The FT-891 is the radio you buy when you want real HF in a vehicle and you're not willing to compromise on power. 100 watts. All bands 160m-6m. A chassis roughly the size of a thick paperback novel.
Street prices in this article were checked in August 2026 and move around; verify with a dealer such as HRO, DX Engineering, or GigaParts before you buy.
I've run mine mobile for two years and portable for POTA for about 18 months. Here's what daily use actually looks like.
Why This Radio Exists
Yaesu already made the FT-857D — a mobile all-bander that included VHF/UHF. It was great but aging. The FT-891 strips out VHF/UHF entirely and focuses on one thing: being the best possible mobile HF radio.
By dropping VHF/UHF, Yaesu gave it a better receiver, better filtering, and a cleaner signal path in a smaller package. If you need VHF/UHF in the same box, buy the FT-991A. If you want the best mobile HF experience under $700, this is the one.
What I Love
The size. It mounts under a dashboard or slides into a backpack. The detachable front panel lets you put the face where you can see it and hide the body wherever it fits. I have the body under my passenger seat with the head mounted on a RAM ball mount on the dash.
100W output. Unlike the IC-705 (10W) or Xiegu G90 (20W), this does full legal mobile power. On HF, power matters in pileups and when running a frequency. 100W into a mobile whip is genuinely usable for casual DX.
The audio. Both receive and transmit audio are excellent. I consistently get compliments on TX audio — full, clear, natural-sounding without external processing. The parametric equalizer built into the menu lets you shape your audio to suit your voice.
IF DSP filtering. Roofing filters plus DSP that actually works. Narrow CW? Clean. Contest-crowded SSB? Manageable. Not IC-7300 level, but remarkable for a $600 mobile radio.
Tuner options. There is no tuner inside the FT-891. For mobile and portable use Yaesu makes the FC-50 automatic tuner specifically for this radio, and the FT-891 fully supports the ATAS-25 and ATAS-120A active tuning antennas. Budget for one of them unless you run a separate resonant whip for each band.
The price. $600 street price for a 100W all-band HF radio with a detachable head. Nothing else competes at this price point for mobile HF.
Where It Falls Short
No waterfall display. This is a knob-and-button radio with a simple LCD. If you've used an IC-7300 and become addicted to seeing the band visually — this will feel blind. I miss it. A lot. You're tuning by ear.
Menu diving. Yaesu's menu system is functional but deep. Changing filter width, notch settings, or audio EQ means button presses and scrolling. Not intuitive during mobile operation at highway speeds. I've memorized the paths I use most, but it took weeks.
No VHF/UHF. By design. But it means you need a second radio for local repeaters, which adds complexity to a mobile installation. I run a separate FT-65R on a mag mount for 2m.
Fan noise under transmit. The fan kicks on during extended transmit (digital modes, long CQ runs). Not audible while driving with road noise, but noticeable in a quiet room during portable use. Not as bad as some reviews claim — but it's there.
No Bluetooth, no USB audio. For digital modes (FT8, etc.), you need a physical cable interface — either Yaesu's SCU-17 ($130) or a third-party Digirig ($50). The IC-7300's single-USB-cable solution is much cleaner.
Mobile Installation Tips
Power: Wire directly to the battery with an inline fuse. Not the accessory port, not a cigarette lighter adapter. This radio draws 20A at full key-down. Undersized wiring = voltage drop = reduced output.
Antenna: Hamstick-style resonant whips are the cheapest option (~$20-30 per band). Mount on a lip mount, hatch mount, or through-hole NMO mount. A screwdriver antenna (Tarheel, Hi-Q) is the premium choice — covers all bands without swapping whips.
Grounding: Bond the radio chassis and antenna mount to the vehicle body. Poor grounding = RFI nightmares (alternator whine, computer noise from the car's electronics).
Separation cable: Get the CT-39A or third-party separation cable. Mount the head where you can see it. Hide the body. Your knees will thank you.
POTA/Portable Use
The FT-891 makes an excellent POTA radio despite being designed for mobile:
- 100W means fast activations (hear more, get spotted faster)
- Pairs with the FC-50 tuner or an ATAS antenna for imperfect field antennas
- Light enough for backpack portable (barely — it's about 4.5 lbs with bracket)
- Runs on any 12V source (LiFePO4 battery, car cigarette lighter from a pullout)
The tradeoff vs dedicated portable radios (IC-705, X6100): heavier, no waterfall, no battery built in. But 100W vs 10W is an enormous difference in the field. I've had POTA activations where 10W just wasn't cutting it through QRM — switching to the FT-891 at 75W broke through immediately.
Compared to Alternatives
vs Icom IC-7100 (~$900): The 7100 has a touch screen, VHF/UHF, D-STAR, and a better interface. But it's discontinued, larger, and $300 more. If you find a used one — compare directly.
vs Icom IC-705 (~$1,300): Completely different philosophy. The 705 is 10W, portable-first, has a gorgeous waterfall, does VHF/UHF, and has built-in battery. If you want portable QRP: 705. If you want mobile power: 891.
vs Xiegu G90 (~$450): The G90 is cheaper, has a spectrum scope, and built-in tuner. But 20W max and the receiver isn't as refined. For budget-conscious portable: G90. For mobile where power matters: 891.
vs Yaesu FT-991A (~$1,200): Does everything the 891 does PLUS VHF/UHF/C4FM, touch screen, wider filter options. Double the price and larger chassis. The "if money isn't tight" choice.
Who Should Buy It
- Mobile HF operators who want 100W in a small package
- POTA activators who prioritize power over weight
- Hams building a second station (shack has IC-7300, car has FT-891)
- Budget-conscious operators who want all-band HF without spending $1,000+
Who Shouldn't
- Anyone who requires a waterfall display
- Digital-mode-primary operators (the interface hassle isn't worth it)
- VHF/UHF users (get the FT-991A)
- Ultralight portable (get the IC-705 or KX2)
After Two Years
It's never let me down. Started in Texas summer heat, survived a Michigan winter, bounced around in my truck for 30,000 miles. Zero issues. The controls feel natural now. I don't miss the waterfall when mobile (too dangerous to look at while driving anyway).
The FT-891 does one job — mobile/portable 100W HF — and does it exceptionally well for $600. In a market full of radios trying to do everything, there's something refreshing about one that chose a lane and perfected it.
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