After weeks of not being able to truly communicate on 2m or 70cm, I decided to test using simplex with another radio. My goodness, there is a loud buzz and an oscillating frequency, like a growl when I transmit. No bueno.

Three different antennas. No change.

External or internal speaker/mic. No change. External mic had clearer voice at second radio.

Mic gain level 1,2,3,4,5. No change.

Indoors or outdoors. No change.

Thank goodness for the factory three-year warranty. But still, this is an expensive HT. To think that a $100 Icom V80 2m just works, while this fancy schmancy doodad fails...just not happy at all.

Once repaired, I'm thinking it is time to change brands.

If only I had kept the two Icom V86 I had purchased from someone here, and resold here.

UPDATE in post below...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 4MUL8R,

Any way to run the HT off an external power supply to check if the HT’s supply has developed noise?

Good thought. I can connect to its recharging cable but am not aware of the internal circuits...power may still flow from the battery terminals...

I did confirm it again today.

Why not mention the make/model of the 'busted' Handheld Amateur Radio Transceiver (a.k.a. 'fancy schmancy doodad') here? Might be relevant to the discussion, no?

I guess it won't hurt the OEM's reputation...I always try to be, as Ron Burgundy might say "classy."

This is a Yaesu FT5DR. Nice in many ways, but also not what I expected over the two years I have used it.

Figured that’s what it had to be considering the 3-year warranty and the expensive comment. Pg 18 of the manual indicates running off the cigarette lighter plug in a vehicle or an external power supply via their E-DC-6 cable will both power the radio. I assume you still get the noise in those configurations?

To quote Paul Simon's song "still noisy after all these attempts...."

Both batteries.

With battery AND on external power.

Without battery and only on external power.

The Icom V80 is heard very clearly on the Yaesu FT5DR. No noise.

Think your initial post was probably correct - busted! I'm out of simple-fix ideas.

Thanks for the ideas.

I am sorely tempted to go ICOM T10 next time.

Somewhere on this forum recently someone posted about a cheap tri-band HT but I cannot find that thread. Chinese junk, perhaps, but it was about $100. 2m and 70cm "traffic" here is so light I really don't need the Yaesu features. The C4FM digital won't connect here, so that means I can't talk internationally anymore from this HT. Sad.

Baofung?

I just bought a Radtel 950 Pro HT for $90 to play around with. It’s got a ton of features but the manual isn’t much use. Youtube has been more helpful!

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R

Somewhere on this forum recently someone posted about a cheap tri-band HT but I cannot find that thread.

This one?

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/4890007815

Also the same radio tsmccull posted about. Sorry to hear about your troubles with that Yaesu radio.

quote:

Somewhere on this forum recently someone posted about a cheap tri-band HT but I cannot find that thread. Chinese junk, perhaps, but it was about $100. 2m and 70cm "traffic" here is so light I really don't need the Yaesu features.

I have several TYT TH-350 handhelds which have been great. The TH-350 is a 5-watt, tri-band transceiver which has many features seen only on far more expensive radios such as a multi-line frequency display which allows for monitoring, and seeing the frequency displayed, of multiple frequencies across multiple bands.

It comes with two rubber duck antennas, one for 2/440 and another for 220 mHz. That is the only remotely tricky part as you have to remember to change antennas and have that antenna available to transmit on 220. The antennas are marked around the base with the frequency coverage but you have to remove the antenna to see those markings. Diamond makes a nice tri-band replacement SMA antenna but it costs nearly as much as the radio.

It comes with a desk charging cradle and A/C adapter, a belt clip and a programming cable as well.

They are currently available on Amazon for under $60

Thanks for the thread find. That is the one. It costs about as much as a Yaesu spare battery! Time to order.

^^^^
Let us know what you think of it after you've used it for awhile. It's a pretty good deal and I think you'll like it.

That's very unfortunate. I guess you should probably send it in to see what Yaesu says (and report back, because I'm curious now too). My FT5DR has been underwhelming for the price, but transmit has always been clear at least.

Yaesu has very good tech support (in my experience). You might try calling and running it by them.

I currently have five Yaesu radios and have been extremely happy with their quality. No issues and no complaints from me.

I too have an FTD5, no problems with it, but gets very little use.

TBH, I find my CCR’s easier to use and just as effective unless I need something they don’t offer such as digital modes etc.

My RT-950 Pro has quickly become my “go to”. Great audio RX and folks I’ve talked to on it report strong signal on their end as well.



As to repair, my guess is they are just a likely to replace than actually repair. Yaesu is good stuff, however all the 1st tier Japanese company’s (Yaesu, Icom, Kenwood) have probably been forced into to QC cutbacks from CCR price pressures.


I remember when the most basic Dual Band HT’s were north of $300.

Sent for warranty repair today.

If it is repaired, then I will test for function and true utility for me.

The local C4FM Wires-X repeater is not very useful these days. Turns out the repeater is colocated on the same tower as a major radio station, and those emissions overload the simple little ham radio repeater. So much so, that they have put a low pass filter on the repeater, and restricted the output power to five lowly watts. So, having this Yaesu FT5DR with that very fun Wires-X utility is essentially valueless.

Once I figure out if the FT5DR will work for me, I will either sell or use. I have so much junk for the radio, it is not easy to sell with any recompense (much like a Sig P320 with holster, magazines, wml, etc.). I'll unload it all on QRZ most likely.

For now, I'll soldier on with the ICOM V80. It works for 2m...

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
Somewhere on this forum recently someone posted about a cheap tri-band HT but I cannot find that thread. Chinese junk, perhaps, but it was about $100. 2m and 70cm "traffic" here is so light I really don't need the Yaesu features.

911Boss started the thread in the Lounge.

On the cheap-ass Chinese radios: It's been hit-or-miss for me. A Baofeng is half of my FM satellite rig (Baofeng up, Kenwood TH-D74 down). I went through about three before I found one that was "clean" enough (spectral purity. noise, etc) to play with. Since they were about $25 each, no big deal; the others are still useful for other stuff.

Yaesu's been responsive before. Good call on returning, and good luck on the fix.