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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-897 & 897D

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-897 & 897D
Reviews: 340MSRP: 1049.95
Description:
It is the world's first multi-mode high-power base/mobile transceiver designed to fitted with internal batteries (optional) for portable use. The coverage is HF 160 to 10 meters plus 50/144/430 MHz VHF/UHF. Receive is 0.1-56, 76-108, 118-164 and 420-470 MHz. 7.9x3.2x10.3 inches (200x80x263 mm).
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/amateur/ft897.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
353404.6
DL1AIW Rating: 2008-06-15
Great litte rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After working with this small rig for nearly 2 year now I am still impressed about the size, the functionality and also the performance of this rig. I use it at home, at fieldwork as a moile unit and very frequently maritime mobile. Obviously it is really unfair to compare it with other transceivers of more than twice the price. But ih the small group of mobile rigs which can also be used in the shack at home it is an own class.

If there are any disadvantages with this rig I have to mention the following:

1. If you do not like a menu-based system it will take time to learn all things that have to be managed to operate the FT 897 with satisfaction. Take this time and you will not be disappointed.

2. Operating CW on the lowbands at a powerful antenna is useless unless you haven't mounted the addidional CW-filter which has to be purchased.

The real advantages of this rig can be summarized in a few word: It is working great in all modes and at all bands, especially in the digimodes.
KJ4ASH Rating: 2008-06-04
Great mobile/base HF/VHF transceiver Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought the FT-897D as my first transceiver since recently becoming a ham. I needed a transceiver that was small, covered a wide band of frequencies and was relatively easy to use. The Yaesu FT-897D filled those requirements. If I had any beefs initially they would be too many menus and too few controls, but I have gotten used to Yaesu's way of doing things on this transceiver. The last experience I had with HF/VHF equipment was when I was in the Coast Guard and was given the opportunity to work and repair some great equipment. Most all of it was still using tubes. The FT-897D is quite a change!

73,

KJ4ASH
AA5TB Rating: 2008-05-29
A Good Buy! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have the FT-897D manufactured in January of 2007 based on the serial number. To break it in I worked VP6DX on 12 band/modes with it with only a simple inverted-L wire antenna in my trees.

I have had no problems with the radio. It does what Yaesu says it will do. It has an amazing amount of features for a small radio. The main difference between this radio and more expensive models is that most of the functions are accessed through menus rather then having a button or a knob on the front panel. Only the most common knobs are on the front panel, similar to an old TS-130S. That is just a fact of life for small but versatile radios. You either like that or you don't so choose accordingly.

I recently purchased the W4RT 300 Hz Collins mechanical filter and the FP-30 internal power supply. With the mechanical filter it holds up well in a contest environment, at least on CW where I usually operate it. I've never detected any strong signal handling problems whatsoever. Before I got the optional filter, I would use the DSP filter with the RF gain cranked up. This would minimize the pumping of the AGC due to other signals in the IF passband and it worked fairly well. This is due to the AF DSP not being in the AGC loop. The sharp mechanical IF filter solved this issue.

I find the receiver to be quiet as long as you use the IPO (preamp), attenuator, and RF gain appropriately for the band you are on. Because of the good sensitivity of the receiver, I use the RF Gain control to reduce the noise floor; otherwise the noise will be the same amplitude as the desired signals by design. The audio chain is very quiet with no detectable hiss when the RF Gain is fully counter clockwise. You can use the DSP band pass filter to remove any extra wideband hiss in the IF chain if there is any. By the way, the AGC on my rig works superbly.

For most uses I use an external communications speaker with the rig, however, if you have a Hi-Fi speaker the audio fidelity is fantastic on FM broadcast signals. AM/SW broadcast sound very good too.

I find it to be a very good CW rig with all of the options a CW will like such as CW/CW Reverse, adjustable delay, QSK, adjustable sidetone level and offset. Also, if you are on SSB you can still send CW with the correct offset so that you can easily work cross-mode. This has helped a lot for me when the SSB just didn't cut it and I still needed to get the message through.

When I measured the power output I found that the actual power output matched the power setting in watts from 5 to 100 watts. Also, at the 5 watt setting the transmitter was still pretty efficient, much more so then my Ten-Tec Argonaut V was at 5 watts.

Even with the internal power supply and CW rag chews at 100 watts the rig stays cool to the touch. Yaesu did a good job keeping this rig cool.

Minor negatives:

1. The dual fans can be annoying in a quiet room. It would be nice if they could be disabled when operating QRP or in cool environments.

2. When on SSB the default BFO setting is such that is removes too many lows for my liking. This can easily be set in the menus to your taste but the settings also affect the CW passband for some reason.

3. The QSK on HF uses an annoying little relay like most non-Ten-Tec rigs but at least on VHF/UHF it has all solid state switching.

4. The CAT control cable (sold separately) is designed for the old 9-pin serial port connection. Of course most computers these days use USB ports so you will also have to purchase a USB-to-Serial port adapter. If you purchase these two items new they can be rather expensive. I wish new rigs had a standard USB port on them and be done with it.

