| CHARLA |
Rating:  |
2009-07-03 | |
| Excellent |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| As per other reviews the VX3 is really Excellent "I won't reiterate what everyone else has said. It is an amazing radio and worth much more than it's price" don't say that they will increase the price! only joking |
|
| AB5N |
Rating: |
2009-07-03 | |
| Super radio with one flaw |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I won't reiterate what everyone else has said. It is an amazing radio and worth much more than it's price. I wanted to ask the group this question:
The programming flaw is that you can "mask" set menu items, but you cannot then un-mask them. They are gone forever unless you do a complete reset and loose all your programming. The manual is wrong in it's procedure for this. It does not un-mask them. I cannot set my tone anymore!
So, any ideas out there? Thanks - Bob-AB5N |
|
| NC2F |
Rating: |
2009-06-26 | |
| Fine sub-compact radio that I give a 4.5 out of 5 |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I like convenience, and small radios like the VX-1R, VX-2R and now the VX-3R (all of which I have owned at one time or another) offer ease of carry (in a pant or short pocket) while being a compromise only when comparing it to it's 5W counterparts.
For newcomers, the VX-3R takes a little getting used to just like it's predecessors. Many functions are menu controlled that require a few extra steps to access and then change.
I won't rehash alot of what was already pointed out in prior reviews, but I will add or reiterate the following that are standouts to me:
- The back cover is indeed not a snug fit. I hope Yaesu pays attention to the many complaints about it here and elsewhere. Yes, it can be remedied by slicing a thin layer of insulating foam to fill the gap, but I feel the solution should come from Yaesu, not the consumer. Especially since a foam doesn't remove the visible gap. While the loose fitting back cover is annoying, it's not a show stopper.
- The lift and turn control knob is one of those features I like as it prevents accidental turning when it's in the pressed down/locked position.
- The side mounted PTT, Moni/T-Call and Power buttons are large and well placed. They have a larger HT feel which is most welcomed.
- The optional programming software w/cable. Unless you like repetitive/tedious tasks, buy the optional programming software w/cable. My only complain is that the cable should have been a USB cable, not optional for another $10 or so. I do understand many still do prefer the stability of serial port connections, but USB for the most part is quite reliably and very much a standard these days. The serial cable should have been the optional choice in my opinion.
- Display area: Large and Easy to read. Icons are the typical well-thought out and useful that Yaesu employs. Nice easy to read fonts and I appreciate that in a sub-compact HT. Same goes for the charging status and top mounted color indicating LED.
- While compact is the name of the game, unless you are a walkabout in a areas with close-proximity repeaters, I would suggest replacing the stock antenna. Yes, I know the compact antenna is part of the compact look and feel, but if you are expereincing situation where your signal is mostal noise after getting into the repeater, a more effience antanna will certainly help the lower power signal along.
- Tx & Rx Audio: The quality is excellent and what I have come to expect from Yaesu.
Summary:
I give the VX-3R a 4.5 out of 5. 5 has to be absolutely perfect, and there is slight room for improvement here, but not much is needed for me to give it a 5. But all-in-all, the 3R is a worthy addition even if you have an HT that has a higher output and not too bulky. The VX-3R is alot of radio packed into a very small space while not comprising much, or anything at all depending on your planned usage for it. |
|
| KO4MH |
Rating: |
2009-06-06 | |
| Transmitter failed |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
This was a good little radio, as other reviews have mentioned. In my case, "was" is the operative word. Now I have no output.
I looked at it on one of my spectrum analyzers and the signal is there, fully modulated, but it is about 50 dB lower than it should be. My best guess as to the failure is that the final output transister has died.
I thought about replacing the final myself. I was able to find the full service manual on the web (Kudos to Yaesu for that).
Unfortunately, while I have been able to successfully disassemble the radio far enough to see the final transistor, I stopped at that point, as I cannot find any vendor who sells the RQA0003DNS mosfet device. Hence there is no reason to start unsoldering the densely packed boards from one another - assuming I could do that without damaging things.
Perhaps I'll send it to Yaesu if I can figure out if it is still under warranty. Otherwise, it'll become a nice little RX and scanner ;-) |
|
| deleted_user_20210718 |
Rating: |
2009-05-10 | |
| PROBLEM MAY BE SOLVE !!! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I just pick up my second VX-3R,and there seems to be an inprovement on the Rx between 76 Mhz to 108 Mhz,I compared it to my VX-2R and the VX-3R did much better.So for those of you that want a radio to take anyware the VX-3R is the perfect choice !!! S#-8K241754 PRICE 149.95 PLUS S&H...
