Yaesu FT-70D Features and Review - Should you buy this radio?
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 พ.ค. 2020
- A video review of the Yaesu FT-70D (FT-70) Watch this video for an overall feature discussion and a review of this radio. I explain why I feel this is a great radio to upgrade to (and a few reasons it may not be great).
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Man, I keep rewatching this, I'm on the verge of deciding to buy one. You do a fantastic job of explaining things.
Thanks for helping me decide and for an amazing video.
Best and most complete review I have seen on this radio to date. Thank you Sir.
Thank you!
Thanks for the review! I just passed my technician exam and I am now waiting for my license. I think I will grab one of these from Ham Radio Outlet as soon as my call sign shows up!
I just received my new FT-70 from giga yesterday! Based on this review and other research I decided to send back the Baofeng UV-5 and purchase this Yaesu! Great reviews and programming suggestions.
Great review! I look forward to more videos on the FT 70.
Thanks!
Great review! I bought one based on it, look forward to more on this radio, Thanks
Thanks for your review. I am a newbie to Ham Radio and appreciate the detail you went into. I will watch your indepth review on this model next. Thanks again.
Glad it was helpful! Welcome to the hobby.
I will be taking my Technician Exam Aug. 9th. I already bought my radio and it's The radio you reviewed. I found it to be a radio that covers all the Needs that come with an operator that just wants it for emergencies and for a casual hobby. I don't plan on getting INTO the Amateur Radio activity in depth. I appreciate your video and the info. I am glad I purchased this Radio. Thanks HRD.
Took mine on the 10th. You beat me by a day. Just got an FT-70dr too.
KF0BDD
Thanks - very nice review. Really well presented and informative.
I've just got my license, bought this as my first radio, and then happened to see your review. Relieved I made a good choice!
Cheers from Oz,
Chris VK3TLA
Glad it was helpful! I appreciate the comment!
Great review, looking to see more on this radio.
Good info - thanks! I wasn't thrilled about the plug-in charger until you mentioned I can remove the battery and plug it in and use it that way without depleting the battery. I have had this radio since Christmas and really like it
I purchased this as a first radio thanks to your video. Very happy. I also used your other video to program in some repeaters to listen to. Thanks again
Glad it helped!
Hello, what kind of device are you still using? Are you happy with it?
Still using the 70d and the yaesu 991a base station ... and an anytone
I have been a ham for 4 years. I lived in an area that DMR was big so I have the FT4 and my first radio was the FT60. I bought a DMR radio because of the area. I have now moved and there is no DMR repeaters but a few Fusion radios. So I am looking for a Fusion capable radio. This looks like an option. Great review.
Thank You! I like this radio for the inexpensive ability to get into C4FM. I will be doing some videos on the battery/battery life in the near future. 73
Just got an FT-70r and it'll take some days to arrive. In the meantime, I'll be watching your videos. 73 from PY5WHO.
I'm recently licensed to Ham radio and have the ft 70d I've subscribed to your channel and look forward to more vids thanks
Thanks! Next one will be in a few days!
Hey hey.
Started with the UV5r, upgraded about a year ago to the FT-65. Looking at the FT-70 for the next upgrade.
The PTT on the FT-65 is excellent for use with a winter glove.
Thanks for the review Dude.
Good choice! I have another FT70D coming up in the future (Not sure exactly when),, where I will look into the battery a bit further. I'm glad I could be of help!
Also the plug on the side is great for car setup! That’s a big selling point for me
I received mine about a week ago. After programming it I have been monitoring and the battery lasts all day for me.
I bought the RT Systems software and cable and programmed it with local repeaters and am getting the same results.
I drained the battery completely and charged over night and with it scanning constantly it lasts all day about 14 hours.
I don't do a lot of transmitting yet but will be doing more of that soon to get a better idea on battery life while transmitting more. I did buy an extra battery too just to have a spare charged and on hand.
Update: 06/12/2020 I had to send my FT-70DR in for service. When transmitting the audio was very faint even with the Mic Gain set to max.
I'm thinking yaesu must have fixed an issue on the new ft70d radios. I guess this is something I should revisit in a few months and maybe even a year... Just to to see if any issues arise
Hey there, and thanks for the review. I’m studying up on radios (HTs, if I’m learning the parlance...) and I’m thinking this model will be my first venture into this new world. I also plan on getting my license, but would like to listen for a bit while studying for tech. Thanks again and I’m going to watch all your pieces on this Yaesu.
Thanks for commenting. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask, and good luck!
