Reprinted with permission from October 2017 QST ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio® www.arrl.org

ible antenna. The orange button, when pressed, turns on a single front-facing, white LED that more than once helped me find the right key for a door. A clip that accepts up to a 2-inch belt can be attached to the rear of the case.

The front panel includes 18 black pushbutton keys with white labels, a

3⁄8 × 15⁄8 inch LCD mono-chromatic display, a small hole to let the microphone sound in, and a 1 × 5⁄8 inch area to let the speaker sound out. The LED flash-light is located just above and right of the display.

The battery release/lock is located at the bottom side of the case. Users with short fingernails will have difficulty releasing the bat-tery from the case because

ming and cloning cables, and an ear-piece/microphone set designed to work with the FT-65R’s VOX feature. Don’t forget to keep the box. Think of it as an accessory that protects your handheld when you’re not using it.

A Closer LookThe word “rugged” comes to mind when first grasping the FT-65R. Its MIL-STD-810E certified case resists moisture and can withstand being dropped on a hard floor. I accidently tested that when I left the review hand-held on a picnic table during a summer downpour, with no signs of degrada-tion. It handled an accidental fall to the kitchen linoleum, too.

The PTT (push-to-talk) switch is lo-cated at the top of the left side of the case and juts out at a 20° angle. Most people will find the angled button eas-ier to press than a PTT button parallel to the side of the case. For lefties (like me), your left thumb can press the PTT button comfortably when holding the radio in your left hand.

Below the PTT button is a MONITOR button for momentarily opening the squelch. Below that, the SET button allows access to the SET mode for changing transceiver parameters and operating features. The right side of the case has jacks for both a speaker and a microphone hidden behind a rubber flap.

The top of the FT-65R is home to a POWER/VOLUME control, an orange pushbutton, and the rubberized, flex-

Technical

by Mark Spencer, WA8SME

Yaesu FT-65R Dual-Band Handheld Transceiver

A rugged, inexpensive, easy-to-use radio for 2 meters and 70 centimeters.

Product Review

Mark J. Wilson, K1RO, k1ro@arrl.org

Bottom LineYaesu’s FT-65R is a rugged, FCC-

compliant, dual-band transceiver that does the job and is ergonomi-cally designed.

Reviewed by Bob Allison, WB1GCMARRL Assistant Laboratory Manager wb1gcm@arrl.org

The Yaesu FT-65R is a dual-band hand-held transceiver that transmits on the 2-meter and 70-centimeter amateur bands (144 – 148 and 430 – 450 MHz), operating on one band at a time. Its RF spectrum output has very low harmonic levels, greatly exceeding FCC require-ments. The receiver has extended cov-erage from 136 to 174 and 400 to 470 MHz for monitoring other FM ana-log radio services. Its receiver perfor-mance is more than adequate for detec- ting weak signals while blocking high signal levels on adjacent frequencies. The FT-65R’s operating features are explained within its 48-page manual.

Out of the BoxThe FT-65R comes in a tightly pack-aged box along with a 7.4 V, 1,950 mAh lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, drop-in battery charger, belt clip, flex-ible antenna, and a paper copy of the instruction manual. A downloadable manual can be obtained from Yaesu’s website, as well as an additional 37-page Advance Manual. A few op-tional accessories are available, such as a 2,500 mAh battery pack, program-

QST® – Devoted entirely to Amateur Radio www.arrl.org Reprinted with permission from October 2017 QST

KEY:

* Noise limited at value shown.

Bars off the graph indicate values over scale.

QS1710-PR119

T-R 250 50

TX-RX Turnaround Time (ms)

70 cm 1512 m 140

Snd 800100

Audio Output (mW)

1600

ChRej 50 90

Adjacent Channel Rejection (dB)

70 cm 672 m 63

I3

RX 40 70

Receiver Third-order Dynamic Range (dB)(20 kHz offset)

70 cm 67*2 m 63*

I3

RX 60 90

Receiver Third-order Dynamic Range (dB)(10 MHz offset)

70 cm 692 m 67

SINAD 0.25 1.0

Receiver Sensitivity (12dB SINAD, µV)

70 cm 0.142 m 0.14

Yaesu FT-65RKey Measurements Summary

Table 1 Yaesu, FT-65R, serial number 7C020401

Manufacturer’s Specifications Measured in ARRL Lab

Frequency coverage: Receive — 136 – 174, Receive and transmit, as specified. 400 – 480 MHz; 65 – 108 MHz (WFM). Transmit — 144 – 148, 430 – 450 MHz.

Modes: Receive — FM, data, WFM (FM As specified. broadcast only). Transmit — FM, data.

Power requirements: Receive — 205 mA; At 8.3 V dc (full charge): Receive — 100 mA (standby, saver off); 18 mA (saver on); 336 mA (no signal, max vol, lights on); 4 mA (auto power off). Transmit, 1.5 A at 324 mA (lights off); 114 mA (standby, 5 W RF output (144 MHz), 1.7 A (430 MHz) saver off); 32 mA (saver on). at 7.4 V dc.† Transmit (H/M/L): 1.4/0.96/0.48 A (144 MHz); 1.55/0.9/0.44 A (440 MHz).

