| VE7REN |
Rating:  |
2025-01-04 | |
| Ok radio ...but she gets warm,look elsewhere! |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
jan 4 2025.- update
sold the radio due to the heat development on the back,as compared to my icom 2300h,2730a models on same antenna,they do not get warm.
liked the size,look and desk feet on the bottom,but need a redesign,as what yaesu has done with the ft-2980,and the now current 2025 model ft-3185rasp.
Unless you get a huge deal on one,ide pass and look elswhere
2014-I was hesitant to get this radio from the heat issues mentioned.. I to find it get warm on low power.. ,75 watts it gets very warm with longer tx time.. I installed a fan on the heatsink of this radio.. soldered the fan wires to the power supply cord.. all seems fine now,other then the constant fan noise.. very large unit compared to most.. HEAVY brute too.. as with most yaesus,its easy for me to program,etc... I like everything about this radio,other then the heat it generates.. it has massive heat sink fins,but they don't dissipate like it should.. maybe a design issue... all in all im happy with it.. my 2300h icom puts out 65 watts with long qso,s and does not get warm like the 2900h... |
|
| K6PS |
Rating: |
2024-11-14 | |
| Super Solid Reliable Rig - Simple & Works Like a Hammer |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I've had 2meter rigs going way back to the crystal days. I like simple solid rigs that offer a great user interface and don't overly complicate things with unnecessary clutter.
I have two of these 2900R rigs, and a couple of similar basic rock solid ICOMS (2200H and 2300H). I just mention the Icoms in case you can't locate a Yaesu. All work FB.
This Yaesu would appeal to a person who just wants to grab the mic and talk. Nice buttons, easy display, and super solid construction. If you need to drive a nail into a piece of oak and forgot your hammer at home, you can use the 2900R and not worry. For mobile it is perfect, and if needed, you have the high power capability as well.
Just picking up this rig is like lifting a mini boat anchor. I like that. YMMV. Audio for RX and TX is fine. The mic is the mic, and replacements if needed are easy to find on Amazon. I am writing this in 2024. A hammer bought in 1964 vs one in 2024 would likely function equally well. This rig is modern enough yet has ALL the hallmarks of a solid piece of gear that will function reliably for years and will likely outlast most operators. I love reliability, and I've had zero problems with either the Yaesu or Icom units. I don't smoke, and I don't want my rigs to either.
" But no color OLED waterfall display with SDR capabilities and NFC/Bluetooth v5.4" ... you say ?? That's a BIG 10-4 gud buddy ... If that's what you need, plus 1296, this rig is definitely not going to be your cup of tea. Otherwise... the Yaesu 2900R is a fabulous choice for 2 meters...yes..even in 2024.
/rant. |
|
| MM0HRL |
Rating: |
2023-03-24 | |
| Update notes added |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Added notes, 20/12/15.
And again, 24th March 2023
This rig hasn't been used now - for maybe 6 years? Today I decided to check the amps drawn on all TX settings as for various reasons I wanted to change the DC power routing, using power poles instead of the Yaesu bayonet pigtail fitted.
And found that from lowest to highest settings the rig drew only modest current compared to expected rates.
TXing into a good 100w dummy load via a decent power meter, The wattage found was - 3, 6, 22, 58w. Which should have been - 5,10,30,75w. Very roughly 66% (or 2/3) of spec. This roughly equated to the lowish amperage pulled at these settings.
All down from the wattage claimed in the manual. I'm also aware that in my first iteration of this review I commented on the rig being up to expectations with transmit output. I'm now in my 72nd year and can't recall how I measured it back in 2015 - but the kit I have now is better than could have been used then. So I'm going to retract that comment and suggest that I erred then and that the figures above are more representative of my own example of the 2900 (Euro model)
It's been dry stored in ideal conditions, and seen very little or no use since several months after my 2015 review. In the real world of using an FM rig I'm quite sure that the figures quoted here will make no significant difference to signal reception the other end of the QSO. However. Radio transmitters should not be as below spec as is indicated here. Perhaps it's down to the Chinese origin of my one? No way of knowing. If TX wattage is important to you, then maybe before buying one of these you should metre its output before buying. (I'd be surprised if only mine was low)
Since then I've grown dissatisfied with Yaesu quality in a number of ways and doubt that I'll buy any other radios under that brand name. No doubt others might report similar concerns with other big names, but thus far I've had little reason to moan much about radios from either Kenwood or Icom. It's to those two that my attention will focus in future if in the market for another transceiver.
