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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-817ND

Category: QRP Radios (5 watts or less)

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-817ND
Reviews: 169MSRP: 589.00
Description:
The world’s first self-contained, battery-powered, Multi-mode Portable Transceiver covering the HF, VHF, and UHF bands! Despite its incredibly small size (5.3" x 1.5" x 6.5"), the FT-817 delivers big performance! Its next-generagion PA puts out five watts on all HF bands, plus the 50 MHz, 144 MHz, and 430 MHz bands, on all popular operating modes: USB/LSB/CW/AM/FM/Packet/PSK-31/RTTY. Now the 817 legacy is even better with the introduction of the FT-817ND, which includes coverage of the U.S. 60-meter (5 MHz) band, and it also includes a 1400 mAh NiMH Battery pack (FNB-85) and NC-72B Charger!
Product is in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
151694.8
W3ZDF Rating: 2009-09-10
Unreal Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just hooked the Ft-817 ND to my HT-18 Hy-Tower for its first HF debut. I tuned it up on 20 meters using the LDG X817 tuner that is a great tuner for this rig. I had charged the battery overnight and was ready for the 1st HF DX contact.
I was not expecting much, and tuning aroung 20 meters, I heard OH5ZZ in a pileup. Yeah Right, give him a call.... Which I did!! WOW!! he immediately came back to me. Gave me a 5 3 signal report and I was running 2.5 watts QRP... He then updated the signal report to a 56-7 and I was thrilled. This was my first QRP contact in 50 years of Ham Radio, and this rig is unreal. The receiver is excellent, and ya gotta read da book!!
How they put so much activity in such a small box is beyond me. I truly recommend this rig!!
KV4AN Rating: 2009-07-22
MOST FUN RADIO Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
The FT-817 is probably more fun than allowed by FCC rules! Works very well with my Buddistick vertical. During a recent IARU contest, I worked 13 stations on 20 CW Saturday morning without trying very hard. I envision some VHF/UHF hill-topping in the near future as well. The radio is easy to operate and the menu system is well thought out. Works just fine on 2 meter FM too--reminds me of my Kenwood TR-2200A.

The only part of the package I don't like is the Yaesu soft case. I had to cut a hole for the CW key and the microphone holder on the strap is useless. I think I would buy one of the after-market cases available, if I had it to do over.
N4UED Rating: 2009-05-22
THE BEST CW QRP CW RIG IVE OWNED. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I MUST SAY ITS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO FIND FAULT WITH THIS TRANSCEIVER.

I ADDED THE 300 CW FILTER TO MINE.

WITH THE IPO OUT AND THE IF SHIFT ALSO YOU CAN SMASH QRM.

I WORK CW MOSTLY EVERY DAY.

5 WATTS IS THE MOST POWER ANYONE NEEDS ON CW FOR A ENJOYABLE QSO.

I NO LONGER SIT ON THE QRP CALLING FREQUENCIES.

I GO TO A CLEAR SPOT WITH MY FILTER LOCKED IN AND CALL CQ.

I USE A 85 FOOT FLAT TOP 20M DOUBLE EXTENDED ZEPP FOR 40M-10M

IT ONLY TAKES A CLEAR FREQUNCY AND YOU CAN WORK ANOTHER QRP STATION,THIS IS EVEN WHEN TWO OTHER CONVERSATIONS ARE GOING ON THEIR WITH YOU.

I DID NOT BUY IT FOR SSB.

IVE GOT A IC-7000 WITH A DUST COVER OVER IT AND AN AL-1200 COLLECTING DUST.

THE NO CODE HAMS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON.

AS A MATTER OF FACT IM GOING TO WORK SOME CW NOW ON MY 817ND.

IF YOU WANT A HIGHER POWER RIG THEN GO FOR IT.

IVE LEARNED THEY ARE QRM MACHINES.

BUY YOU THE FT-817ND AND HAVE FUN.

CHUCK, N4UED



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Earlier 3-star review posted by N4UED on 2008-06-12







I HAVE OWNED THE YAESU FT-817ND.

ITS SMALL AND ITS EASY TO CARRY JUST ABOUT ANYWHERE.

THE BATTERY LIFE IS OK,BUT NOT WHAT YOU MAY THINK.

THE ABILITY TO WORK 2 AND 70 CENTIMETERS IS FINE IF YOU WANT TO TALK ON THE LOCAL MACHINES.