Thanks for getting back to me, brother. I may take you up on your comment! I may be asking a bunch of questions. Thanks again. RL
Killer review. Looks like my next HT.
I am just getting into amateur radio I actually figured out for the most part myself by watching your video on how to enter manually since I do not have a computer the frequencies, I do not have my license yet but I am working on that and studying for it, I got this to listen to and see how I liked it and I love this radio very well built Good and heavy but not too heavy you can tell it is a very well built chassie, I would actually recommend this Ht to all
Thanks for the review! It was very detailed and informative. I just passed my tech license and I'm looking for my first radio. This model is intriguing but I do have my reservations about the battery life. If I'm stuck in the wilderness or a SHTF scenario I don't want a radio with low battery life.
I definitely understand your concerns about the battery life for a SHTF scenario, which these days seems to be more and more likely. a few things I would consider: 1. getting an extra battery or two, or a way to charge these batteries in less than Ideal situations or: 2. Considering purchasing another radio for a backup. I like this option. You can have all the batteries in the world, but if something happens to that radio what good will the batteries do. Although I am not completely satisfied with the uv9r by mirkit (it is not 8 watts, i didn't expect it to be), it did hold up under water for 15 minutes and still works. To me, that puts it in my SHTF bag.
I personally want waterproof because in my mind, if SHTF, I am bugging out and will be in an area with less than Ideal conditions. I have had my 3 day packs get a bit beaten up and would hate to have put myself in a scenario where I have nothing.
I don't know if this helps you at all, but I really just wanted to throw out a few opinions.
@@HAMRADIODUDE Thanks, this is helpful info. I ended up choosing the Anytone D878 UV plus. It is color screen dual band, dmr, bluetooth, APRS and excellent battery life.
TBH, it's a bit of a steep learning curve for a first radio, and I've been ignoring the DMR stuff until I'm comfortable with the analog. But it's growing on me more and more as I use it.
I will definitely consider a second cheaper radio as a backup. That and backup batteries are excellent suggestions.
Thanks and 73!
@@tradedate I'm hoping to pick one up soon and do a walkthrough and review.. Anytone, do you read the comments? Send me one :D..
Purchased this a couple weeks ago from HRO in Portland with a base charger and 2nd battery as well. It's my first.
Excellent! I hope you enjoy it and get a lot of use on it. Thanks for watching!
Great video as always. Love your channel as I've learned a lot from you getting into this hobby. Quick question. How do you go about testing your HT's SWR? I've uses my nano-VNA but have had mixed results. I've heard from others that it's not practical to test HT antennas since the HT chasis (or even your body while holding it) is effectively part of the antenna system (ground plane / counterpoise). I've all but given up on trying to test HT antennas outside of field strength so was curious about your thoughts on the matter. Thanks and keep up the great work!
Well this is delayed, which is horrible in my part. I use a nano vna while portable now. I used a mfj 226 but it fell many feet. Still works, just isn't pretty. I like the graphical display of the band. I recently started using a mfj259 as a home analyzer. It's bulky but works well, no cool graphs, but it works well. as far as the no big counterpoise, my thought process was having it on an analyzer would be about the same as having it on an HT, although I'm not positive. Again, apologies for the delay
Finally had it. Sold the 70 to a local operator that wanted it. He snagged it for $100 with box and everything. Hate that radio. Yaesu made some TERRIBLE design and operational decisions on this radio. The volume adjust is ignorant…battery life is unbelievably short…and overall it is not intuitive. Just ordered an ft-60r
Negativ
This Dude saved my Asspalt. With this new FT70d I'd be nowhere without his programming video. He's very to the point, no repeating himself etc. After watching hours of other programming video's, he's by far the best. K3USS
Thank you, I appreciate that
great discussion on this FT-70D. Wondering if you have any videos on this product along with the RT systems programming. I am having trouble understanding how to load it into the radio. Thanks
Awesome review ! Honestly !!!
I appreciate it!
I’ve had the ft-60, vx-6r, and various Baofeng radios. The vx-6r has more listening options and tri-band transmit, but my newest ht is the ft-70 and I’m finding that I may like it better than all the others.
Thanks!
Good info.
Great video, Thank you.
Thank you
The battery issue might be caused by people switching to Li-on batteries from NiMH batteries. Lithium batteries have to cut power if the voltage drops below 3 volts, otherwise the battery can be damaged, while NiMH batteries can run till 0.9 volts before it becomes damaged. Using a quick charger can degrade the battery life faster than a normal charger, so its best to stick with the standard charger. Lastly, Amazon sells a 2000mAH battery for the FT-70. Not sure how much more runtime you get out of 200mAH, but it’s worth a shot.
