Cell phones and the internet are arguably the best things that have happened to the world since toast bread, but in case of natural disasters or emergencies where power is down, the internet is inaccessible, and 911 is overloaded, what do you do? Or if you have to go hiking or camping in an area without cell reception, how do you communicate with others?
Radios are known to be useful in times like that, and there are different types of radios to choose from. One of them being amateur radios. Amateur radios are mostly for people who are new to the radio world. They are easier to use when compared to other types of radios. Amateur radios can communicate across borders and even outer space.
Amateur radios, also called HAM radios, have been around for as long as the nineteenth century, although it only became popular around the twentieth century. HAM radios have since gained world recognition.
Most amateur radio developers in the early years started out developing them as hobbies and experiments. Since then, many brands have risen, and several HAM radios have been introduced into the market, leaving you with many options to choose from.
Brands like Kenwood, Icom, Uniden, Zentron, Yaesu and a few others are known to produce different types of HAM radios to suit your needs. Whether you need a HAM radio for hiking, camping, monitor, for rf chattering or an emergency, these brands have different radios that fit your demands.
One of the prominent brands Yaesu are known for producing radios that last for several years at a fair price. Yaesu produces a variety of amateur radios from walkie talkies to Mobile radio transceivers and even base stations.
One of the most loved radio transceivers among amateur radio users is Yaesu ft-857, which was developed and sold at the beginning of this century and is still popular among users. It has recently been modified to Yaesu ft-857D, but it still isn’t like the other modern designs.
Although the 857d is not the most modern in look or functions, it is still the best choice when it comes to simplicity, affordability and many other features that it offers. It is very portable for a transceiver with its functions, making it stand out as one of a kind mobile radio. Coupled with the fact that this radio has an outstanding reputation, lasting over eight years, this makes it one of the best choices for someone new to amateur radios.
This article will give you an insight and let you know everything you need to know about this radio, including the considerations, the features and the quirks of Yaesu ft-857D.
Table of Contents
Considerations choosing Yaesu Ft-857D Radios Transceiver
Here are some of the things you should consider.
Size
One of the significant differences between a base station and a
mobile radio transceiver is the weight. Even though Yaesu ft-857D weighs about 4.6 pounds due to the amount of gear packed in it. It is quite heavy for mobile radio, but it still has a small size for a 100
watt HF/UHF/VHF transceiver.
It expertly performs some of the functions of a base station and combines it with its portable size giving it an advantage over both base stations and mobile radios. Owning a Yaesu 857D means having a two in one package.
With a dimension 2×9×6 inches, this Yaesu radio is very easy to move around. Say you need to go on a camping trip with your family or go hiking with your friends, you can easily carry this radio with you. It is so portable that you can set it up in your car or move it around your home without any hassle.
Ease of use
Most people complained about the radio’s menu not being straight forward enough, and I have to agree with them. Trying to figure out the radio on your own can leave you feeling frustrated, especially if you are new to HAM radios. It might take weeks of practice to understand the menu without using the manual.
Understanding the manual is a walk in the park. It explains the menu and everything that has to do with the radio. The manual also gives additional tips on caring for the radio and setting it up the right way. If you find the manual in the box to tedious to use, you can download the online version, which is more precise.
Following the guidelines from the manual, it is very easy to install the radio. All you need to set it up in your car is your screwdriver. If you follow the manual steps correctly, it would be stress-free, even if it is your first time.
You can operate this radio in the dark efficiently because the menu buttons are not only easy to press, but they are illuminated. The controls give a glow in the dark that makes it easy to locate and use.
If you find it hard viewing the small display screen on the 857D, you can connect it to your laptop using a software. It is easier to navigate it from your computer. You can also attach other accessories to the radio like a speaker or a headset. There are several recommended accessories by yaesu to choose from.
Build quality
This radio exceeds expectations when it comes to durability. For a radio designed in the early 2000s, it is versatile, easy to use and still does the job without being overly complicated.
A lot of people report using this radio for about 8 to 10 years. Depending on how you use the radio, the mileage may vary, but it should last for up to 6 years.
Not once have I seen a complaint about the radio packing up or the radio malfunctioning within its first six years of use. The radio is built with a rugged casing that makes it suitable for use anywhere and anytime.
The most complaints people make is about the display screen peeling off after prolonged hours in the sun. I don’t think it’s sensible to leave your radio out in the sun. Even the manual says not to install the radio in hot places without ventilation.
To make it easier for you to take care of your radio’s display screen, the front panel of Yaesu ft 857 is detachable. You can remove the front end panel when the radio is not used for security reasons and to protect it from heat mainly because the transceiver is safer in a cool environment. If you reside in the south, you must make sure that your radio is never left out in sunny areas.
Besides that, this radio has a sturdy build and would last for a long time if treated nicely and with care. It is built from steel to survive and work even through heavy-duty use. You can count on Yaesu 857 to perform well during emergencies, no matter its workload.
Bands/Frequency Coverage
The radio covers a wide frequency range. Since it offers MF, HF, UHF and VHF, it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor usage.
Transmitter coverage : HF, 50 MHz, 144 MHz, and 430 MHz Amateur bands.
Receive coverage: on 100 kHz to 56 MHz, 76 to 108 MHz, 118-164 MHz, and 420-470 MHz.
Installation
When you buy a this transceiver, you will find the following things in the box:
Radio front panel
The separation kit with screws
Hand microphone
Mobile mounting bracket with screws
DC power cord
Operating Manual
Control cable
As I mentioned earlier, the transceiver’s operating Manual explains everything about the installation process. Setting up this radio shouldn’t make you break a sweat.
