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Reviews For: Yaesu FTM-350R with APRS

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FTM-350R with APRS
Reviews: 64MSRP: 780
Description:
The Yaesu FTM-350R dual band mobile transceiver operates on 2 meters and 70 centimeters. And that is with a full 50 watts of reliable power on both bands. And even QRP 220 MHz (1 watt) is supported (USA version only). It has two separate receivers with dual speakers on the rear of the control head. The controls are easy to use. On the left receiver enjoy the AM, FM and stereo FM broadcast bands with extended receive: 0.5-1.7, 76-108, 108-250, 300-1000 MHz (less former cellular frequencies). The right receiver covers 108-250, 300-1000 MHz (less former cellular frequencies). Enjoy 500 memories with alpha tagging for the left band and 500 for the right band (total 1000) plus 9 DTMF memories. And the FTM-350R menu system is easy to use. There is also stereo line inputs available. This radio has a built-in TNC for APRS® applications. Cross-band repeat is supported. The FTM-350R is ready to accept the optional FGPS-1 internal GPS receiver-antenna. The front panel is easily remoteable with the 10 foot included cable. A 20 foot remote cable is available optionally. There is a front panel built-in microphone activates PTT transmission. Please note that the control head does not directly mount to the radio body. Supplied with: MH-48A6JA DTMF hand mic, Front panel suction type mounting bracket, DC power cable, 10 foot control panel cable, speaker cable, spare fuse and Owner's Manual.
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd=DisplayProducts&ProdCatID=106&encProdID=33C814E3D04C92310507ECDE68CC3C01&DivisionID=65&isArchived=0
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
00643.8
KJ4DZF Rating: 2010-10-08
great radio but has issues Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
purchased in august 2010. tx/recieve is excellent and outperforms my ft8800. displpay is bright and clear.

i ordered the gps module and the radio would not see it. radio is currently at yaesu for repair. i was also told the firmware was downlevel and there is a major bug with aprs in this firmware.

like the radio but these issues should have been caught in qc.

W4DJW Rating: 2010-09-26
Great Radio! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've been using the FT-350R for the last three months. It has replaced the Kenwood D710 in the car. All of the available options have been added. This is by far the most functionality with the least amount of wire clutter in the car I have had to date. Coming from a long line of Kenwood products with similar functionality I can say it is very different than the Kenwood solution but I think the difference is a great improvement. I did spend a lot of time learning the Kenwood products over the years and feel it will be necessary to spend an equal amount of time to learn the way Yaesu improved the process.

An example and perhaps the most useful button on the remote head, is the PPT button. I added the Bluetooth module which works well with the built in Bluetooth in the car. I can now use the car's built in mic and speakers without any wire connections to either. The front panel PPT is a button not available on other manufactures products and I feel it was a great miss on their part. Thanks Yaesu! In addition the single button to force a manual APRS beacon is a great improvement over the Kenwood TM-D710 where you have to turn BCON off and then back on again.

Needless to say the display was the main reason I tried the FT-350R. The remote head on the Kenwood TM-D710 is totally useless when the interior of the car is hot. No amount of brightness / contrast can render the screen readable. The Yaesu on the other hand is completely readable no matter the temperature on the interior of the car.

I continue to use both the Kenwood and the Yaesu and enjoy both as I understand both were created with the creative ingenuity we have come to expect from these manufactures. I do realize I'll need to devote plenty of time to this rig to become as proficient with it as I am with the previous solution I've been using.

I would suggest this rig to anyone looking for an out-of-the-box solution for APRS that has not had previous experience with the Kenwood equivalent, and would only suggest it to someone with previous Kenwood experience with the understanding they need to clear their head and take a fresh approach to learning the way Yaesu did it like they did with their previous pass at this type of rig.
ON9CC Rating: 2010-09-24
Disappointment ... Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
I've owned many rigs (handys, mobile, base) over the past 20 years of being a HAM. Normally I´m not a criticist, but I wanted to share my findings of this rig to maybe prevent others from a disappointment.

Lets start to mention that I've been using APRS /M for almost 10 years or so with a Kenwood TM-D700/D710.

Ever since the FTM-350 radio was announced, I was charmed by the nice display with tiny GPS receiver ... unfortunately after using the rig for about a week ((European version with the optional FGPS-1), that's all that's left of it´s charm.

Here's why:
- if you receive an APRS beacon, you can not change the other VFO. You'll have to press escape or wait untill the beacon-info dissappears. (For instance, compared to a Kenwood TM-D710, the message immediatly disappears when you're turning the other VFO knob, which I prefer/am used to).
- After going through dozens of settings and (YES) even reading the manual, I couldn´t find an APRS setting that ONLY gave a confirmation beep when my own APRS beacon was digipeated. Either you hear them, along wich a beep for a thousand ACK-frames per minute, or you just don't.
Setting the Kenwood TM-D710 so that I ONLY hear a beep when my own beacon is digipeated, is a piece of cake.
- The station list is more difficult to read. But maybe again I'm just used to the D710's display.
- Buttons ... they are nice to touch, but the layout is a disaster, compared to the D710. It´s far from easy to adjust Tone-Squelch ... but OK, you do have the USELESS PTT button on the right top of the display (who thought of that??? can't think of a time to use this button).
- Another totally USELESS function are the 2 timers
- ... as well as the navigate function.
- Wires button ... also useless (at least here in Europe) ... Yaesu is still trying to promote their WiresII system but that obviously flunked.
- This TRX can´t be used as standalone APRS digi !!!! ... the D710 can ...
- if the TRX has been modified for wide-band receive, the Auto Repeater Shift doesn't work anymore. Seems that all recent Yaesu TRX's have this (only EU versions?) ... pitty.
- And last but not least, the panel mount. LOL! What an extremely bad piece of engineering! YAESU, wake up!!! This is a MOBILE rig with a remote mounted head. Wouldn´t it be VERY useful if you could EASYLI remove the display as anti-theft measure?

