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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-250R

Category: Transceivers: VHF/UHF+ Amateur Hand-held

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-250R
Reviews: 35MSRP: 160.00
Description:
A 2 Meter 5 Watt transceiver made by Yaesu. No details on Yaesu.com go to http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/ht/5250.html for more info.
Product is in production
More Info: http://
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00354.7
KD8JMX Rating: 2022-01-07
Great radio! Time Owned: more than 12 months.
Military Specs, backlight, easy to program, and great audio. When I saw this I had to just pick it up. Easy to use radio. Get a decent 2M antenna and it will work wonders.
73,
KD8JMX
N1OIE Rating: 2017-11-20
Not tuff -- doesn;tlive up to hype Time Owned: more than 12 months.
So I bought this HT because of the claims of it's hardiness -- I'm really hard on the equipment. After the first drop (and I use my HT primarily for SOTA) on a boulder, the PTT button required special help -- I'd have to use my pen knife to wedge it to release. Still, I carried on with the radio till last week (Nov of 2017) when I again dropped it on top of a mountain ... the case broke, and the LED cracked. Again, to be fair to Yaesu, I'm hard on the gear, and I wish I'd stop dropping stuff on the top of mountains, but both times I dropped this critter, it got closer to death. I'm not sure what Mil-Spec standards this radio is supposed to meet, but it's a crock of dung on the hardiness front ... maybe that standard ... pretty well convinces me that I'll never buy another yaesu. 73/
SQ3HTB Rating: 2014-04-25
Unfortunately fragile. Time Owned: more than 12 months.
That's pretty good in terms of radio electronic equipment.
But after 3 years of front cover fell off .

The reason is that the front cover is held only at the two small screws. Plastic holder for screws just fell off .
That's a heavy burden for such tiny screws , Yaesu did it deliberately , aware that this element of the crumble .

Radio was very respected , never fall gently deposited only in the home, non-stop in one place does not move .
I'm not wealthy so for me it's a big loss . Next radio buy myself for half a year.
My friends have a Chinese radio for about 1 /3 the price of FT - 250R .
They are much more durable, Chinese radio often they fall to the ground, but they have a thick plastk and much thicker mounting for screws .
This is about 40 % of my monthly salary . Long as I put the money on the next radio.
Another colleague Icom V82 also fell apart . Also the screws broke out of the attachment . On the cover of almost no scratches .
Time to switch to the old soft , but durable radio.

Another friend has the Motorola GP900 on 145 MHz , the radio fell probably 100 times , housing is very dilapidated but the radio does not fall apart .
W7UUU Rating: 2013-01-04
Superb HT in every way! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I just purchased my FT-250R used, but in totally new condition. What a great little 2-m HT! VERY solid build - feels good in my hand, with "heft". Good audio quality, and unlike all the cheap Chinese radios, there's a KNOB for channels, volume and squelch - makes it much easier to use.

The keypad is a tad tight, as others have mentioned. Programming is typical Yaesu - not too bad but a little tough if you have big fingers and/or bad eyes. So I opted for the RT-Systems programming cable and software - SUPER EASY to program once I got the cable and program. Now I have it set up for my entire region.

All in all, a very nice radio for the price, and IMO vastly better than those Chinese jobs - I have one and pretty much never use it.
KD0NGX Rating: 2012-06-02
Reliable Time Owned: more than 12 months.
I've used the 250 for public service work. Easy to use and I consistently get good signal reports. I also have a Yaesu FT-60R and I use it as well. The 250 is a great little 2m radio. The only thing I don't like so much is that the aftermarket speaker-mics don't like to stay in the radio... another ham told me this is because of how Yaesu machines their connections compared to how the aftermarket people do. Regardless, it's an easy fix; I picked up some black elastic band from the Wal-Mart craft department and made a band that I slip around the radio to hold the speaker-mic connector in securely while the radio is on my belt. I do like that the 250 has a leather case available from Yaesu that is specifically made for this model of radio. The case is heavy-duty, public-service quality, like something you would order for public safety use. I don't think the charger is as well built as it could be, but it does the trick. I have had good luck with Yaesus and I like that all of the batteries and accessories interchange between the FT-60R and FT-250R models. It has made it cheaper for me to acquire what I need; the spare battery I bought and the dry cell holder will work with both models that way. I've been very pleased with this radio.
W5ETA Rating: 2012-01-02
Another great Yaesu Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Very impressed with the FT-250R. I am also a Yaesu fan and have owned the FT-150, VX5R, FT-177, FT-170, etc etc. I really liked the FT-150 and always regretted selling it. When I saw the FT-250 I knew I had to buy one. I was not disappointed.

I am a police officer and always have a Ham HT in my patrol car with the local repeaters in it, monitoring the main 2 meter repeater throughout my shift. The radios can take a beating at times but no worries now with the 250 due to it's ruggedness.

Signal reports simplex and into the repeaters are all good. The speaker audio is better than the 150, but still lacks a little bit (or maybe it is just the unit I have). The sensitivity is great when compared side-by-side with my other HTs, can hear things some others do not.

I will be keeping this one for quite a while.
KF7OIR Rating: 2011-12-08
Great Handheld Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
This is the First Radio that I have ever owned so I dont have too much to compare it too. However, This is a really sturdy radio. I like how it has 2 knobs on the top instead of just one like other radios, Allowing for quick and easy squelch, volume, and channel control. Only thing I would change about the radio is: When you plug in a speaker/mic or headphones, It transmits as you're plugging it in. And when you plug in a set of normal headphones. It tries to transmit the entire time they are plugged in. All in all it is a great radio that I would recommend to anyone and everyone with a License!
KA2ANT Rating: 2011-10-28
Excellent..better than Vx150 Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Yeasu does it again.
I had really enjoyed the rugged design of the Vx-150 handheld for about 8 years, and was frequently impressed about the battery life. Sad to see the finals blow in the Vx150, I decided to give the Ft-250R a try, and after two weeks of using it, I'm even more impressed. Audio reports are very good, and the radio's functions are easy to use. Battery life is just as good, if not better than what I used to get with the Vx150.

I'm sold!
Thanks,
Dane KA2ANT
N4PPG Rating: 2011-07-25
Love it...recently bought a second one Time Owned: 6 to 12 months.
I'm biased, Im a Yaesu fan. I absolutely love this monoband HT. On the meter, it is perfect on its output at the various power settings. The sensitivity is fine and the speaker is great. Feels heavy in your hand and is rugged. Ive dropped one twice to a concrete floor from over 4' and no damage. Charge lasts a few days with light transmitting, and seeemingly forever with just monitoring. Overall, a very well built unit. I may even buy another...
N6JPA Rating: 2011-04-02
Better then the Cheap import HT's Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
This rig is very nice and made for portable use with it's secure spring-loaded belt clip. If you are looking for a 2 meter HT to have around without breaking the bank and having plenty of features this is the one to buy.