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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-90r

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-90r
Reviews: 138MSRP: 399.96
Description:
Micro 2m/440 transciever
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/ft90r.html
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
001383.5
N0GX Rating: 2004-12-05
solid performer Time Owned: more than 12 months.
i've had my ft 90r for about 2 and a half years now and never had a bit of trouble with it. was used in the shack first, now in the mobile. used almost daily with no problems, been a solid performer for me anyway.
WA1RC Rating: 2004-12-05
Another one bites the dust Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I got this radio because it was compact and was the only one that easily fit in my vehicle and because I liked the broad range of frequencies. Unfortunately it just doesn't hold up to what I would consider normal use. After about a year I started gettting intermitent issues with it cutting out, after 2 years it would go to full squelch at random for random periods of time and finally after 3 years it quit completely - burned out - not repairable. For the price I paid for this radio I would expected to get at lest twice this amount of usage - the radio that it replaced was in multiple cars over the past 15 years - it's now being put back into service.
Considering all the issues I wouldn't recommend it to buy new and definitely would not consider buying one used.
VK1OD Rating: 2004-12-04
Unbelievable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Well guys, we saw a radio that was too small to believe for its power rating.

For those people who have a squelch problem with the radio when it gets hot, this article may help you to get some use out of your Yasue.

http://www.vk1od.net/FT90R/Ft90rSquelchReport.htm

Clearly, the radio's frequency stability is not adequate, the frequency reference is not adequate for the very high operating temperature, and one of the flow on effects is to the squelch operation (partly due to the bodgy implementation of "narrow band").

Hope it helps some people get value from their condemned FT-90R.

Owen
KB9YLU Rating: 2004-10-17
great size & it works!!!!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
its funny how reviews can go from 0-5 on the same radio, well this seems to be the case here! I love mine it fits in my car perfectly! it looks factory! what other radio is there that is this small and works so well. i like the radio to perform and ez to install, with the ft-90s size it accomplished both!!!!!
W2IRT Rating: 2004-08-01
Final chance blown for this stinker Time Owned: more than 12 months.
In the last two years I posted my displeasure about the FT-90R(otten). How it was sent back to Yaesu THREE times to solve the well-known thermal problem.

Well, after last year's reparis, it appeared to work well over the winter and I'd considered it fixed. Silly me.

Sillier Me, I took this POS with me to London as my only transceiver on a 4-week UK vacation. Wouldn't you know it, FIVE WHOLE MINUTES into my first QSO the FT-90R(otten) just quit outright. Stopped right in the middle of receiving (not transmitting). The power supply was checked and found to be working properly, and the antenna was a brand-new Comet whose SWR was less than 1.2:1 on my operating frequency.

After recent experiences with the FT-847 and the FT-90R(otten) in the past, I've since vowed never to buy a Yaesu-Vertex radio again. Now that my greatly-anticipated ham vacation was utterly ruined by this unadulteraded dung-pile, I'm frankly in a quandry as to why anybody would consider using Yaesu-Vertex equipment on DXpeditions to deserted islands. It seems that "quality control" and "Yaesu" are two completely mutually-exclusive terms.

If you value quality and reliability, please, PLEASE avoid the FT-90R(otten) at all costs! You *will* be sadly disappointed. Perhaps not at first, but certainly down the road. I will not send this thing back to Vertex for service since there are severe penalties for sending toxic waste through the mails. I will likely hold a raffle with the winner given the privilege of putting about 8 million volts through it or smashing it with a 16-tonne weight. Or maybe I'll mail it to the president of Vertex-Standard, asking him how he can sleep at night selling garbage like this to the unsuspecting ham public.
VE3EFF Rating: 2004-06-02
Stolen Display Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
Anyone have an FT90 that is junk but the display works? I need a front panel and mic for mine, it was stolen from my vehicle.
PAUL_KQ6EH Rating: 2004-05-03
How did this radio make it to market? Their TECHS need HELP! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Since the first time I had received my FT-90R new from HRO, it would not decode PL's dependably. Come to find out, this was a known issue. I then sent my FT-90R into Yaesu to address this issue. After receiving it back, I now cannot turn the volume / AF gain control near wide open. If I do, the unit gets into it self with a rather severe and annoying hum/squeal. What ever happened to Quality Control? I have not returned my FT-90R back to Yaesu’s service department for fear that they will induce yet another problem which was not originally there. This is one of two Yaesu radio of which I have purchased within the last 2.5 years, and I’m not happy with either of them. I also have two older Yaesu radios which I love. I have since switched to ICOM and MOTOROLA for my radio needs. I hope I was just but one of a few that have had bad experiences with Yaesu. Either way, I don’t think I’ll be going back.
KB1KIX Rating: 2004-04-12
I liked... but then ........ Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Bought one frome an old timer I know that only used it a couple of times because he felt the fan was too loud.