2015 notes follow.
Rig continues to draw unsolicited compliments on its TX quality - mostly I'm using WideFM and always using the standard rather flimsy feeling mike. After using the rig in the car and at home I find it's now a pest that it lacks a detachable faceplate. The radio is a hefty lump to find a site for in my VW Golf estate. So I got a used FT7900 to try out with its separate faceplate - far smaller and lighter than the 2900. More expensive too, but the 2900's now likely to see use only at home - mostly on a variety of near and distant repeaters. Can still sometimes trip and use that 94-mile distant one in Fraserburgh (I'm in Fife, Scotland - go measure!) using a simple vertical resonant dipole when at its full height of not-quite 40ft up, on a fibreglass mast.
After around an hour of ragchew with the rig on its 30Watt setting this evening it was too hot for comfort really - so am wondering if replacing it with another set with a fan might be sensible - while this one is still 100% operational. We'll see. END of update notes.
My 2900E (Euro version) was bought just over a year ago and came with a 2 year Yaesu warranty. Somehow I don't see it as likely I'll need that warranty, but you never know...
This rig can be initially summed up with some pluses and minuses - here we go.
PLUSes
• Price - currently (early Nov, 2015) shown variously around £129.
• Ruggedly built - pretty much beyond argument.
• Simple to program, using only the rig's own controls. (don't put too much credence in reports saying it's hard - I can only conclude that anyone finding this hard might struggle to use speed-dial on a phone)
• Large, easily read display - Alpha tags too, very easy to read at a glance.
• Essential controls all on front panel - ie Vol/Squelch/VFO cum channel-dial.
• LOTS of memories available.
• Simplicity - except for function button labelling which is - strange.
• Memories groupable into Banks, can be separately scanned - this is just brilliant.
• RF Squelch - truly very useful indeed.
• Genuine 75watts - I've measured this as accurate - brings you out of the noise even with distant repeaters. I've regularly opened a repeater that's 94 miles from my house using a simple vertical dipole around 40ft high.
• It's a monobander - less complex than a dual bander, and virtually all contacts around here are 2m on stone age FM - hence this seen for me as a "plus"
• Many rig functions available on the standard DTFM mike - indeed some are only available on the mike's buttons.
MINUSes
• It's "only" a monobander. Potentially less useful than a Dual Band set. For others, this could be a plus - for me, that's so.
• No RF gain control - a universal complaint on FM sets these days!
• Segmented bar-graph S-meter. Every set has these now, but I don't have to like them - I'd prefer an S-number display added like my FT857d gives.
• Scan rate is strangely sluggish. My FT60e Handy-Talky beats the pants off it, easy.
• Set gets locked-up if a scan is still running, even if it's stopped on a memory the menu remains inaccessible till the scan is cancelled - this is stupid and it's irritating.
• Mine is Chinese-built. Unsure whether this may introduce quality issues later on - quite possibly a non existent matter, but can't get rid of the feeling somehow.
• Slightly less sensitive to weak signals than my FT60 when hooked to the same antenna system. Difference not too significant, but I'd have expected a single band set with its reduced coverage to have higher sensitivity than a dual bander. (My FT60 is an earlier Japanese manufactured unit - significant? Don't know.)
• Used value - not great on private sales - expect low trade in values too. Ebay sees these fetch around 50% of new price. Seems a little low to me - but makes for a great buy used, if you're sure it's not been beaten to death on a lousy antenna system that is.
• All VHF/UHF sets nowadays seem to use the horrible modular mike plug. I hate these things with a vengeance - it's so obviously a shift made to save pennies at manufacture regardless of these plugs being so obviously nasty in nature.
• Mine gets decidedly warm if used on high power for a while, I mean maybe up to an hour on approx. 50% duty cycle. So far this hasn't proved problematic, but I'd rather it stayed a bit cooler.
• It's cursed with the bloody useless Yaesu-Wires system that NOBODY uses, Yaesu really needs to listen to user feedback - this system is panned by virtually everybody with a Yaesu FM set - it should be written off as useless and the price dropped or else the freed up cost ploughed into other refinements.
• Sound comes from the rig's belly - opposite of most ham rigs. Means an ext. speaker is more necessary for some installations.
