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write your own review of the Yaesu FT-2600M.
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KE5YIZ
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 22, 2009 17:39
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AWESOME!!
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I give this radio a five just for the simple fact that it is my first radio and I've had nothing but good running since I got it. I had a little problem just today with it. I got in the vehicle and started it and forgot the radio was on and it erased all my memory. I've had it hooked up to the battery since I installed it. Someone tell me if this is right, even though you have it hooked up to the battery, when you crank your truck should it still power off then come back on? This is the first time I've had it do this to me and it kinda freaked me out a little bit. Other then that it is a tank. I've had nothing but good reports from everyone I talk to on it. I live in a very rural area and hit a repeater about a hour and a half to 2 hours away from me with no problem.
Good job on the radio Yaesu and thanks alot Mike for talking me into buying it from you.
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VE1BXK
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 23, 2009 10:29
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Bullet Proof RX !
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Nice radio and bullet proof front end receiver. Only one buggy thing about it though. At times when keying the PTT, the radio will power off and then back on. Other times will reset the radio completely. A call to Yeasu Tech Dept sugessted a simple fix of which fixed this problem once and for all.
Just remove the top cover and re-tightened all the screws that hold the main board to the chassis and as well the two screws holding the RF brick. It appears that stray RF,DC voltage and poor grounding of main board does strange things to the CPU board on the front of the radio.
Other than that, an excellent radio! Wish I had got another one.
73 Lorne
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KD8HRS
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Rating: 5/5
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Mar 27, 2008 04:53
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excellent radio!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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just got my ticket recently and bought one of these off ebay for $100 plus shipping.receive is great!(no intermod so far,distant stations come in strong)no memory problems with mine like in some other reviews.it does get awfully warm quick after a short qso tho but the heat sink dissipates it after a short break very well. wish they still made em, id get another one for a spare! if you have a chance to get one of these used in great shape at a good price by all means give it a try! A++
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KE4RWS
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 3, 2007 09:40
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Excellent Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I’ve owned two of these models for over five years now and still love the FT-2600. I purchased both brand new for a sale price of $110 each with the intention of using them for dedicated data radios. Both are used strictly as base stations and run high-power 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. One radio operates packet with a Kantronics KPC-9612+ while the other runs my APRS station using a KPC-3.
Because both FT-2600’s are used as base stations they don’t experience the fluctuating voltages found in a mobile installation, therefore, I have not had any of the memory ‘dumping’ issues others have complained about. At one time I had a third 2600 I purchased from a friend, and he complained of the memory dump problem before I purchased it from him but once it was attached to a stable power supply I never had any issues with it, so it’s reasonable to say the FT-2600 may be best suited as a base station setup.
I have used my 2600’s on voice on a few occasions and have had excellent results. The audio is clean and loud and gets good reports from those I’ve spoke with. RF power output is at printed specs with just a tad more depending on the antenna used and SWR conditions.
I originally chose the FT-2600 for data operation because of past experience with the previous model, the FT-2500, which was a highly rated model in its day. The other reason I chose the 2600 was the handy DB9 data connector on the rear of the unit. This made for easy wiring and was a good fit for use with a PC and/or TNC (I wish all mobile’s had a DB9).
The display has an 8-character alpha-numeric architecture and is well lit and illumination is adjustable in 4 stages. Display backlighting is accomplished using LED’s, which is commonplace in most if not all radio’s today. This means you can leave the display light on without worrying about how long the light will last (how many remember all those older radio’s where the incandescent bulbs blew out after a few years, and the heat those bulbs generated on their own!). LED’s generate no heat to speak of and last virtually forever (something like100,000 hours I believe, which might as well be forever in human terms).
The menu system is simple to navigate and easy to comprehend. The speaker on the 2600 is on the front facing forward, which is very convenient. I’d still recommend a good quality external speaker for mobile installations but many use it mobile with just the internal speaker with acceptable results (I’ve always preferred a good external speaker myself), although I use my 2600’s turned completely down (quiet) because I don’t want to listen to data bursts in the shack.
The controls on the radio are few and simple. I would have preferred to have a squelch control knob but being a single-band mobile radio, the electronic squelch setting is good for almost every channel I would operate (even if used for voice operation). Still, I’ve always preferred a real knob for squelch control. Button placement is logical and works well for either base or mobile operation.
