| W4XR |
Rating:  |
2023-02-17 | |
| Poor design & Awful battery life |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| I'm severely disappointed in this radio. First, there is no way the design engineers ever tried to use this HT in any real-life scenario where the volume needs to be adjusted in a hurry (takes two hands)! Stupid! REALLY stupid design! And the battery life is totally unacceptable -- seems I have to recharge after only a few minutes use, even if only on receive. How did this ever pass peer review in the design stage? |
|
| N4MJG |
Rating:      |
2022-12-29 | |
| Great HT so far AND LOVE IT SO FAR |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
AS UPDATED AS OF DEC 2022
I HAD HAD THIS 70 DR SINCE 2017 2 YEARS BEFORE MY RECENT STROKE ANYWAY STILL GREAT HT BY FAR YOU REALLY HAVE READ THE MANUEL TO UNDERSTAND THIS HT AND I STILL LOVE THIS HT !!
73
Jackie
N4MJG
Just got this HT this month in Aug 2017 yesterday my ripid changer came in still need get others !
Anyway not bad little HT atfer my VX8R died diplay stop working ! So this is my replacement !
Still more test to do and will update later on and come let you know ! how well this this HT do !!!
73
Jackie
N4MJG |
|
| KC2FYA |
Rating:     |
2022-12-28 | |
| Good Event HT. |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I have had the 70DR for about five-years now. I like everything about the radio except, the Battery Life. I elected to get two spare batteries which I rotate in charging. I use for race communications and hamfests. It is very easy to program and is solid in feel.
This would be a great starter radio for new hams, and it can access Fusion C4FM Repeaters plus is 144/440 MHz. I also have the FT-2DR and this sounds almost as good on RX audio.
----------------------
Earlier 3-star review posted by WX2WMU on 2019-03-14
I have the FT-70 for over a year now and a spare battery is a must if one uses as a race communication radio, even on the half-watt setting. The battery drains quickly and even with the power off, the battery loses voltage each day that passes.
The audio on the front speaker is fair, could be a bit louder for outdoor settings. I do like that you can not accidentally lower or raise the volume and squelch. The radio is simple to program in the field, even complex repeaters with odd splits is not a problem.
I elected to get a rapid charger set (2-piece) which is fast in charging a depleted battery. The C4FM Digital Fusion sounds amazing, especially if both parties are utilizing the "VW" setting. The analog audio is good, a little more bass than the average radio. |
|
| F1VJT |
Rating:  |
2022-07-02 | |
| Yaesu can made better... |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
A friend offer me a FT70 (thank you F6GLS!).
After some months I observe many fundamentals problems:
-battery life (yes, problem know..)
-squelch level and hysteresis
-big difference of mic level between C4FM and FM
-accessories
-charging speed
-charging voltage
-desk charger
-RF power
-scan speed
-programming process
The pros:
-good receiver
-frequency steps (and 8.33 kHz in AM band)
-good modulation (when tuned correctly)
-loud sound (powerful) out of speaker
The battery icon flash when the battery voltage drop @ 7.4V (is the nominal voltage of a LiIon battery... Yaesu, do you know??).
The squelch: set to 1 is too hard, I try to set RF squelch but the problem are still present...The hysteresis is not correct, squelch close rapidly and not re-open...(I'm forced to push the moni key...)
Mic gain: a good level for C4FM is not enough for FM mode and vice-versa, a good level for FM is too high for C4FM...
Accessories: Yaesu do not propose any solution like a bigger battery or a battery case.
Charging speed: the original power supply apply a very slow charge...more quickly with the SHB-28... a scam to sell us the desk charger? Yaesu wants us to believe that it is not possible apply a power chip internally in to transceiver? And SHB-28 is proportionally expensive (sold WITHOUT PS) and not possible to supply with a standard voltage of 12/14 V (to put it in the car for example). Impossible to see the name of the µchip on the charger unit... I don't know if is possible to apply others voltages...
