| KQ4YA |
Rating:  |
2008-12-24 | |
| Swiss pocket knife of radio |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I use mine as a second rig, mostly portable. It's a surprisingly competent radio, considering the price, features and size.
My other radio is a Pro III and - as you'd sure hope - the Icom out-performs the 897d. On the other hand, the 897d is a great grab and go station; offers a lot of two-way fun when I'm staying in a cabin or hotel room ... and the wide choice of frequencies makes it a great toy just for listening.
Physically, it's built like a brick. I like the optional switching power supply - while it bulks up the radio some, it's nice to have the radio ready to go right out of the suitcase.
The menu system seems complicated and intimidating for the first hour or so, especially if you just read the manual. But, after an hour or so of sitting down at the radio and using it working with the various menu choices became intuitive.
Finally, none of this would matter if the radio was a dud when it comes to operating. But i does a competent job - the DSP sure helps since it is a tad noisy, but - with the DSP cranked in and an external speaker connected, the audio isn't unpleasant. As far as transmitted audio - I've actually had good reports using the stock mike. I think it would work fine as the only radio for many hams (obviously it wouldn't be the choice of contesters, purists or someone with exacting standards). But it would be a nice choice when dollars and space are limited. I gave it a 5 based on how well it lives up to its mission as a inexpensive portable radio ... and that, to me at least, is how it should be judged.
Owning one has made radio more fun for me. |
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| VA7MJL |
Rating: |
2008-10-06 | |
| Excellent Semi Portable Rig |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I purchased this rig in september and spent a weekend getting used to the menus and adjusting it to meet my needs. It has a very easy to understand menu system, and all adjustments are explained fairly well in the manual. Having used a FT-857 I like the FT-897 for the more ergonomic controls. |
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| SE6M |
Rating: |
2008-09-04 | |
| Very nice transceiver |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Have had mine FT-897 for about ten months now.
Some months after I bought it, I get a malfunction in the VFO-counter inside the transceiver. Some problem with the "decoder" of the VFO, but after I returned the rig to the shop, I received it some weeks later and it works perfectly after that.
I have also bought the FP-30 interial powersupply, and it works very good.
/SE6M Mats
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| N0MUD |
Rating: |
2008-08-30 | |
| Excellent Radio |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Well I've given my response in the past about this radio so will update what's been said before. I use the radio for Voice comms and getting it set up for digital comms. I also have the Kenwood TS-2000 which I bought for Sat work. I also have two Yaesu's FT-857d's which both work and tune exactly like the FT-897d. I am so used to using the FT-897d that I can almost do it with my eyes closed but I don't. But the radio is very user friendly and when you use it enough it is almost close your eyes friendly. Some people say the screen is too small, well if that is your only complaint then buy another Yaesu that does the same thing but with a bigger screen, I don't think you will find one at least with the same price. I like the different colors you can use, I have different colors for different bands, that's neat. If wanting a rig that does all bands all the way down to 440 you can't go wrong. But like I said the FT-857d does the same thing so if you need a mobile don't take your FT-897d out to your car/truck, it is big and it will work but unless you have one for the house I just recommend buying the FT-857d mobile because that's what it's for plus you can use a separation kit for the FT-857d. Each of my FT-857d's are in my camper and one in the P/U truck.
So if your not sure try to find a fellow ham in your area that has one and see if he will let you put your fingers on it or go to your local ham store and touch theirs because once you do you will buy your own and when you do include the antenna tuner that mounts right on the left hand side of the radio and it tunes your radio perfectly at the push of a button I like that feature when I switch antennas even tho my antennas are tuned perfectly.
73s and have a great Labor day weekend and be safe,
Mike, N0mud
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Earlier 5-star review posted by N0MUD on 2004-11-24
Well I had so much fun programming a friends radio and found it to be so easy to program the VHF/UHF freqs that I decided to buy my own. I bought mine from Burghardt and seeing the price that HRO is advertising $1049 I paid $849 from Burghardt. I called and spoke to Michelle and I was asking questions about a used one that they was advertising with a AT and I was told it wasn't a "D" model so asked her if they had a new one and when she told me the price I jumped on it real fast, didn't want to give her anytime to think about it. And then to put the icing on the cake I bought it Nov 17th and got it two days later Nov 19th delivered by UPS at 8:19pm. Wow a great price for a great radio and great delivery service to boot. I have the FT-857D for mobile and the FT-897D for base or camper use. You can't go wrong with this radio, it is easy to use, easy to program and the manual is easy to read. Buy one and you will thank all of us that give this radio a great rating.
Take Care and tomorrow is Thanksgiving so I wish all of you HAMS out there a very happy Thanksgiving Day. 73's Mike, N0mud |
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| AD9Z |
Rating: |
2008-08-30 | |
| I love mine! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I bought my FT-897d at the Dayton hamvention this year. It is a great radio for the price! I bought the internal power supply for it so I can take it anywhere and just plug it in! I plan on getting a buddiepole soon so I can do some portable work. This radio has it all in one box and you can take it anywhere. Great job yaesu!
