
Short review:
- Compared to the Icom IC-706-0, I once had (I sold it, because it sucks!), The FT-100d is far, far better!!!
- I highly recommend this radio!
Minor gripes:
- The FT-100d, has been discontinued?
- I don't like the replacement, the FT-857.
- The, DSP, Filters, DTMF Mic, and TCXO, are all extra's! These are included in the FT-100d!
- And the recivers coverage is limited;
- And there is a bug, If you scan from 30 to 50 Mhz, the radio will go to 32.999, then go to .500 MHz, instead of 33.000 MHz. Likewise if you scan down, at 33.000, it will go to 56 MHz, instead of 32.999 MHz.
Gripes:
- Needs to be sent back to the factory for up-grades (this is ok because, unlike Icom, who would not admit to there problems, Yeasu, has fixes for there minor problems.).
- DCS Dev. too high,
- V/UHF rcvr seems a little low,
- AM tx, problems, (even w/6kc filter, still sounds funky). Levels differ greatly band to band.
- Can't be programed by computer!
- No alpha, channel/frequency, name tags!
- Remote head kit, is cheesy! (Once installed, radio cant be reused easily elsewhere. Radio side, data head, cable is attached with microscopic screw's, which vaporize open use, thus rendering kit useless ;=(
(If u choose to use ur radio, later at home, the head easily disconnects like u'd expect, but the radio side requires the removal of vary, vary, small screws, that are extremely, extremely, easy to lose; And are vary hard to screw into the radio, assuming that u don't loose them!!!)- This kit should have had a panel that slid into the radio (like it was a head), and it would have the cable attached, to it!
- The speaker jack is broken easily! The problem is that the solder is insufficient and the plug is only supported by the solder. Also, in order to repair the broken solder joint, you have to disable the RF Power PCB. It takes two hours, at least to repair. Make sure that you label the rf cables before you start. Also, the ribbon cable, can look connected, but is not. Make sure it all the way in!
More, as I have time...