1 · What the FTDX10 is worth today
Street price new is $1,699; a dealer-refurb used unit lists at $1,300; private-party working units have changed hands around $950–$1,150. A barely-used one with the box, mic and manual sits at the top of that band. Sold privately (QRZ swapmeet, club, local ham) you keep it all; on eBay expect roughly 13 % in fees plus shipping.
2 · Pick a kit
Every kit is a complete first activation: radio, resonant antenna (no tuner needed), LiFePO4 battery, coax, power cable, and a bag. Prices are US street prices checked 2026-09-14; CHK = verified at a dealer, EST = typical range, OPT = optional.
| Item | Why | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiegu G90 CHK20 W HF SDR, built-in ATU, detachable head | The most radio per dollar in POTA. The internal tuner forgives a sloppy antenna, 20 W SSB works fine on a resonant wire. | $445 | R&LRadioddity |
| Tufteln EFHW 49:1 (QRO T240) CHKend-fed half-wave, 40–10 m, ~65 ft wire | The value antenna of POTA: light, no radials, hangs from any tree. Add ~65 ft of 26 AWG wire. | $88$73 + ~$15 wire | Tufteln |
| Bioenno BLF-1212A 12 Ah LiFePO4 CHK | Runs a 20 W rig for a full afternoon. 3.3 lb. Comes with a charger on the Bioenno site bundles. | $125 | Powerwerx |
| Throw line + 12 oz weight kit EST | Gets the wire 30 ft up a tree in two tries. | $25 | |
| 25 ft RG-8X or RG-316 with BNC/PL-259 EST | Feedline. Keep it short for QRP. | $30 | |
| Anderson Powerpole cable + fused pigtail EST | Bioenno ships Powerpoles; the G90 has a bare-lead cable. | $20 | |
| Padded bag (a tool bag or camera insert works) EST | Everything above fits in a 12-liter bag. | $40 | |
| Carbon 7 m telescoping mast OPT | For treeless parks. Skip until you hit one. | $60 |
You gain
- A radio you'll actually carry (G90 head + body: 2.6 lb)
- Built-in antenna tuner — the FTDX10 needs an external one
- Cash back
You give up
- 100 W → 20 W (matters on a marginal band, not on a good day)
- The FTDX10's waterfall and receiver — the G90's is fine, not great
- Yaesu build; Xiegu firmware is community-maintained
| Item | Why | Price | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yaesu FT-891 CHK100 W HF/6 m, 4.2 lb, no tuner | The most common radio on a POTA picnic table. Full power in a lunch-box, same Yaesu menus you already know from the 991A. $80 rebate through 09-30-2026. | $670$750 − $80 rebate | R&LGigaParts |
| Chelegance MC-750 vertical CHK40–6 m, 100 W, 17 ft whip, radials + bag included | Tool-free 3-minute setup, resonant on 20–6 m by whip length (etched marks), 40 m coil included. No tree, no tuner. | $250 | GigaPartsDX Eng |
| Tufteln EFHW 49:1 (QRO T240) + wire CHK | Second antenna for wooded parks and 40 m/80 m evenings. Handles 100 W. | $88 | Tufteln |
| Bioenno BLF-1220A 20 Ah LiFePO4 CHK | 100 W SSB draws ~20 A on peaks; 20 Ah gives a 3–4 hour activation with margin. 5.7 lb. | $193 | Powerwerx |
| Throw line + weight kit EST | For the EFHW days. | $25 | |
| 25 ft RG-8X, PL-259 both ends EST | Feedline for either antenna. | $30 | |
| Powerpole DC cable, 30 A fused EST | The 891's stock cable is long and unfused. | $20 | |
| Padded case / pack EST | A hard tool case or a 25 L pack; the MC-750 has its own bag. | $60 | |
| LDG Z-100Plus auto-tuner OPT | Only if you want to run random wires. Both antennas above are resonant. | $180 |
You gain
- Still 100 W — nothing lost on the air
- Two antennas: vertical for open parks, wire for trees
- A rig that also works as a truck mobile (the F-250 already has power)
You give up
- The FTDX10's waterfall/scope (the 891 has a basic one)
- Its excellent receiver — the 891 is good, not SDR-clean
- About a night of poker money
3 · The honest recommendation
Popular kit, FT-891 + MC-750. It keeps the 100 W you're used to, sets up in three minutes in any park, and the FTDX10 sale covers about 85 % of it. Buy the FT-891 before the $80 rebate ends on 09-30. If cash-back matters more than watts, the G90 kit puts ~$330 in your pocket and still activates parks. The IC-705 is the one you'd want to carry, but it's the only kit where selling the FTDX10 doesn't get you most of the way there.
4 · Order of operations
- Photograph and list the FTDX10 on QRZ swapmeet + the club list first; eBay as the backstop after two weeks.
- Order the FT-891 now (rebate deadline 09-30-2026) and the Bioenno 20 Ah; both ship in days.
- MC-750 next; Tufteln EFHW can wait for the first wooded park.
- First activation target: Long Hunter or Cedars of Lebanon — both are 40-minute drives and reliably busy on 20 m mid-day.
Source of truth for this page is the Obsidian vault (Projects/HAM-Radio/FTDX10-to-POTA-Kit.md);
prices checked 2026-09-14 at R&L, GigaParts, Powerwerx, Tufteln. Used-FTDX10 range from dealer-used listings and eHam classifieds; verify against current eBay "sold" before listing.