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Reviews For: Yaesu FTM-3200DR

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Base/Mobile (non hand-held)

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FTM-3200DR
Reviews: 33MSRP: 180
Description:
The FTM-3200DR is a ruggedly built yet compact C4FM/FM VHF mobile transceiver, providing high output power of up to 65 Watts to ensure stable long-distance communications. One of the distinguishing features of this exciting new mobile transceiver is the Front Panel Speaker delivering 3 Watts of loud and crystal clear audio; designed for stress-free and enjoyable communications - even in noisy environments.

While the new FTM-3200DR is a solid and durable transceiver in keeping with Yaesu’s legendary mechanical toughness, it also incorporates new technology such as Automatic Mode Select (AMS), one of the most advanced features of System Fusion. The AMS mode instantly recognizes whether a transmission is digital or analog, and appropriately switches the operating mode to allow flawless co-existence of both digital and analog users. The versatile FTM-3200DR transceiver also utilizes the ever-popular Digital Group Monitor (GM) function; a terrific asset allowing users to see at a glance if registered members of a group are within communication range.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=249&encProdID=1C299659CDFD4B56DDBBA4BA23026510&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00333.6
VE3IPS Rating: 2016-04-05
A Great Buy Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This is an interesting radio as it comes from the Vertex Standard part of Yaesu. This means its a commercial grade transceiver. 65W watts with Fusion C4FM priced the same as an analog radio makes this hard to beat.

Over 200 memories, NOAA reception and 3 watts of audio through the front panel speaker got me hooked.

Yaesu has not released any programming software yet to program it so keep the manual handy.

This is a great radio to get onto the Fusion bandwagon as these repeaters get deployed out by many clubs across North America

deleted_user_20210718 Rating: 2016-03-28
MY FIRST FUSION RADIO. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
CONSTRUCTION VERY WELL BUILT. DOES NOT FEEL CHEAP, AND A LITTLE HEAVY. I HAVE HAD IT ONLY FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS. IT'S A VERY SIMPLE RADIO NO GPS
OR APRS NO SENDIND PICTURES WHICH I DON'T CARE FOR. THE RADIO DOES BOTH FUSION WIDE ON AMS MODE, AND NARROWED WHEN YOU GO IN DN MODE.
ALSO DISPLAYS THE CALLSING AND NAME SCROLLING, OF THE PERSON YOU ARE TALKING TO. FRONT LOUD SPEAKER FOR NOISY ENVIRONMENTS. BUILT IN FAN
RUNS ALL THE TIME THE RADIO IS ON AND NOT LOUD. SOUNDS NICE IN FM ANALOG AND DIGITAL FUSION.
ALSO COMES WITH USB CABLE I GUESS FOR FUTURE
UPDATES FROM YAESU.THIS IS IT FOR NOW FOLK's. SO IF YOU WANT TO START IN YAESU FUSION THIS IS A VERY NICE
RUGGED RADIO WITH 65 WATTS OF OUTPUT POWER. WILL POST A FUTURE REVIEW AS TIME GOES BY.
NICE JOB YAESU WITH THE FTM-3200DR.
AND I MUST SAY FUSION SOUNDS NICE I SPEAK TO MY FRIEND DAVID NP4DS ON SIMPLEX AND FUSION REPEATERS. DAVID MY GODFATHER OF FUSION WAS THE ONE WHO TALK ME INTO IT, NO REGRETS THANKS DAVID NP4DS...73's


W5JCK Rating: 2016-03-20
Highly Recommend Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After using the FTM-3200DR radio for a few days now, this is my more in depth, and hopefully more informative, review.

There is much disagreement and confusion over what the new FTM-3200DR can do. So to briefly summarize, as of March 2016 the new Yaesu FTM-3200DR can operate OTA with voice/data* in conventional analog FM mode and in C4FM digital mode, and it can do so in simplex or through the DR-1X C4FM/FM Digital Repeater. It can operate conventional analog FM through any repeater. However it cannot communicate using VoIP because it cannot be interfaced with the required WIRES-X HRI-200 unit. This might change in the future, but don’t hold your breath.

* Data might require the DR-1X C4FM/FM Digital Repeater, but I’m not sure. Need to verify.

Note that I have personally verified that my FTM-3200DR will indeed RX and TX using C4FM digital mode through the K5SLD DR-1X C4FM/FM Digital Repeater on 147.140 MHz in Arlington, Texas. I don’t have anyone with which to test out simplex, but another reviewer here has stated that it works well using C4FM digital mode.

There are some who are upset that the FTM-3200DR cannot be used as a node radio with the WIRES-X HRI-200 unit. It does not have the required interface port, so no VoIP. But we should remember this is an inexpensive, no frills radio. I paid under $200 for mine and that included sales tax and shipping! If you compare that to the prices of the 2m only, conventional analog FM radios currently available, it is about the same price but comes with YSF capability. So it is a bargain at its price point.

Except for the addition of YSF C4FM digital, the FTM-3200DR is basically a no frills 2m only radio. That means older style of interface we are accustomed to with the FT-1900 / 2900 / 7900 / 8800 / 8900 mobile radios. The FTM-3200DR does not even have memory banks, much less hypermemory. But for what it is, it performs and functions extremely well. If you want to get your feet wet in the Yaesu System Fusion pond and don’t mind the current lack of VoIP functionality, then this is a bargain priced radio. If you could care less about YSF, then this is still a bargain priced radio for analog 2m FM use. It is extremely quiet and cool running—I have never heard the fan even when transmitting. I highly recommend this radio.

Jack, W5JCK (formerly KE5FEM)

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Earlier 4-star review posted by W5JCK on 2016-03-18

Since I only received this radio yesterday on 17 March 2016 I will give a brief review now but a more detailed review after I have been able to use it for a while.

BUILD QUALITY: Seems very well constructed and solid. Definitely not a cheap plastic radio.

USABILITY: Pretyy good. The buttons are back-lit, large, and well spaced even for my fat fingers. The LCD screen is very sharp and has terrific contrast. Both dials are adequate. I wish it had a third dial for squelch input, but the first button does allow you to temporarily toggle the Volume dial to use for squelch adjustment.

SPEAKER: The front facing speaker is a nice option to have. The sound quality is good and on par with most radios in this class.

USER MANUALS: The radio comes with a Quick Start guide and a User Manual. Additionally, Yaesu has posted these files on their website and included a third manual which is an Advanced User Guide. Be sure to download the Advance User Guide as you will need it. The manuals are typical Japanglish radio manuals which are not well written and leave a lot of questions unanswered. Typical for Yaesu manuals. Plan to do a lot of discovery to figure things out. I will try to write a brief manual on how to quickly program this radio and post it to my website.

PROGRAMMING: No software is yet available to program the radio due to it just hitting the market. The manual is vague on programming by hand, but it is pretty much like all the older Yaesu radios as far as programming by hand.