HR2.0 - Yaesu FTM-6000r Mobile Ham Radio Discussion with John Kruk, N9UPC, from Yaesu

In this special edition Lunchtime Livestream, I welcome John Kruk from Yaesu back onto the channel to talk about the new Yaesu FTM-6000r dual band mobile radio. Website link: https://tinyurl.com/ytwcp4r3

 

Coming from the commercial twoway radio world, it does not make sense to me to not have the microphone connected to the control head. I want to run one cable control cable. Both the microphone and the control head need to be in reach of the driver or operator, both have to be used in the same relative location they might as well be fed from the same relative location. If you’re worried about looking like a trucker don’t wear cowboy boots

 

Where the mic connects is always a debate - as John said, some request it to be to the head and then others want it to the body. Can’t win.

I’m glad to see a manufacturer continuing to develop and manufacture radios, especially in this climate and the difficulties the chip shortage and shipping issues has caused.

 

I have built many cop cars and fire trucks, (emergency vehicles of all types) Besides ambulances and cabs of large fire trucks. I cant think of any of the installers I know who would not want the mic and the control head together. For my ham gear I always set it up so I can pull the control head and mic when I go into a hotel or I am not going to drive my car for a while. Because of the lack of a simple analog dual band radio I am installing a spare FT-857 I have in the truck I just got.

 

As I said in another post, it may not be cutting edge but it fills the gap left by the discontinued 7900 nicely. An analog dual band rig with a detachable face is likely to be in demand and fills a hole in Yaesu's mobile line. I think it's unlikely one rig can ever be all things to all operators and I'm glad the analog segment is getting some attention. I'm not in the market for a mobile at the moment, but is good to see new products coming out.

 

What Yaesu needs is something like the Icom IC-9700 but better. Keep the 2m, 70, and 23cm bands then add 1.25m and a wide band VHF/UHF RX frequencies. They just need to make a modern VHF/UHF base station that's not the FT-991.

 

He’s a good guy, John Kruk. Straight talking at its best.

 

If Yaesu needs/wants to run a microphone cable to the radio box, effectively double the length of the current mic cable. It is too short for many vehicles now.

I do not like BT.

 

The Big 3 (i.e., Icom, Kenwood, and Yaesu) engineer and design decent radios, yet come up short in the hand microphone. Cheap-o light, flimsy microphones.

Good piece, Jason, thanks.

 

I would not describe Kenwood mics as cheap or flimsy at all. They’re the most commercial looking/feeling out of the three and very solid.

 

I beg to differ, big shock! Try the KMC-35 compared to the crapola mic they put in the box alongside the TM-V71A.

 

I have. I have several Kenwood mics from both ham and commercial radios. The KMC-32 that came with the V71A and G710 compared to the Yaesu and Icom mics is much more robust and a much more solid mic. The new version of it is KMC-62, which is even better.

In fact, they do sell it, as they did the -32, on the commercial/pub safety side, too, for folks who want a 16-button mic instead of the 12 like the KMC-66. It can handle it.

Yaesu has somewhat improved their mic with the SSM-85D but it still feels light and weak compared to Kenwood's.

 

I'm sorry to say, that the FTM-6000r is a nasty radio, at least to my mind. Well, to remove the C4 (fusion) is silly.
So, you're not going to us it. So what? There are many things on a radio you don't like or use. Why pick on C4?
As the owner of repeaters (DR2) (given to my repeater group); I feel that to have C4 Fm is a mode that others want to use with the repeater, yet others do not. Then don't listen to the data stream. You have an on/off and a qsy to another frequency nob.
Nuff said. I will not be buying one anytime soon.

 

Disclosure: I have been a Yaesu Fanboy since my FT-101Z in '82.

I am underwhelmed by this offering. At $320(40 for the bluetooth) it is overpriced and under featured.
I am an FM promoter for local and Emcomm, but there SHOULD be an interface connect for an external devices like the 6 pin mini-din on their previous offerings for various digital modes or an integrated sound card like the FT-991. I am not interested in Fusion, D-Star, Mega-Star, Ultra-star, etc. internet modes, but not having dual receive like the FT-8800/8900 is a deal breaker for me. Looks like they(as well as Icom and Kenwood) are trying to compete with China Branded stuff with cheaper(for them) models with similar features at higher prices. I understand and appreciate the reality of rising costs and inflation, but looks for now like I would go for with a Kenwood V71 (have ne already and live it) or used gear. I love both my FT-857D and 991A but would pass on this one. YMMV