My son's first HT (after the Baofeng). We got it also on sale at a hamfest + he had a gift certificate from the hamfest for being the youngest ham to pass the exam, so we got it for under $100 woo-hoo.
I love the form-factor, fits my hand well. We have 2 FTM-100D rigs in our vehicles, so this talks C4FM with those and my FT3D HT.
It's relatively easy to do the MARS mod. The upshot of that is you can XMIT on GMRS/MURS/etc in an emergency. And yes, the C4FM mode works on those frequencies. Not that you should do that, but it's nice to have the option.
That's excellent.. and congrats to your son! I hope he's enjoying it! Sorry for the late reply
Just snagged one at that same price in July 2022. Got this and the GD77 (with OpenGD77 firmware) based in large part on your vids.
I appreciate the kind words. Hopefully you're enjoying them. The open gd77 videos are probably outdated, but if you have questions, I may have one of them around to try and help out
@@HAMRADIODUDE I’m kind of slowly plodding through that first code plug. I liked the talkgroups on the TGIF network so I downloaded about two hundred of them. I’ve now made talkgroup lists separating them by interest type. My zones just mimic my tg lists. I’m sort of scratching my head over how to make channels for them. Can I just tie one channel to a list or zone, or do I need to make channels for each one?
I have the vx-6r and use the charging cord and it does take some time to charge (several hours). So, the quick charger is a nice option to have.
Great Video! I purchased my FT-7.D from the same store on the last day of that promotion! Did get the radio modified?
DR - DE?
Nice info Im planning to buy that I'm here in the Philippines ,but to expensive here like 200 $ price...but I will follow my heart ❤️ to buy my hobby' 73
Hi: I have the Yaesu FT70D. I want to program this radio using a software
, but every time that I connect the data cable I have
this message "" INVALID COM SETTING"" How can I solve this issue?
Thanks
Very good video boss 😮😅
Iam looking for a ht my last one ic2at hi
They would make bigger batteries for that. That's not a drawback I see on that thanks Sean
Excellent video!!
Tim. KC6QLV
Sales at HRO Oakland
Thanks!
If you spend enough money it becomes a great radio. 2 extra batteries because let's face it the battery life is one of the worst I've seen. Charging cradle because the adapter takes 6 or 7 hours to charge and a RT Systems programming cable to avoid the Japanese fingertrap plugging their cable in, ac adapter in, remove the battery hold the AMS button... So if you sink an additional $200 into the radio it becomes great. Otherwise it almost ended up in the trash because of the above issues which are well documented not just my opinion.
I'm working on a followup to this video where essentially, I am testing and discussing the battery in particular. Did you see the Reddit post where someone made their own battery pack for the ft70d, out of 18650 batteries? I may give this a shot also. I am still working on building that inexpensive rapid charger I mentioned a few months ago. I am in the process of working with a buddy to design the circuit board. 30+ dollars for the rapid charger, is robbery.
Maybe this will be my next HT, thanks for the review. I get QRN on analog FM when riding in my golf cart at the campground we manage. I am wondering if I would get the same on a digital chat? I have to give it a try, but since we have park-wide WIFI I feel it could be a way to stay in touch with my friends worldwide that now I only do via social media due to times of poor propagation. Now I need to research compatible Hotspots that can tie into the park WIFI. Dave - KU9L
Just getting back into Amateur Radio. Just got my HF base back up and soon my VHF/UHF base when my rig arrives. Looking at HT's and not going super high end. Looking at Yaesu FT60-R and the FT70-DR. Leaving out the C4FM mode how do these two compare?
That's a great question that I don't have an answer to just yet. I did get a ft60 recently and will try to experiment more
I have a vx-6 and find the stock antenna to be great. It is better than my Nagoya 701. It even picks up 220 repeaters. I think Yaesu crippled the FT-70 hoping to sell more FT5DR. I think Yaesu's business model of only selling 2 HT's with digital is terrible. You can get into DMR a lot cheaper. Why would anyone not add FM commercial radio freqs?
What do you mean by a “field radio”. What field are you referring to?