It worked great for a month or so, and I was a huge fan. I even used it on a local net I run and had great feedback on sound quality and such.

Then....... the squelch issues kicked in. I went out to get a coffee - it worked fine. Got back into my car - I knew something was wrong by the way I had the "demo" screen scrolling across the LCD.

I then noticed, of course, all my presents were gone. Now, I could deal with this, but the squelch issue is what ruined it for me.

All of a sudden, I noticed on 2M, when the squelch was brought up to threshold, I couldn't hear nothing. This is intermittent on 70cm.

So, now if I listen to 2M,I need to deal with the static, but not on 70cm most of the time.

Vertex said that they don't do the repairs, but recommended my local shop. What a joke. They knew they had this problem.

I like Yaesu HT's, but am really not so sure about their Mobile rigs - and to think I was considering an FT-897.

I even wanted another FT90 if I could get my hands on one.

Oh well.... at least I learned before I bought an FT897 how pitiful their customer service is. I didn't expect much since I got the radio used - but they do know they have a problem here.
KB8RZP Rating: 2004-03-02
Prettiest Non Functioning Blue Light under my dash!! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
(PLRTDW) - I'll explain L8R

OK so we all have to compromise...If ya want SMALL, then there are tradeoffs, not an unreasonable concept...BUT

I love this radio...FOR ALL TWO DAYS IT WORKED..

Purchased: 12/2002 from HRO had a buddy order it
for me so it wouldn't show on
the credit card statement-
wasn't I SO SO SMART!!
Installed: 12/2002 (Gosh wasn't it pretty - my
Santa gift to myself- didn't
tell the wife then, either)

2 days later... 28 volts showing on display, hot enough to perk coffee on my way to work (maybe that's not so bad...was that feature mentioned in the manual???) NO RX or TX (is that the Yaesu REPEATER SPARING FEATURE??? HOW DID THAT GET ACTIVATED???) / pretty blue display though, all those nice little scan frequencies zippin' right along doing NOTHING!!!

Removed from my trusty ole Ford Pickup: 12/2002
Placed back in box with plastic wrap and packing still intact, set box on shelf to admire about the ONE secret Christmas present to MYSELF I got away with...(Hey, did Yaesu do a customer satisfaction call to my wife...maybe she just hexed it for not telling her about buying it...) Yeah that's gotta be it, since we all know that there is NO WAY Yaesu could have manufactured a radio this pretty that DOESN'T WORK....Could They????

Re-Installed my ole trusty Kenwood (that is still working) in my ole trusty Ford Pickup (still running): 12/2002

Everytime I look up on that shelf at the Yaesu box with that pretty lil radio in it, I think...maybe if ya sent it to Yaesu, they would fix it, since it only worked two days...NAH!!! I'll just keep it so that the next time I see a PLRTDW (Pretty Lil Radio That Doesn't Work)in a Yaesu catalog, I'll sigh, reach over, and pat my ole trusty Kenwood, Alinco or ICOM. Lesson Learned

(Sure did like it while it worked though - Hey Yaesu, if ya Wanna get back in my good graces, PLEASE issue a recall or something..this radio would be WONDERFUL, if it WORKED!!!)

Greg Priddy KB8RZP
Webbville KY
N1HOS Rating: 2004-01-19
Junk Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Not only is the radio junk, the company does not stand by it products even under warranty. They told me they would return my shipping costs and could not even do that. 3 times the radio went back with a return note saying nothing wrong and within an hour it would fall apart again. Never again with anything make by this company.

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Earlier 0-star review posted by N1HOS on 2003-05-25

Over heats even on low power. Can't tx or rx when this happens. For money paid, it is a piece of junk. Never buy Yaesu again.