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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-1802M

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-1802M
Reviews: 87MSRP: 199
Description:
The Yaesu FT-1802M is a ruggedly-built 2 meter transceiver with 50 watts of RF output. It features extended receive from 136 to 174 MHz. It has illuminated front panel keys and boasts 221 memories. There is also a 10 channel NOAA weather bank. You get CTCSS and DCS Encoder and Decoder circuits. The FT-1802M even has a unique a CW trainer to practice Morse Code. It also supports one-touch access to Yaesu's renowned WiRES-II Internet Linking System. There is a security password to help prevent unauthorized use.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
14874.1
NW9T Rating: 2007-05-10
Worth The Money Time Owned: more than 12 months.
After moving back to the Midwest from the West Coast, I decided to get involved in the local ARES/Skywarn group. Here the repeaters all require a PL-Tone to access so my old Yaesu 227-R without PL would not work. Due to my past experiences with Yaesu on 2 Meter FM it was to them I turned to see what products they had to fit my needs as well as my pocketbook, enter the FT 1802M. It has not let me down once since I've owned it. I've run it mobile as well as base. I've operated it in events and call-outs that lasted only an hour or so, to using it to run Net Control for a Skywarn activation for up to 8 hours straight. It's small enough to be mounted in just about any conceivable mobile, rugged, reliable, has good receive and admirable transmission. As some pointed out it does get a bit warm when operating, but that hasn't seemed to affect it's peformance one bit. In my opinion you can't go wrong with this radio.
KD5UDE Rating: 2007-03-12
excellent radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
this is the best 2 meter radio i have ever owned! i recommend it!!! easy to operate,program,etc. yaesu did a great job of building this radio it just works! so if in the market to buy one you won't go wrong,trust me! thank you yaesu for another great product!! AAA++++++
KB4TPP Rating: 2007-03-01
Decent unit for the price Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
as much as I never wanted to buy another Yaesu product because of their horrendous service department, I needed an affordable VHF radio to get me by when my old Kenwood TK-705D died. I went to HRO and they had them for $120 which is hard to beat being that used decade old FT-2500's and TM-241's sell for more than this on Ebay.

I have to say I am very pleased with the unit. It has a solid feel to it, and took me a whole 10 minutes to set it up out of the box. Menu system is easy and if you've used Yaesu's of the recent past (FT-2600, FT-90, etc) this is a no-brainer.
What really impressed me is the RX audio, it is LOUD as in LMR radio loud and crisp and clear. This radio has a very sensitive receiver yet doesn't suffer intermod. Like the password feature that allows you to lock the radio, nice if you let someone else use your car and you don't have to worry about someone playing on your radio.

The display is awesome, love the layout. Yes, it does run warm, but it never shut down on me even after several long conversations on high power, but like any mobile adequate venting for the heat sink is needed if you want it to last. All in all, it is heck of alot of radio for under 150 dollars. It is also the perfect size, not to small but not giant like some 1980's Maxtrac.

I just hope it never breaks because Yaesu USA's so-called service department sucks. Even if it does, at the price they are selling it for, it is a disposable radio. and I think it looks better than competitive models (sorry but what was Kenwood thinking with the TM-271? it's f'ugly compared to the 1802).
KC5NWS Rating: 2007-02-22
good radio Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just picked up a ft-1802 yesterday and it worked for ten minutes then lost all audio.The vol control was defective. After a return trip to the ham store I set up another one and have had no trouble with this one at all. It works fine and I like the cw trainer a lot.This is my second fixed 2m station. The first was a heath kit back in 1973. There has been a lot of changes since then :)
K5jyd
KE4EX Rating: 2007-01-04
# 4 # $ 4 $ I'm Happy Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Last year I picked up a, (never mobile), new/used one month old/new unit. Programing was very easy. The size is great also. Liked it so much November 2006 got one for my truck. Cloning was very simple.

Heat? read on,,, Yea somewhat, if you are a leather lungs. Nearly all my repeater freq's. are 25 watts. simplex I run 50 watts.

I like the Idea of a fan blowing on the fins, so, I picked up a 12v brushless 1 1/2 inch fan, VPPV modle ado412ms-g070 no sound whatsoever.Mounting? THINK, your a ham, you'll figure it out.....
I am to, a leather lung... Bla Bla, Bla, Bla :>)
73
VK3GV Rating: 2006-11-20
Excellent Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I bought one of these FT 1802 recently and have found it to be exactly what I need for base OR mobile use. The heat issue mentioned is not a problem mobile and is easily allowed for when operating from Base. A small fan located near the back works fine. It is (usually) cheaper than the FT2800 and has better tx and rx plus the FUN CW practice included. If you have a radio like this in mind, then go ahead.
73 de Geoff VK3GV
VK3PK Rating: 2006-11-13
OK, but get's too hot! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The radio seems to perform OK. The sensitivity seems to match the power. However it is quite incredible how hot the unit gets. Even with running the lowest power the unit gets too hot to touch. The manual suggest not to put it on anything that gets warm. I would suggest not to put it on anything & make sure there is plenty of ventilation underneath it.

In fact I made up a small U bracket that holds three small (40mm) fans underneath the heatsink. One of the fans is so positioned that it blows a little air through the case, whilst the other two cool the area near the power brick.
It works a treat. Heat sink stays nice & cool.
The three fans are controlled by a 8 pin PIC processor that switches on fans as it requires
to keep temp <40 C(110F).
Why could YAESU not have built this in in the first place. It would not have added more the a $1 at manufacturing.
Apart from that great rig!

By the way, anyone know the protocol for the data in and out of the radio via J2002 and/or J2004
KC0WZJ Rating: 2006-11-05
Great first buy! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Loved the way the audio sounds the first time I tried it out! The speaker has excellent quality, a great first buy for an output of 50 watts!
NL7FK Rating: 2006-10-22
A lot of BANG for Little Bucks Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Yaesu has done it again! Forget about buying a used radio when one can get a superior product like this one for less than $140.00 off the shelf. If you are in the market for a great little two meter radio do not let this one pass you by. The price may be bare bones but the features shre are not.

Giant Display, Mic. Gain, ease of programing, and execellent audio are just some of the high points for this unit. One should read the manual but an experienced operator should be able to go from box to on the air in just a few minutes with no problems.

The on the air audio reports are stellar for a $140.00 radio. The internal speaker even sounds good. The Display is bright and easy to read and programing is a breeze. The CW Trainer is also a nice bonus.

This rig is built like a tank. Other manufactures should take note of this gem of a rig. My local dealer says they cannot keep them on the shelf and for good reason. If you are a well seasoned operator or new to the game you will not be ashamed to own this full featured radio. Again do not let this one pass you by.
W5GSR Rating: 2006-10-14
Great radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have had this radio in the house and now in the truck,and in both spots works great.So good I just ordered another one to put back in the house.

73,
Gordon