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| Reviews Summary for Yaesu FT-470 |
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Reviews: 26
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Average rating: 4.8/5
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MSRP: $395.00
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Description: 2m/440 Dual Band HT
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://
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write your own review of the Yaesu FT-470.
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G8SEQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 31, 2009 08:19
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Good Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought this radio many years ago second hand from a dealer. It was used as a general purpose handy-talky for a while and then got use on UHF for packet radio. I gave up packet during a shack re-shuffle and the rig lay unused for a while and the battery pack died. I've just soldered up 6 X 2000 mAHr NiMH batteries and have been using it on the local repeaters. Biggest problem was remembering what all the buttons do eg I couldn't change bands and couln't remember how to unlock the keypad. Downloaded the maual of t'internet.I intend having a go on AO-51 with a 3/5 element external Yagi antenna in the next few days but first up is a 2m DF hunt . I'll use its rubber duck and body shielding for that. Great rig, very versatile.
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KB4SOG
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 17, 2009 11:56
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Good Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I’ve had the radio for over a year, and used it pretty extensively. Before this I had two Icom HTs, and I have to say this radio blows them away (though admittedly they were older radios also). The radio is solid and dependable. The controls – once you’ve figured them out! – are easy to operate. The receive is good though as others have noted the volume is low. This has not proven to be a problem as I always use a speaker mic. Yes, it’s big and heavy, but I happen to like that. Battery life is good (I have the 7.2v battery). If you get one be sure to get the manual, the controls can be cryptic until you know them. I gave $75 for my radio, two chargers (drop in and wall wart) the battery eliminator, an extended life battery and two antenna. This is a good radio for either the beginner or an experienced user.
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KD6ANF
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 12, 2009 09:29
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What can I say...
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Operator error concerning the "soft mod" for UHF frequency expansion. As it turns out I forgot to reset the UHF offset frequency back to 5Mhz in order to continue operating thru amateur repeaters. This radio now operates as it should in addition to receiving the public service frequencies programed above 450Mhz. This radio does what none of the newer radios are able do, operate "full-duplex". No wonder they're still desirable to have on hand, read "handie". The FT-470 and the Heil Traveler Headset have made operating AO-51 a real joy, especially being able to actually listen to my signal thru the satellite five hundred or so miles above.
And to think I was just about to part with it.
Best regards
george potter KD6ANF
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N7SGM
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Rating: 5/5
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May 1, 2008 06:15
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OUTSTANDING DUAL BAND HT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought mine before I got my ticket as an incentive to study and pass the exams. Fairly expensive back in 1992 as compared to the dual band HT's offered today. I still have it and use it today. For the new Technician it would be a great choice and they can be readily found on Ebay along with many accessories.
Pro's
1. Easy to program the 18 memories per band
2. Wide choice of batteries that are still available.
3. Can be used with inexpensive power supply in the shack.
4. It has a dual band display and scan feature.
5. Solid case with nice keyboard.
6. Batteries and accessories still available.
Con's
1. Susceptible to intermod, especially the local NOAA weather band braodcasts.
2. May be too big for some ops.
3. No switch for keyboard/display backlight. It only has a momentary switch.
All in all, I would have to say that this was one of Yaesu's best. I highly recommend it for the new ham.
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KE5OFO
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 10, 2007 11:07
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Very Pleased
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I bought mine on eBay as my first radio when I got licenced. I got a package deal with the NC-29 rapid charger, 3 FNB-10's, FNB-14, CSC-44, aftermarket PA-6 type 12vdc adaptor and Radio Shack speaker mic and original box.
I realy like this radio. With a MFJ mag mount antenna I can hit a lot of repeaters on both 2m and 70cm. It works great for accessing local IRLP nodes.
I bought this radio because I am intrested in trying some AMSAT work and have read many reviews that recomended this radio.
With the inexpensive Radio Shack mic I have gotten very good audio reports. One contact thought I was using a base with a power mic.
I wouldn't hesitate to pick up another one if I come across one for the right price.
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WB4HUC
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Rating: 5/5
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May 26, 2007 15:59
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Still going after 15+ years
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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In 1991 I went to the Dayton Hamvention and I carried my new FT-470 HT, which I used to keep in touch with friends.
This year, 2007, I went to the Hamvention again and I carried the same FT-470. I looked at Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu HTs for a possible replacement, but I just didn't see anything that I liked as well.
Of course the new HTs have features that the 470 can't match, like 3 and even 4 band coverage, wide-band receivers, digital communications, etc.
But my needs are met with a basic dual band radio. For me, the FT-470 is the optimum HT. Not to small, easy to use, sturdy, and not cluttered with a lot of features I don't need.
With any luck, it'll go another 15 years.
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KG8Q
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 7, 2007 20:11
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Solid performer / Can't break it
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Just like many others here I purchased mine in 92' when I was first got my ticket. Like a clutz I've dropped mine or it's gone flying during a hard stop in the car and STILL it keeps on ticking . I can't comment on decreased performance without the 12v pack because I've always used the higher voltage pack . It just works , no glitches . Just ordered 3 new ni-mh 12v batteried and fast charger for the 470 and the ft 33 for another 4 more years fun.