Some of these minuses are common with lots of radios, not peculiar to this one - they're evidence of trends in how manufacturers feel they can get away with reduced cost and rig functionality, or so it seems to me!
Overall, although there's a fair list of minuses I find I still like this radio, and use it regularly. I especially like - and regularly use - the Banks system for grouping memories into sets that make sense to you - if scanning in one locality you set your memories into a "Bank" for that place and set the scan - only those memories are scanned. If needed, memories can appear in more than a single Bank. My FT60 also has this feature, which is quite enough to set it apart from all the Chinese HTs that lack the feature.
This rig's audio on both TX and RX is loud and clear - sounds just fine both ways.
I just do not understand how some users comment that it's hard to program this radio. Perhaps those guys also need help dressing in the morning and have to use Velcro tab shoes? Honestly, the auto-shift and tone access makes programming in extra repeaters a matter of minutes to enter an extra few. If 7 characters were available for the alpha tags I'd like that better, but find that I can make do with the 6 available here. You just have to use a bit of imagination when longer names have to be truncated.
It's a solid radio in almost every way - if some of the minuses were to be removed, it'd get very close to the ideal simple 2m FM radio. But as it is, it's still a keeper for sure. |
|
| W8SFC |
Rating: |
2019-12-11 | |
| My first 2 meter base radio |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Initially I had a few problems with this radio, but that was mostly due to my own inexperience. Admittedly, the menu settings are much easier when you have the manual available, but after using it for the past two years plus, I can say without reservation that if you are a Yaesu fan you will like this radio, if not, then if you give it a fair try I think you will grow accustomed to it. Since I have not had anything else to compare it to, I began with a clean slate and no preferences ahead of time.
What it has going for it is POWER. 75 watts and a 5/8 wave antenna will give you the best signal transmission capability in a mobile rig. It is noiseless in that there is no fan - the entire case is a heatsink and at events where you are on the road all day long it simply keeps its cool. No overheating problems, just rock solid performance. The power level is adjustable down to 5 watts, in keeping with the best practice of using the lowest power transmission possible.
This radio has been replaced by the FT 2980r which is identical except for a 5 watt bump in power up to 80 watts.
The keypad mic works well for on the fly frequency changes. The four function buttons under the key pad are user programmable. This radio also has everything you need to communicate with local repeaters and can be programmed for individual repeater characteristics using software and cable packages available online. I do not recommend manual programming for a number of reasons, not the least of which is the ease of miskeying the information using the mic keypad. It is much easier to do this task with the program disk and cable set up.
I have only used this rig a few times as a simplex mode rig, but the results were predictably excellent performance. Whether simplex or repeater mode, I have always gotten great signal reports using this radio.
The NOAA weather channels are easily accessed by pressing the P4 program key on the mic, and the up/down buttons will change so you get the strongest signal/area broadcast channel.
Considering the purchase price this is one 2 meter mobile that is hard to beat. |
|
| K6BSR |
Rating: |
2019-04-17 | |
| great for monitoring local simplex |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| I've had this rig since 2016 and just got around to programming it today. It's been so handy on the desk at the ready for QSO on the local simplex frequency and I kinda forgot it had other handy features. I mostly play on HF, but this radio gets me out all over town with no difficulty. Thanks again Yaesu! |
|
| K4IIY |
Rating: |
2019-01-07 | |
| excellent |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
| In service for over three years with no problems. Great display and reasonable controls. Easy to program from the front end once you know the logic. |
|
| KM4RT |
Rating: |
2016-12-31 | |
| Excellent |
Time Owned: 6 to 12 months. |
I have (2) of the FT-2900R transceivers for 2m FM operation. One is being used in my truck as a mobile station and one is being used at my home QTH as a base 2m radio. In my truck, the radio is paired with a 1/4 wave Tram dual-band magnet mount antenna. At my base station, the radio is connected via an antenna switch to a j-pole under the roof of my attic and a 5-element Elk log-periodic beam antenna (also under roof). I am able to hit repeaters within a 50 to 60 mile radius with my base station setup.
I highly recommend this radio with a 4.5 rating to anyone. My operational experience with the FT-2900R is as follows:
First, everything about the build quality of the radio says "rugged". The one piece body only has the face / display screwed on. The rest of the body is a large heat sink. The radio is moderate in size...not as small as some other brands of 2m radios, but it doesn't strike you as too large for mobile use. The radio is fairly heavy and just feels rugged. Also, the radio comes with two screw-on feet for base station use to elevate the front of the radio. I just installed these on both of my units; they do not interfere with the mobile mounting bracket.
