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Reviews For: Yaesu FT-277R UHF Transceiver, Handheld

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

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Review Summary For : Yaesu FT-277R UHF Transceiver, Handheld
Reviews: 4MSRP: 145
Description:
Although Yaesu may have re-used an old model number, when this one was named, the current 5 watt, handheld radio is very similar to the 2m FT-270R, EXCEPT it covers 70cm and - in Australia - it receive AU's UHF CB (80 ch's, from Apr 2011). My MSRP, below, is from HamCity.com
Product is not in production
More Info: http://www.hamcity.com/store/pc/viewPrd.asp?idcategory=42&idproduct=1936
# last 180 days Avg. Rating last 180 days Total reviews Avg. overall rating
0045
VR2ZDX Rating: 2018-06-29
As GREAT as FT-270R Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
FT-277R is just as great as FT-270R.

It's just as rugged, submersible and efficient as the FT-270R. Highly recommend this radio.
KG8Q Rating: 2013-06-25
Worth every dollar! Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
If you are looking for a solid 70cm handheld, look no further. This HT is the real deal. I contemplated a commercial HT but with all the headaches that come from trying to find appropriate programming software I opted for the 277r. I carry this thing on my hip all day every day. Now this HT has a lot of great points and some not so great but what rig doesn't? By and large I think you'll find this a very worthy HT and the bad points are really just me being picky. The following points are of course subjective.

the good:

1. antenna/receiver - I've read where other have problems with the antenna. I've found nothing of the sort and that it is on par with other UHF rigs I own or owned. The receiver is top notch. I hear close and more distant repeaters as I should.

2. build - No joke, very solid construction, nice fit and finish

3. display - nice size digits and very preference friendly. You can program the light to stay on or off all time or about anything in-between. Same goes for the led x-mit/recv. indicator. Nice large S-meter.

4. dw - dual watch allows monitoring of 2 freqs. at a time , very nice.

5. super easy mods - take out a diode under a door behind the battery and you are good to go.

6. knobs - knobs on top are easily manipulated and are detented which gives you a good tactile
feel. Volume is on the top with freq. on bottom - nicely thought out not like my f6a which is always a feat just to get the right knob.

7. receive audio - superb audio nice and loud.

8. good battery life with standard 1400 mAh battery.

knit pick items - and folks I'm really trying to be picky on these items:

1. manual - my manual left out how to do a certain scan function. I figured it out on my own but one would think.......

2. belt clip - ok I get it..... not what we are all used to however it does work and I am warming up to twisting the radio 180 degrees to un-latch it from the clip. Awkward at first but I'm good with it now.

3. filtering? - my ONLY gripe and again I'm grabbing here is when I have it on the table next to the computer I have to move it sometimes - some interference from the computer or perhaps the monitor will break the squelch. Not a big issue.

4. Transmit audio - It is horrible folks. Truly it is but in 5 min or less you can go from horrible to superb. The issue lies in the submersible ability inherent in the rig. Yaesu put a membrane over the mic to give it it's under water rating. Remove the membrane and beautiful x-mit audio awaits.

I really love this HT. So much so I sold my f6a and picked up the 270r VHF version as well.

No regrets on this purchase
VE7KTB Rating: 2011-03-30
Great Portable Time Owned: 0 to 3 months.
Got my FT-277 today. (I have a FT-170 that I have owned for 4+ years that I love.) This radio, although very similar has some minor differences, not bad mind you. This radio is SOLID. Solid like a decent commercial radio. I am very impressed with this radio, it is LOUD one of the biggest selling points for me, the other is the speaker/mic jack. The antenna is the weak point. I am suprised they went with a stubby one and not a whip, none the less, I purchased an aftermarket antenna and this radio seems to hear fine. My first repeater contact was through a repeater accross Edmonton (approx 13km) and my second was a simplex contact of approx 5KM using 2.0w. I am very happy to have two mono-band radios rather than a twin/multi-band radio. This is an addition to my collection that is going to be around for a very long time.

I bought the RT-Systems programming software as well, It makes proramming a snap and I would highly recommend it to speed up programming and save wear and tear on the encoder dial.

The good:

1. 800mw of audio power.
2. The screw-in speakermic jack.
3. Size, not to big and not to small, plus the radio disipates heat better than some of the mico-sized portables.
4. One solid radio.

The Cons:
1. Stock antenna is a poor choice, a whip would be better.
2. Better way to label memories (itap cell phone syle would be MUCH MUCH better.)
3. The optional speaker/mics SUCK, a MH-45 commercial style sp/mic would make MUCH better use of the great audio power not the dinky cheap feeling ones that you can get for it (I WILL be buying an MH-45 and re-cabling it with one of my 2 cheap mics.

Other than those 3 minor complaints, this radio is EXCELLENT value for the $160CAD that I spent to buy it.
WG3L Rating: 2011-03-27
Rugged, 5w, 70cm radio Time Owned: 3 to 6 months.
Mostly good: Comparable to Yaesu's FT-270R 2m handheld; 200 memory channels; in Australia, it receives AU's UHF CB, enabling at least 1-way (some say 2-way) cooperation with CBer's, eg, during emergencies; has lots of firmware features (sim to FT-270R & even VX-7R), that make it useful in ARES (WICEN in AU) emergency service work, but you'd need optional fast-charging, drop-in charger for that; it's got a rugged case.

Not so good: Manual says it receives US Wx channels, but I don't see how (that detail might apply only to FT-270R); reviewers of FT-270R say its mic comes covered with some waterproofing, that effectively reduces Tx audio level, until it's removed (we use an externam mic, so I can't comment); battery is 1400 mAh NiMH (we got a few battery cases & fill 'em with 6x NiMH AA's with almost double that mAh capacity).

Either way: Original antenna is under 10cm long, so we also carry an aftermarket, telescopic, dual-band antenna (costing ~ $9), with a swivel that lets us set radio on its back, bu keeps antenna vertical.

I don't know if they're still in production (I doubt it, if any critical part-makers got hit by Japan's recent earthquake or tsunami); I saw some HK-based suppliers (eg, RadioGearPro.com) drop 'em from their web-site; maybe they're waiting for "AU's FCC" (ACMA) to release the 2nd batch of 40 ch's to AU's UHF CB service, so they can sell them for more than the US$144 it once sold for..? Release of AU's 80 ch CB is due around April 2011.

(Other Asian suppliers' prices have been creeping up in recent weeks.)