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Reviews For: Yaesu FRG-7700

Category: Receivers: General Coverage

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FRG-7700
Reviews: 17MSRP: 550.00 in 1981
Description:
Dual conversion PLL frequency synthesized receiver covering 15KHz to 30MHz. AC only with 12 hr clock with AM/PM sleep timer and programmable on/off timer.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.dxing.com/rx/frg7000.htm
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00174.1
VK2JEM Rating: 2017-07-25
Not much chop Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Had one
At same time had FRG7 and kenwood r1000. Kept them two, sold the 7700.

Filters too broad, not that sensitive, overloaded with images on a big antenna.

Nothing to write home about. Is Ok if you see it at a cheap price and dont expect much. But there's better buys for your buck.
DXTUNER Rating: 2012-11-20
One of the better basic sets out there. Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got one of these used. Its more sensitive than I expected. I thought it was going to be more on the mild-mannered side, like my FRG-8800 was. Not the case with the FRG-7700 (thankfully) - it has good signal gain. I'd say its receive characteristic is a step above the Kenwood R-1000, which it resembles in concept. The FRG-7700's audio I also prefer. Its punchy, while the R-1000 has more gentle audio. I like punchy especially for sideband.

I recommend the FRG-7700 to someone looking for good, solid SWL rig that doesn't do too much, but doesn't do too little, and offers the feel of a classic communications receiver. I wouldn't pay a penny over $250 for it though.
BXLISTENER Rating: 2011-01-22
It's a nice receiver. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned my Frog for 2 years now and it has been my main receiver for about 19 months. It has no extras like the memory unit or ATU and I have about 80ft of wire for the aerial. My listening is 99% broadcast and at first I found the narrow AM filter a bit too narrow and the medium filter a bit wide but after awhile I found judicious use of the tuning knob helped a lot. On narrow setting the digital frequency display is spot on but is about 2kHz out on medium, ie to listen to RTI on 3965 I select 3963 on the display. Another solution is to switch the display to CLOCK and use the nice illuminated semi-circular analogue display behind the tuning knob which can be adjusted for accuracy using the ring behind the tuning knob. The date code on the back panel is H1 (August 1981). It is a nice simple radio to use (not a menu button in sight!) and it has a good old analogue S meter. The needle on the S meter is a little hard to see, maybe white would have been a better colour than grey? Otherwise I really like this receivers looks and the feel of its controlls. I find it does drift down frequency a bit during the first hour after switch on but no more than 1kHz. I've removed the small panel at the back where the memory module is supposed to be to improve the airflow inside the case as it does run a little warm. Finally I have to say that if a station is coming in loud and in the clear like CRI on 17490kHz or Radio 4 on 198kHz then the wide filter (12kHz!!!) sounds FANTASTIC.
ERIEDXER Rating: 2010-11-08
Very nice GC receiver Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The FRG-7700 is an excellent little receiver for shortwave listening. It is ultra simple to use and has great sounding audio. No big bells and whistles, yet in turn nothing to annoy you operating it. Even with an average antenna, it will keep you well entertained. The receiver is well made and reliable, I have come across several that have never had their covers removed despite being over 30 years old. True, this receiver does not have the sensitivity or selectivity of thousand dollar receivers, but that is expected for its price. The sensitivity and selectivity are very good however for a CG receiver, on par with a middle range tube reciever like a Hammarlund HQ-145. The 7700 excels in stability which is superb. Turn it on stone cold, tune it in, and it will stay put for as long as you want it to with rock solid PLL tuning- its one of the best early PLL's I've come across.

These receivers are staring to get expensive on the used market. If you can find one with the memory module great, but if not don't worry about it, it's not that useful anyways. Of all the communications receivers I own, I find myself using the FRG-7700 the most for its simplicity, solid SW performance, great sound from the built in speaker and stability right from turn on.
FPX77 Rating: 2009-03-08
Not so good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have bought a new FRG7700 on 1984.At this time I had also a Hammarlund SP600.In true I was disappointed by the performances of this FRG,sensitivity only fair,a weak station heard on the SP600,was not audible on the Yaesu.Another annoyment is frequent overloading constated with a good antenna.It is the reason of the antenna tuner FRT7700.Happily I have the opportunity to buy an used Icom 70 and I have compared the 2 sets on all bands and various antennas.In all cases the R70 outperform the FRG ,so I have sold this Yaesu.I do not recommend it,a FRG7 is a better value!Now I ever have the R70,and 2 FRG7!
David Meyer Rating: 2009-02-08
This was a great radio for 1980 Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I purchased my FRG-7700 in 1980 while I was a Marine stationed in Japan. It cost me $450 then (after the conversion to Yen). What a great radio. I spent countless hours listening to world wide broadcasts and hams. It has a great SSB sound that to me is so endearing and inherently shortwave.

To this day, it sits proudly along my IC-7700.
N2PTF Rating: 2008-10-07
Very good audio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just received this rig used from a ham in Ohio. Also came with the FRT-7700. While not a necessity, the little tuner does help peak the signal a bit using a long wire. I also noted an oscillation around 650 Khz without the tuner. Turning it on and peaking the signal got rid of it. This classic Frog may not have the filters as my TS-690S on SSB and CW, but I believe the 7700 does have fuller audio on AM, even though the 690 uses an outboard bookshelf speaker. I skipped Ebay, as some of the prices are going up and up. I found mine in the QTH.com classifieds, which can be a better choice since you would be more likely dealing with a ham instead of some of the dinkuses on ebay that sometimes sell stuff they know nothing about. If you want an extra receiver to listen to in a den, bedroom, etc this could be a good choice. I love the comment below about one reviewer listening to the Cold War on it. Classic !!
PA0PGA Rating: 2005-03-29
One of the best Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I own two of this receivers and am very pleased with their performance. I have more receivers in the boatanchor catagory, like the Racal's and R390A and only the R390A has better sensitivity, than this little frog. I like the Frog's very much, because I can drag them around the house or garden when I want to listen. (Do that with a R390A and you are in for a hernia hi. ) Tuning is very light and can be very exact, due the stable VFO. The audio is very good and filtering is better than you expect from a receiver from this age and price. I don't have the memory option, but that is no great loss. I own also the tuner FRT-7700 and the active antenna FRA-7700, but never use them, because they are unnecessary, if you use a normal dipole or longwire antenna.
In short: Highly recommendable for a newcomer because the price is mostly around 175 euro overhere. You can have lots of fun for that money. The only disadvantage is the obtainability of spare parts, like the displaydriver, but that is true for every receiver of this age. So grab one when the price is right, you will not be disappointed.
M1JDK Rating: 2004-09-18
A true classic Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This RX has the best sounding audio straight from the box of any receiver I've ever listened to. If you see one at a rally in good condition for under £100, my advice would be to buy it!

If you can, try to get the (operating) manual with it because you'll probably need to re-align the VCO stages before long. It's worth going through the whole alignment procedure - mine was transformed and went from being average to top notch. It's now the most sensitive RX in my shack, and that includes equipment that is only a year or two old and cost 10 or 20 times the price.

If there's one disappointment it's that the main tuning dial has an outer bezel that looks like it would provide a rapid tune through a band - but all it does is move the analogue dial away from being in sync with the digital display. Mine hasn't got the memory option, it's no great loss. Don't bother with the matching ATU - it's pants.

All in all - a lovely bit of solid Yaesu engineering that will last and last.

Mark - M1JDK - England
M3CAX Rating: 2003-05-15
Nice RX Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
It is a delight to listen to this rig. In difficult conditions it is much better than my Sony ICF-SW7600G.