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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-2400M

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-2400M
Reviews: 27MSRP: discontinued, typical used ~90.0
Description:
2 meter mobile
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00274.4
KA0JQF Rating: 2020-04-14
Rock solid workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned my FT2400 since new in 1993. It's been installed in three or four different cars over a couple decades, been used and abused plenty.. then replaced and set on the shelf for several years. I brought it back to life a year or two back, replacing the soldered in battery with a battery holder for a lithium button cell and microphone capacitor replacement. It's now set up at home as my base radio and just keeps on working.
KD0KUK Rating: 2011-09-27
Good?? Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just got a FT2400H
Although it works well I do have a (minor) negative comment.
The main reason for my review is the joke of a memory battery installation in my radio that I thought some might find humorous.
The memory battery appeared dead so I did a search to find out where it was and found information about batteries spot welded or soldered in.
Upon examination I found that the installation in mine was as follows.
It was neither spot welded or soldered. Obviously they placed the NEG tab on the battery and then merely stuck the tab to the battery with the double sided foam tape and then stuck it to the IC on the board...Then they did the same thing to the top with double sided foam tape...I guess relying on the pressure on the tape to make (good??) contact once the face was back in place.
Slick huh?? NOT.... I even found a couple of comments from Yaesu saying they did not use a battery holder because the battery might come loose in mobile use LMAO
Trust me the tab ends at the battery had never seen solder or anything else, and on top of it all the battery was at 2.8V from a 3 V battery. The glue from the tape had oozed under the tab making a poor connection
Sooooo if you read this carefully remove the tape and see if the tabs are merely stuck in place with the double sided tape...if it is then write Yaesu and tell them how impressed you are with their technical design department...
Probably stole the idea from Red Green.
No wonder they tell you to have them replace the battery in the manual.
Heaven forbid you would attempt such a tricky and highly technical installation.
K1FW Rating: 2008-12-21
A 2-meter tank Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had an FT-2400H (not FT-2400M) (?) for about 15 years. (I have also owned an FT-7400H, the 440 twin of this rig, for which I have also written a nearly identical review here, for almost as long.) The rig is built like a brick, and it inspires confidence that it will never, ever let me down. (In the interest of full disclosure, though, I have to admit that I have not had to treat the rig as roughly as a few other reviewers here have reported treating theirs - {g}.)

The receiver is simply solid (both sensitive and selective). The transmitter seems to work very nicely (whether from home or on the road). Frequency selection and memory selection are quite intuitive (although on-the-fly tone selection for repeaters not already in memory is a bit of a nuisance when mobile in the car).

The only thing I have ~never~ cared for at all with this rig is the MH-27 microphone. Although my hands are not overly large, the mike has always felt too small and too light - I'd've preferred something a bit more substantial. In addition, I find using the freq-up/freq-down tune/scan buttons on the top of the mike without also accidentally triggering the PTT switch does take a bit of care (and I don't think one should have to ~think~ about a mike in order to use it). But, I have no complaints about the brick attached to the ~other~ end of the mike cord...

I recently did have to replace the memory battery, and found that to be a bit of a pain for my old eyes (it's soldered in place by its tabs behind the front panel, with a little square of double-sided foam tape for additional support). However, while I griped at first about having to go to so much trouble just to replace a simple memory battery, I reminded myself that the ease of replacement that a spring-mounted battery holder might have provided might also make for a battery which could be "bounced" out of place by mechanical shock - it could be that a transceiver built to military specs might require something more dependable (?). In any event, the folks at the Yaesu/Vertex parts department (714-827-7600) provided the battery fairly cheaply and quite quickly (it's part number Q9000552 and cost $3.67 in late 2008).

I guess I might wish (but more for the 2400 on 2M than for the 7400 on 70cm) that the unit had a few more memories at times, but, to be honest, I don't really need them as badly as I might claim I do. [More importantly, I just wish I knew which software could be used for programming the 2400 from a PC (does anyone know?).]

So, I am hoping that my FT-2400H will go on forever, and it does give me the feeling that it just might. Heck, maybe it'll even outlast its owner (I'm not really hoping for that, though - {g}.).
N4NLQ Rating: 2007-12-17
Low Audio Fix Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is not so much a review as it is a response to the report of low transmit audio. The MH-27 mic is a little small for my liking and feels a bit fragile. However, I've owned 5 of them since the early 1990's and have yet to physically break one. Remember, I'm the guy who asked the salesman at the cell phone store if he had anything larger!!

The radio itself is nearly bulletproof. I've really abused them and other than the panel lamps and backup battery I haven't been able to break them. But HEY! The things are 16 years old - lamps and batteries don't last forever. High brightness LEDs weren't around in the early 1990's. I read the other reviews posted here and agree with most of them. I'm sorry to hear that Yaesu factory service has gotten so poor.

