Yaesu: FT-70D bad sensitivity?

[radiosification]

I've searched google and this forum and not found anyone else mention this issue. The sensitivity on my radio (FT-70DE, which is the same as the FT-70DR but the European version) is awful. On other radios I can hear a repeater perfectly fine, but on this Yaesu I can only hear it if I open the squelch and hold the radio in a certain position.

I tried with a different repeater and it's the same story. Another radio receives it totally fine (at around -110 dBm) but the Yaesu radio struggles a lot. I called and got a signal report on a fusion repeater but I could barely hear the reply because of the signal dropping out, even though it sounded like they could hear me fine.

Has anyone else had similar issues? Have you compared your FT-70D to other radios? Is mine just faulty and should be sent back?

Thanks

 

[ko6jw_2]

Your radio may have a problem. I have an FT70 and a FT2. Both seem to have about the same sensitivity. I bought the FT70 as an extra radio to use with a Fusion repeater, but have a lot of ham frequencies and public safety frequencies programmed. Even the out of band frequencies seem to work well.

I am assuming that you are not in the US as the differences in transmit frequency coverage would make the DE version of limited use here.

Make sure that the attenuator is not on (menu setting 1).

Try a different antenna.

 

[AA6IO]

I also have an FT-70DR and find the sensitivity on amateur and out-of-band frequencies to be excellent. Comparable to my FT-2DR as well.

 

[radiosification]

Make sure that the attenuator is not on (menu setting 1).

The attenuator was on!!

I turned it off and it works so much better now. I should have thought of that, what a silly mistake to make. Thank you so much.

 

[K4EET]

The attenuator was on!!

I turned it off and it works so much better now. I should have thought of that, what a silly mistake to make. Thank you so much.

That will certainly decrease the sensitivity. I'm glad that ko6jw_2 was able to hit the nail on the head on the first swing for you!

Cheers! Dave