FT-450 or FT-897?

[W7KKK]

I need a rig for the RV for traveling full time.
I would rather have something a little larger than the 706 or 857 as space is not that big of an issue in a motor home.
Given a choice would you get the FT-897 that has been around awhile or the newer FT-450?
And I don't really care about the 2m and 70 cm bands.
I see good reports on both radios.

[AB9LZ]

Quote[/b] (W7WV @ Jan. 19 2008,07:26)]I see good reports on both radios.

The QST review painted a pretty bad picture of the 450, no dedicated RIT for starters. The 897 is noisy and has a small display with lots of hard to get to embedded menu's.

Get an IC 7000, or a 706...

Believe it or not, I'm not a big Icom fan, but these radios are much better values than the Yaesu's that you've mentioned.

73 m/4

[W0LPQ]

7WV a local had a 450 ... would not transmit. Receive was fair.. not a good CW rig (which he is CW op). Returned it to the dealer, who also could not make it transmit. They swapped him a 746 Pro.

[W7KKK]

TNX for the responses so far.
Maybe I had better look at some other rigs too.

[KA4DPO]

Recently I have seen several very discouraging reviews on Yaesu equipment particularly, the FT-2000, FT-950, and the FT-450.

Yaesu seems to have gone down hill on performance that last few years. In the same price range I would look at the Icom 746PRO or the Kenwood TS-480SAT.

[W7KKK]

I had a number of ICOMS. I did not like their service people in Bellvue, WA.
The radios were great.
I know very little about the Kenwoods. More research in order.

[VO1GXG]

Kenwood TS-480 or TS-570. Wonderful rigs.

[AB9LZ]

Quote[/b] (VO1GXG @ Jan. 19 2008,10:37)]Kenwood TS-480 or TS-570. Wonderful rigs.

I'm a big Kenwood fan (have 8 of them around), but found the 570 to be a mediocre rig. I had always thought that the 480 was "ugly weird" until I tried one, the overall experience performance wise was excellent, especially for CW.

73 m/4

[KB1OJU]

go 897, you get 2m and 70cm as well, just get more for your dollar, AND you can have internal batteries or a powersupply, basically a better radio i think, and the stock filtering is better as well

[W7KKK]

Does anyone know much about the older FT-900? I see them out there for sale.