| G8JNF |
Rating:  |
2007-02-25 | |
| Great Radio! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
This is my second FT-920, I should have never sold the first one. There isn't much to say about this radio that hasn't already been said.
Enough to say, if you buy one of these radios then you WONT be disappointed!
73's
Duncan
G8JNF |
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| VE3TMT |
Rating: |
2007-02-02 | |
| Welcome back baby! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Recently purchased another 920 after trading my first away in 2003. What was I thinking! Auto tuner, DSP, EQ, auto notch, HF/6m coverage, fantastic display, 2 antenna jacks and on and on. IF DSP would be nice but AF is better than none. I'm glad to have a full size radio back in the shack. I'm mainly a digital mode operator and I can copy S-0 signals with ease with the noise reduction on. I would recommend the 920 to anyone if you can find one. |
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| KG4WNL |
Rating: |
2007-01-07 | |
| AWESOME RIG! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| This is my pride and joy, I would recommend this rig to anyone. You can't beat it for the price. These rigs are rock solid and great above average starter rig. Standard features are in a field of there own! |
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| MW0XMG |
Rating: |
2006-10-27 | |
| Great radio |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
The second radio I ever bought, and the best I've ever owned, picked this one up new for £995, just as they were ending production, it really performs well on Hf and 6 Mtrs alike, although I use it mainly on the DX portion of 160, I'm so impressed, infact I bought another one second hand recently and it performs just as well, I loaned it to a friend for a week and borrowed his 1000mp, I couldn't get on with it, however he loved the 920 and was so impressed he wanted to do a swap!!
I decided that I much prefered the receive audio on the FT920 and kept it.
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| WD4MBE |
Rating: |
2006-10-14 | |
| Some Limitations |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I've been out of hf ssb for many years. Recently, I bought a FT-920 in mint condition from a local ham.
The rig has been used mostly on 75m ssb nets with some dx on 17m.
First of all, the "blow-by" complaints are valid. On the 75 meter nets, I can use the features on the radio to take out adjacent qrm. On dx, the radio "as is" is really lacking. I can not imagine being on the lower end of 20m ssb in a dx brawl with this radio.
I was about to add the Inrad filters and contacted a well known Yaesu repair center about the modification. I was told the Inrad filters are superb, but the rig will not perform as expected even with the Inrad filters.
For casual operation, I would give this radio a 5. For dxing, I would give it a 3.0, thus a 4.0 overall rating.
I started out with the stock hand mike, and it was ok. I added the MD-100 desk mike and the audio reports went up.
I am using a Sound Sweet speaker with the rig. To be honest, I was expecting more from the speaker based on the eham reviews. On cw, the speaker rates a 5.0. On ssb, I don't think the speaker is all that is advertised, thus a 3.0. If buying another speaker, I would opt for something else.
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| N3JBH |
Rating: |
2006-10-04 | |
| great radio great audio |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
i bought a used one and after getting it tuned up and all. i was very very impressed. i allways wanted one after hearing them on the air. let me tell you after setting all the settings for the transmit and receive adudio these guys sound great.
it is amazing what such a radio can do with the stock 2.8 filter. i wonder why folks havnt messed with these for that essb stuff. |
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| K8AG |
Rating: |
2006-09-12 | |
| Love the jog dial |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
OK so I couldn't resist adding another comment now that I have owned the rig for a couple of years. I never contest but got an urge to operate more this past weekend so I dug in. I am still very impressed with the 920. There were only a couple of signals on 20 that I could not clean up enough to copy them. They were being trounced on frequency.
The jog dial is really intuitive and easy to use. Under normal rag chew conditions it is OK, but in a contest situation it really lets you move quickly without wrist twisting or pushing entry buttons.
I know I'm not a contester. But for the kind of operating that I normally do (a little of everything) I can't see paying $500 - $1500 more to lose 6 meters.
Of course we will see what the reviews of the FT2000 say.