Receiver Receiver Dynamic Testing

FM sensitivity: 12 dB SINAD, 0.2 µV (140 – For 12 dB SINAD: 150 MHz, NFM), 0.2 µV (420 – 470 MHz). FM FM (narrow) 146 MHz 0.14 µV 0.12 µV 162 MHz 0.13 µV 0.12 µV 440 MHz 0.14 µV 0.12 µV 100 MHz 0.45 µV (wideband FM)

Two-tone, third-order IMD dynamic range: 20 kHz offset: 146 MHz, 63 dB;* Not specified. 440 MHz, 67 dB.* 10 MHz offset: 146 MHz, 67 dB; 440 MHz, 69 dB.

Adjacent-channel rejection: Not specified. 20 kHz offset: 146 MHz, 63 dB; 440 MHz, 67 dB.

Squelch sensitivity: Not specified. Squelch range: 146 MHz, 0.17 – 0.8 µV; 440 MHz, 0.14 – 0.72 µV.

Audio output: Not specified. 1.6 W at 10% THD into 8 Ω at 8.2 V dc. THD at 1 VRMS, 1.1%.

Transmitter Transmitter Dynamic Testing

Power output: H/M/L, 5/2.5/0.5 W at 7.4 V dc. At 8.3 V dc (full charge), H/M/L: 5.1/2.6/0.6 W (146 MHz) 5.4/2.5/0.5 W (440 MHz) At 7.4 V dc: 4.8/2.6/0.6 W (146 MHz) 4.2/2.4/0.5 W (440 MHz)

Spurious signal and harmonic suppression: As specified. Meets FCC requirements. ≥60 dB (H/M), ≥40 dB (low).

Transmit-receive turnaround time (PTT release Squelch on, S-9 signal: 140 ms to 50% of full audio output): Not specified. (146 MHz), 151 ms (440 MHz).

Receive-transmit turnaround time (“tx delay”): 146 MHz, 36 ms; 440 MHz, 40 ms. Not specified.

Size (height, width, depth): 4.8 × 2.5 × 1.5 inches (including protrusions); antenna length, 6.3 inches. Weight, 9.6 oz.

Price: $140. Options: GHK-50 earphone/mic, $24. SCU-35 programming cable, $20.

†7.4 V, 1,950 mAh Li-ion battery standard. SBR-25LI replacement battery, $35. SBR-26LI 7.4 V, 2,500 mAh Li-ion battery, $45.*Measurement was noise limited at the value indicated.

the small sliding lever is recessed. A small, straight-bladed screwdriver will make the task easy if the battery needs to be changed.

Operating ConvenienceThe VOLUME/POWER knob is 1⁄2 inch in diameter, with no adjacent obstruc-tions. There is no external squelch control. To enter the squelch mode, press the F (function) button momen-tarily, then press the MONI button above it. The squelch level, off through 15, can be adjusted by using the UP/DOWN arrow buttons. Pressing the F button momentarily exits the squelch mode. This is a usable arrangement, but not as convenient as having a separate squelch knob.

There are four programmable “short-

cut” function buttons, labeled P1 – P4 on the keypad. The factory default functions of these buttons are HOME FREQUENCY, TX POWER (output), SQUELCH TONE, and REVERSE.

Though the display is on the small side, the frequency or alphanumeric display is large enough to see a few

feet away. Reading each of the four menu lines requires good close-up vi-sion. The display has a readable signal strength meter and 13 separate icons, including a battery condition indicator. In addition to this indicator, the battery voltage is displayed when the unit is first turned on as a factory default.

Reprinted with permission from October 2017 QST ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio® www.arrl.org

In my perspective, a practical hand-held must be easy to operate and make changes to. As the ARRL Test Engineer, I’ve used a number of handheld transceivers, some with an amazing number of advanced features and more than 100 menu selections for adjustment. Once learned, the user must remember how to make changes, which, at times, can be months after the initial transceiver setup. For the most part, I found the FT-65R to be fairly easy to operate and program, with few steps to remember.

In addition to the PTT button, the F (function) button will be used the most. Pressing and holding the F button for 2 seconds brings up the menu with 38 selections to choose from. Use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to select a menu item from the list, then press the F but-ton momentarily to display the menu details. Press the F button momentarily again, and then use the arrow keys to make the adjustment. Press and hold the F button to save the selection and return the display to the Main Menu. Press and hold the F button once more to exit. With repetitive use, I eventually remembered the basics.

There are 200 memory channels avail-able. I like to store the simplex calling frequencies, 146.520 and 446.000 MHz, on the first two channels. To store a simplex frequency, press the *V/M (VFO/memory) button and select the VFO mode. Press 1 4 6 5 2 0. Press and hold the *V/M button until MEM ap-

pears briefly. Use the UP/DOWN arrow keys to select 001 (for the first memory location), then press and hold the *V/M key until MEM-IN flashes on the display. 146.520 MHz simplex is now stored on Channel 1.