Mike
Good question. I didn't really clarify that and it's important. I was thinking along the lines of hiking trails, woods, and hunting. 1 year later (almost), I still think it would make an okay field radio, but ultimately I've been using my ft3d for walking as it has APRS which I could use as well as ipx5 ratings which provides some protection against water hitting it from certain angles
Is there one that has everything you would ever need in a HT? I see tons of videos saying this radio has this or that but lacks overall etc. etc. WTF
Can you direct me to the digital setup for the FD-70de please. I cannot seem to find an index for you alone. Thank you
th-cam.com/video/BXoKf5uhEXs/w-d-xo.html
Hi, I am trying to find the PI STAR Tutorial you mentioned.
The Yaesu first thing asks for your call number. I'm currently studying for my license. How can I buypass this first step so I can use it for listening. Thanks. (Sorry for the basic question ... I is a newbie)
Typically i just enter 0 and then hit F. make sure you do not transmit until you have a license and you properly put in the callsign. Good luck!
I'm looking for this info as well. We bought one to just listen to stuff and can't seem to figure out how to do this...please help? Lol
@@AmyinOregon just put in random info it doesn’t matter unless you’re transmitting on the digital mode.
Friend, I have a question, should I buy the Ft60, or the FT70? and because?. Greetings and thanks for the video! 😉👍
Quick question for you, how can the extended receive can be opened?
Hey there, I have a video on that. Pop a diode out. th-cam.com/video/teNbPY-ct64/w-d-xo.html
@HAM RADIO DUDE Any experience with the FT-60? Trying to decide between FT-60R vs FT-70DR
I wish I did. Maybe I'll get one soon to play with. It really depends on what you want out of the radio. To hear the air bands, you'd want the 60, but if it want to take advantage of digital, the 70. I will say after a few months with the 70, I agree with another commenter, the audio quality distorted at higher volumes. Other than that, I don't have problems with my battery like others. Anything in particular you need it to do, or want it to do?
@@HAMRADIODUDE thanks for the response. Mainly I want to upgrade from a Baofeng. I have heard of good things about the 60. My main concern is battery life on the 70 because I do use it for EDC and in my Get Home bag. But being that it offers digital and fusion, I thought it could be a contender since it seemed more future proof. The 60 is tried and trued and with the AA battery tray and popularity, I may end up looking for a 60 for emergency use.
If there was an extended Li-ion battery, I think the 70 would become more popular. I usually have my radio on 10-12 hours per day.
Hi guys, why made you say its battery is bad? I don't have good HT's yet, and Im torn between vx64 and ft70.
Maybe I missed it but how does this sound compared to the 3dr?
Is it as tinny and weak sounding as the 3dr?
I'll see if I can throw up a quick comparison later
Звук прекрасный
The ft70 sounds MUCH better than the 3 DR or even the new 5 DR.
That's correct, the FT 70 sounds better than the FT3. I made a video somewhere about it, but can't find it. I think it was in the FT3D review that I did
should i buy the FT-70D or FT-70DR ?
Had this radio and sold it. Battery life for me was absolutely horrendous.
I bought an FT-70D 2 weeks ago, at the Dayton Hamvention from HRO. I wish that I'd had done research before buying the radio. The battery life is pathetic.. I have done a side by side test of an FT-70D, and a Baofeng UV-5R. Receive Only test - no transmitting. The $150 FT-70D gets 6 hours.. A $25 Baofeng UV-5R gets 18 hours... A cheap Chinese TYT radio also gets 18 hours of receive on a single charge. Everyone keeps saying to buy a 2nd battery and drop-in charger. That turns the $150 radio into a $250 radio. The performance of the radio is fantastic. It transmits well and receives very well. The horrible battery life completely takes away the enjoyment of the radio.
its a good radio. I have one but, the battery life is not good.
Thanks for the input. I received a lot of these comments recently and I will be re evaluating my review with an updated battery discussion on the ft70d, in the near future. 73!
The need to use 2 hands to run volume up or down, sucks big time. Very inconvenient when carried in my shirt pocket.
I'm selling it.
I somewhat agree that using 2 hands for volume is not convenient, but at the same time, if you using the belt clip and are putting your radio on your belt, and accidentally turn the knob, it isn't turning the volume down to zero...
