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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-627RA Memorizer

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-627RA Memorizer
Reviews: 1MSRP:
Description:
6m version of the famous Yaesu Memorizer 10W VHF mobile transceiver
Product is not in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0015
KE6PID Rating: 2009-01-22
Old... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Okay, I admit it, I'm board. So I'll do a review on an obsolete radio.

There are two models of this radio, the 627 (6 Meter) and 227 (2 meter) both are FM only, both are identical, except for the operating frequency range. Both feature early digital frequency syntheses - super hip when the radio was introduced.

Produced in the late 70's and very dated by today's standards this radios BIG feature; it can remember a single frequency. That's it trick-hence the name "Memorizer" Just push that big sliver button and BOOM! There is the frequency! A nice light shows up to tell you it's doing it's thing in memory mode - which is incandescent - not an LED. To memorize a single frequency just press another big silver button and presto.

The display of frequency is a 4 digit red LED (MAN-7 type) that provides the last 4 digits (we can always assume that the digit 5 (6 meter model) or will always precede the rest of the frequency, so 2.760 would be 52.760 MHz. Quite common then. We can also assume in the 2 meter version the first two digits will always be 14 so 6.520 would be 146.520

Controls: Three chromed knobs (one concentric) and 4 push buttons round out the controls, the left is a concentric volume/squelch the right is simplex or offset +/-. Tuning is handled by a large chrome knob, turn it to get to the receive frequency. If you are using a repeater select the offset and you are done. Below the frequency readout is a nice large illuminated mechanical edgewise S/RF output meeter, RX and TX modes are indicated with large incandescent colored indicators.

How well does it work? Quite well actually. Power output is at least 10 watts - a lot in the day, receive sensitivity is at least .5 uV for a 10 Db sinad - once again very respectable in the day. Transmit and receive audio is clear.

Although the radio was really hip in the day - today it may lack an important feature, PL (tone) encode. Yeasu did provide a tone board in the day as an accessory, but not all rigs were equipped with this as PL access requirements were rare at that time. The accessory would allow you to select a single PL frequency with a potentiometer (usually 100 Hz), which could be switched on and off from the front panel with a push button - BUT - once set the board goes inside the radio and that's it. If the repeater you use doesn't require a PL frequency, or if you only use one repeater and don't need to change the PL frequency - you are set. If you operate simplex this may not be an issue. There is an accessory jack on the rear apron from this jack it's possible to inject a PL tone (an well as any other audio you wish) from an outboard PL generator, such as the Com-Spec (Selectone) TE-32.

In it's day this radio was a trendsetter - one of the many innovative radios that made Yaesu what they are today; it's simple no nonsense approach is refreshing today. Although it's performance is not state-of-the-art today it can still hold it's own.