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| Reviews Summary for Yaesu FT-857 - all flavors |
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Reviews: 330
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Average rating: 4.5/5
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MSRP: $769
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Description: Yaesu HF/VHF/UHF Mobile Transceiver
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More info: http://
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write your own review of the Yaesu FT-857 - all flavors.
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XE1FZE
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 25, 2009 08:42
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Very Good all in a packages
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I've been using this little radio for a year as my main radio, for all that you can imagine, dxing, contesting, digital, sats, movile, rover, etc.
This radio let you make everithing, of course with certain limitations, but performing very well. Let me be clear, if you look for a good radio for HF, or VHF, you must be willing to spend about $1500.00 usd or more on a rig. This one performe like a champ for the price.
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KC2MRU
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 12, 2009 10:11
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Great Radio !!!!
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I'm not going to take the time to explain all the menu's and features of this little radio because so many others before me have already done a superb job of explaining them to you.But I will say that I've had my FT-857D for almost a year now,and to this day it still surprises me.Just when I think I've seen everything it has to offer,it does something new.
Anyway,it was meant to be a back up rig and turned out to be my primary base radio.I use it for everything from talking on the VHF/UHF repeaters,to doing 2 meter SSB work ... to using it for all my HF QSO's.It's paired up with an LDG automatic antenna tuner , and they work well together.
I've even had a couple of times when I thought it was down for the count,and it's shown me I was wrong.Needless to say,these are one Great Radio to have around the shack.
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AA5JG
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 2, 2009 12:46
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It does a lot
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I wrote a pretty critical review of the FT857 a few years ago, calling it "Junk" because the one I had at that time was. It didn't work right on 6m (an unpardonable sin) and the SWR power foldback broke up the audio on HF.
Recently I had to scale back to one rig and was using a Yaesu FT450 (loved it) and an Icom 706MKIIG. I sold the FT450 and replaced with 706MKIIG with a FT857D, figuring I would try one again. I briefly played with one a couple of years ago and it seemed better than the first one I had. I guess they fixed some of those problems in later production runs.
I have used this FT857D for pretty much everything recently. I have done HF DXing and contesting with it. The front end on it isn't as good as the model it replaced, the Yaesu FT100D, but it is acceptable. It will overload at times when the bands get really busy. I run it all of the time with the preamp off, and will turn on the attenuator at times when needed. The attenuator is only 10db which is about right. It will take care of the overload without killing sensitivity like on the 706 series. The 300hz CW filter really helps. Wish the FT450 had a narrower filter width for CW, but the narrowest it got was 600hz.
I have also been using it on the satellites. It won't do full duplex but it is still usable on the SSB sats like VO52 and AO7 if you know what you are doing. It was kind of deaf compared to the 706MKIIG on 70cm but increasing the receiver gain through the alignment menu helps some. I still think the 706mKIIG hears a little better on UHF. I have still made some good Mode J QSOs with it on the FM sats, though. Once you get the memories set up for the satellite passbands it is pretty easy to use, and it is nice to be able to send CW while in SSB mode if needed-that is also great for weak signal VHF/UHF work.
I ran it recently in the CQWW RTTY contest with decent results. It sure helps being able to put the narrow CW filter in line when doing SSB or digital modes. That puts it way ahead of the FT450 for the digital modes. The digital VOX is great for RTTY and PSK. Just hook a cheap $20 cord you find off of ebay to the rig and your soundcard and go to it. No serial ports or USB ports are needed to key the rig. The rig never really got hot even when doing RTTY at 100 watts. Can't say the same thing for the FT100D.
CW is where this rig really shines. It won't do QSK but I don't like QSK anyways, but that might bother some people. First off, the DSP peak filter (missing on the 706mKIIG) works great for CW and it does it better than the contour filter on the FT450. Also, the zero beat indicator (where the LED changes to blue when you are zero beat with the CW signal) is awesome! Wish all rigs had this. The FT920 is the only other rig I have seen with something like this. You can still get a spotting tone if you want one also, but it isn't needed with the LED indicator. Also, having 3 CW memories puts it ahead of the FT100D (1 memory) and 706mKIIG (no memories).
