Yaesu FT-60R and the military airband

[jk77]

I suppose I'm going through that HT phase that new hams tend to go through at one point or another and have several of the Chinese radios, but now I'm looking at getting my first radio from the Big Three, namely the Yaesu FT-60R.

I have one question concerning this radio. Is it possible to listen to the military airband on the FT-60R? As far as I can tell, the military airband is between 225 MHZ and 400 MHZ and it is AM. So I guess I'm asking if the FT-60R can receive AM in this range. According to the specs in the manual, which I downloaded, it should, but I'm wondering if anyone has experience with this. I know that it covers the commercial airband, but I have a scanner that covers commercial.

My decision whether to buy this radio really comes down to this question only. I have scanners that cover all the other bands, and my Chinese HTs do a good job on the amateur bands and also have considerable receive (and too much transmit) coverage. I'm reaching for a reason to justify buying this Yaseau HT.

 

[N9JCQ]

Apparently yes.
From the manual PDF on the Gigaparts site:
General
Frequency Ranges: RX 108 - 137 MHz (Air Band),
(Cellular Blocked) 137 - 520 MHz (AM/FM),<=====********Note AM capability here

700 - 999.990 MHz (FM)
TX 144-148 MHz, 430-450 MHz

 

[jaspence]

FT-60R

I have been in ham radio many years before the Chinese radios came along. Air band aside, the FT-60 is a very solid radio for the cost. I have many HTs, and none are as easy to program from the key pad as the Yaesu. This does not apply to the VX series, but the FT has used the same system since my first FT-90 purchased in 1999. It also has an alkaline battery case available, something many of the Chinese radios do not have. Last, but not least, it is well built and a solid performer.

 

[jk77]

I have no doubt that the FT-60R is a fine radio that has stood the test of time. But I guess I don't completely understand the ease of programming argument. Amateur radio has never been about being plug-n-play like cell phones or other consumer electronics, and I appreciate the challenge of learning a new radio. I have no problem programming the Chinese radios on the fly.

But, yeah, the FT-60R is a good radio. I'm not saying it isn't. I just don't need it ... unless, of course, it fills in a gap in coverage that I have.

N9JCQ, thanks. I've seen those specifications and agree that it looks like it does have AM coverage for that band, but I'm interested if anyone has had any experience using it to listen to the military airband.

 

[davidzimmerman]

FT-60R and FT-90

I got my FT60R 4 years ago or longer what a great portable it has been and got the FT-90 8 Years or longer still works great happy with both of them.

 

[Flatshovel]

I have a FT60 and yes this radio does the bands selected and in AM mode as well. I have done a little listening in this band & the radio works fine! I have never owned of the Chinese radios. The Military band was a requirment for me when I purchased this radio as well and performs great. It does not scan as fast as a scanner but nevertheless it will work and receiver srnsitivity is good as well.

Hope that Helps you!

 

[Tech792]

Ditto the above post. I had an FT-60R a few years ago and milair was also one of my requirements. And it worked great for milair. The mobile versions also work well, like the FT-7800/7900...I kinda kick myself for selling mine.

 

[jaspence]

FT-60R ease of programming

If you are not involved in ARES, RACES or other emergency services, you haven't come across the need to understand a radio completely. During our state emergency test last Saturday, I was ask to pass a radiogram message to another station on a frequency that would not interfere with other comms. I announced the frequency on the repeater, the receiving station for the message and I programmed in the simplex frequency, and I sent the request for emergency supplies requested by one of the shelters. In a true emergency situation (I have been through 4 tornadoes) you would not be able to even hear many of the communications going on with a radio that needed a computer to change frequencies. Even if you had power, by the time you booted the computer and reprogrammed the radio, it could be too late to get the message through.

 

[jk77]

Thanks, Flatshovel and Tech792! You have answered my questions. That is what I need, and it's good to see that it isn't only me who has that requirement. It's tough to find a low-cost scanner that covers the mil airband.

jaspence, no, I'm not involved in ARES or RACES just yet. However, I don't need a computer to program my Chinese radios. Once you do it manually a couple of times, it is quite easy and logical. I don't know where you got the idea that you must program the radios through software. Software just makes it easy to program a large number of channels at once. It's nice but not required by any means. I don't know this to be a fact, but I can't imagine that they are any more complicated to program than the Yaesu VX series.