I WORK CW MOSTLY,HOWEVER I GAVE MY 817ND A WORK OUT ON PHONE.

THE MICROPHONE NEEDS HELP. IF YOU CAN PLACE THE HC-5 HEIL ELEMENT IN THE MICROPHONE PLEASE DO SO.

THERE IS NOT ANY COMPRESSION TO FALL BACK ON.

HEY IF WHERES THE DSP? WELL THERE IS NONE.


THE RECEIVER IS SENSITIVE,HOWEVER WITH BOTH THE SSB AND CW FILTER INSTALLED BY W4RT HANG IT UP.

I PURCHASED THE OPTIONAL COLLINS CW FILTER AND IT DID IMPROVE CW SIGNALS.

I COMPARED IT TO MY ELECRAFT K-1,WHICH AS MANY KNOW IS CW ONLY.

I WAS SO DISAPPOINTED THAT I DECIDED TO SELL MY 817ND.

WHEN YOU PLACE SO MUCH INTO A TRANSCEIVER SO SMALL YOU ARE LEAVING OUT THINGS THAT A HAM NEEDS.

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW HOW MANY HAM WOULD HAVE PAID MORE FOR BUILT DSP AND A BUILT IN ANTENNA TUNER?

I UNDERSTAND THIS MAY HAVE INCREASED THE SIZE JUST A BIT AND THE PRICE,HOWEVER WE USUALLY GET WHAT WE WANT.

JUST BECAUSE I CHOSE TO SELL MINE DOES NOT MEAN ANYTHING. IT WAS JUST MY DECISION BASED ON WHAT I WANTED IN A QRP RIG.

IM 40 NOW AND I WAS 20 WHEN I WAS FIRST LICENSED.

ONE THING THE DISPLAY WAS TERRIBLE ON MY EYES. NO MATTER IF I MADE IT LARGER IT WAS STILL DIFFICULT.

WHEN I MADE THE FREQUENCY LARGER THE VOLTAGE DISAPPEARED ALONG WITH OTHER THINGS THAT I ENJOYED BEING THERE.

YOU CAN ADD W4RT'S DSP,HIS ENHANCED MICROPHONE,ADD BOTH BOTH FILTERS AT ONCE,BUT HOW MUCH HAVE YOU ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL COST?

I HAVE AN ELECRAFT K-2 AND A K-1. THIS IS ALL I NEED WELL BESIDES MY TEN TEC 580 DELTA.

I AM ALSO LOOKING AT THE ICOM 703 PLUS.

I HAD THE ORIGINAL 706 YRS AGO WHEN IT CAME OUT.

THE MENU SYSTEM TURNED ME OFF THEN.

NOW I KNOW ITS THE FUTURE OF HAM RADIO AS THE TRANSCEIVERS GET SMALLER.

IM GOING TO READ WHAT YOU GUYS AND GALS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE 703 PLUS.

IT MIGHT EVEN BE MY NEXT QRP RIG.

CHUCK N4UED

AA8OY Rating: 2009-05-06
What a Blast!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've owned this rig's predecessor (FT 817) for several years and can't say enough about how much fun one can have with 5 watts. I use it primarily on CW and PSK31 but have many SSB QSOs. To date I have worked 197 entities from home as well as several more from various hotels in Europe and the UK. I once worked a JA from the roof garden of a hotel in Nice, France using a W6MMA Super Antenna shoved into the roof flashing and I've got the QSL card to verify it! PSK31 to EU is effortless on 5 watts from my location in Ohio. If you believe 100 watts is QRP this is not for you. If you want to be dazzled with QSOs from around the world on the power of a night light, this IS for you.
W2WP Rating: 2009-05-05
Just Plain Fun! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is my second go round with this radio. When I first got my ticket I purchased this radio. Now I wanted it again just for the HF QRP aspect. My first one stayed tuned to 50.125 in my dinning room for years waiting for 6m to open! I did VUCC on 6m with this radio and a Buddiple in my dinning room. Years later an many radios in the shack, I just wanted to do some QRP ops. Even with the sunspot cycle where it is, I can still make contacts with this and the Buddipole outside. People outside the US are amazed when I tell them I'm using the 817 on internal battery into a Buddipole at 8 feet. YES IT WORKS. Am I going to bust pile ups? No (Well maybe) but who cares. This radio does EXACTLY what it is supposed to do. I don't regret buying the first one and now with it on HF I sure as hell don't regret this one. Buy one, have some fun.....
N7MYW Rating: 2009-04-30
Wonderful!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Although this rig is intended for the portable and mobile market, some of us use it as our everyday radio. I live in a 1-bedroom apt with no chance of a larger and more powerful radio being used due to interference and power issues. So this radio is perfect!! I use an LDG Z100 tuner and a Timewave filter for a perfect QRP station. I previously used the non-ND version in the last cycle with great results. Now I use a 80-10mtr dipole looped around the inside of my bedroom at the conjunction of the wall and ceiling, similar to a loop. With the tuner,it works well on all bands at 5 watts. I check in to the Columbia Basin Net quite often with 2.5 watts or 5 watts when using the power supply.
When the band is open, I can work Japan and the Far East with 2 watts and more including Europe and Russia with the full 5 watts.
The buttons and knobs are fine for my small hands.
Yes, the battery depletes a bit quick,but I use it in the apartment anyways.