I also ran the rig in the September VHF contest with decent results. I don't have monsterous antennas up for the VHF/UHF bands, though. As stated earlier, it will work crossmode QSOs with no problem, unlike the Icom 706mKIIG.
So, I have used it for HF contesting and DXing, VHF contesting, satellites, RTTY contesting, weak signal nets on 2m SSB, some 6 meter openings, etc. Not much else left to do with it. Is it the best on any of these? NO!! But to do it all with a $700 rig makes it a great deal.
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WA6MOW
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 30, 2009 16:46
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Great rig for the money!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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This is my second 857. The first one I used mobile in motion, working cw on the S. California freeway system. Making menu changes at 80mph really sucked! After a few near misses on the freeway,I sold the rig and bought a Kenwood TS-480 whch worked out much better for in motion work. My second 857 is being used portable and it is the ideal rig for me. I camp in the middle of the desert with no cell phone sevice etc. The ability to work all bands including VHF etc. is a real plus. Yes, the build quality seems cheap but there is much technology in such a little box, you can't help but love it. Changing the display color is also very cool. This time around I took the time to learn the menu system. I guess my intelligence has really increased with age as I have no problem memorizing the menu system. (I still don't know where I put my car keys) These rigs are an absolute bargain on the used market. I would recommend this rig to anyone working with limited space and a limited budget.
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G0MJK
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 26, 2009 01:59
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Excellent for portable use
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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This radio is excellent for portable use especially with the ATAS 120 antenna. Menus seem a little daunting at first but the regularly used ones soon fall into place.
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K1HPD
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 2, 2009 04:21
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nice rig for the money
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned mine for a little over 4 years and found it to be a good little radio for the money, add the Yaesu MD 100A8X and you have a good sounding multipurpose radio for around the same cost as the Icom 706MK2G without a desk mike. Yes it is menu driven but what small radio with this many functions isn't. Being an apartment dweller (soon to change) I needed a small do it all radio. The 857D fits very nicely in the corner of the livingroom that the XYL has alotted to me for shack space. Coupled with a small MFJ tuner and Astron power supply it has a small foot print taking up little space on my desk. It also fits handily into my Ford F150 or my motorhome for long trips. I cannot comment on Yaesu's service as this little radio has never failed me. It is not abused just well and often used and works perfectly every time. As with any menu driven radio even after four years I do have to occasionally refer to the manual. I keep the orignal in a safe place and downloaded and printed out a second one that I keep in a loose leaf binder with footnotes and tags for most often needed (and forgotten) functions. It is compact and well built other then the tuning knob having a bit of a flimsy feel (that notwithstanding it still works flawlessly after four plus years so it isn't as flimsy as it feels). Not a wizzbang DX rig for the serious contester but a good moderately priced radio for everyday use by the average (is there such a thing) ham especially coupled with the desk mike. I admit it is not for everyone but if you know someone who owns one try it out for awhile and see if it fits your needs. I have found mine to be rugged dependable extremely portable fitting my needs and space perfectly. So for me it is a five and I would buy another one. Would I recommend it to someone else? Possibly, if their needs and usage was simular to mine, then yes I would.
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KE4EX
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 25, 2009 06:35
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#4# $4$ Not Bad at all !!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I use this unit in my 2000 Ford F 150.
Remote mounted only use the HF portion.
I run a stand alone 2m also. Noisey at first, after the third antenna location change, AHH better, tool box, vertical seperation from the fuel pump. I strongly suggest the 2.8 HZ SSB filter, much improved audio. Additionally I added a fuse at the battery for safteys sake. I use the 120A antenna, works well as a package.
And yes I would buy one again. After installtion was complete I began horseing around. Got my laptop, programed the radio in the truck. Dug out the Signal link and ran some PSK, ran a coax to my vertical and worked France F1jfr. Ghezz.
I love this hobby........
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KI4KSY
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Rating: 3/5
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Aug 18, 2009 16:41
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5 for the radio 0 for yaesu
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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Update on my last review.
Yaesu replaced the radio the new ft-857d works vary well.
Yaesu's costumer service sucks.
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K4WU
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Rating: 5/5
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Aug 6, 2009 12:38
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Great rig!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I own the 857 and the big brother 897. They are both great rigs. Easy to use and very portable.
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