73, JP, K8AG
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Earlier 5-star review posted by K8AG on 2003-01-09
Let's face it. DSP is DSP and is only going to buy you so much. The trick with any of the high end radios is to use the attenuators so the other features like noise blanker, noise reduction, IF shift and DSP can do their job. I have been able to drag more signals out of the crap with this receiver, even with only the standard filters, than any other receiver I have ever used. It takes a bit of getting used to having all of the options when a signal starts to go bad. I find myself QSOing with more QRPers. Lots of EMI/RFI in my area, and the 920 does a very good job. |
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| N0MUD |
Rating: |
2006-02-08 | |
| Was a Very Good Rig |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I bought mine 03-03 after playing with another Hams FT-920 and I fell in love with it. I had a Kenwood TS-440s (sat) and used it since I bought it in 1988 so it was time to buy a new radio. Of course if I would have seen the light and saw that it was only HF/6 then I would have researched a little further. But for three years I really enjoyed the FT-920. I like the ease of the AT. I never and I mean never had a problem with my radio, however, I have now seen the light and I have upgraded the upgrade. I bought Dec 05 a Kenwood TS-2000sat that does everything including SATELLITE which I now have the antennas and rotor for that band and as soon as warm weather arrives then those antennas will get built and installed. You can still find nice FT-920's out there in Ham Radio land but not at the dealer end as the radio is now outdated. If you do find one at a dealer then jump on it if HF/6 is all you want.
I now have a Kenwood TS-2000sat, Yaesu FT-897D, two Yaesu FT-857D's, a Kenwood TS-50 plus numerous Yaesu VHF/UHF rigs.
73's NØmud
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N0MUD on 2004-08-12
Last year during a blizzard in Mar03 I was on my way to work and during my drive the snow came down so hard I couldn't see the road and figured work could survive without me. I called a fellow ham WB0DUL, Dick and asked him if I could go over to his house and play with his radio, a Yaesu FT-920 and he said yes. I played with his radio for about 4 hours, liked it so much that when I got home I called HRO and ordered my own and I have been a happy camper ever since. I have two ham friends that have both used my FT-920 and now they have both purchased FT-920's and they are also happy about their purchase. I use it for CW, Phone and digital and it is perfect on all bands. Yes Yaesu has stopped making this radio, don't know why it is a great seller and the used ones do go for a good price. So if you find a used FT-920 and you want one you can't go wrong buying it. My FT-920 replaced my first HF rig a Kenwood TS-440SAT which I sold at a ham fest and got a good price for it because it like the FT-920 are very good radios.
73's from Colorado Springs, CO, Mike N0mud |
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| VK4KVK |
Rating: |
2006-02-08 | |
| Another great radio from Yaesu! |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I purchased my ft920 some 6 years ago. It was the first new purchase of a main station HF rig since my TS820 of 1978.
I am totaly wrapped with the 920. Its an easy rig to use, has a great sound and is a pleasure to use. I have often wondered about the ft1000 cousin but have not found a reason to retire my ft920.
I had it come through a lightening strike a year or so ago- fortunately, it dropped a few diodes and otherwise survived a hit which killed (amongst other things) multiple DVD players, PC's, VCR's, network routers, broad-band cable modems etc. Great, tough rig.
I would (am planing) buy another - if just to have a source of parts in its old age. Having had this rig 6 years, I hope to stands the test of time like its forefathers.
If you find an ft920, my advice is BUY it!
It cost me about Aus$2,500 back in 1990. It was worth it in my view.
enjoy the hobby. |
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| MM0PMW |
Rating: |
2005-10-22 | |
| A Great Yaesu Transceiver |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I have a 920, this is my second,great value for money.I also own a FT1000MP MK5,with a 1976 FT101E to keep the others company,the 101E looks and works like new.The 920 is a radio that I thnk very highly of, it is a great radio,vastly underrated.Previous radios Icom, 736, 746, 756PRO, and PROII,Kenwood 870S, TS2000.If you ever come across a good 920 for sale, buy it. |
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