----------------------
Earlier 3-star review posted by NP3WH on 2007-07-26
I picked up mine about a week ago. The radio has a nice feel to it.
Pro's:
More features than the VX 2r.
Bigger display.
Feels more rugguet.
Better am sw receiver.
Con's:
Not so hot receiver, the radio is deaf between 76mhz to 108mhz.
No belt clip.
The locking knob just doesn't cut it for me!!!
After comparing it with the VX 2r definetely the VX 2r is a much better radio...less features but better receiver. So for those of you who want to upgrade from a 2 to a 3 wait a while to see if yaesu gets the bugs out of the radio.
I sold my vx3 and picked up a vx2 again.
73's for now.
|
|
| YU2SRB |
Rating: |
2009-05-06 | |
| City rig ! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
I purchase this little thing 2 months ago. It have so many things packed inside. I just couldn't believe it what everything have, transmit is OK, but it needs to be much more sensitive than it is, the guy bellow who said that Sony Walkman pick up FM signals better was right about it.
Perfect rig for the city crowd and it looks very cool too, even girls like it very much and everyone of them wanna to touch it.
Incredible RX improvement when I install Diamond SRH 536 antenna, which is about 40 cm long..
Reccomended as a backup rig only.
73
YU2SRB
Marko
|
|
| W2EJG |
Rating: |
2009-03-27 | |
| Neat little rig |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Won the VX-3 at Club party. Replaced my trusty Icom W-21. Bought spare battery off E-Bay for
$5.50: what a bargain. Dual band antenna left over from the ICOM, BNC adaptor from a ham in NJ. Interconnect cable and programing software from chaps in G-land. Wow! Can zip in frequencies and power changes in seconds.
Lots of fun in my shirt pocket. |
|
| K1WJ |
Rating: |
2009-03-27 | |
| Decent Low Pwr. HT |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Had HT a few days.
Back battery cover does not seem to fit just right, slightly moves & a noticable gap. I am going to look at closer, to see if I'm not doing something right.
Real nice Audio with Mic gain at 5 (factoty default). May try other setting soon.
Sub-RX feature is really neat, listen to FM music station & monitor repeater, nice....
Stock antenna works ok, just ordered Smiley 270A SMA antenna - should improve upon stock duck.
Did hear one SW AM station on 40m, HF receive & AM receive are poor - antenna main cause I would assume.
Hit one repeater in Lowell MI from 40 miles away on 1.5w - repeater gets most of the credit.
Overall not too bad - menu has lots of cool features - other than back battery cover fit & HF/AM receive limits. Nice, fun little HT.
73 K1WJ |
|
| PE1RLN |
Rating: |
2009-02-05 | |
| Quite good |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
Let's say sufficient for the job. I does what it has to do, with a lot of fancy features you'll probably never use, but it doesn't exceed expectations.
Little radios also mean: compromises. Otherwise they would make everything smaller, which they obviously don't. Smaller means less, less means not so good. However, in this case, the compromise it good enough.
Pro's:
- Wide receiver coverage
- Handy radio-button
- Pre-defined memorybanks with i.e. marine-radio, weather channels etc.
- Small
- Locking rotary knob
- Li-Ion battery
- Dualband
Con's:
- Low power
- Too many functions so you have to learn the manual by heart
- Reception is not as good as one would want
- No volume-knob
- Low audio
- No belt clip
- SMA antenna that sucks big time
I bought the radio because of the small size, power is sufficient for my local repeater, it has a wide receiver-coverage, LiIon battery and ofcourse it has a cute design.
The price is very low: I bought it for € 145,- and that is quite cheap, given the price of other dualbanders and the receiving range.
I was surprised by the features however it didn't last very long because of the difficult procedures for some functions.
My advice: buy an SMA to BNC adapter (the good one that fits to the chassis), a better antenna and you're good to go for the money you paid.
Why do I give it a 4 instead of the usual 5? For G*d sake Yaesu, build a decent antenna for the amateur-range and I'm your man!
|
|
| K2DER |
Rating: |
2009-01-26 | |
| Great little Dual |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| A nice little radio for the ham bands,receive audio quality is clear. |
|