Charging voltage: I purchased an aftermarket battery (chinese) and I verify the voltage final charge: 8.2/8.3V instead of 8.4V (tested on a slow and fast chargers and with original and chinese battery).
I checked fews times with a data logger and the voltage never reach 8.4/8.45V...
The desk charger is alsoo a little strange: when I put a battery on (only the battery, without HT), the LED come red (normal), green when finished (normal). After fews hours of green light and with the battery still on, the LED come back red and battery is charged for 10/15 supplementary minutes...(battery will drop alone?)
When I put a 30% discharged battery (about) the led stay green...if I put it fews times the led go to red and a new charge cycle start...
RF power: 3.7/4W instead of 5...not a problem, only fews dB...
Scan speed: hey! FT-70 has a poor µP?? Or a surplus from a FRG-9600??? Scan is relatively slow, a little bit quicly than a Baofeng UV-5R...
Programming: nearly in 2020 Yaesu is unable to make a "plug and play" hardware/software able to recognize a simple USB activity??
No comment...
I hope in a new firmware upgrade to fix all bugs
My questions are:
Why Yaesu doesn't put a mechanical switch like the previous model? They have upgraded the older FT-50 (with the SAME problem, idle current drop down battery) to FT-60 with an ON/OFF switch... The experience was inconclusive?Or too expensive???
Why Yaesu doesn't offer a real upgrade in the last firmware?
Why Yaesu doesn't publish an extended note to fix bugs?
Very disappeared from Yaesu and FT-70, my old FT-60 is more convenient and the battery life (specially with a FNB-V76LI) is simply great!
Finally, the FT-70 will not replace the glorious FT-60... except for C4FM...
...and, when I don't use it, I'm forced to put out battery from transceiver otherwise I’ll find her partially empty when I would to use it...
If users founded sames problems and aren't satisfied, please send a mail to Yaesu directly to explain your dissatisfaction!
To solve theses problems it necessary a new upgrade!
UPDATE @ july 2022
I have compared seriously FT70 with my 16 years old FT-60 for two days outdoor trek.
(T about 17° and 32°C)
FT-70D settings:
-no light
-save setted to 1 second
-no scanning or DW
-volume setted to 16
-OEM battery, fully charged (about 5/7 cycles life)
-monitor on UHF (local repeater frequency, CW beacon every 15 minutes)
-TOT 2 minutes
-full TX power
-Diamond SRH771 antenna
-voltage on power on 8.2V
FT-60R settings:
-no light
-save setted to 500 mS
-no scan or DW
-volume setted on half position
-FNB67-LI battery (2000mA, purchased in 2010, about 80/100 cycles life)
-monitor on UHF (local repeater frequency, CW beacon every 15 minutes)
-TOT 2 minutes
-full TX power
-Diamond SRH771 antenna
-voltage on power on 8.1V
Transceivers are placed symmetrically on the backpack straps
DAY 1
After two hours of walk:
FT-70: 7.8V
FT-60: 8.0/8.1V
After four hours and a QSO (totally 10 minutes TX each):
FT-70: 7.2V + battery warning
FT-60: 7.7V
At the lasts transmission (on TX mode)
FT-70: 6.6V
FT-60: 7.0V
After two hours:
FT-70: 7.2/7.1V + battery warning
FT-60: 7.8V
After one hour and a QSO (totally 6 minutes each)
FT-70: 6.7V
FT-60: 7.4V
On TX mode:
FT-70: 6.0 to 5.8V
FT-60: 6.9 to 6.5V
DAY2
(in the night the two FT are stocked in my backpack, about 17°C, for about 7 hours)
Power ON
FT-70: 6.6V
FT-60: 7.4V
After five hours:
FT-70: 6.5 to 6.4V
FT-70: 7.3V
QSO start (on TX mode)
FT-70: 5.8V to OFF after about 1.5 minutes
FT-60: 6.8 to 6.3V
FT-70 power on (6.3V) but OFF after about 1 minute TX
FT-60 continue to work
The evening:
FT-70: 6.2V and power OFF about 10/15 seconds TX
FT-60: 7.2V and I could start transmissions for more than 1 minutes, battery warning ON...
