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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-8100R

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-8100R
Reviews: 88MSRP: 699.00
Description:
Dual Band 2 meter/440 Remote capable 1200/9600 data interface
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/ft8100.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00883.1
KF6VTA Rating: 2014-08-07
An old friend comes back home !!!!!!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Sooooo many bad reviews on this radio. Yes! Many are right. I'm the first one to say that i had to fix the front volume controls. One day the right band wouldn't react to the turns of the knob. Yes! The unit gets hot even on standby mode without pressing the PTT. BUT... How about the good... Full duplex, AMAZING quality audio out in transmission... Sensitive receiver and mic. Several ilumination levels, crossband full or one way with a quality of sound unreachable by any other dual bander. Unit had its flows when built. Pitty because this unit is been one of my "all times favourite". Even the size of the display is bigger than any other dual bander these days. I use it everyday to monitor the bands and hear most of the time. I bought it new old stock from a deceased HAM. I want to keep honoring his decission to buy one amazing dual bander of all times... The FT-8100R. !

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Earlier 4-star review posted by KF6VTA on 2014-06-28

My experience with 4 of these radios from different years and production dates is like everybody else. Issues. Several problems behind the main screen with volume buttons. Leaking parts that brake traces, Lithium battery getting depleted and having to replace taking appart the whole front of the radio to reach it. Modifications done or to be done by myself because of the poor ingeniering. Overheat in stand by..Not burning, but hotter than normal..Just listening!!! My current model is 1998 production, didn't have any mods done. It failed behind the screen and the technician had to resolder components behind the volume knobs and reroute two traces ..Hummmm I love the radio because of the nice screen, nice audio in/out ( With external speaker ) and the features. It has a fast scanner and holds enought memories for all the repeaters I use. The other three models before this one were different ...another with problems behind the screen and volume knobs. The two first ones were from 2004 and they performed very very well. Never problems. I guess it all depends on what year of production it was manufactured. I understand Yaesu made different Mods to correct some of the issues. If you buy one, be sure it was manufactured after 2001. with all these...I still recomend it. Love this radio.
AC5LP Rating: 2012-05-14
Good Experience Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this radio for at least 10 years. It has been in and out of vehicles and is currently installed in the shack. The only problem I have with this rig is that the fan comes on as soon as you transmit and is louder than I would like it ti be inside my shack.

This is easily the best mobile VHF/UHF rig I have owned and I would not hesitate to recommend a friend purchase this model of rig if he were looking for a good used mobile dual-band radio.
VK2TDG Rating: 2011-11-25
Rock solid workhorse Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought my 8100 back in 2000, and it's never skipped a beat. It spent 4 years in the car, went through two remote-head kits (they don't like direct sun so much..), came out and spent 3 years as the local APRS Igate, and then went under the seat of my motorbike with an OpenTracker. These days it lives on my workbench connected to a TNC as a digipeater, and it's still going strong! We're talking 50,000+ hours, primarily on 2m at full 50w, and it's still a great workhorse!

The one problem that I've had, is that 'something' changed in the PTT circuitry after the PSU I was using died (taking out something in the input to the radio - thankfully fixed by the supplier of the PSU!), and my MFJ TNC's had to be modified to a higher rated switching circuit, as they stopped being able pull the PTT line low reliably.

It's an expensive radio ($1200 in 2000 here in .au), but having given 11 years of service, it's well worth it! The 8100 was replaced in the car by a Kenwood D710, and I still daily consider swapping back to separate APRS and voice rigs!
PA3FPZ Rating: 2011-03-21
Disaster Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Gave this unit a last and final chance and thought this could be the ultimate repair. Had it working perfectly and gave me a smile. Very nice rig when operational, hence the reason for yet another repair, but ………… you guessed it, it broke down again. Same intermittent problems, all related to a poor main board on 2 meters. The 70 cm seems to be OK, but 2 meters is an absolute disaster, mostly PA related. A real shame Yaesu could not do a better job!

