Yaesu: Yaesu FT-60r Receive

[KA0XR]

I have a Yaesu FT-60r which was purchased new ~10 years ago and its receive performance has never been as good as several other HT's I own or have sampled, despite using the exact same antenna (Signal Stuff 18" dual band) and holding each radio side by side and while moving around. I've compared my FT-60r in this fashion to the FT-70dr, a 15 year old VX-6r, a 25 year old FT-530, an Icom V8 2m monobander and the Icom T7h. It seems like every time the S-meter is at least several bars better on the non-FT-60r, as well as a little less noisy. When trying to pull in weaker signals the FT-60r will sometimes drop out completely (squelch dial fully open) while the other radio is still receiving. I mostly test on VHF (2 meters, more distant 154.xxx fire page-outs and NOAA Weather bands), but have noticed this same issue on local 440 repeaters as well.

Has anyone else compared the FT-60r with other HT's while keeping all other things equal and found the same thing? Is there a way to improve the RX performance? Or did I possibly get a bit of a lemon at least when it comes to receive sensitivity/selectivity? I like the radio since it's built like a tank, has good battery life, is easy to operate and scans fast, but the comparative RX performance is highly disappointing.

 

[Engine104]

I can only compare my FT-60 to two handheld scanners I own and it seems to receive as well as those.

 

[AK9R]

I have two FT-60s. One was purchased new and was built in 2020. The other was purchased used and was built in 2016. The new one seems to have the receive sensitivity that I would expect. The used one is relatively deaf. I need to send it to Yaesu to see if it can be repaired.

 

[MTS2000des]

These radios are old school superhet dual conversion design with ceramic filters (in other words, REAL radios). That being said, if the ceramic filters are shot, you'll get poor sensitivity.

The FT-60 I have made in 2019 outhears an APX8000 on analog VHF and UHF.

 

[jaspence]

My FT60 is about ten years old and just keeps working. If I could have only one HT, it would win over my newer purchases, including the digital ones.

 

[RichardKramer]

I have 5 FT60's, and they're more than 8yrs old. They all rx just as good as or better than my scanners and other ht's.

 

[KE5BCP]

3 FT-60Rs here. Still the workhorse standard of HTs. You may have a lemon.

 

[SteveSimpkin]

I don’t know if it is the same problem, but one of my VX-6R HTs lost its reception on narrow band FM. Wide band FM (FM broadcast band) still worked fine. The problem turned out to be a failed ceramic filter that is used for narrow FM. Here is more information on this issue.

https://pages.cs.wisc.edu/~timc/e/vx7r.html

 

[KA0XR]

Thank you for they replies. It sounds like the FT-60r should be equal to or able to out-hear most other HT's. My FT-60r is not deaf, just clearly subpar.

Since this is one of the few HT's I ever acquired that was new (it was a gift) how often does new equipment from one of the big three makers turn out to be "lemons"? Would sending it to Yaesu for repairs or investigation be worth it? It would be useful to buy a used one and compare but even used FT-60r's are currently not much cheaper than brand new ones, and I have more than enough HT's lying around.

 

[Engine104]

Thank you for they replies. It sounds like the FT-60r should be equal to or able to out-hear most other HT's. My FT-60r is not deaf, just clearly subpar.

Since this is one of the few HT's I ever acquired that was new (it was a gift) how often does new equipment from one of the big three makers turn out to be "lemons"? Would sending it to Yaesu for repairs or investigation be worth it? It would be useful to buy a used one and compare but even used FT-60r's are currently not much cheaper than brand new ones, and I have more than enough HT's lying around.

You'd hope that Yaesu QC is what it should be. It could be in this case that there is a problem. If it is under warranty, I'd send it in to them.

 

[MTS2000des]

Yaesu has a 3 year parts and labor warranty, but they will require proof of purchase to validate that date of purchase. If not, you may have to call and get a quote.

 

[FKimble]

You don't by chance have it set to NFM? That could affect it's receive.

Frank

 

[KA0XR]

You don't by chance have it set to NFM? That could affect it's receive.

Frank

I have everything programmed on Wide FM. When I changed to NFM on an active 2m repeater I didn't notice any change.

It seems like the sensitivity drops off outside of the ham bands such as on 155.xxx MHz and the NOAA weather channels, but 2m and 440 themselves seem to work fine, although still not as good as my much newer FT-70DR. The robustness of the FT-60r and its simplistic design with 3 dedicated dials and general operation is enough to make me keep it as my everyday radio.

 

[FKimble]

From the owners manual:
Specifications are subject to change without notice, and are guaranteed within the 144 and 430 MHz amateur bands only.

Frank

 

[2006walt]

Just curious are the current FT60's still made in Japan? The reason I ask I read some comments that mfg for FT60s went to China. I hope its still Japan. I am looking for a new one. I need wide band receive (including aircraft) and good sensitivity and image rejection.. This is the only handheld I can find. Did I miss anything?
I was looking at the new Icom IC-T10 but not wideband and only direct conversion. Anyone try out the T10?

 

[FKimble]

Last I heard was still made in Japan. Some folks saw "Made in China " sticker on the battery an assumed whole radio was made in China and were bemoaning the false fact.

Frank

 

[k6cpo]

Just curious are the current FT60's still made in Japan? The reason I ask I read some comments that mfg for FT60s went to China. I hope its still Japan. I am looking for a new one. I need wide band receive (including aircraft) and good sensitivity and image rejection.. This is the only handheld I can find. Did I miss anything?
I was looking at the new Icom IC-T10 but not wideband and only direct conversion. Anyone try out the T10?

Last I heard was still made in Japan. Some folks saw "Made in China " sticker on the battery an assumed whole radio was made in China and were bemoaning the false fact.

Frank

Hams need to stop assuming that just because a radio (or lots of other products, for that matter) is made in China it's automatically junk. Stop using the Baofeng as a standard for Chinese radios. I have two Yaesu handhelds that were purchased in 2010 and 2012—an FT-270R and an FT-60R respectively—both of which were made in China. They are identical to the same radios made in Japan. In fact, the only way to tell the difference is to take the battery off and look at the label. The Chinese aren't stupid and are perfectly capable of manufacturing a quality product if that's whats called for. Actually the marketing of the Baofeng and other similar radios is a very shrewd move on the part of the Chinese. The fact that Americans are sucking up the things in huge quantities is a testament to the Chinese marketing strategy. I wonder how many hams who decry the Chinese-made radios have iPhones, 80% of which are made in China? I think there's some xenophobia at work here.

 

[WaveFront]

Maybe try a different Antenna if the sensitivity is low? Although I'm guessing after all these years you probably tried that.

On the question about country of origin, I looked at a new FT-60R that is less than 2 months old from a US dealer. The packaging and on the radio clearly indicates it was made in Japan. The packaging also shows that 2 of the accessories where made in China. That does not mean that there is not some production in other countries, maybe for different markets or all markets,

 

[WA0CBW]

Have you taken the radio to a radio shop and actually measured the sensitivity/selectivity?
BB

 

[G7RUX]

I would ask if you have compared performance in the amateur bands too. If the FT60 is a bit off everywhere then I would suggest having a look at the lineup of this particular radio…it is possible it is off-frequency leading to the receiver being on the edge of the filter all the time.