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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
AB6XS Rating: 2000-09-13
Best Radio I Have Ever Owned Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Man, what a radio and what an incredible receiver!!! I work repeaters hundreds of miles away without an issue. My other radios don't even come close. Audio reports are unbelievable. You have got to own one of these. I will be purchasing another in the next couple of months to put in my wife's car. This is the "Mother of all Radios."
WB0IIP Rating: 2000-08-26
Doesn't speak well of Yaesu Time Owned: more than 12 months.
While the radio is full of great features, attractive and easy to use, mine (and several others in this area) has spent as much or more time in Yaesu's repair facility than it has on the air. Unfortunately, the rig is not at all serviceable by the average Ham and must be repaired by Yaesu. This is my first Yaesu rig (other than a hanheld I took with me to Indonesia which performed admirably) and it will likely be my last. I now know why I disliked the "Fox Tango" bunch of yester-year.
If the radio could be made to be dependable, it would warrant a much better rating from this user.
KB3CDF Rating: 2000-08-11
Great Rig Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have had this rig for more than two years. There are more than a few ways this rig can be used in application. It is a true dual band radio. That means dual watch and crossband repeat without external duplexers are possible.

The wide band receive is nice. Listen to your local airport control towers waving off 747's on the way to work, and you will think regular 2m complaints about auto-traffic are boring.

I have used the rig in many applications: 2 mobile installations and inside my home. It ports well. At present, I use one 4x6" speaker for each section/side of the radio. Rec'd audio becomes awesome. TX audio? I am not exactly "Elvis" where people buy recordings of my voice, but I am heard.

One negative: I did have to send it back for a repair. The solder connection for the right side volume knob "opened". Although it was 13.5 months into a 12 month warranty when this occurred, Yeasu (CA, USA) repaired it for shipping costs only. It always seems to happen that way doesn't it? Auto dealers should learn from Yaesu.

Buy it, if you want a (vhf/uhf) FM, dual band mobile. Spend the $50 extra dollars over the competitors. This rig is a keeper. A good thermostat; check E-BAY. People don't sell this rig.
KB0RQS Rating: 2000-07-16
Working Out Quite Well Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Have had the rig about 6 months and all is going really good. Like the configuration of the mike and the controls on it. Programming was pretty good but wish you could do direct entry for the frequencies. In northern Minnesota, have not had any problems with the wide scan, but could see a problem in the more populated areas. As when I have traveled. Have not been disapointed with the purchase of this and would recommend to hams looking for a good, solid mobile rig
KC7ZKC Rating: 2000-01-17
ONCE THE BUGS WERE OUT ITS A GREAT RADIO Time Owned: unknown months.
I have had this radio for several years and had to send it into the factory several times the first year. I problems I experienced were related to the volume\squelch control knobs not working and the microphone ptt sticking on. It had to be returned twice for those problems. With all due respect to Yeasu the unit is installed in a one ton four wheel drive here in Idaho and has seen its share of severe cold and mountain roads. It has performed flawlessly for the last fifteen months under those conditions.
KF6WAX Rating: 2000-01-17
EASY TO USE-BUT OUT OF HAM BANDS NOT SO GOOD! Time Owned: unknown months.
I have now used the 8100R for several months and find it overall easy to use.
Programming is pretty easy from the get go.
HOWEVER! the receive on out of ham band is somewhat flaky and particulary down in the AM part of the band around where you would expect to find some public service and air frequencies.
This only happens on the right hand side of the display and when it goes below about about 128.000 - 134.000 the last three digits of the display start to flicker and you start to hear things that you do not expect to hear!
I have asked Yaesu about this and they say, "That side of the radio is not dedicated like the left side to the two meter band and the area that is giving the most problem is out of the Amatuer bands".
This from a fully reversable vhv-uhf rig!
Otherwise the performance is great and no other problems of note except that Yaesu mike!
Can we have a mike with more features like the Icom mike PLEASE!
KB5VDH Rating: 2000-01-11
Great rig, easy to use. Time Owned: unknown months.
This is a great radio. The first true mobile I have ever owned, but not the first I have used. I am going to buy one for my wife's van next week, because it is fairly easy to use as well. The price of accessories won't kill you, either. The remote mount kit is a good price when compared to the Icom 2710 (found this while researching which rig to buy). I would highly recommend this to most every skill level!
FORMER_K8IG Rating: 1999-12-18
OK for general ham use Time Owned: unknown months.
I've had my 8100 for a little over 2 years and have found it to be an adequate radio. The negatives, I'm afraid, outweigh the positives. For one, the "Super-Wide" receive isn't what it's cracked up to be. It's fine in the VHF 118-174 & UHF 400-512 segments but virtually DEAF in the other ranges. Living near several 800 MHz trunking systems, they can be heard but the sensitivity is very low. Right now it has to be sent back for service due to the TX & RX disappearing after less than 60 seconds of TX at MED or HIGH power levels.
I have used this radio as mobile and base & cannot recommend it. I use my 8500R in place of the 8100R for base and use an FT-51R with adaptor & spkr/mic for mobile work