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| Reviews Summary for Yaesu VX-7R |
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Reviews: 296
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Average rating: 4.1/5
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MSRP: $369.00
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Description: Quad band Hand held Xcvr
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Product is in production.
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More info: http://
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KJ6EPE
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Rating: 3/5
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Dec 7, 2011 10:42
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Cannot transmit when in dual receive mode
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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When using DCS(DPL) in dual band receive mode, audio drops in and out when transmitting. The DCS or PL tone from the inactive band appears to interfere with proper operation of the active band. This is demonstrated by video at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2FO3Ohmf1vU
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KJ6EPE
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Rating: 3/5
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Dec 6, 2011 09:41
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Correcting previous post
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Further testing indicates the dual recieve transmit bug only applies to DCS (DPL). CTCSS functions as it should when transmitting from the dual band receive mode.
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KF7IYQ
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Rating: 0/5
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Aug 29, 2011 15:32
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The worst excuse for a HT
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I received this radio from Gigaparts (Gigaparts was fantastic, recommend them in every way) about a week and a half ago. I thought it was broken because the squelch was opening constantly at 6/15 no matter where I went, and 250-350 was 100% dead, no receive what so ever. 250-350 is an advertised range that it receives. So I thought it was broken, paid the shipping and return shipping to get another one exchanged.
Received the new radio today, turned it on and placed it next to my little Sporty's air band radio with both on 284.75. Sports opens up, full quieting but not even a peep on the VX7R. So I open the squelch on the VX7R and hear the Sportys go full quieting again, nothing even in the noise on the VX7R. That band isn't there. Quite deceptive advertising that band as a working band. I am an aviation enthusiast, and I bought it because they said it had that receive range and I wanted to only need to carry one radio, instead of a scanner as well. This isn't the case, now I have to carry a 2m/440 brick in my pocket, with a radio that actually receives well in the other.
Trying it on 2m, squelch set at 6/15 again and it opens the squelch every second or so. When I turn the 2nd VFO on, it gets twice as bad.
The Good:
(note, all of these still have problems)
- Waterproof (Or at least, that's what it says, but I don't believe it and I'm not going to take the chance)
- Good looking screen
- Seems like good output power
^Notice there are few goods
The Bad:
- The screen pulses in and out, on both of the 7R's I have.
- The backlight turns off in like 3 seconds after hitting a button, and there's no setting to change that. It's either continuous, or no time at all.
- Sub par receiver, deceptive with it's receive range advertising, and even deceptive in the manual. Does not receive from 250-350 at all.
- Two VFO's interact with each other and open the squelch every second or so even with a high squelch setting.
- Battery lasts maybe 15 hours on just receive
- Takes FOREVER to charge, sometimes more than 10 hours.
- Accessories are overpriced.
The list goes on and on
I don't know if this is poor quality control due to the earthquake in Japan earlier in the year, but this is unacceptable for a $350 radio. I sold my Wouxun for money to buy this VX-7R and boy do I regret it now. I have also tried a VX-8R, and in the features the Wouxun and 8R share, the Wouxun trumps it with ease.
If anyone wants a proper radio, I would never recommend this paperweight. Get yourself a nice Wouxun for $250 less.
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AE5WT
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Rating: 4/5
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Aug 11, 2011 06:43
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Good Rugged HT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned this unit for over a year. It has provided really reliable service as a base station, mobile, and field HT. The transmit power is really strong with a full 5 watts all the time. There are two issues with this radio that I will address.
First the radio gets really hot for some folks. I never had this issue since I always use an external microphone. One night during a really long rag chew on a local net I noticed the display contrast start to go black. I knew right away what was happening. I added a small external heat sink by using the screw hole for the belt clip and placing a small thermal insulator between the sink and radio. I could feel the heat sink getting warm, so I knew it was working. This really helped dissipate the heat generated by the little rig. Again I never really held the radio, but I was concerned with the heat that was being generated.
Second this radio has an issue with sometimes locking up and having to be turned off. Then have the battery removed. Then reinserted and turned back on. While this happens on rare occasions, and there is a disclaimer in the owner’s manual for this. I have isolated the event to scanning VFO-B while messing with VFO-A. I have a VX-8DR, and I have noticed that Yaesu has now made it to where you cannot perform this operation on VFO-A while scanning VFO-B. I can't help but wonder if they know that this is causing an issue with their radios, and so have blocked it on the VX-8R series.
Other than these very minor issues I would recommend this radio to anybody. I know a few people that have had horrible accidents happen to their radio including being dropped from a tower and lost in the ocean until low tide. Both said the radio emerged working, and other than a busted display in the tower incident they were still running.
