Yaesu ft-2900
- Thread starter srch4me
- Start date
98OzarksRunner
Adventurer
I have one in my truck, mainly for police/fire monitoring and emergencies. It is a good radio, and cheap enough. The only complaint is spurious signal rejection is not good. Scanning will stop within 1/4 mile of a radio tower (just about any band) and always near a McDs (wireless headsets). I've read other reviews saying the same.
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1911
Expedition Leader
I have two of it's predecessor, the nearly identical FT-2800M. They're very rugged, pretty much bulletproof. They're great for a 4WD truck environment, because they use big cooling fins instead of a fan to cool the transmitter, so there is no dust and dirt sucked in as with a fan. More power than most 2M or dual-band radios too. If all you need is a basic 2M trail radio, they are hard to beat. Even if you outgrow this radio, you will always have a use for it somewhere else (as a 2M base station, a dedicated APRS radio, etc.), and it is cheap enough that you're taking a huge loss if you do upgrade to something else later.
Javelinadave
Adventurer
It gets some pretty poor reviews online. People complain about overheating and the microphone being cheap.
DaveInDenver
Middle Income Semi-Redneck
The mic is a standard Yaesu, for better or worse. None of the manufacturers make mics like Motorola commercial radios anymore. They're all made in China and made to be cheap and disposable. Even the FTM-350 comes with the same MH-48A6J.
The complaint on overheating is over blown. These radios don't have forced air cooling and people stuff them into tight spaces with poor circulation. Of course they're going to overheat. When installed with some free space around them these radios (like the FT-2800) are rugged and will tolerate years of use.
The alternative is you'll read about FT-7800 or other radios with fan failures from the dust and vibration. If the fan fails on a radio that needs it, you can be danged sure the radio will overheat in no time.
Don't get too hung up on the review section of eHam. Most of those guys are heavy technical radio users and most of us, just need a decent radio.
The FT2900 and it's almost identical predecessor the FT2800 are great radios. Lot of power, good receiver. The microphone is not great but it's adequate and can be replaced with another for $17. Just a by the way...I ordered a new mic off ebay expecting a Chinese clone. Instead I got a real Yaesu Mic made in Taiwan just like the original!). I have 3 of these and they are great. My original 2800 from 2005 is still in use and still used. It's been on too many trips to count and still perfect.
I also have a Kenwood TM-218a that I just got. It's Kenwood's take on a 2800. Cast body with no fan, good power, much better microphone. Sounds better too when broadcasting. Downside...fewer power output choices, and a menu squelch. Kenwood also gives you pretty good and free programming software. Anyway, another choice to consider.
The FT2900 and it's almost identical predecessor the FT2800 are great radios. Lot of power, good receiver. The microphone is not great but it's adequate and can be replaced with another for $17. Just a by the way...I ordered a new mic off ebay expecting a Chinese clone. Instead I got a real Yaesu Mic made in Taiwan just like the original!). I have 3 of these and they are great. My original 2800 from 2005 is still in use and still used. It's been on too many trips to count and still perfect.
I also have a Kenwood TM-218a that I just got. It's Kenwood's take on a 2800. Cast body with no fan, good power, much better microphone. Sounds better too when broadcasting. Downside...fewer power output choices, and a menu squelch. Kenwood also gives you pretty good and free programming software. Anyway, another choice to consider.
MDH33
Observer
I have both the 2800 and 2900. I had an FT8800 in my FJ40 and I felt it was just a little too delicate for that environment. A lot of dust and abuse and I wasn't really needing anything more than a standard 2M, so I swapped it out for the 2900 which is much more rugged and simple. It has worked great, no complaints. I picked up the 2800 and am currently running that in an FJ60 with no issues. I have less into these two radios combined than I did I the FT8800.
The 2800/2900 is a great radio. Super beefy and the large screen and buttons are nice. I had one installed in my dash for years and never had a problem with heat even with all day use, mid power. I needed a few more features so my 2800 was moved into the garage and an 8800 put in the dash. The 8800, as described above, is much more delicate, has a much smaller screen and very small unlit buttons. I've got to be careful when pushing buttons because they are small and hard, unlike the rubberized ones on the 2800/2900. My finger or nail slips off and pushes an adjacent button all the time.
The 2800/2900 series is a great simple and easy to use radio. All my Yaesu's have had the same mic and all are fine. I don't bang them around too much and they are holding up fine.
The 2800/2900 series is a great simple and easy to use radio. All my Yaesu's have had the same mic and all are fine. I don't bang them around too much and they are holding up fine.
4x4junkie
Explorer
How would you compare the 2800 or 2900's receive to your 8800?
I have a 8800 myself and find it's receive to be quite superb in regards to sensitivity and interference from intermod (especially when receiving out of band). I've been looking at getting a 2M single band unit, but have been putting it off for fear the receiver won't be as strong against intermod (I'm in the area near L.A. so this matters a lot).
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Yes, I've had experience with the 2900. I've experienced taking it out of the box then putting it back in.:coffeedrink: I'm still trying to decide which vehicle to install it in.
Yes, I've had experience with the 2900. I've experienced taking it out of the box then putting it back in.:coffeedrink: I'm still trying to decide which vehicle to install it in.