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| Reviews Summary for Yaesu FT-897 |
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Reviews: 279
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Average rating: 4.6/5
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MSRP: $1049.95
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Description: It is the world's first multi-mode high-power base/mobile transceiver designed to fitted with internal batteries (optional) for portable use. The coverage is HF 160 to 10 meters plus 50/144/430 MHz VHF/UHF. Receive is 0.1-56, 76-108, 118-164 and 420-470 MHz. 7.9x3.2x10.3 inches (200x80x263 mm).
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More info: http://www.yaesu.com/amateur/ft897.html
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W7RUE
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 20, 2010 18:47
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GP (Jeep); General Purpose
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I am new to Amateur Radio (10 months) but I have used tactical radios on a regular basis for 22 years in the army. Currently I own a total of 7 transceivers; 2 are HF; a FT-1000MP and a FT-897D. If I were forced get rid of all of my radios except for one, I would keep the 897D. It does everything that it is designed to do and it does it well. It is a great general purpose reliable radio that can be taken any where and does just about everything that you could ask of it. I have the FP-30 slide-in power supply and the LDG AT-897 attached; it tunes all of my stealth antennas. (My neighborhood is infested w/ CC&Rs and Yard Nazis!)
It is not as specialized or as nice as the FT-1000MP. Don't get me wrong, I love my 1000MP and the 897D is my backup HF rig but the 897D can do a whole lot more and is more versatile. I paid HRO $839 for mine in March'09 It has been one of the best buys I have made and I use it daily!
W7RUE
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KU3X
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 15, 2010 04:57
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Gud rig for the bucks
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I just picked up the FT 897D used from a friend of mine. One of the main reasons I picked this rig was low current drain compare to some other rigs. I needed a, “One radio do all” knock around rig to, not only use in the shack, but to take portable and run off of a battery. At 40 watts output, the 897 draws about 9.9 amps. The IC 7200 draws about 14.4 amps. That is almost a 5 amp savings in current. I like running QRP at a max out of only 5 watts and the FT 897 draws 4.7 amps of current at that power level and the IC 7200 draws 7.9 amps. I do have an IC 703 Plus if I want to work only QRP, but there are times I want to run more power when the band conditions are not all that good.
Seeing I mostly operate CW portable, I find the DSP in this rig great. The noise reduction does an ok job. I have the 500 hz roofing filter installed but with the internal DSP I can narrow that bandwidth down to three other levels.....240 hz, 120hz and 60 hz. That really fits my needs.
Before I bought the rig I downloaded the PDF copy of the operating manual. I next printed out pages 52 and 53. That is a copy of the setup menus. There are 93 of them. I just read each one and when I received the rig I took one menu item at a time and set the rig up to my liking. People complain about the menus but I find then very user friendly and great to have. If you push and hold the “F” key on the face of the rig, the radio goes into the setup menu. If you just tap it for about ˝ of a second you go into the operating features menu. This is the menu you would use to do things like, change from VFO A to B, noise blanker ON/OFF, processor ON/OFF.......you get the idea. I think this menu could have been laid out a little better. I think there are 17 screens of three items per screen to choose from. If you want a small rig with a lot of features you are going to have menus. If menus are a problem, then get a bigger rig with more knobs. I am not about to carry my Kenwood TS850SAT in my backpack to set up portable. Even that rig uses menus to set it up.
When you turn the power level down and read the numbers on the rig’s screen, the numbers pretty much match the power level you are shooting for. My IC 703's readings on the display do not match the power levels. In the setup menu of the 703, it does. But when I use the operating menu it just gives a scale of 1 to 10. On the FT 897, when the screen shows 40 watts, it’s very close to, if not right on, the 40 watt level.
For an external tuner I chose the MFJ 929 because it is much more versatile than ANY of the tuners that attach to the side of this rig. But that’s another review.
For a small, “One Radio Do All” , I don’t think you would go wrong with this rig. The only thing I am sorry about is that I didn’t buy one sooner.
Barry G. Kery, KU3X
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AI4WC
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 3, 2010 12:56
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Great radio!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I echo the comments of W4PHS, with two exceptions: I equipped my 897 with an LDG-200 PRO autotuner (because it is versatile and can be used with my TS-130S) and a Palstar SP-30 speaker (best value for the money) for home use. I have owned the radio for five years and it always performs! My Yaesu FT-950 has a much better receiver, but for the money it costs, it's small size and versatility, the 897 is a GREAT radio!
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W4PHS
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 5, 2009 14:50
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Great radio at a great price
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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The FT-897D has to be the best bargain going in ham equipment. You get a very capable radio that covers all of the HF bands plus VHF and UHF. It's also nice that the rig is small enough to easily carry to field events.
The controls are easy to use, feel solid, and are laid out with enough room for convenient operation. The display is small, but it is easy to read the frequency. I would love to have a spectrum scope like an Icom 756 III, but that would add a grand or more to the price.
The transmitter is excellent. I routinely get compliments on my signal.
