Hi,
quick question, hopefully! I have a Yaesu FTM400XDR (I think is the full name). Can this be used for an Allstar node?
If so, do I connect to the mic input or data jack and any advice for pin out or which USB sound card I should use?
Thanks
Mike
I can’t speak to your specific radio, some may be able to,
But any radio that a squelch gate can be tapped (cos) and the ptt line can be triggered and has a mic and audio out can be a node.
The issues just become where to you tap the lines to get the signals. And possibly any conversion of logic.
That is the universal answer.
Many newer rigs have them on some back port.
You can look in the manual for it and handily find that for yourself.
Should work fine for a node if you have a Mini-DIN-10 cable for it. I just finished setting up a full-duplex node for a ham in FL with a Yaesu FT-8800R and AllScan URI100. Tried 3 other URIs before the URI100 and the URI100 beats them all (by a significant margin) in RFI performance while also being the least expensive and most compact option of any professional-grade URI available anywhere. This node uses ASL3 and usbradio DSP mode thus only a single TRRS to Mini-DIN-6 cable is needed between the URI100 and FT-8800R. See AllScan - Products - AllStar Nodes, USB Interfaces, Kits, Modules, MiniPCs, Ham Radio Accessories for details.
It’s very important to verify that the COS line respects CTCSS setting, not just giving carrier squelch
And why would that be ?
COS line is COS
CTCSS line is CTCSS if using external CTCSS and with ASL CTCSS it does not matter with exception to a ‘proper audio’ setting and does not effect COS if you even use COS with ASL CTCSS. And he has not mentioned using CTCSS at all.
COS is on/off logic signaling, not audio at any stage.
Reply to the thread starter with something helpful with his question. Not me.
Otherwise you are only confusing him and his basic question.
Thanks for replies so far.
Really just wanting to hear from somebody using the FTM400 with a node, appreciate the other comments though.
Wanted to make sure before I started pulling my hair out it would work ok 
If you could find a line with only CTCSS (which is not present on a packet connector, CTCSS is never used for 1200 or 9600) you would find that the CTCSS decoder falses open a LOT on the FTM-400 and other Yaesus. I’m listening to my repeater right now, in decode (so I only hear locals in case they need help) and it’s VERY false-y)
If you used COR without CTCSS you get lots of false opens.
Either way you get lots of false signals which you would barely be aware of but all on the network get them.
With analog nodes, the only proper thing is COS&CTCSS which is rarely found on a packet connector. That’s why I said to be sure the line you find respects CTCSS setting.
Hi:
I can only give you a partial answer here.
A couple of years ago, I was working with someone who used an FTM-100 as a node through the 10-pin DIN on the back. A setting needed to be changed on the radio such that it wasn’t just carrier squelch. I’m not familiar enough with Yaesu radios to tell you what that setting is, but on my Kenwood TM-V71A, you basically change the logic of COS on the data port to squelch instead of busy, which is basically just carrier. This also stops the radio from sending junk back to the network while you are transmitting towards it if you are, say, using it as a remote base radio. The configuration for the FTM-400 should be the same. Unfortunately, I wasn’t responsible for putting together the physical interface to make that happen, so I can’t give you specifics on the pin-outs.
If it is possible to use the discriminator input and output through the data port, as it is on some other radios, I’d recommend wiring your interface to use that rather than microphone/speaker audio. Pretty sure you can do that with the FTM-400, as otherwise, a connection to Yaesu’s own HRI-200 interface wouldn’t work.