Repeater frequencies require a few more steps. In the VFO mode, the user needs to set up the repeater output fre-quency (transmit offset is set automati-cally, but can be adjusted to odd splits), transmit power (high, medium, or low), tone encoding/decoding, and other parameters. Once parameters are set in the VFO mode, press and hold *V/M to select the memory channel number, and then again to store the frequency pair in the assigned channel number.

Memory channels can be assigned al-phanumeric labels. All memory chan-nels except for the call channel and memory channel 001 can be deleted by using menu item 18.

Programming a handheld may seem routine to a radio amateur who be-longs to the “Transceiver of the Month Club,” but it can be a daunting task for the new ham. I found the FT-65R to be easily navigated after reading the manual and becoming proficient at using the F button. As with all new handhelds, patience is required, and it may take some practice to become fa-miliar with all the features.

The factory default display shows only one frequency at a time. You can use the PREFERRED MODE to change the

display to read two VFOs at the same time for repeaters with odd splits or split-frequency VFO operation with FM satellites. This is described in the Advance Manual.

Notable FeaturesThe audio output level can be turned up to more than 1 W, with a reason-ably low distortion level. I found this especially handy when operating from my pickup truck or at a train yard (see the sidebar, “Taking the FT-65R to the Field”). The audio quality has a some-what restricted audio passband, with a lack of lower audio frequencies. That’s especially noticeable while listen-ing to the FM broadcast band. While not suitable for orchestral music, this audio response is excellent for punch-ing through a noisy environment while communicating. Sensitivity on the FM broadcast band is good, and I heard the stations usually heard with a short flexible antenna. Reception of weather channels is also good.

On the transmit side, the deviation can be set to “wide” for traditional repeat-ers, or “narrow” for repeaters that operate on frequencies close to other repeaters. Transmit audio quality is very good, as reported by several sta-tions worked.

Using the FT-65RAround the house and yard, the FT-65R transmitted, received, and held a battery charge as well as, or better, than more expensive handheld transceivers I have on hand. I used the FT-65R’s antenna with other radios for these tests. The antenna that Yaesu provides is satisfactory. You can trade some portability for longer transmission paths by adding a third-party antenna with higher gain and larger dimensions.

The drop-in battery charger is very basic. After battery depletion, drop the transceiver in its cradle and after 4 to 5 hours, the red LED charging indicator turns green, indicating a full charge. The white labels on the keypads

Lab Notes: Yaesu FT-65R Dual-Band Handheld FM TransceiverBob Allison, WB1GCM, ARRL Laboratory Assistant Manager

The Yaesu FT-65R is a basic, dual-band handheld transceiver. There were no issues found during lab testing. Overall, it is sensitive, adequately selective, and is not prone to the effects of intermodulation distortion. The audio output is more than 1.5 W, which is desirable if the handheld is used in noisy environments. On the trans-mit side, the harmonic and spurious suppression is excellent — greater than 70 dB on high and medium power and 60 dB on low power. This means the FT-65R is com-pliant with FCC Part 97 rules regarding harmonic and spurious emissions.

QST® – Devoted entirely to Amateur Radio www.arrl.org Reprinted with permission from October 2017 QST

Yaesu_FT-65R_25R_QST_APR2017_ad_Right_page PLACED.indd 1 02/21/2017 8:49:23 AM

Reprinted with permission from October 2017 QST ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio® www.arrl.org

Kathy, KA1RWY, about to board the Essex steam train with the FT-65R.

Taking the FT-65R to the Field

When reviewing a radio for QST, I enjoy making an adventure out of the experience. For part of the FT-65R review, my wife, Kathy, KA1RWY, and I decided to hop aboard the Valley Railroad Steam Train, in Essex, Connecticut, about 30 miles south of ARRL HQ (www.essexsteamtrain.com). It was a sunny Friday after-noon, with the temperature hovering around the 90° F mark. We chose the open-air passenger car, located right behind Valley Engine 3025 (2-8-2) and tender. The ride was beautiful, about 6 miles each way, and mostly paralleled the Connecticut River, taking about an hour for the round trip. Though the sound of the huffing and puffing of the locomotive was loud, Kathy had no dif-ficulties hearing signals through the speaker, except when the train whistle blew at crossings. Signals heard: numerous FM broadcast stations, two weather channels, and the squelch tail of the 146.670 MHz Groton repeater, 20 miles to the east. No one was home there, or on 146.520 MHz, so we didn’t make any Amateur Radio contacts that day. Sometimes, a radio adventure just works out that way. That’s okay, we’ll try again someday.

showed no visible signs of wear after one month of use.

Final ThoughtsThe Yaesu FT-65R is a rugged hand-held transceiver that is compliant with FCC emission requirements and performs as expected. With this manu-

facturer’s reputation, the user should be satisfied with years of use, if it is acceptable that you can only operate on one band at a time. As mentioned previously, manual programming is easy but requires a number of button presses. You can streamline the pro-

gramming process using software from RT Systems (www.rtsystems.com). You will need a programming cable to do that.

Manufacturer: Yaesu USA, 6125 Phyllis Dr., Cypress, CA 90630; tel. 714-827-7600; www.yaesu.com.