The receiver is good, but not great. It lets through a lot of QRN. The radio has built-in DSP, but it is not very effective. The DSP is definitely inferior to the DSP on a friend's Icom 756 III.
If you buy this rig, I strongly recommend two accessories:
1. The LDG AT-897 antenna tuner. This is a great tuner that bolts to the end of the unit. It works well, and it's never given me any trouble.
2. The West Mountain Radio CLRspkr with DSP processing. As I said above, the DSP in the 897 is poor, but the CLRspkr more than makes up for it. I compared the effectiveness of the CLRspkr DSP with the DSP in an Icom 756 Pro 3, and the CLRspkr is every bit as good. The CLRspkr is my most valued accessory. I set the radio's DSP to a low level and rely on the CLRspkr for noise reduction.
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KD8GTP
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 24, 2009 09:00
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Great Radio for the money
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I bought one. It is a great radio for what you pay. First, you not only have HF but 6m,2m and 440 all in one radio. Receive is a little noisy but playing with the settings got it settled down. As for transmitting I received good signal reports with "out of the box" settings. As for the menu, it's not too bad. Read the manual and play with the settings and you'll figure it out. Many of the menu options you can leave at the factory default anyway. I am used to an analog meter, this unit has the bar graphs but for 50. you can buy a nice size meter that attaches to the radio from LDG. For under 800 dollars you can't go wrong.
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W8NIC
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 11, 2009 18:18
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NOT BAD AT ALL
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Well, there's pretty much nothing i can add to what has been said here.
All i can say is i like it. will I recommend it to my friends? Yes.
People say the screen is too small, well, i say if you think it's too small then don't buy it. Get a radio that has a screen as big as a movie theater............ :)
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KT8DX
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 10, 2009 15:24
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Love at first dit
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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There have been lots of reviews, but from my perspective this rig represents one of the most versatile and easy to use radios I've operated in a long time. Sure - its more "difficult" to use than a Century 21, but given the myriad of features, capabilities, and fun things to play with, the rig is remarkably well thought out. CW is great, digital modes are a delight, and SSB is easy to use and set up. If I have one nit to pick with it, it is the rather high-frequency audio hiss that seems to be ever-present. There may be a setting that cures this, but I put a SCAF-1 filter in this between the rig and speaker, and now it sounds like one of my old Kenwoods with its great, mellow audio. Even contesting has been acceptable which is amazing considering the price of the rig. Spring for the collins filters in both SSB and CW - you'll be glad you did.
So - if you want a rig that can be portable, mobile, and serve as you fixed station rig, buy one. I think it says something for the rig that on ebay they go for close to what they are selling for new.
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KC8TBY
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 14, 2009 06:30
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Good BUT...
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I purchased this rig very shortly after upgrading my license from tech to general. Obviously I was looking for a late model, reliable HF rig that also had the advantage of having a small "footprint" as well. The built in FM mode was a plus also!
Although I have had NO problems with either the mechanics/electronic reliabilities of this rig, (it works great!)as a relative "newbie" to the HF ranks I do have some qualms about it's ease of use.
For what it's worth, I found that the learning curve involved with this radio was, and still is, very steep. Again, keep in mind my reservations concerning this rig are centered mainly on how easy this rig is to understand and to use for the newer hams such as myself.
This radio is very menu driven. What I have found out is that many of the menu items that might be more easily understood by more experienced operators were difficult for a newer operator such as myself to either find or to fully understand. I also have to admit that I found the operation manual to be quite difficult to understand as well.
I have had to rely on a number of Elmers in my club in order to really appreciate how to get the fullest use out of this very compact rig.
Keep in mind once again folks that I am simply warning newer hams to beware of the somewhat steep learning curve involved in learning to use this rig.
Just one hams opinion!
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G8UBJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 14, 2009 04:09
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Very versatile
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I now own two FT-897s for VHF and UHF work. I use one on 6 & 2M and the other on 70cm and 4M via a 70Mhz transverter with 28Mhz IF.
There is no IF output but the accessory socket provided enables me to interface the transverter. I especially like the transverter offset so I can display 70Mhz when on 4M.
I use both with INRAD filters which make a difference on VHF sensitivity (I don't think it would be as much benefit on HF). With the 2K SSB filter the 897D is easily as sensitive as my FT-225RD with Mutek front end but of course won't match it for intermod.
The only other modification I made was to fit an in-board AFSK oscillator (XR-2206) for RTTY work. This enables me to set up the audio drive once and use FSK keying.
I run an FT2K for HF but cueently if I could only have one radio the FT-897 + INRAD filter would be it.
Maybe Yaesu will bring out an IF DSP version, that would be something very special (Even more so if it had 70Mhz - well I can dream)
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VA2UT
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 13, 2009 06:36
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Awesome
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I buy this baby 8 month ago and use at base station (like as backup station) also at portable station.
Easy to use - solid construction - user friendly menu what you want this baby can give it to you.
You want buy an excellent rig ??
BUY A Yaesu FT-897D WITH NO REGRETS
Two thumb's up for FT-897d
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