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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-920

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-920
Reviews: 162MSRP: 2299
Description:
Yaesu FT 920 HF/6M Transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.wm7d.net/hamradio/ft920/
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
151624.7
KB4LGM Rating: 2003-12-24
Great Radio for the money ! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I've had the 920 Since Feb of 2003 and have found it to be well worth the money. I traded my trusty FT 840 i ran for 10 years on it and think it was a good upgrade. I like the Jog control and mine tunes smoother than the 840 . The step tuning rate is nicer than i thought it would be. Only improvment i can think of is a little more flexability on tayloring the transmit audio. But after all this is a radio from 1997. Stiil it's a great radio and more bang for my buck.
VE6DRW Rating: 2003-12-24
Real Radio with Real Knobs Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased the FT-920 used for SSB work. After using several smaller rigs with multi-function buttons and menus, the FT-920 is a pleasure to operate. The controls are well laid out with very few "dual function" buttons. The display is large and easy to read.

Overall, the SSB operation is very good -- sensitivity is great, as are the QRM/QRN fighting controls. I have not experienced any trouble with nearby stations because of the lack of a narrow SSB filter -- the IF shift and DSP handle all situations well. I also like the ability to "dial in" the amount of desired DSP noise reduction.

The ability to adjust the transmit audio quality with several menu-driven DSP controls is a nice feature.

Overall, this is a solid and predictable radio with very good performance. Given the current market price, I consider the FT-920 to be an excellent value
W7IS Rating: 2003-12-19
Great CW Rig Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
The 920 is mainly a CW rig. You can certaily find better SSB rigs without looking too far. But the 920 is a real pleasure to use on CW. I first bought an Inrad 400hz cw filter but with the filter installed I could hear the other side of zero beat to where it bothered me. I used another persons 920 with the factory 500hz CW filter installed and it didnt have any problem with the other side of zero beat. So I returned the Inrad filter and bought a Yasue 500hz cw filter. The other side of zero beat is now almost unreadable. So I recommend going with the factory yasue 500hz cw filter. Inrad tested the filter I returned and said it met their specs but it didnt for me in this radio.
Without the 500hz filter in the circuit you will get receiver overload on strong nearby stations. but with the 500hz filter in the circuit it works pretty well in contest conditions. The cw sensivity with the high gain pre-amp in the circuit is outstanding weak signal reception. The full break-in qsk works beautifully, no clicks or pops, just great keying. Its the only radio I have been able to use without ear phones using full qsk in a room with other noisy equipment running. For the price this is one great CW rig. And the auto antenna tuner will tune antennas up to 6 to 1 swr if you let the rig find the match rather than using the manual control button to find the match. This is one excellent auto tuner, fast and accurate and you cant hear it running.
AC5DF Rating: 2003-08-29
Nice Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had my 920 for almost 4 years. I paid about $1450 for it from Burghardt. If I had it to do over again, I would do it. I read so many reviews about overpriced radios and how they are not worth what people paid for them. This radio has greater value than the current list price. Just read all the owners comments! (73 AC5DF)
BRUCE Rating: 2003-06-27
Alotta bang for your buck! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Upgrading from a Kenwood TS-530S, was a major improvement. Although one must remember that the TS-530S was state-of-the-art in it's day 20+ years ago and remains a fine performer to this day, so it hard to compare.
As one of the very few highly active stations on the tiny remote Island of St. Helena in the South Atlantic Ocean, I needed a rig that was fairly easy to use, and must have dual VFO's. Going into split mode with the FT-920 could never be any easier what with the dual knobs right where you need them. 21,000 QSO's later and the rig has never murmured. It is absolutely quiet, no fan noise, in fact the user has to completely turn of the audio and then some to try to determine if the fan is running and that's after running some very intensive pileups. I am absolutely delighted with this rig, bearing in mind the fact the living in such a remote spot on this planet, the equipment must be reliable, as there are no repair facilities on the Island, everything has to be imported, right down to a PL-259 & coax. Prices have never been better and now is the time to buy one if you are ever going to, I bought mine soon after it came on the market!
You'll also notice that Yaesu have never upgrading this rig either, perhaps this is a testimony to the fact the it remains a stalwart performer.

