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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
MM1EWA Rating: 2012-07-08
Hard not to like! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Picked up one of these a few month back and have had a good play around with it now, and I can conclude that despite all its flaws (which are numerous and well known) its a great little radio to have! I fitted the W4RT dual filter board which is a well worth while upgrade.

It will certainly never be my main radio, but I can see me hanging onto this radio for years to come.
N6RNK Rating: 2012-06-24
Great little radio! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
What fun getting through crowded Field Day conditions, and making contacts thousands of miles away with only 2 - 2 1/2 Watts! What a hoot! :-) This little radio with the internal battery pack, did an awesome job! Did not even think of connecting my 12 volt battery to crank it up to 5 watts. I see lots of fun, and years of use from this rig.
AC5S Rating: 2012-06-12
Nice rig!! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Picked up a 817ND a few days ago and have had it on the air the last few nights. Picked up the QRP bug a Dayton this year and ordered the rig when I got back. First of all it is easy to use. Simple menu structure. So far excellent on SSB. Not sure why some sites say you MUST have the SSB filter to use the radio because I have made numerous contacts with excellent results. Have received good audio reports. Amazed on how easy it is to make contacts on 5 watts. Good receiver except on the AM broadcast bands....very poor sensitivity there. Speaker is small but has a good sound quality. Concerned the battery compartment may scratch easily. Does it all.
WA6MOW Rating: 2012-05-31
Best All Around QRPer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I have owned numerous QRP rigs, K1, K2, Hendricks, and lots of mono band rigs. Nothing compares to the features of this little gem. I like monitoring the aviation band, FM broadcast stations, two meters, plus I am an avid cw QRP op. This radio does it all. A cw filter makes a huge difference and the peg legs are well worth the $20 bucks. A small 5 amp gel cell, a tiny tuner like the Idiom Press ZM-2, a light weight antenna, a Palm paddle, and your off on a fun adventure. For around $500 dollars on the used market they are a very good value.

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Earlier 5-star review posted by WA6MOW on 2008-02-16

I use this little radio when I'm rough camping. I run it off a small gel cell, which provides many hours of operating fun. I've only used the rig on hf cw and have worked the world with various portable antenna configurations. The cranker knob was well worth the $20 bucks. I installed a cw filter and that also made a big difference in performance. I feel this rig is a real bargain for the price. A ton of technology in a little box!
KC2ZXL Rating: 2012-05-31
A Little Rig That Can! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I became a HAM operator last year, and passed all three exams within 3 months time frame. Fast forward to few months ago. A HAM bug bit me and been looking for a QRP rig to try out. Had good experience with Yaesu Tech Support so bought my second Yaesu rig: the FT817ND second hand from a nice OM down in Texas.

Received it about a week ago and already been having fun as a base radio for now. Already made two DX contacts and one HAM was running kilowatt and we both gave a RST of 5x9! Kept asking me whether I was really running 5W HI HI.

Now using it with Ham Radio Deluxe and what a delight it is. With all the bells and whistles such as Collins SSB and CW filer installed, it is just a matter of time that this radio will make a mark for itself and be know throughout the world!

If you are looking for a QRP, this is the radio you must get.

EB2EMZ Rating: 2012-05-24
Excelent Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Nothing to add, this is a great small rig.
Is incredible that this small rig has so good ear.

73's Joe
EB2EMZ
KB1VXP Rating: 2012-04-24
Great little radio Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I have owned the FT 817 ND for 8 mos now. I travel with it and have made great contacts from the hotel room using the miracle whip antenna. 5 watts SSB gets me to Europe as far east to Italy from the state of Maine. This rig is simply amazing.
SM2FYZ Rating: 2012-03-24
Small Rig but Big fun. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
This is one of the best small rigs for everyone who
Needs a everyday "travelling radio" or gets up on some SOTA peek.

If you buy this Rig...
- buy the 250 Hz CW filter if you use CW mainly
- buy a Heil Mic HC-4 if phone mainly
- buy a THL HL-45B if you need 2 more S-units at RX point.

It is like a Volvo, always great fun !
;)

/ Ulf (SM2FYZ / 8S2Z / 7S4Z )
AE2K Rating: 2012-02-16
The little engine that could Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I wanted to share my experience with this radio after owning it for about 1 week. I purchased this radio from a fellow ham, Brian Hemmis (K3USC) during the Hamcation in Orlando, Fl. Brian, btw, is a very reputable man and has a great seller review on E-Bay as well. If you buy something from him you will not be sorry. The rig was pristine and was in the box and had all the manuals.

I had an opportunity to work QRP with 5 watts today via the Buddistick vertical antenna off of 5th floor oceanside balcony at Daytona Beach, FL. I worked the 17 meter band and had two 1100 plus mile contacts in New York and Michigan. The best was a 4200 mile contact to Portugal! The band today was good and bad.

This was all done mind you with a stock radio. All I did was make sure the attenuator was on (reduces a lot of noise) and adjusted the mic gain with the stock mic.

I am not sure whether the W4RT OBF, on board filters, and one big punch mic modification is worth all the extra $$$$.

With a little skill, perseverance, resonated antenna and proper band conditions you can be pulled out of the QRM.

The contacts today couldn't believe that I was a QRP station with the in and out band conditions today.

Looking forward to making many more contacts!
EA1HFI Rating: 2011-12-21
Excelente! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
No voy a repetir lo que ya se ha dicho de este equipo, solo quiero decir que es el mejor equipo QRP jamas fabricado!