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Earlier 0-star review posted by PA3FPZ on 2008-09-08

It has happened again, it died on me for the 6th time. Done all the repairs mentioned on Internet to no avail. A bin job, do not buy this radio!!!!!
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Earlier 0-star review posted by PA3FPZ on 2008-07-06

To summarise the last few years, everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Do not even think of buying this rig, unless you have very good nerves and a lot of patience. This rig spend mote time on my workbench than on the air.
W6GEE Rating: 2010-05-05
Makes a great scanner! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Intermittent transmit power failure and display malfunctions. Rig works reliably about 75-80% of the time, but not rock-solid like other VHF/UHF mobile rigs I've owned and used in the past. From other postive reviews I've read, I guess I might've gotten a lemon out of the crop. If you want to buy one, pay your money and take your chances.
G4IRQ Rating: 2010-03-15
Never had a problem Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I bought this rig second-hand many years ago and I must say that it has never put a foot wrong. It has a good, clear, well-lit display, takes up very little space and gives you most of the bells and whistles' of contemporary radios.

It has plenty of power and is also a 'true' dual-bander in that you can TX on one band and simultaneously listen on the other if you wish.

I suspect the only reason I would get rid of it would be because I was getting bored with staring at the same radio for 10+ years as I have never had a problem with it.
F1HKN Rating: 2010-01-17
No problem! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have one since 2000 for use in my car and as a portable station in field operation. Today, this rig is "like as it was the first day". I never met a problem with it. An imperative condition: make the power connection directly on the car battery. Use with relays and transponders on cross bands in mountains is very easy. Just needs an external loudspeaker for a good listening.
KF5SA Rating: 2008-08-28
This is a great and reliable radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I used my FT-8100R mobile for many years and it never let me down. It has a lot of function and was extremely reliable. The only reason I rate it a 4 is because it doesn't have all the bells and whistles that recent new models have.
OE6MDF Rating: 2007-11-14
Need rework after 3 years Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Problems with the volumeknobs, thanks to this reviews I found the fault on my FT8100R and now it works fine again.
I do not reach the advertised RF output on 2m and 70cm.
WV4R Rating: 2007-10-17
NINE Years & nary hiccup! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After FOUR FT-8500 units in use all over TheFarm, purchased the FT-8100 along about 1998. Have replaced the lithium battery, of course... it has never blinked in NINE years! Now feeling snake-bit about my proven reliable unit with all the 'dissing' here since have had Zero problemos! Do prefer Yeasu Hi-Band equipment due to Features/Price. Use a 5" External speaker with switching 110vac supply for Base Station or camper use only... Never had it mobile in the truck/tractor. Have Plenty of audio & fidelity on receive. Made the 'standard' Mic-Mod which gives me Fuller & Richer sounding audio, cost Nothing but a few minutes time... you can read about the Mic-Mod which is nothing more than making the Holes bigger on the mic cover/removing the plastic blocking disc inside the element cavity. I made this mod. to all my Yeasu radios including the FT-100D. On SSB you can Really notice the difference in transmit audio quality. The receive quality is very good in the General Coverage receiver, controls are pretty intuitive compared to FT-8500. Programable from my laptop computer. NOTE: Yeasu Factory advised they no longer support a Number of Out-Of-Warranty radios, Including the FT-8100. So... NINE years of flawless functioning gets the WV4R FIVE-STAR Rating.




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Earlier 5-star review posted by WV4R on 2004-05-11

After FOUR FT-8500 units which I use all over TheFarm for Listening to just about anything as I work... a neighbor bot one of the FT-8500 units so I replaced it with the current production unit, FT-8100 along about 1998. I have replaced the lithium battery, of course... and it has never blinked in almost SIX years! I am now feeling snake-bit about my proven unit with all the 'dissing' here since I have had Zero problemos! I do prefer Yeasu Hi-Band equipment due to Features and Price. I use a 5" External speaker and have Plenty of audio. I made the 'standard' Mic-Mod which gives me Fuller and Richer sounding audio and cost Nothing but a few minutes time... you can read about the Mic-Mod which is nothing more than making the Holes bigger on the mic cover and removing the plastic blocking disc inside the element cavity. I made this mod. to all my Yeasu radios including the FT-100D and on SSB you can Really notice the difference in audio quality. The receive quality is very good in the General Coverage receiver and controls are pretty intuitive compared to FT-8500 which I program from my laptop computer. So... Six years of flawless functioning gets the WV4R FIVE-STAR Rating. 73 es God bless, murf/wv4r.