Part of our Yaesu FTX-1: The Complete Guide.
The FTX-1’s whole design lets you choose your power level based on the situation rather than being locked into whatever the radio happens to be. Here’s how I actually make that call in the field.
When QRP is the right call
If I’m hiking any real distance to a POTA or SOTA site, the Field Head alone at 5-10W keeps the kit light, and honestly, propagation matters more than power most of the time on HF. On a good band opening, QRP contacts happen just as easily as full power ones, you’re just working a smaller pool of stations who can hear you through the noise. I default to QRP unless I have a specific reason not to.
When I bring the SPA-1 along instead
If conditions are marginal, bands are noisy, or I’m specifically trying to work a difficult DX target or complete a contest exchange fast, full power through the SPA-1 buys real margin. It’s also the right call for EmComm-style exercises where reliability matters more than elegance, you want signal margin when message accuracy is the point, not a QRP challenge.
Weight and setup tradeoffs
The SPA-1 adds real weight and setup complexity, plus it needs a proper 13.8V supply rather than just the internal battery. That’s a fine tradeoff from a vehicle or a short walk-in site, but not something I’m carrying miles into the backcountry for a summit activation.
My actual decision tree
- Long hike, minimal support: Field Head, QRP, no question.
- Vehicle-accessible site, decent conditions: Field Head at higher internal-battery power, SPA-1 optional.
- Poor band conditions or a specific hard target: bring the SPA-1 if the site allows it.
- Contesting or EmComm exercise: full power, reliability over minimalism.
There’s no universally right answer here, it depends entirely on what you’re trying to accomplish that day. The point of the FTX-1’s modular design is that you get to make that call instead of the radio making it for you.