Yaesu FT 857-Need some information

[w5klb]

I need some opinons concerning the operation of the Yaesu FT-857.

This might of been covered in some earlyer threads but I might have missed them.

Just need some guidance on this rig to see if it might be worth purchasing in the future.

Thanks and 73
Gary KD5WPW

[KG6OPR]

I have had my 857 since December, takes awhile to get to know it, you gotta read the book cover to cover to get the whole story on all menu functions. You will love it to death. If you get the remote mic for it you"ll love it even more! http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Enjoy!
# # # # # # # # # # # # # #73, KG6OPR

[ad5td]

I must aggree! I had some problems with mine, some the radios fault (lost receive, AES sent new one) and blew the finals (partly my and the radios fault) that YAESU fixed under warrentee. Would I buy another? I just did! The second one will be for my ARES emergency station.

It's menu driven and if your not used to that, use it in the shack for a few weeks before going moble. I will second the remote mic. You have almost all controls in your hand save a freq read out! (very nice for mobile ops) If you just want to use it in the shack, I would go some other route.

73 de KD5UJX

[n4sts]

I have been a bit disipointed in this radio for the amount of time i have had it. in the past 4 months , I bought it in Nov 03, I have just returned it to Yaesu for the second time for the same problem. Loss of squelch control on vhf/uhf. At first the tech said that the antenna swr was too high then he found out that i was using an ATAS-100 antenna. now they are not sure what the problem is, but they promised that they wouldn't keep it a month this time. I asked for a new radio and was told that every one was sold out. but for the time I had it I loved it.

[WB5DX]

I had an FT857 for about two months. #It was a good radio with excellent features. #However, I ended up selling it and buying an IC706M2G. #The main reason is that I wanted to run HF mobile. #The first problem was that the 857 was extremely sensitive to swr over 1.5. #I got numerous reports of distorted audio. #This is, of course, a curable problem with a tuner or a screwdriver antenna. #However, I had an additional problem with the size of the display - it is extremely small - really really small. #With the particular location of the control head in my car, I could not see some of the smaller items in the display. #This is not conducive to safe driving. #In the shack it was not an issue, but in the car it became a problem especially when attempting to manage the finicky swr/audio-alc problem. #So, I tried a 706. #Problem solved. #I can see the display, good audio and it handles the higher swr without distortion (under 2.5 or so). #These items alone more than offset the advantages of the newer features found on the 857 - at least for me. #Check the Yahoo forums for additional praises and problems. #My experience is not unusual in regards to the 857. But, no radio is perfect. #It is/was a good radio - just not for me. #73, WB5DX