After using this radio for the past couple months, I'm also looking to sell my FT-70D. Battery life stinks, and I've also experienced the aggravation of trying to adjust the volume while the radio is sitting on the seat next to me as I was driving... Anybody want to buy one? :)
I do like the way you review radios.....and I am searching long and hard for my radio. Ham radios are supposed to excel for emergency use and this radio fails easily....I am sorry but from those I know that had or still have their F-70 are very disappointed. The battery life is horrible and purchasing extra batteries should not be the answer.....you would need several. In an emergency such as a hurricane you can be without power for many days. I would not want a radio with such a poor reputation for its batteries and that includes a ridiculous charger that takes so many hours to charge.....unheard of....Also I challenge the fact that you said something like you really cannot tell the difference listening to this speaker from the previous model. I believe the previous model was a full watt and this I think is 700 and the difference is easily noticed. I think Yaesu made a mistake releasing this radio the way it is. Your review of the FT 65 was more impressive. I hope you are not biased when you do your reviews.... Thank you
I gave my opinions and observations. Why would my opinions be biased on products I pay money for. Why would I want for anyone to pay for something I don't think is great? As for the radio, I used it all summer, aggressively and had no issues. This i supposed is just one of those things that people have other opinions on and that's fine.
As for the speaker, I'll revaluate that and reconsider my opinion on that
You're not alone on the horrible battery life.
Don’t forget us old people with a fixed budget. What with gas from $3.89 to $5-$6 a gallon.
Sorry, I made this video before gas went up to $5.00 a gallon. The video was released on a day where gas was $1.91 a gallon.
My came with a 1800 mah
My Father-in-Law sent me one of these radios
Nice!
After months since my last post....still HATE this radio. Programming sequence to data port is beyond ridiculous....the battery life is unbelievably short....the dual button requirement for volume adjust is ignorant and a pain....and for the cost there are WAY better options.
Only benefit....fusion....if that is desirable to someone. We prefer allstar nodes by far.
What antenna type connector does this have?
SMA-Male or SMA-Female?
The radio has a sma female connector
6hrs to charge and no dual vfo is a bummer
I am working on another video about this now. I have the battery on the Continual load tester, followed by charger. Additionally, I am still working on building my own rapid charger. I guess I'm trying to figure out what the deal is about this battery/or the amount of current the radio draws.
And a flashlight
Biennial battery?
Bioenno
(I have a lazy way of speaking, it's been discussed before, sorry for the misunderstanding)
I only git 1.5hours on tx On rx I git 4 hours
Wow! I got a test this out some more and see if I could replicate the issue...Somebody local to hear said they had really bad battery life as well. I wonder if I can get my hands on their battery
Also, did you ever get the decals?
Hi no not yet still waiting cheers 73
@@Andy2e0ree that's odd.. sent twice now. I'll see if I can do it with confirmation..
You can get a 2000 mah battery
I’ve been a ham since the 90s. Since then, the major manufactures seem to have made insignificant changes/enhancements to their gear.
Consider this: perhaps we’re at the point where HTs are just too tiny. As a result almost all functions require pushing buttons. The fact is, sometimes analog, that is knobs, are faster and more efficient.
I think manufacturers have become lazy. Some new radios still use nickel-hydrate batteries. Are you kidding me?
Considering a mobile rig? Try crowbarring that in a vehicle, particularly if it’s a hybrid with your battery in the trunk. Perhaps it’s time to incorporate equipment with bluetooth, permitting a wireless connection between the front and back of a vehicle.
Think about this: proprietary digital technology among manufacturers doesn’t help from a consumer perspective.
Thanks for the input. The sad thing is, I had some companies I would chat with in the past. They will string you on that they have major changes and announcements, but it's usually something minute... "We now have it available with 3 different backlight settings..... Who needs USB C?!" lol.
I purchased this radio as well....definitely not a fan. The battery life is beyond terrible. So much so that it seems impossible. This radio has been sitting on the shelf after only two uses.
Mines in a box in storage.
@@twohandsandaradio .....exactly my point. There are much better choices out there than this one. It seemed promising, but fell far short of the mark. The menu is a bit clumsy, which I could deal with, but the battery life alone kills this one. Im not carrying around 2 or 3 batteries just to get reasonable use out of it.
Hey there. I will be conducting some tests on the battery in the future. I want to make sure I get something out that displays as much as I can about this battery for documentation and because a lot of people agree the battery isn't so good. Thanks for the input. 73.
Good radio battery sucks. Radio pulls more current on high power then the battery offers.
Sépanlo y créanlo la batería es horrible de mala.. No lo compren !
In the 80s & 90s yaesu made good reliable radio's now they just suck.
Absolutely appauling battery life on this radio regardless of the settings. I only use mine on RX and it's still very poor so god knows what it's like if your transmitting as well. Please do not be tempted by the radios low price point avoid this radio like the plague you have been warned!
KG6EBJ stopping by to say hello
Hello there