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You can
write your own review of the Yaesu FT-707.
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OLLIEOXEN27
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 28, 2009 12:12
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Great rig
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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First off this rig has great audio but you need to keep the RF gain around 12 o'clock. It drifts some but not enough to mess up digital communications. I once went away a few days and it had drifted about 1500 hz. I really like the disco era LEDs that flash across the face while keying - reminds me of my younger days.
I've used it backwards to Sunday on QRP and it sounds just like a Ten Tec without QSK - I never need QSK anyway.
I couldn't be more pleased.
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CT2FPE
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 5, 2008 15:52
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My 1st RIG
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Well, this was my 1st RIG ! (1995)
A very nice 707, the tunner and the external vfo.
Issues bad:
- The lack of 160m
- No FM
Besides that it was a very good RIG to use.
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VE7HA
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 4, 2008 04:49
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Best HF Portable in 1980
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I stopped in NYC in December 1980 days after John Lennon's shooting to specifically buy a Yaesu FT-707 at Barry Electronics on Broadway (remember them?). Living/working in Saudi Arabia, I had plenty of time while sitting among the sand dunes to research the "best" HF portable for a reasonable price that could be carried on planes. I concluded this one was it.
I wanted something compact, modern, with digital frequency readout, to cover the WARC bands, flexible to use with necessary features, nice matching AC power supply, matching FV-707 external VFO available, strong for portable operation and reliable. It's competitor at the time was the Icom IC-720A but, at the time, I thought the features and look of this rig made it a winner.
I carried the rig around the world, used it mobile in my vehicle and it ended up on the desk of my home station where I used it until 1991 when I sold it to a neighbour in full working order as if it was still new. I never regretted getting it and I'd be happy to have it back, John, if you're reading this.
I see it is currently on ebay at a bid of $260 and rising.
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CX6AV
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 24, 2007 19:02
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Strong and powerfull!!!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Yo usé muchos años en la década del 80 y 90 uno en mi auto como móvil, inclusive quien me lo vendió le realizó un ajuste que permitió casi duplicar su potencia de salida a tal punto que una fuente de 25A no era suficiente para alimentarlo!!! era tan potente que, mediante una antena multibanda Diamond podía hacer buenos DX y entrar en pile ups aún superando estaciones base!!!..un clásico y fuerte como un tanque de guerra!!!
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G3UEQ
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 26, 2007 04:43
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Solid Performer
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have 3 of these rigs, first in 1992,second Ex G3TSO top band/FM modded,last one rebuilt after being chopped up by Ex CB'ers wife!. Never let me down, excellent audio on TX/RX, very good VFO/drive mechanism.Easy to service, built like a tank, timeless appearance.
Andy G3UEQ
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PW614
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 18, 2006 13:37
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ft-707 superb old-timer
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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i have an ft-707 (well realy its sommerkamp ft-767. same radio) and it is a brilliant radio the reciever is the best I have ever used and tx audio is also very good probably the best old radio money can buy.I have had other old radios (ft-77 ft-7b ft-747) and it puts them all to shame.
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G7VOT
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Rating: 4/5
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Feb 26, 2006 16:00
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Built like a tank
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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The FT-707 was the 1st HF rig I owned. I loved it. Easy to use and basic but at the same time it worked extremely well. Audio quality on TX/RX was fantastic. These units where built to last, like a tank. If you are starting out and don't want general coverage then you won't go far wrong with one of these.
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G4TPV
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Rating: 4/5
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Jan 11, 2006 11:34
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Better -than -average rig of the era
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I obtained this rig with it's "pizza" box external VFO, PSU and ATU ,2nd hand some years ago as a back-up rig.
I now have cause to use it regulaly and am incorporating home-brew mods based on ideas tried-out on an old FT101Z (near-identical IF circuitry) -ie - roofing and tailing filters for the IF strip at 2.4 KHZ or 500HZ. External presection/switched attenuator
and low-niose gain stage (to offset Pre-selector insertion loss).
I may also add SGC DSP unit in front of existing audio stages.
Rig is already a good performer - provided the RF gain control is used as low as practicable, with the AF gain compensating.
As another reviewer said, the packaging is amazing for the time - and in my unit, the build quality is excellent.
The IF width works - although I would like a more limited swing for CW.....
I did lose an RF PA transistor a while back -the observed op effects were RF shock (ouch) and display aberrations due to a poor RF grounding scheme - at 21 MHZ - I do not understand the fault mechanism so will not judge the rig design
Rating 4/5 in comparison with K2 or Orion.
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G7TOK
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 4, 2006 16:47
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Solid
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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It isn't going to win any awards.
BUT, its rock solid, it has a proper VFO, fixed IF derived from a crystal.
No synth noise here, even the IC-7800 has synth noise.
Analogue tuning, no steps, oddly, it just feels better than an optically stepped digital stepped PLL system, can't explain why, it just does.
No utterley pointless general coverage receive, its an amateur transceiver.
Received audio is, well, quirky.
Strong signals will leak around the roofing filter, its faint, but its there.
The IF shift goes well below sub-atomic and up to infra-dead, its a weirdy alright.
LED metering, it works, I'll say no more.
It has a crystal derived calibration generator....Hooray !!
The fan never comes on, never, batter it all day if you like, never.
Well, actually it did come on once, I didn't know what it was and nearly jumped out of my seat.
Its compact for 1982, just the right size.
It has a die-cast front panel, you could mug old ladys with it, try that with your IC-7000 !!
Transmit audio is ok, AM isn't bad either.
Noise blanker works, power line and ignition noise goodbye.
It looks good, almost military.
Dirt cheap, it actually cost less than my ATU.
But the bottom line is, its a pleasure to use, has a nice receiver and looks the part in the dark, did I say it cost buttons ?
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KA1YUT
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 8, 2005 09:21
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Solid and Dependable
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This is the only HF transceiver I've owned since becoming a HAM about 15 years ago. I bought it used from my Elmer, who was the second owner. I have had no problems whatsoever, though I have to admit, the radio has not been overworked since I've owned it. I started my family at about the same time I was licensed, so a heavy week of use might mean three or four hours max. over seven days. The power supply is currently plugged into the same AC circuit as our electric fence is plugged into, so there's cyclic noise on the line which the noise blanker effectively filters. A couple of days ago I contacted stations in Lithuania, Sicily, Belgium, Italy, the Dominican Republic, and others operating barefoot (100 watts, don't own an amp) and a long wire. This radio with attached long wire, is just one small example of how one can enjoy amateur radio without having to spend thousands on the latest and greatest radios, antennas, and computer controllers!
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