The low audio problem in the MH-27 mic used with the FT-2400 is caused by the use of 50 volt (Yes, 50 volt) electrolytic capacitors to couple both the Touch Tone and mic audio into the line. The 5 volts in the mic just isn't enough to keep them "formed" and they gradually go open. I have a narrative repair procedure and scanned schematic put together from the suggestions and contributions of several Hams here on eHam. I have successfully repaired mine. Email and I'll be happy to share. Allan - N4NLQ
K9EUI Rating: 2007-12-08
pretty good radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I agree with what others have said about the lousy display lighting - it sucks.

If you are experiencing low or bad transmit audio and use the MH-27 mic see my review on that mic.

I don't understand why anyone would make a rig without mic gain and deviation controls. These are a must in my book.
KB9MNM Rating: 2007-07-07
So Far So Good Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This rig was given to me by a friend who used it strictly for packet. I have taken it in and out of vehicles, used it as a base rig and now it's back in my car. It's a brute. Always good signal reports. One minor complaint: the "light sensor" illumination for the display. It is dark in the dark, and light in the light. Does this make sense? Really, it's unreadable at night unless you have the radio at eye level. Mount it any other way and you are only guessing what channel you are on. So, I am venturing into the world of LED replacements for the display. If anyone has any info on a mod like this please let me know. Thanks Mike for the radio. It will be held onto and hopefully my kids will use it some day.
K8UV Rating: 2007-06-22
Given the abuse, it has be a good radio all around Time Owned: more than 12 months.
My 2400 was one of the first out when I purchased it. I modified it for Marine and used it on a sailboat that spent a lot of time on the Pacific Ocean. Also of course used it on coastal ham repeaters. Now, 15 years later, low output (28 watts max) and complaints about low audio. I can live with the 28 watts, however any suggestions on the low audio? Went through the Mic. cleaned it and made sure the element was not obscured etc. Thanks, Rich K8UV
KB4TPP Rating: 2006-09-15
Classic LMR grade 2 meter rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Just picked one up off Ebay for a heck of a price and it took me back to 1992 when they first came out. The 2400 was the first MilSpec 2 meter mobile and it is built on the Vertex FTL2011/7011 chassis. This is a quality radio and had alot of features in it's day like alphanumeric tags, 3 TX power settings, CTCSS encode (decode with optional board) and DTMF paging (optional). I love the build quality of this unit. I was lucky enough to get one with the optional CTCSS module AND the DTMF module installed! The radio has very clean and clear TX audio, RX sensitivity is incredible. I originally intended to install this oldie in my car but she is too pristine so I am running it as a base. These are reliable quality radios. The only trouble is the backlights fail and the radio does rely on a lithium button cell battery for memory backup when DC power is lost. It is kind of a PITA to replace as it is soldered to the display/CPU board and requires disassembly of the radio and the front face to get at. Other than that there trouble free. This was the mobile that started it all with MilSpec in ham radios...
KE4DJV Rating: 2006-09-11
One tough rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my FT2400M brand new in July 1993, with special modification for use on CAP/MARS freqs, cost me $425USD. I used it mostly for Civil Air Patrol as I'm a CAP commo officer. In the 7 years I had it, it was used in several vehicles, as a base rig, in the field hooked to a car battery or generator, dropped in the mud once or twice on search and rescue missions, beat to death on packet when packet was big, and also used for occasional backup to my volunteer fire dept. VHF radio. Only problems were I wore out the microphone and in very cold weather it would just quit working below say 35 degrees (this was used as a SAR field rig keep in mind). I do recall it losing memories when it got older, but I think it was due to aging power connections/wiring and being moved from vehicle to base use and back again repeatedly. It would get a bit hot during packet use or extended TX. Was hooked to Astron RS35A power supply for base use with great results. Only real problem using it for CAP back then was it had airband receive, but it was FM-mode only and of course airband uses AM-mode, so you couldn't hear any aircraft whatsoever. Useless for finding ELT's on 121.5mhz!!! A slight intermod problem when in downtown between the skyscrapers but not bad. I sold it in 2000 all scratched up, banged up and dirty and it kept on truckin' for another couple years in my friend's car until it was stolen, performance never let either of us down. It even saved my life once when I got caught in a flash flood when it hit a repeater 70+ miles away (with a 5/8-wave radio shack antenna no less). I highly recommend this model radio, just replaced it with a new FT7800R after 6 years without a mobile unit.
KC9HDZ Rating: 2005-05-07
Low voice out out Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Purchased this radio from an ad on the ARRL website. Radio is in good shape. But the voice output is to low. Power output is good, but folks say I sound like I am in the basement.. Removed the little disk in the mic and replaced the RJ-45 but still low output. Seems to come and go.

Any ideas on this issue? Using a mh-27 mic.

Other wise seems like a good little radio.
Now using a FT-2800 and love it. But would like to fix the low voice issue.

Email if you have any suggestions
tims@proalert.us