Introduction
The Yaesu FT-710 is an amateur radio transceiver that was manufactured by Vertex Standard in Japan. It operates on the 2 meter and 70 centimeter amateur radio bands. AESS stands for Advanced Emergency Selective Signaling System, which is a feature of the FT-710 and other Yaesu radios.
What is AESS?
AESS is an emergency signaling system that allows radio users to selectively call specific individuals or groups of users in an emergency situation. Here’s a quick overview of how it works:
– Each radio is assigned an AESS code, which is a 5-digit number. This code can be programmed into the radio.
– Radios can be assigned to specific talk groups. Each talk group has its own ID code.
– When initiating an emergency call, the user enters the talk group ID they want to contact. This sends out a signal to all radios in that talk group.
– Only radios with matching talk group IDs will receive the emergency call. Radios with different IDs will not be disturbed.
– The user can also choose to make an individual call to one radio by entering its specific AESS code.
So in summary, AESS allows for targeted calling to specific groups or individuals, without bothering other radio users. This helps keep emergency communications focused and organized.
AESS on the Yaesu FT-710
The FT-710 has a built-in AESS signaling system. Here are some key details on how AESS works specifically on this radio:
– The FT-710 has 10 talk group IDs available (01 – 10). Each radio can be programmed with one of these IDs.
– Radios can also be programmed with an individual AESS code. This is a 5-digit number between 00001 and 19999.
– To make an emergency call to a talk group, you press the #SQ button on the mic, enter the 2-digit talk group ID, then press #SQ again to transmit the call.
– To call an individual radio, you press #SQ, enter the 5-digit AESS code for that radio, then press #SQ again.
– The display will show the talk group ID or AESS code you entered, confirming the call was transmitted successfully.
– Only radios matching the called ID will sound an alarm and open squelch to receive the call.
So the FT-710 has the capability to selectively target calls to specific talk groups or individuals when needed in an emergency or for urgent communications. The AESS system is activated by pressing the #SQ button and entering IDs.
Programming AESS on the FT-710
To use the AESS feature on the Yaesu FT-710, the talk group IDs and/or AESS codes need to be programmed into each radio. Here is how to program AESS settings:
Step 1) Press and hold the [F] key, then turn the radio on to enter programming mode.
Step 2) Rotate the DIAL knob to menu #15. This is the start of the AESS programming menus.
Step 3) Press [F] momentarily to enable editing of menu #15.
Step 4) Rotate DIAL to set menu #15 to the talk group ID (01-10) you want the radio assigned to. Press [F] to save the setting.
Step 5) Repeat steps 3 and 4 on menu #16 to enter and set the radio’s individual AESS code (00001-19999).
Step 6) Press PTT to save all settings and exit programming mode.
The radio is now programmed with both a talk group ID and unique AESS code for selective calling capability. Make sure to program all radios being used with matching talk group IDs and unique AESS codes.
Using AESS on the FT-710
Here is a quick guide on how to activate AESS calling on the Yaesu FT-710 once programmed:
To make a call to an entire talk group:
1. Press the #SQ button.
2. Enter the 2-digit ID of the talk group you want to call (01-10).
3. Press #SQ again to transmit the emergency alert.
To make a call to an individual radio:
1. Press the #SQ button.
2. Enter the 5-digit AESS code of the target radio.
3. Press #SQ again to transmit the alert.
The display will confirm the ID or code you entered. Only radios matching that code will receive the emergency call.
This provides a flexible way to contact groups or individuals reliably even when many users share the same frequency. The AESS selective signaling capability is ideal for search and rescue, security teams, and other organizations that need efficient directed radio communications.
Benefits of AESS
Here are some of the key benefits that the AESS system provides on the Yaesu FT-710 and other radios:
– Selective calling allows transmitting to specific radios without disturbing others.
– Talk group IDs let you quickly contact entire teams with one call.
– Unique AESS codes enable calling individual radios privately.
– Emergency alarms activate on target radios to get their attention.
– Reduces radio clutter during emergencies or urgent situations.
– Lets you program radios to match your organizational structure.
– Compatible between all radios with AESS capability.
– Flexible signaling system suitable for many users and situations.
The AESS system makes it easy to contact the exact group or person you need, when you need to reach them urgently. It provides more focused and efficient communications during emergencies, disasters, search operations, security events, and other scenarios where reliability is critical.
Comparison to Other Signaling Systems
AESS was developed by Yaesu as a proprietary signaling system for their radios. Here is how AESS compares to some other selective calling methods:
– DCS – Digital Code Squelch is another coded squelch system. It uses a 0-7FF range of codes. However, DCS is not as flexible and primarily designed for silencing unwanted calls, not targeted calling.
– DTMF – Radios can send DTMF tones to encode digits to selectively call groups or individuals. However, DTMF lacks built-in intelligence and requires manual input of codes.
– Selcall – Selective Calling is a dedicated paging system commonly used in military, public safety, and other agencies. Selcall requires additional hardware and is not integrated into two-way radios.
– MDC – Motorola’s MDC 1200 signaling protocol has capabilities similar to AESS. But it is proprietary to Motorola radios, not compatible with Yaesu radios.
So while there are some comparable signaling methods, AESS provides an integrated system optimized specifically for flexible selective calling in Yaesu’s line of radios.
Limitations of AESS
While AESS is very useful, it does have some limitations to consider:
– Only works between radios with AESS capability. Not compatible with radios lacking AESS.
– Requires programming IDs/codes in advance. Can’t adhoc call radios that aren’t programmed.
– Maximum of 10 talk group IDs available. Limits group calling versatility.
– Only monitors the radio’s primary frequency. Won’t receive alerts on secondary frequencies.
– User must manually activate AESS each time by pressing #SQ button. Not automatic.
– No user ID validation. Radios receive any matched calls, even if unauthorized.
– Ageing proprietary technology. Not as advanced as modern digital signaling systems.
So AESS fits best in semi-formalized networks where radios can be pre-programmed. It provides very basic selective signaling compared to more sophisticated military/public safety systems. But it fills an useful niche for Yaesu’s radios.
Conclusion
In summary, AESS is Yaesu’s proprietary system for selective calling and signaling between compatible radios like the FT-710. It allows assigning talk group IDs and individual AESS codes to enable making directed calls to specific groups or radios as needed, without disturbing others. This provides efficient communication targeting during emergencies and other urgent scenarios where reliability is critical. While AESS has some limitations, it is a useful feature that enhances directed communications capabilities on Yaesu amateur radios.