I would love to see this size radio have about 10 watts instead of 5, add 220 mhz and an internal tuner to make it an even better rig!!

Jim
N7MYW
Vancouver,Washington USA
KB9MVW Rating: 2009-02-13
Solid Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Spent about a month checking out different qrp rigs before I purchased the 817nd. I did my homework and got exactly what I expected. I was looking for a all purpose qrp rig for the field and base station work.I wanted all the bands I could shake a stick and I wanted it in a small package.Also was looking for a challenge working low power, this is not a rig that should be used to bust up a heavy pile up. performance has been more than expected from what I have read.Receive is strong and very clear for such a small rig.Made many contacts with a random wire and
an antenna tuner. 60 meter has been a joy for qrp check that band out. Yes the internal battery wont last you all night at 2.5 watts. but a 7amp hour gel cell is all u need for a long day or two of operations. If you like to experment with antennas and want to bring the fun back to ham radio this rig is for you. I belive this is the most versital qrp rig that is on the market. This is one radio I wont be trading!!!!
KX5R Rating: 2008-12-14
More fun per pound/watt than any other! Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I bought one of these for a temporary base/mobile rig about a year ago. I use mostly sideband voice. I had great fun with this unit mobile using an outbacker antenna. Now I have a Ft857d mobile with screwdriver but still use the 817 as a base at my weekend getaway with the outbacker on a homebrew tripod mount fashioned after the "outpost" design. Other operators were amazed by the success of the 5 watt tx mobile. It takes a little patience as well as persistence but this radio ranks very high in the fun department. You won't be disappointed if you try one.
W2TXB Rating: 2008-12-13
Was my only rig for three years... Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I had one of of these radios as my only HF radio for just over three years, and it was an absolute blast to use; made me do more with my antenna as a means of improving my signal (back to basics!). I have since added an ICOM IC-7000 to my "shack", and considered selling the '817, but am in no hurry to do so. The W4RT CW filter was a definite improvement that I also recommend.

The FT-817ND is one heck of a nice radio, and I recommend it for anybody who wants a very portable, versatile (HF-UHF), and capable transceiver.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by W2TXB on 2008-07-14

I have been using the FT-817ND for almost three years (and with a less than optimum antenna), and have found it to be a fun radio that has rekindled my interest in low power SSB and CW. My previous HF rig was an ICOM IC-765, which was an excellent radio, but I wanted something portable. I use the 817 at home as it is my only HF multimode radio, and am never disappointed. Certainly there are times when more power is desirable, but I can still do OK with just five watts.
G8FXC Rating: 2008-12-12
There's nothing like it! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
You have to be a pretty hardcore QRP nut to have one of these as your only rig, but everyone should have one as their second...

When you've sat on the beach in southern France having a solid copy QSO on 6m sideband with the St. Kilda DX Expedition using just the rubber-duck antenna and on the internal battery pack - then you know you've got something special!

Please, don't try to compare it with any full size, 100w, all-singing-all-dancing DSP rig - they are two completely different things. I have an FT-2000, an FT-897 and an FT-817 - each has its place. Of course the little 817 can't compete with the 2000, but I can't take the 2000 to the beach with me!

Martin (G8FXC)