Conclusions
Two hypotheses: the OEM battery of FT-70 are a fake 1800mA or my 12 years old and used FNB-V67Li is magic!
I doesn't done importance to the icon battery of the 70 (it's wrongly setted) but battery life/technology have a very big problem.
Finally I can't count on FT-70 in case of disaster or urgency, I can't leave my QTH for more than 1 day without a lot of spare batteries.
I can't make QSOs because battery life are reduced drastically...then I can receive but not transmit... frustrating and useless in case of emergency or if I need...
I have tested aftermarket batteries and no differences between OEM and chinese one, the original seems to be a little bit more performant but no more (perhaps the same factory??)
Globally It have a very good receiver, sound loud and clear, receiver is a little bit more sensitive than predecessor but, after 18 years of technologic progres, the 70 not really evolved properly (except for C4FM).
Last point: characters on keyboard start to be fade (despite spending more time in a drawer than in my hands...)
I keep this transceiver because is a gift from a friend, that said, if I need reliable handy transceiver, I will take (or purchased) another FT-60 with FNB-V67 battery!!
Finally I take off another star from rating!
|
|
| SAPPHIRE |
Rating:      |
2022-06-03 | |
| Good radio |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Good radio great receiver, solid radio with good basic performance
To optimize the battery life, set:
Menu 48 rx save 0,8 second
Menu 14 dimmer level 2
Menu 28 lamp 2 sec
Menu 56 Tot 1.0 M
Menu 10 Bsy Led off
To improve the sensitivity of the microphone, set menu 31 Mic gain level 9 |
|
| DK2JEQ |
Rating:   |
2022-01-17 | |
| don't buy it |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
in the past 35 years I always used HT'S in the Kenwood TH79 and Icom ID-xx league; this Yaesu is a joke: it's ugly (tiny display in a big frame), two band but not at the same time, the battery needs to be recharged after a 15 minutes QSO, modulation is low; compared to a cheap Boafeng I can't detect any difference, but the Baofeng's battery is very, very good: when I switched on a Baofeng I forgot in the car for two years, the battery was still full charged;
some people say that you buy reliability, but for the same money I can buy one Baofeng and six other backup HT's;
yes, C4FM, you pay for that, perhaps;
|
|
| KT8R |
Rating:     |
2022-01-13 | |
| Needs a little more improvement. |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Needs a better battery. Needs louder receive audio.
Aside from those two complaints, great inexpensive way to start Fusion and use the YSF repeaters. |
|
| SQ7SCD |
Rating:    |
2022-01-12 | |
| Far from ideal |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I'm a Fusion fanboy and I really wanted a Fusion handheld. Bought this because I didn't want the touch screen on a HT. I've owned it for over 6 months and I've used it in different conditions, and in general, it does the job. Allows you to communicate with others and that's the most important thing. Some things however are designed really badly - this is still a flawed model.
Pros:
- clear audio
- cheapest of the bunch
- splash proof
Cons:
- speaker is still not loud enough in very noisy conditions
- battery life AND battery charge indicator both could be improved. it takes only a few transmissions to get the battery icon show up with 1/2 charge, and you spend most of your time transmitting with an empty battery icon. What's going on there?
- adjusting volume is very difficult if you are not holding the radio with both hands. For example, when it's attached to your belt or a backpack. Stupid design.
- display shows too little information and only shows capital letters
- only supports basic Wires-x capabilities
- programming is a nightmare! No matter if you use Yaesu's ADMS software or CHIRP, the procedure of connecting the radio with your PC is the worst concept ever
- bulky size makes it difficult to operate with smaller hands, especially with the belt clip attached
Would I buy it again? I don't think so. I also think it should be $30, if not $50 cheaper.