The FT-2600 has a healthy heat sink but does get rather warm while using even low power (5 watts) for extended periods of time. High-power operation for more than a few minutes results in a heat sink you could grill food on. I recommend mounting a small fan to the heat sink to better dissipate the heat, or at least place a small fan so it blows across the heat sink, whether base or mobile. Even a small amount of air circulation will go a long way to keep your radio cool. Although my 2600’s operate strictly using high-power, the data bursts are so short the radios aren’t keyed long enough to even get warm so if you intend to use your 2600 for dedicated data operation a fan isn’t necessary.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed using my FT-2600’s and they have served extremely well in the capacity I use them for. Again though, I must point out that I have never used them in a mobile environment so my review does not encompass that aspect, which, based on many other reviews here say the 2600 has a problem with dumping all it’s memory channels if the radio is left on when starting your vehicle (that drop in voltage that occurs when you start your car and everything either dims out or drops out completely for a moment). Obviously this potential issue would not be observed if used as a base station attached to a stable power supply.
Although no longer made (I think there have been two additional models since the 2600), the FT-2600 has been a great addition to my radio collection and I’ve had hundreds of hours of enjoyment using this fine model. I hope they continue to last because I’d hate to have to replace them (but if I did I’d likely buy a couple Kenwood TM-271’s).
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G0YAP
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 2, 2007 12:08
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Built Like A Tank
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have had 2 of these, one has been my main station 2 mtr rig for the passed 6 years and it has never let me down. My wife uses the base alot to talk to me whilst I,m at work and by god.. she can talk!! The 60w pa stands up to her verbal assault and the radio does heat up, but nothing to worry about. I have noticed these radios are favoured by the Raynet and 4 x 4 rescue lot and I,m not surprized. They are a good, well built and reliable radio. Shame Yaesu stopped making them. If you see one for sale... BUY IT or tell me about it and I,ll buy it!
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VE7REN
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Rating: 5/5
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Dec 19, 2003 22:27
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good performer
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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ive had mine for 2 years now and have not had any problems withanything.ran 60watts for hours at a time and yah it got warm but they all do.memory problems?i havent.speaker works excellent,scan is super fast,display is easy to read,etc etc.take it for what its worth,this is a very good radio and i wouldnt hesitate to buy another one or do it again.
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M1PAC
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Rating: 5/5
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Oct 9, 2003 06:50
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Brill Radio
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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I got this radio so I could get back on the air On 2 Mtrs around my local community.It is one of the best 2 mtr radios I have owned so far .
There have been ones that I wished I could own But the 2600 has all I need in a 2 Mtr Radio.
That front end is just amazing and the 60W of output power used to shut my little 10a regulated power supply down,but I went 10a Switched mode and that seemed to cure it .
The data socket on the back means that I can use UI-VIEW (aprs) or Packet radio.
I can see me having this radio for quite a while yet. Thanks go to Alan (G8WXR) for selling me the radio.
M1PAC
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KB4LP
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 23, 2003 15:38
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Rugged Radio
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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The FT-2600M is a great little single band radio with most of the features needed for mobile operation. Some have mentioned that this radio has problems with loosing memories when the automobile is started with the radio already powered on. In the time I have owned this, no such problem has ever occured and it is left on very frequently. The Programming software is not required for programming, but it is desirable.(Especially, if you get one that has the memory loss.) I have always purchased the software for any radio I purchase...if it is available. This is the 5th or 6th Yaesu I have owned...all have been great radios. This radio has great intermod rejection. It has been on "RF Hill" where all the towers and transmitters are located. It did howl once, though. But this was while it was under a 1000 foot tower! The rig has a front firing speaker that is fairly strong, although I use a remote speaker. The internal speaker is suffiencient for quiter cars, but not so for the loud trucks that some of us own. The microphone PTT is slightly sensitive, other than that the Mic is very functional and straight forward. Constantly receive good audio reports. The TX audio apparently is a little strong...at least for my deep voice. Back away a few inches and the TX is great. These radios are now discontinued but should be available on the used market at hamfests and such. They were selling for $109 when the closeout took place! A great bargain for this rig!
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KD5TJW
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 7, 2003 15:19
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Excellent Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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This was my first 2m radio and I completely love it. The radio works like a charm with no problems. The memory concerns that I established with it were only minor. I found if it is left on and the power supply or the ignition is turned off, the radio will reset itself when the power supply or ignition is turned on. "JUMP IN VOLTAGE" This will completely erase all memories and settings for the radio, a real pain. To combat this problem I just turn the radio off when I am done. I use it mobile with a 1/4 wave magnetic mount and completly rave about the radio.
Excellent purchase and curious as to why they were discontinued.
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KB1JEC
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 19, 2003 20:53
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Very nice...
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Time owned: 3 to 6 months
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Excellent radio! This is my first 2-meter radio and I use it at the base station. With a homemade copper J-Pole it gets out about 100-125 miles. Only had a single memory dump, when I killed the PSU with the radio still running. No problems since... highly recommended, excellent, not-too-expensive radio for 2m mobile/base.
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