MARS Modding My FT-897 Hoping To Fix The TX Error On VHF And UHF. I Was Unsuccessful, Not Because Of

I was about to order a shelf so I could upgrade my station but remembered I had a kitchen rack I wasn't using. It'll do for now. The station is a work in progress.

The Yaesu FTM-150 is a 55w VHF (2 meter) / 50w UHF (70 cm) dual band, mobile radio that features a Super DX function that increases the rig's receiver sensitivity and improves weak signal (sounds like a built-in pre-amp). It has a data port in the back and an MicroSD card slot. Price? $380 +/- Run over to X and follow this guy if you haven't already.

I removed the other shelf thinking that it would relieve the pressure on the power and reset buttons, but this turned out to be wrong.

Backs are printed!

I've removed the bottom left "shelf" that the radio sits against that blocks any wiring from the radio to the GPS. Hopefully, this will fix the issue with the radio not properly sitting in the frame. Keep in mind, if you aren't going to wire a GPS unit to the Heltec V3 then you'll not have to remove the "shelf"

I ordered the radio on the right, a Yaesu FT-897, as a gift for myself for passing my General Class exam. I've wanted this radio since it was released in 2002 but as a Technician Class I wouldn't have been able to use but two frequency bands, not to mention it was out of my price range. I got it off of ebay and learned that it's a Japanese version and hard wired to not operate on all U.S. frequencies, even after MARS modding it. I already have the two radios on the left and the handheld (HT) for the 2 meter and 70cm bands so it's not a total loss and the radio still has performance abilities (power consumption wise) that far exceeds modern rigs.

I bought this Yaesu FT-897 as a gift to myself for passing the General Class exam last month. I was going to buy an antenna but decided to make one myself to learn more about them, so I made a field expedient, 1/4 wave end-fed. I had gooten into amateur radio with my dad who became a silent key nearly three years ago. After hearing the radio crackle to life with the sounds of a 40 meter net I forgot about how I wouldn't be able to use it on all amateur bands (because it's a Japanese model), and I wanted to run and tell my dad all about it. I wanted to throw my call out but I figured I'd better just listen for now. I was as excited as a boy on Christmas.

Finally!

Had to meet a client the other day and when we were done talking about work he asked me if I like my mobile radio. The next 50 minutes went pretty fast, talking about antennas.