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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-2000/2000D

Category: Transceivers: HF Amateur HF+6M+VHF+UHF models - non QRP <5W

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-2000/2000D
Reviews: 204MSRP: 2.995
Description:
HF/VHF-Transceiver (160 - 6 m) with 100 Watt output or 200 Watt with external power supply. Successor of the very popular FT-1000MP (Mark-V/Field). RF and LF scope. High dynamic range front end. 6 KHz and 12 KHz Roofing Filters. IF-DSP. Sub receiver.
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
002044.4
EA8CLX Rating: 2008-04-13
Great !! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Wonderfull!! I have the FT-2000D.
Only a few words:
I have adjusted all menu to my personal preferences. All reports are "great, fine and very clean modulation, with the MD-100 Microphone.

73´s
N5EAT Rating: 2008-04-11
I love mine Time Owned: more than 12 months.
The finest general purpose receiver in amateur radio. I read the review from the gentleman who didn't like it's cw operation. Here's a tip. If you encounter a feature on a radio which does not work or introduces an annoyance, stop using it. I don't use anything but slow agc and NEVER have a problem and i've never needed fast agc. I don't use the automatic notch filter. If I have a problem, I use the manual notch. It's superb. I don't use the speach processor. The FT-2000 is capable of producing the finest SSB transmit audio in ham radio. Ninety percent of the users getting this quality have outboard processing gear. The audio achievable with the stock mic is outstanding without using a processor.

The radio's DSP is wonderful. The receiver is the easiest on the ears of any rig I've ever heard. If you use a radio everyday and want to enjoy it - this is the rig. Absolutely no fatigue listening to this radio on SSB or CW.

To sum up: Don't use the 2000's well known problematic features. They are absolutely not necessary. The receiver is so good that trying to improve it is akin to getting more horsepower out of a Honda SI or 2000 engine: It's just not worth it.

N4LQ Rating: 2008-04-11
Not for CW Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I gave this one, FT-2000, a good workout. Yes, I read the manual and know exactly what I'm doing. Really, it's not that complicated! It is an ok SSB transceiver but just about anything is. Problems arise when attempting to use narrow filters. Consider something else for CW.

Problem areas:
1. Low level audio hiss from AF amplifier most obvious with headphones and quiet annoying.
2. Tuner has the most narrow range of any I've seen, amost worthless.
3. Noise Reduction (NR) does nothing when narrow filtering is selected.
4. Noise blanker non effective.
5. Using narrow filters >500hz increases the band noise to near the point of pain. 50hz filter rings so badly, it's useless. 25hz filter is a joke. It produces a steady tone and only very slow cw can be copied.
6. Heavy QRN is converted into unnatural clicking noises especially with narrow filtering. Very unpleasant!
7. 3 khz roofing filter has no benefit for signals within 3 khz of desired signal.
8. Firmware upgrade method is cumbersome and somewhat risky. I believe this was an afterthought since the owners manual doesn't mention it. At least they are provided however.
9. CW signals outside the DSP passband tend to produce clicks which actually are not there. Same goes for the IC-PRO series.
10. Sharp noise spikes slam the AGC voltage up, silence the receiver until discharge. No menu item helped. This is typical of most DSP receivers.
11. AGC overshoot causes a slight thump at the onset of cw characters...Very tiring to listen to.
12. Front panel lettering around knobs is very hard to read, not enough contrast.
13. Digital freq. readout only to 10hz instead 1 hz like most rigs including the little IC-706 etc.

Good things:
1. Nice S meter but kind of dim. Display dim too. No..I didn't have it in DIM mode!
2. QSK is fast and the relay is very quiet.
3. Audio is good for SSB as long as you are listening to something loud enough to cover up the audio hiss.
4. Nice mobile mic. included.
5. Nice, heavy cardboard shipping box.

Again...This rig is a decent SSB rig but certainly not for cw. The K3 or Omni VII far superior for CW. Anyone doubting this needs to spend some air time comparing them. USA manufactures are way ahead of the imports when it comes to DSP technology.

N4ATS Rating: 2008-04-08
Getting Better Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Nearly a year after dumping my last TWO FT-2000’s because of problems, I took the risk and bought another new one from Texas Towers in March 2008.

At fist I had my doubts, but after painstakingly testing all the features, it works!

I then proceeded to set up the Audio EQ using a set of headphones. Low and behold, I got it to sound almost as good as my TS-870SAT. It was not an easy task but eventually I hit the sweet spot. Nice clean audio (ESSB).

Now the receiver (in my case) seems to be a bit lacking in the noise figure range. My TS-870SAT can hear things clearer than the FT-2000. I know this because I have an A-B switch between the two radios and played with them for 3 days.