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K6RMR
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 28, 2006 12:55
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Great Old Radio
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Time owned: months
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I own 2 Yaesu 470s. The First One I bought New
when they first came out in 1989.I paid $500 for it at the Old Henry Radio.Before that I was using a Yaesu 727 duel Band HT.The 470 had a Much
more Sensitive and Selective Receiver. Soon After the
radio came out Yaesu made a Mode in the 2 Meter
receiver IF free Of Charge to owners of the early
ones. They changed the Hi IF Freq to elimanate
intermod. My Second 470 was traded to me and it
is a later version. I never had the early one
Modified and I can see the difference in Intermod
on the 2 radios. 2 Years ago I sent the newer of the two radios to Yaesu and they repleaced the BNC Connector, Worn Case Parts and realigned the
whole radio for $80.If you run the radio into an
external Speaker you will see that the Audio Amp
has Plenty of punch. It is just that 1/2 inch speaker that has low audio.Also if you run the radio on 12 Volts instead of 7.2 Volts it also has more receive Audio.I also have an FT 50 that
is a great radio but I like to use my 470's for
temparary Mobile and to Listen to Swap Nets in my
room.
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N7SPY
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 28, 2006 11:39
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I learned to love "this old radio".
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I bought my FT-470 from eBay soon after getting my Technician License so I could use it at Public Service Events.
At Events I'd see my fellow hams with their newer, smaller radios. I thought to myself "self, you made *another* bad purchase" and I got discouraged. Dicouragement became frustration during one particular Event when I was the station maving the most trouble communicating with Net Control. I swore that I would never go to another Event using this radio.
Later on I'd find out that I was deployed at the worst spot of the entire Event so my discouragement shrinked enough for me to hit the manual and really get to know this radio. I also went online to see how other hams were using "this old radio".
I came to realize that "this old radio" could do the same things that the smaller-and-newer radios could do... and some things that the smaller-and-newer radios can't do (i.e. crossband).
Even after 15 years, this is a great radio... even if, compared with the smaller-and-newer radio, it weights a ton.
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KD6ANF
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Rating: 5/5
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May 17, 2006 19:17
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Great Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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After passing the technician class test in August '91, the next stop "indirectly" on the way home was to HRO in Oakland, CA to purchase a new Yaesu FT-470 Dual-Band Handie. Many radio manufacture's brochures were collected and evaluated many months prior to deciding on this particular model.
Still to this day, it is carried everywhere, and has performed flawlessly from day one. Well, actually it was dropped on four separate occasions by clumsiness on my part, and each time sent back to Yaesu for repair, which was handled very efficiently. Yaesu even replaced the rubber PTT cover and DTMF keypad because of excessive wear, without charging me, that's right, at their expense, which was considered thoughtful on their part.
This radio when first put into service, in addition to being used portable most of the time, was also operated as a base station with an external power supply, speaker mic, external speaker, and connected to a Copper Cactus J-Pole mounted on the roof. In this base station configuration, it was also used for packet operation, and worked well.
There are those who'll say this radio is on the large side, although personally, I consider the newer radios on the market rather on the small side, my FT-51R included.
Eyesight isn't what it used to be but still able to operate this radio easily, even while operating a motor vehicle. Having CTCSS encode and decode as standard is an advantage. Scanning both bands using a FNB-12 provides about twelve hours of continuous receive operation, scanning just one band provides about twenty hours of continuous receive operation. Personal experience indicates just over four years of service life from the MAHA MH-FNB-12 battery packs.
Issues which could have been improved upon during design: When scanning just one band, the radio's keypad cannot be locked. Audio volume could be louder. As mentioned in another review, the signal strength meter doesn't indicate which band is being received.
After performing the keypad mod for extended UHF receive, this particular radio will no longer operate offsets correctly on UHF, display shows "ERR" during PTT. After resetting the CPU proper operation is restored. This keypad mod has been committed to memory and takes only a few moments to complete when needed.
The stock YHA-28 antenna works well, however, there are many other antennas available. Personal favorites include: Maldol MH-209, at just under three inches in length, it is used most of the time and provides acceptable performance for local repeaters in the area. The Diamond RH77B at just under fifteen inches in length, (a real "arm pit poker"), is an excellent antenna for portable operation and provides great performance. Used on occasion is the Diamond RH3, which is a "stubby" at just under two inches, is really useless except for receiving local activity.
Using a HP 8560A spectrum analyzer the following results were obtained:
Fundamental Output: Power (W) = 5.62 watts.
Displayed frequency: = 146.52 Mhz
Actual frequency: = 146.519909 Mhz - only 91 Hz off
Harmonics:
Second Harmonic (dBc) = -59.33
Third Harmonic (dBc) = -63.50
FM Modulation: Deviation (Khz pk-pk) = 9.46
Key-Up Residuals: Less than -50 dBm
Key-Down Spurious Outputs:
Spurious Amplitude (dBc) = -78.83
Spurious Frequency (Mhz) = 141.660563
Spurious Amplitude (dBc) = -78.67
Spurious Frequency (Mhz) = 190.856832
Overall, the FT-470 is a fine example of a fifteen year old portable dual-band radio and provides great performance and functionality. Should you come across one in excellent condition, you may consider it for just starting out or a back-up unit.
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