My recipe for a newer model:
1. redesign the chassis. Make it slimmer and taller. It should be so nice to hold that you even want to take it to the restroom with you
2. give it a dot matrix display with a nicer backlight, like FT-65 maybe, but larger (not the touch screen!)
3. implement other wires-x features like messaging and room browsing
4. improve the battery life AND the battery charge indicator
5. give it a normal volume knob. Then allow adjusting the lock function to also lock the volume knob from accidental turns!
6. give it a GPS receiver, even if only for Fusion distance calculations and current position readout
7. think of a better programming solution, because ADMS is a total disaster; also allow setting BCLO for specific channel. It's currently a global ON/OFF option.
8. and finally keep the price at the same level.
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|
| W6CJ |
Rating:     |
2021-10-25 | |
| Good starter radio for C4FM - Good for outdoor carry. |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
My first jump into C4FM was with the FT3DR. In spite of the FT3DRs features, Yaesu forgot about receive audio in that model...shrill and tinny! While considering the new FT5DR (said to have slightly better receive audio - on C4FM), I decided instead to spend my FT5DR budget on two FT70DRs and accessories.
There are several side-by-side videos out there; comparing speaker audio from the FT70, FT3, and the new FT5. If you want to hear your radio outdoors or in a moving vehicle, you might consider the FT70, which is louder than the FT3 and has more midrange audio.
If considering an FT70DR, I strongly recommend the RT Systems radio programming software and associated USB cable. Forget about the Yaesu ADMS software and that absurd routine of disconnecting/connecting the cable and pressing buttons. RT Systems has good customer service. Programming by hand is not too difficult with the FT70D, should you find that necessary when travelling.
The manual included with the FT70D is a basic manual. Like most Yaesu manuals, much of the contents appear to be badly translated English, so important concepts are lost in translation. Their idea of what belongs in a basic manual (and what does not) is flawed. You will also have to go to the Yaesu site and download the other manuals for the FT70.... the FT70 is not the only Yaesu radio with multiple manuals.
The FT70 display is easier to read in daylight (as compared to the FT3D display). A few have griped about setting the volume control - you have to hold the VOL key while twisting the VFO/CHANNEL knob. I like that you can program each memory channel with its own power level - High=5w, Mid=2w, Low=0.5w.
Channel memories can be programmed with frequency numerics, or with 6-figure alpha tags (both are not visible at the same time). Memory banks can be enabled, for example, a bank for the repeaters in each region you travel to.
Some have griped about short battery life. I bought extra batteries, the car-charging cable and the 12-v cable - I attached powerpoles to the ends of the 12-V cable, so I'm in good shape for power and batteries.
My FT3DR? I'm keeping it at home. It makes a great Wires-X Access Point.
73,
W6CJ
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|
| VE7REN |
Rating:     |
2021-10-03 | |
| good,but need some options.. like AA PACK |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
ok,now ive owned this radio for over a year,and find it to be easy to program manually,like the lcd and its lighting for darker evenings,but the overall build quality is not like the ft170,270,ft60,etc. it is cheaper feeling,less heavy,most likely due to lion batteries,but it is not as well built as the forementioned and has a plasticky feeling. the price is appropriate for a digital dualband!
NOW,what i would have liked to have seen,is the option of having a extra AA pack for emergency purposes. i never purchase a handheld unless it has a external power input,as i use it from the vehicle or atv if need be,but,i hesitantly bought this radio knowing it did not have the AA pack,hoping somewhere somehow ,someone would eventually make one for it! well,that has not happened yet,and i constantly leave my radio plugged in via outside power port adapter to my atv when im in the bush,as i always want a full charge when need be. thats about my only 2 quirks with this radio......kind of cheapy feel,and no AA pack.. cmon yaesu,. ide only buy again on the used market if the price was right.my other radios are the icom t70 dualband,which will eat this radio all day long with battery,loudness,and toughness feel. |
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