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You can
write your own review of the Yaesu FT-100.
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KC7YRA
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Rating: 2/5
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Jan 26, 2010 04:53
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Issues from the get go
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I love this reg DESPITE the hell it put me through. Here is my story.
I was a young ham when this radio hit the market. It was touted as being the first compact radio that did so much. I saved my pennies for months before I was able to plunk down the $1200 for it.
I finally did and got this little beauty in my hands. It was amazing. It was my first new rig ever (considering my other rigs were over 30 years old) and it was a beauty.
From the moment I hooked it up, I could never get 10 meters to work reliably. I chalked it up to a grounding issue (externally) and thought it was my fault. The rig worked great on the rest of HF, so I never gave it another thought. Hooked to the POS (but that is for another review) ATAS-100, I got my first taste of HF mobile. I had a blast. Made my first 6 meter contacts with this beauty.
After a while (and after the warranty), it started having a problem. The VHF side gave up the ghost. I ended up doing some research and found the thermal runaway problem. I also found the internal grounding issue (which would explain why it was unreliable on 10 meters). I sent it to Burghardt repair center in South Dakota (big mistake there as well but once again, for another review).
It ended up costing me $500 to repair the problems (although they never really fixed the VHF side). Once I got it back, it worked on HF just fine but it has never since been fired up on VHF/UHF. I ended up replacing the cooling fans in it several years ago. The stock ones were making a terrible noise and not moving enough air any more. The newer, bigger fans helped the rig stay a lot cooler.
The reason that I did not totally bust this rig down with a ZERO is that I still use it on HF. It is in my truck (where it has been for over 10 years) and continues to perform on HF like a champ. Now that the mods are done, it works great on 160-10 meters. Be it -40 degrees F outside or 120+ degrees inside, the little radio always turns on and always seems to work. I get great audio reports and the rig always puts out a clean 100 watts. The NB works great and the DSP can hold its own against the onslaught of RF that my truck blasts at it.
All in all, It is a piece of crap that seems to be holding up nicely now that it has been modified. I cannot believe that it ended up costing me almost $2k in the end. That is WAY too much and I am most dismayed that Yaesu did not own up to this little mistake and take care of fixing it for folks.
If you are reading these reviews to get some insight because you found a deal on a used FT-100, BE CAREFUL. Look and see if the mods have been done and when. Also, get your hands on the rig and play with it. Get on 2 meters and talk for awhile. If folks tell you that they can no longer understand you after a few minutes, it means the VHF side is shot. Probably overheated due to the thermal problem.
If you cannot play with the rig before you buy it, I would pass. There is an extremely high chance that the rig may be toasted. Look into the FT-857 as Yaesu seems to have learned from the 100 mistakes.
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WB4LFC
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 26, 2009 17:23
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Great mobile and backup rig.
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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A friend gave me an FT-100 the other day.I think its going to be a good backup and portable rig to take on trips.The first contact I made on it was from Alabama to Colorado.
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K2ACB
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Rating: 2/5
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Jul 15, 2008 19:16
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It was good while it worked
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I got my Yaesu FT 100 at the Dayton Hamfest in 2000. I only used it mobile with the seperation kit. The Yaesu FT100 worked well for 6 months and then it suddenly went dead. I used it with the Atas 100 antenna and a duplexer.
I sent it back to Yaesu under warranty. They repaired it and replaced a number of parts including the FET's.The bill came to about $350. They also made the necessary modifications to the FT100at that time.
For the next six and a half years my FT100 worked well. I was very satisfied with it. I worked over 150 countries with it freom my mobile. One day my Atas antenna would not tune. I originally thought it was the Atas or my antenna connection. After checking those out , I determined that the fault was with the FT100.
Rather than send the rig back to Yaesu for repair(if it was under warranty I definitely would have sent it back to Yaesu for repair), I sent it to an authorized Yaesu dealer who is also authorized to repair Yaesu rigs. The dealer's repair service told me that the fault was in a chip in the low voltage circuitry of the Yaesu FT100. The repair service placed an order for that chip. Yaesu parts said they did not have the part in stock . They might have the part in Japan but they were not certain about that.
After waiting several weeks and nothing heard from Yaesu parts, at the request of the repair service, I called them up and they said they were still searching for the part in Japan.The repair service had also heard the same from Yaesu and felt that pressure from me as well as them might speed things up.
Yaesu did offer the repair service the part taken off another Yaesu FT100 they had in their shop. I was advised by the repair service that unless Yaesu sent them an authorized part and would guaranty that part they would not repair the radio. I respected that opinion and in the end I sold the radio as it was, for considerably less than I would have received if the radio was in good working condition.
