz) 0.16 µV (50 MHz – 54 MHz) AM (S/N 10 dB) 5 µV (0.5 MHz – 1.8 MHz) 1.6 µV (1.8 MHz – 30 MHz) 1.6 µV (50 MHz – 54 MHz) FM (12 dB SINAD) 0.35 µV (29 MHz, 50 MHz – 54 MHz) |
| Selectivity Mode | -6 dB -60 dB SSB/CW 2.4 kHz or better 3.6 kHz or less CW-N 500 Hz or better 750 Hz or less AM 6 kHz or better 15 kHz or less FM 12 kHz or better 30 kHz or less (-50dB) FM-N 9 kHz or better 25 kHz or less (-50dB) |
| Maximum AF Output | 2.5 W into 4 ohms with 10% THD |
| Audio Output Impedance | 4 Ohms to 16 Ohms (8 Ohms: nominal) |
| Conducted Radiation | Less than 4 nW |
Expert reviews
- HamRadioConcepts liked the radio in his review, praising its compact size and great overall features, as well as its large selection of programmable buttons and its expandability with additional accessories.
- HamRadio 2.0 praised the large display and usability of the Yaesu FT-891, as well as its digital signal processing and filtering capabilities. He criticized the high retail price of the unit, but it’s important to note that the retail cost of this radio has decreased significantly since his initial review.
- YouTuber Ham Radio Extreme called the Yaesu FT-891 a “great portable radio to have fun with,” despite lacking VHF/UHF support. He also called it a good base radio for budget-conscious ham radio operators.
User reviews
- DxEngineering users have given this radio a rating of 4.94 out of 5 stars across 53 reviews. Among other aspects of the radio, they praised its receiver quality, portability, and extensive customizability. Some users had complaints about sound consistency and minor problems with the user interface, though.
- On GigaParts, the Yaesu FT-891 has a rating of about 4.87 out of 5 stars across 8 reviews. On the whole, users on GigaParts praised the receiver and filtering features, and called it a good option for both mobile use and as a desktop base station.
- On eHam.net, the Yaesu FT-891 has a rating of 4.2 stars out of 5 across 116 total reviews. Multiple users noted its amazing HF band reception and powerful 100w transmission, with one user noting that they had made contact with radios over 7,000 miles away. They noted that it’s a great “starter radio” for users new to the HF band. A few users noted that it’s quite heavy, but that this was not a major issue for mobile car-mounted use or desktop use.
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