73 Bruce ZD7VC

KL7AC Rating: 2003-05-31
Excellent Rig for the Price Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Had my 920 for 3 years and it was a fantastic performer. Easy to use and understand with a nice large display so it was very easy on the eyes.

It has found a new home with another Alaskan ham who uses it strictly on a battery-solar system and is very tolerant of low voltages.

As for the radio seemingly tuning by itself I had the same problem with mine. The weight of the knob is enough to tune the radio if the knob resistance is set too light. I turned mine a quarter of a turn and no more ghost tuning.
W3FHW Rating: 2003-05-30
try to find something better Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Ok, so it dosen't have anything above 6 meters. I don't care, as I already have that covered with other rigs and antennas that operate at those frequencies. Who wants to make them obsolete with a single rig that that covers all bands? How does one monitor the 2, 1.25, and .70 meter bands and still get on HF with a single rig that covers everything? Besides, the built in antenna tuners on the new "cover everything" rigs don't function on any band above 6 meters. The time and effort one has expended on careful tuning and trimming of those VHF-UHF antennas is lost when connected to the "above 6 meter" antenna connection of the "all Band" rigs. For now, my choice is the FT-920, in concert with my other VHF-UHF radios and antennas. Why spend the extra dollars for something I don't need? When, if ever, my FT-920 dies I may consider an IC-756PROII if Yaseu hasn't come out with something better. Until then I'll stick with the FT-920.
KD4LYH Rating: 2003-05-30
Not for me Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought new from A.E.S. The radios digital readout would take of on its own without touching a thing. I returned it.
NC2F Rating: 2003-05-08
Very Impressed - Would definitely buy again. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After selling my Kenwood TS-2000 (which was a terrific radio, but I wanted something different) I went with the FT920. I am quite impressed with the 920's performance and I feel it matches or exceeds the TS-2000 in every aspect of what it offers.

Despite the DSP is AF vs the 2000's IF, the 920's DSP handles everything I throw at it using the same antenna that I used with the 2000.

The internal antenna tuner I feel is better on the 920 than that of the 2000 as well.

Listening to comparisons of the audio, The 920 sounds better, and the internal speaker is better on the 920 as well.

No, the 920 does not offer 2m/440 and is is not equipped with a built-in TNC, but the 920 does come with a very useful voice recorder (standard) that is optional on the 2000. The 920 also has a presence, where the 2000 was a bit small making some of the controls less than precise if looking to make a quick change.

The layout of the 920 is very thoughtful and the dual VFO is well done too. Owning several Yaesu radios, I find the operation of the 920 seemless and all the controls are comfortable to operate.

I would certainly buy the FT-920 again.
PA3ERY Rating: 2003-03-25
very good receiver Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
First i have to say that my number one all is the 1000D, replaced that tx/rx, with the 1000mp/dc.
(Sometimes you do the wrong things)

Here in EUROPE the 1000D last version is very hard to find. So on a saterday morning i was planed to do testing de 1000mp field, and the MARK V in a local ham store.

So i was looking for the best audio and singal to noise i could get.
So there i was, looking to my (in that time my second first transceivers (1000D was my best ever)
The owner of the ham shop advised to do some comparing of the 920 also, my answer was 920?
So there i was 3 very nice looking transceivers smilling, and started to test them.
The number one of nice looking, in my personal opinion is the 1000mp Markv, second the field third the 920.
But what do i have to do with nice looking!, i was going for the best audio and signal to noise ratio!.
I was very supriced of the superb audio of the 920
instade of the 1000 mp's
I know that, audio is very personal, but the 1000mp's let heard a very noisy audio, the 920 was like my old 1000D!, very easy to follow the low signal qso's.
So it is not so that the highest sales price is allways the best.
After a long test of at least 2 hours, i decide to buy the 920, and standing now next the 1000mp/dc 756pro II in my shack today, and for the moment i found out that the 920 is a very good one.VERY GOOD RESULTS
So if your looking for a superb audio, and a low signal to noise ratio, than the 920 is a very good one to buy.

73 Rob