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N6YNV
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 5, 2011 10:03
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Very Happy
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This has been a great radio for me. I've owned it about 3 months and it has been working great. I like the features, it is relatively easy to use (as far as HTs go) and I get great signal reports. I believe it is a hard rig to beat for the price.
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SHMCLENDON
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Rating: 4/5
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Jun 29, 2011 23:24
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it needs a lil more tweaking by Yaesu to make it a 5
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I have had my VX-7 for about a month now, I sprung for the CDrom and cable to program it with, was money well spent as I have fat fingers I also put a MFJ speaker Mic on it again my hands do not work so well and again worth the money spent for the Mic. The audio is nice to listen too with out the mic.
TX and RX on 2m and 440 work well have not tried it on 6m yet. The OEM duck needs an upgrade
It is not the end all be all, rig will get hot if you are on air for a long time enough you can Feel
It, when running the Dbl A batteries the out put is cut WAY back the Dbl A’s are just to listen to
On the Nicad pack if your going to really use the rig on and off all day bring two, not sure if you can run the lil rig of 12v in the car so I’ll get back to you on that as the manual is not clear on if you can or not it will only RX when it is plugged in to it’s charger, I’M guessing it wont TX if plugged in to the cig lighter in my car but I’ll see. Can’t get the belt clip off it to save my life. I think Yaesu is trying to do too many things at one time with the lil rig, I don’t like the fact you can’t get full power out of a Dbl A pack cause at some point when they drop it from the line the Nicad packs for it will go away as well and cost on them is about $70.00 a pop. Over all I’d give it a 4 maybe a 3 ½ and that’s based on the batteries the rest of the rig is good the OEM duck is like most hand held’s I would like to see it with a BNC in place of the SMA.
I do like that I can listen to over the air AM FM and still work ham bands but it needs a lil more tweaking by Yaesu to make it a 5
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N7GH
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Rating: 5/5
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May 27, 2011 15:02
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super HT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I live in a wet area--on the edge of the Washington Rain Forest, so when I saw it was water proof, I had to give it a try. I've had this little radio for over a year now and regularly work the local repeaters with the included rubber duckie. (the radio is so small I can take the antenna off and put the radio and the antenna in my pants pocket--the radio will fit in my shirt pocket! This radio is seariously small for such a richly featured HT.
I purchased the Diamond SRH999 for it and have used the radio to work local sport events and 2M/70cm repeaters up to 30 miles away. I've locked the transmit into the highpower mode and set it for wide trasmit--I always get a great signal report. The audio is loud, clean, and clear on both ends. I do a local 2M Net and usually use my 7R: people cannot tell I'm not on my 2800M any more.
I've had 5 HT's now and this is by far my favorite. After putzing around with it for about 2 months, I sprung for the programming software and cable--just buy it with the rig, you'll want it. The software works great and the radio programs very easily with it. I've been able to run conversations with this little HT for well over 45 minutes on high power. As in any unit of this size, it heats up with extended use--be aware it will cook your hand if you grip it firmly for an hour while talking.
I guess it all sums up to this: you need the software to program it, you should buy an real antenna for hitting stations that are not within a few miles, and it's so small that the battery pack does heat your hand up--if you used small equipment before, you know they always do. I'd buy the 7R again in a heart beat! The best little radio I've ever owned or used.
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NQ5F
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 27, 2011 18:45
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Good to Go
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had this radio for about 3 years. Yes it is difficult to program manually, but this is 2011 and you can program it with the computer, cable, and VX-7R commander easier than playing a game of solitare. It works as described, makes a good scanner, and does everything I have asked of it. The dual watch is my favorite feature. I can monitor my favorite channel and have it scanning all of the others at the same time. I just ordered a second one for my wife to replace her VX-6R, which I am not overally impressed with.
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KJ4NWZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 30, 2011 05:50
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Great HT
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This UHF/VHF quad HT (6m/2m/1.25m/70cm) was my very first amatuer radio equipment and I bought it a month before I secured my Tech ham ticket. A great, rugged little radio (I am partial to Yaesu). I have no complaints, the manual was well written (with a few gramatical errors, but Japanese is their first language anyway). I exchanged the supplied rubber ducky with the Maldol MH-510 and I just built a homebrew 70cm Yagi for it. I would recommend this HT in a heartbeat!
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KB3UET
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 27, 2010 18:27
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Nice Rig
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I love the dual receive versatility and the wide receive. It is small and compact but yet it is big enough to remember where it is. I have only had this rig a few days but love it so far and enjoy the features. I will update my thought in a few months but for now I think this radio is a very nice piece.
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