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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-209RH

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-209RH
Reviews: 6MSRP:
Description:
2M FM Handie
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0064.5
IZ2EAS Rating: 2013-03-29
My time machine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The FT209RH was my very first radio; I bought it in December 1985 when I got my ticket. I used it quite intensively for a few years: first on voice, on local direct and repeater frequencies; later, in 1988, for packet radio - a lot of fun. In 1991 it eventually developed a fault in the CPU module that I was not able to fix, so it was discarded.

Fast forward.... a couple of months ago a friend of mine gave me his old FT209RH, that he wasn't using any longer and that had been sleeping in a drawer for the last few years. For me it was a jump in the past! After almost 30 years of life, the radio needed attention, but I was determined to fix it, no matter what! So I started working on it, and in a few weeks of part-time work I brought it back to its original "splendor"; I had to replace: both potentiometers (on/off-volume and squelch - they had gone bananas), all the electrolytic capacitors (they were leaking or dry) and the lithium back-up battery (flat, of course, after 27 years...).

The FNB-4 battery pack was exhausted, so I decided to treat me to a brand new one (yes, I could have replaced the elements inside, but the pack itself was quite beaten-up... I kept it for future project). The pack that is available today is a NiCd (!) 12V, 1200 mAh, that is quite good; the only drawback is that it is longer than the original FNB-4, so the original protective case won't fit, and the radio is really loooong (almost 21 cm, without the antenna).... quite funny, it definitely looks vintage !

Of course, no CTCSS (on the European version they were not even an option)... so a lot of repeaters are not accessible, but who cares... I am using it at home, for QSOs on local VHF frequencies, connected to my external antenna. This time I am going to keep it !

73, Michele IZ2EAS
AD0AM Rating: 2010-07-24
Great old HT Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got the HT in 2003 at a hamfest for a great price. I love the handheld. I use it alot and don't mind the bulkiness and ease of use.
VO1MDS Rating: 2007-12-09
Great performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Nice handheld unit for darn sure,i have mine stuck on 145.010mhz packet now for about 3 years,and not a hitch of trouble with the radio,wish i could say the same for the NC-15 quickcharger,it worked flawless till this weekend,when some part of the powers supply got up and died.
the radio is a good performer,i have a radioshack htx-202 here as well,the ft-209rh is not as sensitive as the htx-202,but it has good clean audio,better then my htx-202 i think.
get em while you can...
K5HDM Rating: 2007-12-06
Blast from the past Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I got this radio on ebay around Jun 2007.. brand new in the box with brand new spkr mic and fast charger.. I don't know who would leave this in the box, but it was MY gain. I have the FT-109RH and I use it every chance I get. I love to see who still hangs out on 1.25m in all the places I travel. Just like the other ratings say, no frills.. but a good radio.. and I am suprised it had tones on it.. If you need a good 1.25m rig, pick one of these up.. but good luck finding one.. haha
WA6OWH Rating: 2005-04-11
Sturdy Good Old Radio Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have two and have owned one for over 20 years. They work well in areas of strong RF and are very sensitive. Output is 5 watts high and 1 watt low. The nicad battery can be carefully popped open and the old weak batterys replaced with new 1100 ma or higher cells giving your HT new life. I run one on 12 volts in the car plugged in to the lighter and use a 5/8 wave mag mount. Simple and no great loss is it is stollen. In fact one was stollen in 1987 with my car and I talked to the thief using my HT. Got the car back but not the radio. Replaced the radio.
Ten memories is some what limiting but workable. The nice analog S-meter is good for measuing signals and battery condition too. The drop in charger is a great addition along with the speaker mike.
KB9BPF Rating: 2005-03-11
I liked mine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Very functional no-frills handie talkie from the late eighties. 5W out on hi power with 12V battery (a real knee-slapper when hung on the belt!) or 12V extrenal power. Ten memories. MARS modifiable 140-149.995 MHz coverage. Not a wide-band scanner-style RX like modern handies, so this one os less prone to intermod from pagers and such.

Only real issue is that the side panel which contains the battery latch is flimsy. I once had about ten as spares.

I also had the FT-709 amd FT-109 (70cm and 1.25M, respectively.) Same comments apply to them. Looked pretty geeky to have them all hanging off my belt. That was when I was younger, before my waistline expanded. Would pull my pants down now!