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Yaesu FT-60

Proud Citizen

Proud Citizen

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Saw the thread on Baofengs and thought I would start one on the Yaesu FT-60. I got one right after I passed my Technician exam three years ago, but havent used it much since then. I definitely want to get back into HAM and have set a goal of getting my General this year. So as a start I want to get familiar with the Yaesu, any links to useful websites, youtube vids, etc would be greatly appreciated. Same for the General exam. Thanks!
 
The FT-60 was my first radio. Great radio. Very popular. I also have a UV-5R as a backup. The one advantage the UV-5R has is I can put walki-talkie frequencies in it. Yes, technically it's not legal to transmit on no-license frequencies like FRS with it, and actually I haven't had the opportunity/need, but it's nice to have the option.

For programming the FT60 I use the old FT60 Commander program instead of Chirp. In the FT60 you can organize your repeaters into "banks" (sort of like folders). I have local 2M repeaters in bank-1, local 70cm repeaters in bank 2, satellites and police & fire frequencies in separate banks, etc. Chirp doesn't support organizing things in banks[sad].

It's been years, but I bought a battery pack that accepts AA batteries. I use nmh AAs in it. And if I scrape the paint off part of the bottom battery in the stack I can charge the pack while its still in the radio.
 
I also have the ft-60r. It's a great radio, but I don't really use it much since the range is limited. The menus are a little difficult to use when you only use it once every few years, but that's my problem..
However, my HAM interest has recently come back and I think I will get a mobile unit (ic-2300) soon just for the heck of it. I might also take the General exam and get an HF radio.
 
cockpitbob said:
The FT-60 was my first radio. Great radio. Very popular. I also have a UV-5R as a backup. The one advantage the UV-5R has is I can put walki-talkie frequencies in it. Yes, technically it's not legal to transmit on no-license frequencies like FRS with it, and actually I haven't had the opportunity/need, but it's nice to have the option.

For programming the FT60 I use the old FT60 Commander program instead of Chirp. In the FT60 you can organize your repeaters into "banks" (sort of like folders). I have local 2M repeaters in bank-1, local 70cm repeaters in bank 2, satellites and police & fire frequencies in separate banks, etc. Chirp doesn't support organizing things in banks[sad].

It's been years, but I bought a battery pack that accepts AA batteries. I use nmh AAs in it. And if I scrape the paint off part of the bottom battery in the stack I can charge the pack while its still in the radio.
Click to expand...

Thanks, starting playing around with it again tonight for the first time in two years. I think I have a program called "RT Systems Programmer" that I got at HRO when I bought the radio. I used this to program a bunch of repeaters in Central MA. But now I cant remember how to pull them up on the FT-60R. I tried pushing the V/M button, thinking that would switch it to memory mode, but it says "No Memory" when I do that. Oh wait I just tried pushing the BAND button and that brought me to one of the repeaters I had int he program. Ok, starting to come back to me a little. Does anyone here talk on the Paxton repeater? I remember that was the one I used the most.
 
For the first time in a long time I pulled mine out today and had it scanning the local repeaters. The Danvers repeater gets used for Skywarn. Today's storm was such a pan-flash in this area that there was no interesting traffic. I remember the spring of 2010 we had torrential storm after storm and the repeater was real busy with Skywarn traffic. Some of it was interesting to listen to and useful since it pertained to my local area.
 
IMO, the Commander is better than CHIRP for the FT-60 - Really the cable is the key. I bought a cheapo cable and it melted up after programming about 3 times. A good cable is worth it - and the cable that fits FT-60 fits multiple radios as well - the Commanders will fill the rest.

As for the radio functions, I'm not sure why some say the 'range is limited' - it's 5 watts and I understand there are no FRS/GMRS bands but we know why and how to offset that...

It's a very durable, reliable, easy to use radio with a lot of simple accessories that make it 100X better than anything starting with the letter B - unless it's Bacon - I think I'd rather have bacon. So the radio is better than any other radio that starts with B. Having used both, I'm comfortable saying the Yaesu is my preference over all. The FT-60 over my VX-7's too, the 60 is used daily.
 
Downloaded the manual last night and started reading it, also downloaded a good companion to the manual that you can get here: http://rick.sparber.org/bg60.pdf

The RT Systems Programmer I have came with a cable, but I think it is specific to just the FT-60R, looking at some of paperwork that came with the kit (ADMS-1J) and it looks like there are kits that are specific to different radio models.