Since the device comes with its long power cord, you don’t need to use any other power cord. In fact, it’s advisable to use only Yaesu’s DC power cord. You must also make sure that the power connector is connected directly to a DC source providing 13. 8 volts DC 15%more or less, and it must be capable of at least 22 amperes of current. This means that this device cannot be connected to your vehicle’s cigarette lighter plug or fuse box. It’s safer and better to connect it directly to your vehicle’s battery.
You may choose to install and set up your transceiver as a base station in your home or as a mobile radio. In both cases, provisions have been made to make it easy to use. As a home base station, the transceiver has two adjustable front feet, making the display easy to use. It also has a mobile bracket that can be used to set up your transceiver easily in your vehicle or anywhere else.
Yaesu ft857D Features
Detachable front panel
The best part about this transceiver is that the front end is detachable. You can easily remove the front end if you had it set up in your car. Since prolonged heat on the display screen is terrible for the transceiver, the detachable front end makes it easy to avoid.
It definitely won’t be easy Installing and reinstalling your transceiver in your car because of fear that it would be stolen from your vehicle. Detaching the front end and safekeeping it since it’s not that heavy gives you the peace you need to carry on with the rest of your day without any fears.
The major reason why most people buy this transceiver is that it does its job well, and it is portable. While you move this radio about, there is a high chance that you might tamper with some of the settings or change some channels by mistake. With this feature, you would be able to lock the front panel of your transceiver, which would prevent accidental clicks or turns.
Colorful display
With a total of 32 colors to choose from, you can customize your device to give different colors for multiple operations. Using the menu mode, you can change the colors of the LCD depending on various operating conditions.
For instance, you may choose to configure based on ARTS status, memory group, by the band or by any other category. This feature makes the radio more intuitive because it makes it easy to indicate your current activity.
IF Noise blanker
This feature makes communication with your partner better as it mutes out unwanted background noise, most especially automotive ignition systems. It makes your partner’s speech clearer, so you don’t lose important information.
DSP noise reduction feature also improves communication by enhancing the signal to voice ratio on weak signals. This makes the message or information being transmitted clearer.
Automatic power-off feature
This feature turns off the transceiver when there is no crucial activity or dial over a defined period. The time selection available for you to choose from is 1-6 hours. The automatic power-off feature helps you conserve battery life.
Band down / band up key
This transceiver’s frequency coverage is divided into different operating bands, and each band has its frequency steps and operating modes.
This feature makes it possible to change the frequency band. Pressing the band down or band up key will change the frequency band to the higher or lower operating band.
Mode key
This feature allows you to change to different operating modes. You can switch to LSB, USB, CW, CWR, AM, FM, DIG or PKT modes by pressing the key. This Yaesu transceiver offers more modes than most radios in its class.
Pros
It has a wide range of frequencies
The automatic power-off feature that conserves battery
It has full DSP functions
Access to all bands
It is affordable for the features it provides
Durable and rugged body
VOX
Cons
The menu is not intuitive
The speakers are weak. You might need speaker accessories to boost sound quality.
The buttons are few
There are so many hidden controls in the menu and submenu, which makes it complex to read.
FAQs
How to reset a Yaesu ft 857D
If, by any chance, your transceiver’s memory is corrupted door or something wrong with the configuration, there are two ways in which you can address the issue. You would need to reset the transceiver back to factory settings using any of these two reset procedures.
You can choose to do;
The hard reset(master reset): This returns all memories and settings to factory settings.
The soft reset: This reset is done in two different ways, and it yields two different results.
To perform the master reset:
1) You must first do a back up all settings, if possible, using a programming program such as Chirp, RT Systems, or Yaesu’s programming software.
2)Power down the radio.
3) press the [HOME] button while turning on the rig with the POWER button.
The radio will be reset to factory default settings.
The first soft reset resets all memories and the following settings to their factory default values:
Menu # 06 (AM Step), Menu # 33 (DCS Code), Menu # 52 (FM Step), Menu # 56 (MEM Tag), Menu # 76 (RPT Shift), Menu # 82 (SSB Step) and Menu # 83 (Tone Frequency)
To perform this reset:
Back up all settings if it is possible, using a programming program such as Chirp, RT Systems, or Yaesu’s programming software.
Power down the radio.
Hold the [VM] button while turning on the rig with the POWER button.
The radio will be reset to the above settings.
The second soft reset resets all menu settings except the following settings to their factory default values:
Menu # 06 (AM Step), Menu # 33 (DCS Code), Menu # 52 (FM Step), Menu # 56 (MEM Tag), Menu # 76 (RPT Shift), Menu # 82 (SSB Step) and Menu # 83 (Tone Frequency)
To perform this reset:
Back up all settings if it is possible, using a programming program such as Chirp, RT Systems, or Yaesu’s programming software.
Power down the radio.
Hold the [FUNC] button while turning on the rig with the POWER button.
The radio will be reset to the above settings.
Conclusion
There are many essential features packed into this portable workhorse like it’s microphone equalizer, versatile memory system, VOX, front end attenuator, Intercept point optimization feature (IPO), and so many others that make this transceiver a fan favorite.
Although this radio may not be the most modern among its competition in the market, it can still perform its functions well and above expectations. Yaesu ft-857D is very affordable when compared to the features it offers.
This radio might have its shortcomings, but you can easily make up for all of it with the right accessories. Even with accessories’ cost, it is not nearly as expensive as other HAM radios with the functions it offers.
If you are looking to buy a radio that can serve as both a home base and a mobile transceiver without compromising on its functions, then Yaesu ft-857D is a smart choice.