I was very disappointed in Yaesu that they would not support a radio that was only 7 years old with spare parts. Other stories like mine(where Yaesu no longer has the spare parts for the FT100) are well documented on the FT100 reflector on Yahoo groups.
If the finals go on the FT100 ,or some other critical parts as in my case,you probably will have to junk the FT100 or buy another one on the used market just for spare parts
This seems to be the trend these days especially with the less expensive radios that are solid state. They tend to be commodities. The manufacturers, especially the Japanese,want you to go out and buy a new radio rather than repair the old one. Even if they do have the spare parts for the radio ,like the final FET's,they may charge such an exorbitant price to repair the radio that it would be cheaper and more cost effective to go out and buy a new radio.
This is what I ended up doing when I could not adequately repair my FT100. I took the money I got for selling my FT100 and bought a Yaesu FT 857D. I did this because I got a great price on the FT857D (I paid $500 less for the FT857D in 2007 than did for my FT100 in 2000). I also had installed a Yaesu FT857D in another vehicle I own with the Atas 120 antenna.I thought the FT857D was a worthy successor to the FT100. I also felt that because Yaesu is using most of the same parts for the FT857D and the Yaesu FT897D they will keep those parts longer than they have kept them for the FT100 or its successor the FT100D.
Thus far I have had no problems with my FT857D radios which I only use mobile.I am still driving the Honda Odyssey van I purchased new in 1999 and which the FT100 was originally installed and then replaced with the FT857D.
Initially I would have rated the FT100 between a 4 and 5 . However because of problems some owners are now experiencing with this radio and the fact that Yaesu is not carrying major spare parts for a radio that has been only out of production for 4 years, I can only rate the Yaesu FT100 and its successor the D model a 2 or 2.5 at the most.
73-Alan-
K2ACB
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KB2SEO
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Rating: 0/5
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Jul 15, 2008 11:17
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IT's STILL A TURD!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I wanted to give a update on the GOD AWFUL TREATMENT AND SERVICE from Yaesu: If you do a Google search on "FT 100 problems" you'll see PAGES AFTER PAGES mentioning the rig. All the same stuff, high SWR- thermal runaway, VHF-UHF Finals blow up. As I said in a earlier Post- 1800 Bucks Down the tubes for this door stop!
I called yet again to Yaesu, Now getting response like (from customer service manager) "this is the first I heard of this" and "We don't keep records ofpeople who have called with issues". Does the Yaesu staff have the internet? Do they go through some brainwashing? No one with the bad press this rig got can POSSIBLY take that stance!
Now they say I had the rig too long (Please take note of the MANY posts over the years complaining how Ya-Screwed did not FIX it when it WAS in warranty, they kept saying it was a ground. Yeah, and I am working for my DXCC off a dummy load!
Now I find out the finals for the VHF/UHF not only do not exists, but the removal contains dangerous chemical compounds? LOVELY!
I will say- I KINDA got it working, I can use it as a Base unit fine- In fact, I almost like it! no issues at all- PUT IT IN THE CAR? Typical FT-100 frustration. Note- i had to use Braided copper from a hunk of RG-213 and Solder it to each of the Mini Coax connectors and bond to the chassis, Same for most of the sheilds over the various circuits. THEN added a ground wire that goes to the Firewall /Jeep frame to try and correct the issues there.
I understand that the 857 is getting many of the same type issues, and the same response.
Maybe they re going to the 10,000 dollar rigs becuse instead of screaming when you find out your screwed, you'll just drop dead from the shock?
I want to see the next YAe-Screwed radio come with a device that when You hook it up to the powwer supply It automatically dispenses a cigarette and a Kiss-Just before it "leaves you"
FRIENDS DONT LET FRIENDS BUY YAESU
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W3RXO
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Rating: 0/5
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Jun 30, 2008 21:11
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JUNK, pure junk
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I can't say it any more plainly than that. First, mine started getting the thermal runaway trouble, when I would have a fairly lengthy QSO on 2M FM. Would just go into LEFT FIELD, and transmit on some unknown band, with no warning. Then, when I got the mod done, by another tech, to take care of the overheating problem, the VCO board went out, just ass I was selling it to a friend. Had to give my friend his money back, buy another body on eBay, and then sell it for a HUGE loss, on eBay. All because of inherent design flaws, that Yaesu should have recalled it over. Instead, they throw their loyal customers to the curb. Screw them!!!! It is junk, pure junk. Plain and simple.
