Suggestion for Yaesu model instead of a Baofeng model

[a727469]

To continue…I generally like Yaesu, but over the years I have had a handful of problems especially with some of their mobiles. All companies have their + and - forgetting ccr radios , I personally have had a better long term experience with Icom but everyone is different. Actually my first handheld after I got my license was an Alinco and it was great along with my current Alinco DJ-MD5fxt. I own 1 of each, Yaesu, Icom and Alinco, so no discrimination here!😊

So back on topic, if I were to choose per the OPs message, if price was no object I would not limit myself to Yaesu, but look at all radios within my price point and consider the actual day to day usage and not over or under buy. We are lucky there are so many choices so we can adapt the purchase to what we really need especially with handhelds from $20 to multi hundreds. They all have their place.

 

[CatandMouse]

Here's the deal....

The Yaesu FT60 is not the best portable radio that Yaesu made for the ham market. They do last for what seems to be next for forever, however, they have a big weakness.

...dont get'm wet.

They are not made to be waterproof, just "weather resistant", which is just as water tight as a bush has eyebrows. You aren't going to destroy your radio if you take it with you in a light rain but don't jump into the pool with it.

If waterproof is a must, Yaesu makes the VX6R, a fully waterproof radio (they are spendy, not as robust as the FT60s, but a mighty fine radio). Otherwise, unless you are fine leaving your radio on the shore and not take it surfing, the FT60 is the better choice.

BaoFeng has the reputation of being the disposable camera of ham radios. Yaesu is the Nikon.

 

[MTS2000des]

The FT-60 is not advertised as having any IP rating, so I would not expect it nor any radio to survive immersion unless it is rated for it, and in serviceable condition. The design is consistent with many low priced LMR radios, an O-ring chassis gasket, plastic speaker element, felt over mic port. None of the knobs are sealed and the keypad is compression fit against the main board. As someone who services subscriber radios for a living, I would never even think of exposing a product like this to anything but light rain getting in/out of the car, on a walk in the park, etc.

It's not an APX which has an IP67 rating, can get run over by a fire truck, exposed to immersion, and live to tell about it. An FT-60 costs what a single 3400mah battery does for an APX. Hams can be such cheap whiny babies.

 

[AK9R]

The FT-60 is not advertised as having any IP rating...

I have a PDF copy of the FT-60 brochure that I downloaded in 2007. Searched the document for "IP" and got no results. Searched the document for "water" and found this in the Feature Highlights:



Based on this, I would avoid dropping the radio in water or soaking it with a fire hose.

 

[CatandMouse]

The FT-60 is not advertised as having any IP rating, so I would not expect it nor any radio to survive immersion unless it is rated for it, and in serviceable condition. The design is consistent with many low priced LMR radios, an O-ring chassis gasket, plastic speaker element, felt over mic port. None of the knobs are sealed and the keypad is compression fit against the main board. As someone who services subscriber radios for a living, I would never even think of exposing a product like this to anything but light rain getting in/out of the car, on a walk in the park, etc.

It's not an APX which has an IP67 rating, can get run over by a fire truck, exposed to immersion, and live to tell about it. An FT-60 costs what a single 3400mah battery does for an APX. Hams can be such cheap whiny babies.

Correction: APXs cannot survive being run over by a fire truck and live to tell about it. From in-personal experience.

 

[trentbob]

Correction: APXs cannot survive being run over by a fire truck and live to tell about it. From in-personal experience.

I have not been following this thread since my initial response of the Yaesu ft 65, a very inexpensive, very small, good performing radio that meet the posters needs was banged, I stopped following the thread... but in response to your post, why wouldn't a apx 6000, 7000 or 8000 not survive being run over by a fire truck?. I'm so disappointed to hear that, Geez, they dropped them out of helicopters on to cement and after they bounced repeatedly.. they worked. Actually got sold on the internet after that happened but will not go into that.

I will certainly take your word for it as you have personal experience😄.

My recommendation for the original poster is the same.. as I posted in post number 2.

I don't think you'll be disappointed and it might perform better than the cheapest ccr's.

 

[CatandMouse]

I have not been following this thread since my initial response of the Yaesu ft 65, a very inexpensive, very small, good performing radio that meet the posters needs was banged, I stopped following the thread... but in response to your post, why wouldn't a apx 6000, 7000 or 8000 not survive being run over by a fire truck?. I'm so disappointed to hear that, Geez, they dropped them out of helicopters on to cement and after they bounced repeatedly.. they worked. Actually got sold on the internet after that happened but will not go into that.

I will certainly take your word for it as you have personal experience😄.

My recommendation for the original poster is the same.. as I posted in post number 2.

I don't think you'll be disappointed and it might perform better than the cheapest ccr's.

The antenna port and control knobs are the big failure points on these radios. The cases are plastic but very tough. The boards inside may survive a squishing but it won't transmit/receive.

 

[AK9R]

Folks, the OP asked for a Yaesu radio model to meet his needs in the thread title and then mentions Yaesu and Icom in the message text.

Talking about other manufacturers' radios is probably off-topic.

 

[kb1fua]

Personally VX7R, or VX6R, or VX5, or FT70. I did not like my FT60. I had birdy issues, and interference that I never had with either of the VX radios. That prompted me to get the FT70. Then I got hooked with the Fusion C4FM...
I know nothing about the newer ICOM ht's. Older ones you cannot get anymore were the best.

And...my wife was a witness to this when I got the VX6R...I literally dunked it in the kitchen sink full of water, and kept it there for about three minutes. I pulled it out, and it still worked flawlessly. That was when it was new...like years ago, (I never tried that with the VX7R) and the batteries have went to crap, and I use the alkaline pack now. For 2m and 70cm I use the Diamond SRH77CA antenna. I have nothing for 6m, or 220 near me, so the OEM antenna stays in the drawer.

 

[a727469]

Folks, the OP asked for a Yaesu radio model to meet his needs in the thread title and then mentions Yaesu and Icom in the message text.

Talking about other manufacturers' radios is probably off-topic.

I respectfully disagree. To point out other Baofeng radios along with Yaesu and Icom and compare to what the Op mentioned is just normal conversation and what someone like a Ford car salesman(Baofeng) would do if you told them you were considering a Mercedes(Icom,Yaesu). They would point out different models within their line that might fit your requirements. I also mentioned not limiting oneself to Yaesu, again a positive, useful recommendation.