Second, the display and controls / menus are straightforward to learn, especially if you are already a Yaesu user. All of the menus and programming functions may be performed from the hand mic (which may me illuminated for night use)...a very nice feature. The display is large and easily readable.
Third, the receive audio quality is very good. I especially enjoy porting the audio through my truck audio system via an aux cable!
Fourth, the transmit power options at settings of 5W, 10W, 30W, or 75W are versatile and the 75W setting is one of the best offered among the 2m radios that are out there on the market. The hand mic is paired well with the radio and I consistently receive very positive comments on the audio quality.
The only negative issue that I have had was that on my mobile radio, one of the digits on the display went out. This was fixed under warranty with no issues.
The transceiver is analog only and does not support digital modes (it can be connected through a Wires-X repeater using the internet link feature though). However, I don't think the digital mode capability is a huge necessity...if this is a feature you want, look at the FT-3200DR. The radio does not support 2m SSB operation.
All in all, the FT-2900R is a superb 2m FM transceiver that will perform with smooth functionality and reliability for a very reasonable price.
73,
KM4VAD
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|
| KE8DWE |
Rating: |
2016-10-04 | |
| Wonderful radio! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
The Yaesu FT-2900R is my second 2 meter radio, and I'm super impressed. I paid $130 for this little gem.
I have been using this radio daily for 5 months, first month as a mobile, and 4 months thereafter as a base unit. Antenna is a 5/8 wave 2 meter unit.
Good points of this radio...
-Great send and receive audio quality.
-Easy to program, even without the software cable.
-Well built, strong construction.
-Seemingly infinite number of settings to customize this radio are built in.
-Large, easy to read, dimmable display.
-Can display radio internal temperature on screen.
And the list just keeps going.
Not so good points of this radio...
-Factory squelch settings are a bit on the low side but this is easily corrected. Other than that, I have ZERO complaints!
-Heatsink does get very hot when talking on higher power for any length of time, but I think this is to be expected. I installed a 12v cooling fan and the internal temperature sensor never goes over 95 degrees fahrenheit now.
In my view, this radio is GREAT value for the money. I mostly talk within a 50 mile radius and often get comments on how well the rig sounds. I have one frequent contact that lives 25 miles away I they have no trouble hearing me on only 5 watts.
All in all, I absolutely DO recommend this radio.
73
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|
| PA3GPA |
Rating: |
2016-04-24 | |
| Does the job |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| It is big, rugged, does the job right and is very good value for the money. Well done Yaesu! |
|
| K0VH |
Rating: |
2016-04-09 | |
| Bargain for solid built 2m rig |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I got mine as a Christmas present with the $119 deals that were too good to pass. Plus it let me give my 20 yr old 2nd hand Yaesu mobile to my son who only had a handheld. This is an easy to use basic 2m only radio for base or mobile use. It's heavier than I thought but I used the same space on the drivers side under right leg sideways on the "transmission hump" and it fits fine. I just finished a 3000 mi RT snowbird MN/FL trip and made many contacts on the road and in the Orlando area.
Pros: I think it's easy to program and use, but I also have the Yaesu/Vertex 170 handheld (for some reason I've favored Yaesu VHF like my 15 yr old FT-1500 still in use, but Icom HF with exception of Icom ID31 for our DStar).
I detuned my hi power to 45-50 watts as others have suggested (http://docslide.us/documents/setting-power-ft-2900r.html , be careful and using a dummy load and watt meter) - no problems w/overheating and still plenty of power to get out mobile.
Excellent audio both xmt & rcv using stock mic and built in speaker.
Cons: Mic plug is flimsy. That said I got 14 yrs on my FT-1500 before it needed replacing.
I haven't figured out but dialing up repeaters in VFO mode while traveling, the tone squelch occasionally will go off when I change frequency (I like to dial up the frequency from the mic and then the TSQL frequency, it's just a 3rd item to have to mess with and don't want to even glance onto the radio screen).
I'm actually more of an HF operator but have had 2m rigs in the car ever since the early 70s only buying/trading every 10 years or so. I am an ARES member and do limited public service mobile, but just like having a decent radio in the car despite many quiet repeaters these days. Hopefully this radio will give me 15+ years like my FT-1500 has. |
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