I use a Green-Light-Labs GPS glued to the back of my Kenwood TM-D710. Works PERFECT, it is just a little bulky and when carpooling (and leaving my car on an unguarded carpool parking) I always take out the display. Click, click, and the cable is loose and display is removed from the mount.

I mainly bought the FTM-350 because the display with build-in/hooked-up GPS was not so bulky. WRONG! Unless you take a philipshead-screwdriver with you to remove the steel bracked and suction-cip, it´s even more bulky!

Really really bad design Yaesu and for the price you ask for this TRX, it´s a bloody shame! Needless to say that I´m very disappointed with the transceiver and therefore I already sold it for a cheap price.

It seems to me that this rig has been designed by people with very little or absolutely no APRS and/or mobile experience. Oh well, maybe I´m just used to and/or spoiled by the ergonomics and design/engineering of Kenwoods TM-D710 ...

I really don't understand since I also (for about 2 years now) own a Yaesu VX-8 with FGPS-2 which I really love to use and always use when going for a walk and/or geocaching! Great piece of equipment and does everyting I expect in a decent and easy to understand way.

Bottom-line: if you really want to do some flexible, safe, fun, easy to handle APRS mobiling, buy a Kenwood TM-D710 and Green-Light-Labs GPS (available at AES for instance)! If you want a mobile rig with an 8 color display and don´t care about the rest, buy an FTM-350.

My 2 cents ... and no, I´m not a Kenwood Shareholder. My HF/6m rig is an ICOM :-)
ZS2DL Rating: 2010-08-31
Poor Build Quality Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Took my new FTM350 out the box....after 20 minutes the front panels mic socket stopped working....mic keys rig no audio though.
I am gutted.
It is going back to Yaesu tomorrow.

Donovan
ZS2DL
G4VKE Rating: 2010-08-26
Impressive! Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
A couple of years ago I bought the FTM10e, mainly because of the blue tooth facility. It is a great radio performance wise, but the controls were not good. When I saw the FT350 it seemed to be a better job. I ordered mine from Martin Lynch at 4:00pm Tuesday and it arrived Wednesday am! Not bad considering I live in Cumbria. Anyway, first impressions are very favourable. It is very well made, seems to work well, the bluetooth is great (swapped the parts from my FTM10E!)and the controls are much better, rotary controls and far better menus. ONly drawbacks are the usual complaint about the rubber suction mount (Oh boy, who thought of that? If Tomtom can do a successful suction mount why can't Yaesu?) and the mounting of the charging sleeve for the remote mic, which means it sticks up vertically! Any way, I'll sort something and report back. All in all I'm really pleased with it.
KC0SHZ Rating: 2010-08-25
Very good Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
I have been using this radio as my only APRS beacon and have used it on an MS bike ride running SAG, around town, and on a vacation trip to Michigan. It works well. The GPS chip was easy to install and fixes to the back of the control head. The radio has great visibility in all colors so far tested (there are several of them and then there is a variety of intensity settings for each.) I have had good APRS coverage and my FM audio has been very good.

I would recommend a bean-bag mount for the control head. Earlier complaints about the suction on the control head do not seem to be a problem for me.
N4JDU Rating: 2010-08-04
Great Rig Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Some internet review said the Gps was working backwards and the radio locked up a few times. So I was nervous about what might be causing some of these problems. The first thing I noticed was that there was a firmware upgrade already out from yaesu. I installed the upgrade next day after purchase. Upgrade went without a hitch.I own a Vx8 hand held with the Gps so i was able to save some cash and use the GPS receiver with extension cable. Giving the receiver a clear look at the horizon will help the GPS perform. Using the GPS behind the back of the control panel I think would make any satelitter receiver gasp for signal. Try the extension cable and give it a clear look. I used velcro and stuck it side window anfd it works quite well. The radio is working as designed. The programming software from RT systems (Adms) comes with a warning about not using the weather channels "when all but one weather channel has the skip option set to skip". I guess that means leave the weather channels off your scan completly. They say you can damage the rig and only yaesu service can fix it. No re-set will work. I know the frequesncy so that is not a problem. Big display and very easy to use. Mine works fine. More later
NE9G Rating: 2010-07-28
very good; not perfect Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
it is a good package; i like the easy addition of gps and use the aprs feature - main reason for purchase; yes, it does seem to briefly lock up, the mount is poor, the accessories are over priced; but, it is an alternative to the Kenwood and may spur action and possible improvements from Icom and Alinco.
N7WR Rating: 2010-06-19
SO FAR SO GOOD Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Just got the plain jane version (no GPS) and installed it in my new F150 pickup. Still learning to use all the features. The ADMS programming software was very helpful in loading a lot of frequencies into the rig. Looking forward to learning how to really use it. My tired old eyes really like the very large display. The ability to scan both sides simultaneously is a plus. I have a lot of non amateur frequencies programmed into one side and a lot of amateur frequencies into the other. Like having two separae radios.
JA1ML Rating: 2010-06-06
FTM-350R very Nice Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
My New FTM-350 dual band VHF/UHF Mobile.
Does it all, very nice.

Users group of help too!
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Yaesu_FTM-350R/