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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-60R

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Hand-held

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-60R
Reviews: 324MSRP: TBA
Description:
A dual-bander io the same case format as the VX150!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=111&encProdID=PUtPQg4MnJI%3D&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
43.83244.6
WH7DX Rating: 2012-02-09
Nice Radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I picked up the Yaesu FT-60R a month ago. I replaced the standard antenna with a Diamond RH-77CA Antenna giving it better reception.

This is a tight - well made radio. Lot's of features and it does its job. I could have went with a cheaper radio but I wanted something I could trust and had more wattage then some of the other hand-held radios.

Happy Customer
WH7DX
M0TXP Rating: 2012-01-11
Good HT Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Having just got my foundation licence i thought i would start with a HT before going homebase and antennas start going on the roof/in the back garden.
I ended up with the ft60e after looking at different models, it was confusing at first but i am starting to get to grips with it as i am new to all this.
Have replaced the stock ducky with a diamond srh771 which works better (especially on 70cm)and i have ordered the arrow dual yagi satellite antenna from the states for getting into the birds
and sota from a hill/mountain.
Just buy this HT as it,s a cracker, so what it has no dstar and dual vfo, but you can program odd splits for working the birds.
Would buy another one if this went missing/broke
W8STU Rating: 2012-01-11
GREAT HT Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I bought this HT as a back up. I am really impressed with it. I found it to be very easy to program. No need for the programming cable and or program. It only took me about 10 minutes to program. The HT is very rugged. I would recommend this HT to the beginner and or to the Elmer. I give this HT 5/5. Thanks in advance. 73, Stu de W8STU
KD8BQN Rating: 2012-01-04
Rugged HT! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned two of these in about 5 years, only because I had one stolen from my Rig. I have taken this little radio everywhere, backpacking all around the rocky mountains, dropped it on pavement, mounted it on my bike, and used it as my workhorse for 70cm for a while. I have no problems, but do recommend getting an external antenna if you do a lot of work in fringe areas or in vehicles. (I'm using a little 22" whip I picked up from MFJ antenna, seems to help me get my signal out.) I also strongly recommend the AA battery shell, which is WELL worth the money if you do a lot of work on high power, which drains the battery quickly. It eats away at alkaline batteries, but in an emergency, they're readily available!

Gave a 5 rating because this is an excellent all around dual band radio, and has proved to be quite tough!
VK5CQ Rating: 2011-11-29
Yaesu is a bit Green... :-) Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
It was really great to find that batteries for this radio fit other Yaseu handhelds (even Air banders)!
This has to be good for the environment, if slightly.

On batteries, we've seen aftermarket 2.4 AH batteries (from Honk Kong) intended to fit this radio. I don't know whether I like the battery-box (for my choice of NiMH cells) or the 2.4 Ah battery more... or which has better long-term value.

I consider it unfortunate, in hindsight, that Yaesu didn't include FM broadcast band (88-108 MHz), and I guess Yaesu will have lost a bit of market share to, eg, Wouxen's UVDP1 (& similar), that let users enjoy classical music, etc. between QSOs.

On the other hand, its 20% higher Tx output on 70 cm won't be missed, by those in fringe areas of some 70 cm repeater; most Chinese handhelds have trouble pushing out 5 watts, last time I checked.

While not a true dual-receive radio, it's a very nice dual-band, even if we have to settle for dual-watch, likely due to the age of its design (~2004, I'd guess).

One problem some owners, who sail or fish, may have: If they own other Yaesu models that ARE waterproof (to some degree), there's a risk that they will assume that all of their Yaesu handhelds are also waterproof. Protect 'em all from water!

/RANT
One thing Yaesu can do (but may not want to, as it would affect their bottom-line) is make/sell ONE radio programming software, that works for ALL of their Amateur gear.

They can always increase their competitiveness in the Amateur market, ie, by releasing such a program cost-free, as Kenwood has been doing for yonks.

(If they don't, of course, hams will tend to resort to freeware, & Yaesu will still get less software sales in the end.)

Radio makers of this type should focus on what they do best: Hardware & firmware in the box, IMO.

Are you listening, Yaesu? :-)
/End RANT
KF7RLJ Rating: 2011-11-24
One of the Best Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I really like this radio. It is good for a first radio. And that is what I got it for.

KF7RLJ
Austin Sanders
N0FPE Rating: 2011-10-25
OK Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I had one for a few months. it was nice and worked well. But I disliked the single band at a time thing so I sold it. That is the main downside for me. I like having both bands on at the same time.

Oh well..

Dan


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Earlier 4-star review posted by N0FPE on 2009-10-29

Great radio but since it is not a true dual band but a one band at a time with 2 band capibilities it loses for me. I prefer an HT that can listen and transmit on VHF and UHF at the same time. I have relagated the FT-60 to backup HT in favor of the new Alinco DJ-G7T tribander
WD4HXG Rating: 2011-10-25
Not Yaesu's best Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This unit was purchased to replace an older Kenwood handheld brick which did not have integral PL Tone system to address the surge in repeaters using PL. Range was substantially less than the older Kenwood and sensitivity was less when placed side by side. User interface for programming frequencies and storing in memories is cumbersome. Given Yaesu's previous hits with amateur gear this was a big disappointment.

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Earlier 3-star review posted by WD4HXG on 2006-09-20

Purchased the unit in March of 2006. Nice package and fairly well laid out but big fingers are a setback.

The rig I purchased does not perform well with a rubber duck antenna, neither the stock antenna nor a third party gain antenna. The receiver sensitivity is better than the spec of 0.2 uV and transmit power is in the 3 watt range, substantially better than my old handheld.

Not sure why but when used with a 1/4 wave vertical with four radials mounted on the fiberglass roof of the auto the receive and transmit performance improve dramatically. One local repeater which would only break squelch and showed S-1 with either the stock or other rubber duck antennae I owned for two meters went to full scale on the internal S Meter when attached to the quarter wave. That implies at least a 48+ dB improvement with an external 1/4 wave.

In my opinion the rig is a poor performer with rubber ducks but is superb with a good antenna.
KK4EQE Rating: 2011-10-25
Sweet little HT! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I purchased this HT for a good price $159 new free ship from HRO, being newly licensed i wanted to get something that was easy to use & portable. I didn't spend too much time programing frequencies & saving them to memory. You can personalize the repeaters for each memory setting, for example 444.250 can be labled NI4CE. The owners manual is easy to comprehend as well. Too much to list but over all sweet HT!! 73s KK4EQE
KJ4WQN Rating: 2011-10-19
Good radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Purchased as my first radio and no regrets after 8 months. Replaced rubber duck with better antenna. Have used this with local nets, as mobile in truck (with external mag mount antenna) and at my base station with external antenna and have experienced great performance. Programming software is a very good investment. Noticed that weatherproof covers mike jack can cause mike to back out of position rather easily, requiring the user to keep an eye on the mike jack, especially with mobile use. Some sections of manual are not as clear as they could be. Overall, a good first HT.