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Earlier 5-star review posted by AD9Z on 2008-05-30
I've wanted one of these rigs since they first came out. I got mine for the portability, field day, camping etc... I got mine in Dayton with the FP-30 internal power supply. It's nice to have everything in one package. Is this a good contest rig?, no, It is a good little portable rig that can do it all, 160m through 70cm. I think for the price and what it is meant for, you can't beat it! Good job yaesu! I plan on getting a FT-950 or FT-2000 next! I had a MKV Field & loved it, I should have never sold it! Yaesu is #1 in my book! |
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| AE5EH |
Rating: |
2008-07-19 | |
| Talking straight. |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
Sans corny colloquialisms. Not talking about, bells, whistles, apples, (or any other kind of fruit). Not boiling anything down. Talking about radio transceivers made for use on the amateur radio frequencies.
That is all.
Lots of good ones out there. The FT897, and FT857 are among those. I have had both of these and have nothing bad to say about them.
Fact-All mfrs have produced a crappy radio or two.
Fact-Nothing is perfect. Notice the number system when you do a eham review. Notice that "5 - Great!" It does not read "perfect". Is that too obvious?
Fact-It is impossible for anyone to produce anything over and over and over that is 100 percent free of defects 100 percent of the time.
Fact-At least some (some, not all) of the bad reviews made by people were the result of a single experience. The whole world does not revolve around any one person, or special interest group. Just because you got a lemon (haven't we all?) does not provide a realistic basis to condemn all previous and subsequently produced models of your lemon. Take some responsibility for your decision. Don't be a cry baby. Learn from the mistake and move on. If it hurts when you poke yourself in the eye with a sharp stick, don't do it.
Sorry, maybe I'm trying to be too pragmatic.
I'm down to only one Yaesu radio. I've got a bunch of those "other radios". We won't talk about those here. I'll stick to the FT897.
Great display. Too small? Get some glasses, or another radio with A LARGE DISPLAY WITH LARGE CHARACTERS. 1 inch maybe. Mine was great in bright sunlight. Unlike those "other radios".
I have those "other radios" with IF level DSP. Yeah, they work well enough when you know how to use them. But so do the mechanical filters. Last couple of FD's I went to, there were 857's and 897's in force. The ops were happy campers, and making the contacts. Plenty of folks that have those "other radios" with IF level DSP, don't have a clue how to use them or what they do. I know some of those folks personally, and had to show them how to use them. Imagine that?
Too many people go looking for radios, but they don't define to themselves what they want to begin with. Or, much less how radios work to begin with.
The 897 is a decent radio for the price. I miss mine from time to time.
Don't believe everything you read in these reviews. Do your own research, and try to find one of whatever it is you are thinking about buying to try out, before you buy.
If you can.
Good luck! |
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| KK8ZZ |
Rating: |
2008-07-19 | |
| Great radio -- add a filter and make it even better! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
After selling my 897D several years ago, I sprung for another one for Field Day and other park-related trips. Had this set up in the home shack since then and been using it on the 3905 CC nets on 75 and 40....
I've not turned the ProII on since this arrived.. great fun on the nets for so much less investment !
Great Radio !!! |
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| N4CQR |
Rating: |
2008-07-02 | |
| Great Little Radio! |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
| One of the best purchases I have made in amateur radio. I purchased the FT-897(d) to replace a Icom 706MKIIG. Frankly for my operating sytle the 897 suites me better than the 706MKIIG. The only two drawbacks, for me, is high a noise floor on HF and the Small display. And in all fairness the 706MKIIG had virtually the same noise floor. Perhaps my location? What ever the case, I give the rig a 5 for portibility, build quality and functinality. A portable shack in a box.. I am very pleased. |
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| N0ESQ |
Rating: |
2008-06-29 | |
| As great as I hoped! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| Finally bit the bullet and bought this little rig for Field Day '08. Mounted it mobile with a High Sierra 1880Pro antenna at the trailer hitch on my pickup and drove through Rocky Mountain National Park. The radio matched up beautifully with the antenna and the consistent response I received from stations all over the U.S. was "Great signal for a mobile." I even parked at 12,000 feet at sunset and started announcing "CQ Field Day" on the very crowded 40m band. The radio was obviously getting out because I was getting my own pileups. Coupled with my Heil headset and a homemade pendant keyer switch, this is an easy to operate and navigate rig! |
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| KI4ESN |
Rating: |
2008-06-28 | |
| great little rig |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| I got this rig last Christmas and I really like it! It has sort of a military rugged look to it which I like. It is not a mega desk-covering multi thousand dollar rig. It is compact and menu driven. The frequently adjusted menus are easy to learn the menu number of so they can be adjusted quickly. I have not taken this rig out further than the yard but I think it would be great to have at a campsite in the mountains or anywhere for some portable dx fun. The band coverage of this rig with its small footprint and decent price makes it a great rig for base, mobile or portable use. By the way I currently use this rig as my main base station rig. |
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