Yaesu FT-65R Review Notes

A low-cost dualband portable amateur radio that performs well but comes with some tradeoffs

I will convert this into a full review time permitting. Feel free to contribute.

UPDATE: I just discovered the ADVANCED manual, which describes how to do odd splits and dual display!

Pros

• Nice dot-matrix screen. Up to 8 characters channel name display. 15x4 lines in total. Yaesu could’ve given us options aside from the bright blue backlighting (like the old amber or Icom’s green).
• Programmable function keys (4 vs 2 in the older models like FT60R, FT270R, FT250R)
• Split CTCSS or DCS capability. Can do encode-only DCS(unlike some Icom models which are forced to both DCS encode/decode)
• You can input alpha tags with multi-press on the keypad, just like a cellphone keypad (why have others not done this for decades?)
• Has memory banks (no marking on the keypad where to find though), offering memory bank scanning, too.
• Lithium Ion battery — charges in 3.5 hours
• Smaller, lighter from factor than predecessors
• Does not get desense / overloaded when aerial antenna is connected
• 5+ watts tested
• Loud audio — 1 watt out
• Illuminated keypad (numbers and characters, but keypad itself is black)
• Dual monitor through dual VFO (not through memory, though)
• Price!!! P4,500 intro price for FT-65 and P3,500 for FT-25 (equivalent $90 for FT65R and $70 for FT25R)

Cons

• Slow scanning
• SDR-based? I can hear crackles and pops, like with Baofeng/Cignus radios, and it is sometimes not as responsive as pure hardware radios
• Lost the “live” voltage reading; There is a voltage reading, but you cannot keep track while you press PTT
• No split repeater frequencies. Offset limited to 0.05 MHz increments (EDIT: I have discovered how to turn on odd splits under VFO mode through the advanced menu)
• This also means no possibility of crossband repeater usage (V/U or U/V) through memory mode
• No earpiece, handmic or programming cable here yet
• RX/TX indicator on top a bit small
• Menu system a bit confusing at first, with a mix of “fn” key, “fn” key long press and PTT press to confirm.
• Lost the on-key shortcuts for frequently-accessed features on the numeric keypads (CTCSS, CTCSS freq/DCS code, bell, Rpt, skip, etc)
• Singe VFO by default. VFO A and VFO B possible by enabling dual display under the advanced menu
• Single monitoring only by default (but priority watch or bank scan possible). Dual monitor is possible through DUAL display, but only with VFO, and not memory mode.

Other Observations

• Can fit in Baofeng UV5R charger. Yes, I have tried. Width, polarity are compatible. Battery “rails” are not 100% fit, but they do fit.
• Flashlight on front. I would have wanted the LED to be like the FT270R TX/RX indicator (its TX/RX lamp is a small LED at the top)
• Battery is latched via sliding switch and no longer a clip like with previous models
• Belt clip is situated high in the radio, which means it will attach quite low on your belt — excellent, as the stock antenna is not likely to poke into your underarm (no need to switch to a stubby antenna)
• Angled PTT button
• SMA-female antenna. You can use Baofeng or Cignus antennas here.
• Nice clip (I like it compared to the FT270’s swivel design); It screws into place. I think Baofeng clips will also fit here
• Keypad is tough and clicky
• Lanyard holes on both belt clip and radio
• Has a “Scrambler” feature, which I think is beat-shift. Perhaps this can be used for more private conversations somehow with other FT65 or FT25 users? (But not legal with amateur radio, right?)
• When you change a setting in memory mode, such as TX power, CTCSS tone or DCS code, etc., the settings stick onto that channel

The Verdict

The jury is still out on whether it is a worthy upgrade over the venerable FT60R, which has been a favorite portable radio among hams for more than a decade. Some capabilities and functionalities were removed. But perhaps it’s like when Yaesu took out dual VFO and extended receive away when they released the FT-60R (compared with the FT-50R).

It’s somewhat a parallel release — which gives the user a choice. The price (at least locally here) is the main selling point. It sells in the Philippines for around $90, which is almost half the suggested retail price in the US. The monoband version sells for about $70.

Time will tell.

Some Photos

A comparison with the FT-60R

Note: The header image is meant to be a joke — a reaction to FT270R users who submerge their radios in glasses of water to prove its watertightness.