Also found the case for my aftermarket antennae, its a Pryme Radio Products RD-98.

Does anyone here ever hit the Paxton repeater? I was on their tonight for a bit.
 
The FT60 can't opened up, or "freebanded" like the VX7R? I could have sworn I was just reading something earlier today about a mod that allowed you to do this.
 
edmorseiii said:
The FT60 can't opened up, or "freebanded" like the VX7R? I could have sworn I was just reading something earlier today about a mod that allowed you to do this.
Click to expand...
I have a couple .pdfs describing how to open the case and open the frequencies up per this table. I just don't know how to post .pdf files.
FT-60%20Freebanding_zpswb4wz3al.jpg
 
cockpitbob said:
I have a couple .pdfs describing how to open the case and open the frequencies up per this table. I just don't know how to post .pdf files.
FT-60%20Freebanding_zpswb4wz3al.jpg
Click to expand...

Through some googling last night I found the instructions with pictures on what resistor to remove/destroy. I may hunt a used one down and give it a shot myself. That radio seems like a good happy medium between my UV5R's and my VX7R that I am still struggling to learn how to really use to its ability.

One question about it though, the 2 knobs on the top, I assume one is for volume/squelch and the other is for channel changing. You mentioned that it has memory banks, if you select one, say SE NH repeaters, does that channel knob let you switch between just the channels in that bank?

Here is what I am after. I like the simple 16 channel HT750's we have at work because you can change the channel by spinning the knob and counting the clicks, but I want that in a hand held ham radio that can be programmed.
 
Ed, you can have the FT60 in Bank mode or non-Bank. In non-Bank when you spin the knob or have the radio scan, it goes through every memory you've programmed in. When in Bank mode, it only scans or shows you what's in that memory bank. I like it because I'll put it in scan and I know it's only scanning the 5 local repeaters I have in the local bank.
 
cockpitbob said:
Ed, you can have the FT60 in Bank mode or non-Bank. In non-Bank when you spin the knob or have the radio scan, it goes through every memory you've programmed in. When in Bank mode, it only scans or shows you what's in that memory bank. I like it because I'll put it in scan and I know it's only scanning the 5 local repeaters I have in the local bank.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, this may be the answer I am looking for to solve my "tactical" (lulz) radio problem. How many banks does it let you set?
 
edmorseiii said:
HRO - I have to make it down to this place one of these days.
Click to expand...

I have to give props to HRO too, that is where I purchased my Yaesu. The person working there was very friendly and helpful, I went there shortly after I passed my Technician exam and was very green (even more so than now). I knew I wanted a Yaesu FT-60R, but I was also convinced that I needed Yagi antennae! Thankfully he talked me out of that and set me up with a nice package of the FT-60R, the Pryme RD-98 antennae, the RT systems cable/programming software kit, a carrying pouch, and a car charger.
 
I picked up an FT-60 yesterday at HRO and it's a great little rig for short money. And, I'd recommend anyone getting one to spring for the programming software, as it made the initial setup a breeze! :)
 
RUT said:
I picked up an FT-60 yesterday at HRO and it's a great little rig for short money. And, I'd recommend anyone getting one to spring for the programming software, as it made the initial setup a breeze! :)
Click to expand...

Did you buy the software at the store, or was it a download? Commander?

I am heading down there on Saturday and am treating myself to an FT60 for my birthday, I want to make sure I get what I need as Salem is a little bit of a drive.
 
>>Did you buy the software at the store, or was it a download?<<

I bought it at the store....Yaesu ADMS-1J-USB. It wasn't cheap at $38, but I didn't want to spend the effort looking elsewhere. The mistake I made was not getting the optional speaker mic, so it looks like I'll be making another trip there today to pick one up. Oh well.....
 
I just wanted to say that I had a pair of FT-60R's and they're great radios, but recently sold them. I decided to take a chance on the Alinco DJ-500T and liked it much better. It's smaller, lighter, has better battery life with the Lithium Ion's, better selectivity and sensitivity, along with great TX/RX audio. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the FT-60R like the weather channels, wide band receive, ARS, 1000 memory channels, built like a tank etc, but it's a solid 2m/440 radio. Bottom line, I don't miss the big heavy tank, even though it has more features.
 

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