To make things worse, YAESU told me they "No longer support that platform". Refused to work on a radio, that 7-8 years ago, was their state of the art micro-mobile. Yet, I can take my Kenwood T-599 and R-599 to Kenwood, and they will gladly work on those 30+ year old radios. Due to that, I will never buy another Yaesu radio. Icom, Kenwood and the used Boatanchor market, have my loyal business, now.
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KN0CK
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Rating: 4/5
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Dec 26, 2007 21:37
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Nice rig even if used
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've owned my FT-100 for about a month now and I've really been happy with it. Compared against the TS-140S I own, it definitely has more features (other than the V/UHF bands) and seems to have more receiver sensitivity than my '140S has. I've been using it on the digital modes (PSK31, Olivia, etc) as well as listening to HFDL and it does a remarkable job of pulling sigs out of the noise. I have mine set up with a HyGain 4BTV vertical antenna and it's been working out fine used in a base configuration - haven't put it to use as a mobile rig yet, but have the screwdriver antenna ready for that soon enough. Tuning rivals most top end rigs (10 Hz tuning seems real smooth in VFO mode). Adjustable power is a plus for QRP operation if I want to do that. Has so many features I have trouble remembering them all! This rig is a 4.5 out of 5.0 - - definitely worth the purchase even at $400.00 these days.
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W5FAE
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Rating: 5/5
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Nov 2, 2006 06:39
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Great Radio But......
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've had my FT-100(not"D") for about a month now and find that it receives better than any radio I have owned other than my FT-817ND. The audio with the proper amount of noise blanking and DSP applied is outstanding. This was at the expense of extensive mods performed by the previous owner! Grounding and shielding mods were made as well as the mic mod and the fan mod to keep things cool. AM reception suffers due to the lack of the optional XF-117A filter. This is not uncommon. I have a Kenwood TS-430 that had the same problem. All in all. I have to rate this radio a '5' because, for a used radio, it far exceeds my expectations.
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WF6O
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Rating: 4/5
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Oct 22, 2006 20:44
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It WAS a great rig!
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Yes, I should have given my beloved FT-100 a 5, but it's now died a quick death. The audio crapped out a couple of months ago. A quick search of the Yahoo FT-100 group and I found the explanation - broken solder joints on the external speaker plug. Not being comfortable with removing a PC board as complicated as this one was, I asked a friend to take a look at it. Yep, the solder joints were broken and John easily repaired it. But, alas, still no audio. John is a great technician and he pronounced it dead - not worth sending it off to Yaesuland. I bought this one used about 6 years ago and it's been always mobile. A call to Yaesu's service guys revealed that they'll take a look at it and can probably repair it - for $300+ not including shipping. However, several of the parts in this formerly excellent rig are no longer available (like the HF final transistors). So, I'll sell it for parts and get a new FT-857D. May it rest in peace.
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G1HQK
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Rating: 4/5
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Sep 20, 2006 14:26
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Still Pleased
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Bought mine 3 years ago, cost a little over £500 new, I remember paying about that for my Kenwood 2m multimode many years ago!
Been running it from home, on 2/70 for the first year or so, then connected a vertical for Hf and a 6m loop.
Still very pleased with HF, and 6m especially, 2m is fine, I do find that 70cms can be a bit deaf though when compared to my dual band set.
That said I can hear and access repeaters in the dutch/belgian areas down on 430.
Overall would I buy another, yep, will I sell it, nope it is about to get installed into my car.
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W5TD
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 20, 2006 13:05
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Just fantastic
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have owned a few FT100s now and they are fantastic radios! Very quiet receiver, with a great NB. Knocks out the powerline noise I get here, and the receiver holds up very well under crowded band conditions-much better than the FT857 or Icom 706mKIIG.
The separate power setting for AM is great-you can set it for a low power (15 w or so) tuning signal with an AM carrier. Also, the DSP works very well, not quite as good as IF DSP, but the bandpass filtering still works pretty good, especially on CW.
I do wish the IF shift was a little easier to use, but I get by just fine without it.
The display looks nice and is very easy to read, plus it gives you all the information you need. The meter is easy to read and shows power out and SWR at the same time-the meters on the 857 and 706 won't do this. Plus the SWR meter also works on 2 meters and 70cm.
I have just loved these radios and have done it all with them-contesting, DXing, satellite operation, and even made 1 EME QSO with it on 2 meters.
Get one, you won't be sorry. The best HF/VHF/UHF mobile sized radio ever made. Better than anything currently on the market.
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