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| Reviews Summary for Yaesu FT-7 |
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You can
write your own review of the Yaesu FT-7.
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WS8B
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Rating: 5/5
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Jul 3, 2007 14:57
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Still a great Radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I love it so much, I got a DOA on e-bay and gave new life to it.
Now I have a matched pair......de....ws8b
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PY3KT
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Rating: 5/5
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Sep 29, 2006 12:52
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Rarity QRP
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Only the necessary things. No menu, no vhf, no uhf, no fm, no am, no squelch, no memory keyer, no memories, no vox, no send/rec switch, no split vfo, no general coverage receive, no dsp, no detachable front panel, no bells... A classic easy to use radio. Just enought for me in QRP activity. Buy it, if possible! Enjoy it and have fun.
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W8ZNX
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 28, 2006 11:21
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real radio
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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no menu, no vhf, no uhf, no fm, no am,
no squelch, no memory keyer, no memories,
no split vfo, no general coverage receive,
no dsb, no detachable front panel
classic easy to use radio,
does everything expected of it,
with no real vices, built like a tank,
easy to work on,
( even if you do not fix your own radios
cost saving easy for the bench tec )
have enjoyed using my FT-7 for over 10 years
is it better than modern rig,
heck no
but when most of todays modern menu driven rigs
have become unrepairable and are in the landfill,
FT-7 radios will still be running
mac
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K5MO
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Rating: 4/5
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Apr 20, 2005 16:52
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Fun rig!
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Time owned: 0 to 3 months
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I've got three "B" versions of this, and one QRP version, I just purchased at a hamfest for cheap. These things are incredibly rugged, and seem to take a lot of abuse. Don't be put off by a non-functional radio, as reseating the plug in boards to the motherboard fixes most ills.
Dynamic range, 3rd order intercept points, blah blah... yes, there are better radios, but I guess I'm now old enough to realize that the fun I get from a particular rig is generally unrelated to the spec's published in QST. This is a fun rig (and yes, I have dozens of stations to choose from) and worth the cheap price.
My first QSO Sunday, after purchasing and repairing this FT7, was in Portugal. Not big DX on 20m, but not too shabby either, with 10watts in the Sunday afternoon QRM on 20m.
Two thumbs up!
John K5MO
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VK3DMN
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 10, 2005 02:03
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Best mobile at the time.
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I used an FT7 and an FT7B in the early 1980's for a few years and enjoyed using both of them lots. They generated consistently good audio reports on SSB even with the stock hand mike and the recievers were pleasant to listen to even if lacking in modern interference fighting features.
The CW operation is ok, but nothing to write home about (although that didn't bother me much as I didn't and don't use CW a lot). The 7B is a bit better with it's narrow audio filter.
At the time HF mobile rigs were not available in any great numbers and the FT7 was a breathe of fresh air that enabled quick easy mobile operation to many amateurs of the time (including me).
I recently bought a 2nd hand FT7 more for nostalgic reasons than anything else and it currently does double duty as back up to my home rig (Icom 718 with DSP) and my portable rig Yaesu 817.
I can't compare the FT7 to top line rigs because I don't run them but comparing them to the icom 718 and the 817 leads me to some interesting conclusions.
Side by side with the Icom 718 the FT-7 is outperformed easily, no question about it... but the FT-7 is still fun to use and still quite usable on uncrowded bands.
Side by side with the Yaesu 817 the comparison gets harder. The strong signal performance of the FT-7 is at least equal to that of the 817. The audio of the FT-7 on recieve and transmit is superior in stock form. Of course the FT-817 is a hugely more compact package and has 2m and 70cm and a general coverage reiever as well.
But people all over the world are happy with the performance of the 817 on hf(as I am with mine) and there isn't any reason that an owner wouldn't be happy with an FT-7 even these days, as long as they understand the limitations of the rig.
If I was rating the FT-7 in the early 1980's I'd have given it a 5... but these days it's still worth a 4 to me.
This rig was the forerunner of the modern mobile HF radios that so many of us enjoy these days, and for that if no other reason it deserves it's place in amateur radio history.
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WA6BFH
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Rating: 3/5
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Mar 9, 2005 23:36
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Huh?
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Time owned: months
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As indicated, this was sort of an Ok radio but, you guys have got to be kidding me! Its technology does not even benefit from the superior dynamic range of vacuum tubes. It’s an Ok radio but, jeez, it is ancient technology. I hope you guys also own better “State of the Art” equipment!
PS: Is 10 Watts QRP (rhetorical)?
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KH6JRM
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Rating: 4/5
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Mar 9, 2005 22:08
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nice rig
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Time owned: 6 to 12 months
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I've owned the Yaesu FT-7 for a year and I find the rig a simple, straightforward transceiver that works for everyday contacts...even at 10 watts. I use the rig for a daily inter-island net on 40 meters and it does a good job. The audio is clean and the CW crisp and easy to copy.
Although the FT-7 lacks many features of modern day rigs, it is a joy to work. If you can find a FT-7 in good condition, buy it. This is an excellent standby rig.
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WS8B
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Rating: 5/5
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Apr 3, 2004 16:40
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Outstanding
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I am a 15 year owner of my FT-7. I know the first owner. I have seen only 2 at Hamvention(r) in the past 12 years. The audio is better than today's rigs. It is also easy to trouble-shoot and fix. With the mother-board configuration, it is easy to replace components. I did have to replace, some audio caps, in the past. Also, an IF can needed replaced, and guess what - the Yeasu parts people, found one. Same with the speaker. I would only part with it, to another ham who appreciates the FT-7.
de....Frank....WS8B
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SM7FBJ
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Rating: 5/5
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Feb 24, 2004 17:37
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Still going strong
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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Easy to make maintenance (pullout boards)...and execllent receiver. Easy to make working between 1-10W using a
potentiometer between plus and minus supplyvoltage and feed the midpoint of the pot into pin 3 on the acc-socket (ALC input). I sometimes miss a narrow CW-filter, but it works nice anyway.
For SSB operation i gives a nice audio on transmit...rugged and as others b4 me said...no xtra fuss! No menues and knobs to fiddle with....a straight forward rig!
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HA8LUA
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Rating: 5/5
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Jan 19, 2004 17:57
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Simply the best
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Time owned: more than 12 months
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I have 2 Yaesu HF radios an FT-107M and an FT-7.
Both work excellent. My dream since childhood was to have an FT-7 rig because one of my teachers was a ham and in his shack heard it at first. This little green box CONTAINS NOTHING MORE THAN A
RADIO (not "more and useful features" what are often only built in noise generators). Excellent RX and very good SSB quality. I don't suffer from
not having a specific CW filter, the selectivity is very good. Be happy if you're also an FT-7 owner! That's why I gave it 5 pts.
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