The Noise Blanker still needs addresses as it is almost worthless.

All in all , I give the “new” generation FT-2000 a 5 and I may hold on to it for a while.
DO1YHN Rating: 2008-03-28
it is a great Radio. ! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.

Hello from Detmold/Germany !
After 2 Months using this ft2000d, I say there
is no need for any other Transceivers for me.
The Radio works exellent with a simple W3DDZ Antenna in the Backyard.The Audio Quality is super class. The Receiver´s Audio with the SP2000 speaker sounds like no other Rig I used before.
by the way ,excuse my bad English.
Hope to meet you on the Air.
73 de Hejo DO1YHN
VK6WB Rating: 2008-03-24
Love it so Much Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I also owned this radio since 26/11/2006, And love it so much.the filter worked the way I want it.i mainly use it on the SSB. Just update to new EDSP 10.29 and main firmware 1.37.and the receiver is so Pleasant. And drive my AMP a lot nicer .I use to have PRO2,PRO3,IC-7000,TS-870,I have to drive my AMP so hard...it's awful.The Audio FT-2000 on SSB Sound very nice,Just a touch behind the TS-870.The only two Radio that i keep..FT-2000 AND TS-870.
DSP Much better then PRO3, The pro3 only one button knob to control DSP.The FT-2000 one button to control and menu 91 and 92 to play around and also menu 102,103 OH..man ..love this radio so much.it will stay in my shack till the rest of my live.hi..
DSP on the TS-870 just forget about it.But the Audio on 870...All i can say WOW.
G8UBJ Rating: 2008-03-20
Solid Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned my FT-2000 for a year now and recently added the DMU-2000 and matching speaker.
It took me a while to find my way around the controls and menus and set it up just how I wanted.
I would urge any new owner to give this rig at least 6 months before passing judgment or swapping it in.
Its now set up just as I want it. Gives brilliant performance on RTTY without purchasing extra filters. I especially like being able to leave my 4M transverter connected and swich it in when required. Also get used to the IPO switching for the lower bands, you don't need a pre-amp on these frequencies.
W5RLW Rating: 2008-03-19
excellant radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have owned my FT-2000 for about a year.I also have the DMU-2000. I have owned the PRO-111 the Orion II,TS-2000 and TS-870,and several other radios. The radio is as good or better than any of the other listed radios, if properly set up.You can find fault with any radio if you look hard enough. Isn"t Ham Radio Fun. Thanks Bob.
KX2V Rating: 2008-03-18
Top shelf Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I'VE HAD THIS RADIO OVER A YEAR & IT IS A MAIN STAY IN THE SHACK.
THOSE OF YOU WHO GAVE IT A 0 SHOULD TURN IN YOUR TICKET & GO BACK TO SOMETHING MORE YOUR SPEED.
CAN YOU SAY CHICKEN BAND? I THINK YOU CAN!!
IF YOU SET IT UP PROPERLY IT IS A SUPERB RADIO.
I HAVE THE P3 & A 950SDX. ALL TOP OF THE LINE & ABSOLUTLY MINT CONDITION!! AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED... THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PERFECT RADIO. SOMEONE OUT HERE WILL GO TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH TO FIND FAULT WITH ANY RADIO.

TAKE SOME TIME TO LEARN WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO OPERATE THIS RADIO & KEEP AN OPEN MIND.
ABOVE ALL REMAIN TEACHABLE!!!

KX2V
JT

WM2P Rating: 2008-03-13
Increased my fun Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
After many months of use and side by side comparasons with the Icom Pro rigs plus Kenwood TS-2000, the FT-2000D was the only one I did not sell.

I like having most of the controls on the face plate of the rig. The Contour control allows me to hear signals that I otherwise would not hear. If you are patient and try the various alogorhythms in the noise reductor, you will find one that makes the audio pop out of the background. I find that that all three roofing filters make audible differences.

All I know is that since I got it I am making more contacts on a weekend than I used to and getting great audio reports using the built in Parametric Equalizer. Three hams have emailed me for a recommendation and all three bought this rig and never regretted it. Sure the 756 PRO III is easy to use and has a scope. If easy is what you want then you know which rig to get. If you want to deal with less menus and more features, then the FT-2000 (D) is your choice.

Please note. You may think that you do not need the D model because you use an amp but keep in mind that the D model allows you to put the rig into Class A mode which puts out a clean 75 watts of power with no harmonics which produces very clean signal into the an amp. The D model also allows you to run RTTY and other digital modes easily at 100 watts since it's finals are built for 200 watts. If you work digital that is something to keep in mind. When propagation is good I find that 200 watts is plenty for most contacts unless I am in a big pileup.