5. On VHF/UHF FM, the default squelch setting is very close to the noise threshold. I have to go into the menu and switch the RF Gain control to Squelch control and set it manually to keep my sanity.

I’ve had no problems with this radio. The few times something acted up and I thought there was a problem it always turned out to be 'operator error'. I have accidentally (external antenna switch in wrong position) transmitted 100 watts into ‘nothing’ on HF with no apparent ill side effects. It protected itself pretty well, at least that time.

Overall, it is a great rig for what it is designed for, that is, a small, full featured, medium powered rig that can be taken portable and can operate from a variety of power sources.

Disclaimer: I usually operate with very simple equipment and simple antennas so I do not subject my rigs to the same signal environment a contest station or a lab test does. Also, I don’t due any ‘widebanding’ nonsense here.

73,
Steve – AA5TB

K5XS Rating: 2008-05-25
Great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've had my D model for over a year now, and I really like it.

Receiver is good (not "competition grade," but good). Transmit audio on all modes is great.

The portability is superb. Nothing like it. I bought the battery packs and charger, and it is SO cool to haul the thing out in the middle of a field somewhere and operate with no external power. I added a couple of solar chargers and that makes for some real fun.

The rig is mechanically rugged looking, and I like that.

I wouldn't want it to try to break pile-ups or pull the weak ones out on a crowded CW band, but thius rig is very good for emergency or fun portable use.

(I bought a carry-on size SKB ("Pelican"-like) case for it. Makes a great package to haul on a plane on vacation!)



----------------------
Earlier 5-star review posted by K5XS on 2007-09-19

I did not buy this rig to compete with my fixed station. I agree its receiver is not in the league of FT1000 Mk Vs, my Orion II, or other high end radios. But for what I bought it for, I don't think you can do better. The internal batteries give it a portable profile I can't find anywhere else. The built in keyer is great, and although I am generally "pro button" and "anti menu," the menu system on the 897 as friendly as any other.

If you want a great receiver for contesting, this is probably not it. If you want a highly portable, very usable, fun do-it-all rig, I think it's a great fit.
N3OQD Rating: 2008-05-04
good all around radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Would have rated it 5 if it were not for the 2m and 440 final going out. One night I had a runaway oscillation after letting go of the key. The power supply showed about 20 amps at the time. Later, I found a replacement transistor and associated surface mount high Q caps rated at 500v and did the repair myself. It is now working fine and sounds great. It may have been that I had the power cord tightly coiled so now I run it with a short run of cable.
WA3ERQ Rating: 2008-03-22
Fantastic rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I started out with the 857D for my car and enjoyed it so much I decided to go with the 897D since they are basically the same radio. Did the MARS mod which was challenging even with glasses and a magnifying glass but no problems. Made several hundred QSO's both voice and digital. Just getting started in CW so i can't give any cons. Menu driven but easy enough to get used to.
PA3GQD Rating: 2008-03-13
Nice to have Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
After enjoyng my 817 for a few years I couldn't resist buying one of these for taking on holidays and /MM.

Likes:

Many gadgets

all band

ext. analog meter (which is a gadget)

compact & portable

optional battery pwr supply

reasonably usable LF DSP

good reaonably priced filters available

rugged case

Dislikes:

Noise! They put a wagonload of noise in it. If Yaesu only mastered this one day. Must be osc. phase noise and overloading. Very unquiet RX, one gets tired listening to the radio

AGC problem on spikes. Will look into the possibility of modifying the AGC rise time for this is a bad one

very meager CAT documentation. There are more commands available than documented but Yaesy doesn't reply on requests to publish these

advice @ buyers:

don't buy one if you don't like menus (not a prob fer me) and/or get HRD

use ATT or at least IPO on bands below 14 MHz. The radio will otherwise behave hysterical. Usable with IPO and ATT, however

use as second radio or entry level radio

advice @ Yaesu:

get some Kenwood engineers and decent service/communication

for short:

Overall I'm happy because I knew what I was buying
SA3X Rating: 2008-02-21
Great! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This radio is just great for what is built for!
I have it for portable use and as a backup rig at home. I also have the AT-897, SSB and CW filter, FP-30, MD-100A8X, and the FT-meter.
I think it veery good for the bang. Have done some fine DX with it as well! And its just getting better if you do some adjustmen in the "hidden" menu. (if you now what your doing!)
K4JAH Rating: 2008-02-17
BEST BUY Time Owned: more than 12 months.
FOR WHAT THIS RADIO IS MADE FOR AND WHAT ALL IT DOES YOU JUST CANT BEAT IT. I HAVE 3 FOR DIFFERENT LOCATIONS AND FOR TRAVEL. JUST A GOOD ALL PURPOSE RIG. DO RECOMEND THE OPT MIC. YOU CAN RUN THE WHOLE RADIO FROM THE MIC AND I THINK IT IMPROVES THE TRANS AUDIO.
KC2BYV Rating: 2008-02-04
Great Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I wanted something that could do just about everything relatively well, and that is what the radio does.

SSB and digital modes work great. Good power out and clean audio. Receive is sensitive enough and works great paired with my laptop for digital modes.