Here's the latest review:
KC2PJL
Rating: 2/5
May 14, 2008 11:54
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Not So Happy.....
Time owned: 3 to 6 months
I bought my VR-500 2-3 months ago. I was looking for more than just what 
scanners
cover in a hand-held package. I liked what I read regarding the features and 
coverages
of the radio. My only negative (at the time) was the lack of CTCSS/DCS 
squelch. Read
the reviews here and all in all thought I was making a good purchase. Bought 
the
radio and software and am less than happy with the performance of this 
radio.
I live just outside of NYC and there is a lot of radio activity on all the 
bands.
The VR-500, regardless of whether it's connected to its rubber duck antenna, 
the
Radio Shack 9-section antenna, or my roof-mounted discone antenna so 
overloads on
any band that I have to jack the squelch all the way up, whether in manual 
or automatic
squelch mode. Because of that, whatever I'm listening to had better be very 
close
to my residence or I won't hear them at all while all the other radios in my 
shack
will hear everything with the squelch set at a minimum level.
Outside of my house, which is where the radio would normally be used yielded 
little,
if any, improvement in reception.
I just bought an Icom R5 and in the less than 24 hours I've had it I'm 
totally amazed
at the difference in performance. I have the squelch set at the minimum and 
this
radio hears everything that all my base scanners and ham transceivers hear. 
Again,
that's regardless of which of the 3 antennas I have it on. I even had it at 
work
on last night's overnight shift and was listening to some of the 
factory-programmed
shortwave stations. They all sounded like they were local broadcast 
stations! What
was really unique about this is that the radio room I dispatch from is in 
the basement
of the building, I'm surrounded by 5 computers, and the radio was sitting 
right in
the middle all of that. By the way...reception was via the rubber duck 
antenna! I
do miss the full keypad and SSB capability that the VR-500 has but the R5's 
performance
so outshines the VR-500 that I can live with those 2 'negatives'.
I don't know if all VR-500's are as sensitive as mine is or if mine is just 
a fluke
but if you're considering this radio of course read the reviews here, but 
also try
to find someone who owns one. Maybe you can spend some time with the radio 
and its
owner to see if all VR-500's are like mine.
I own 3 other pieces of Yaesu equipment, 2 FT-7800 transceivers and an FT-60 
hand-held
transceiver and I've had nothing but good things to say about them. I'm 
really surprised
that the VR-500 seems to have fallen so short on performance.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Danny Dyer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2009 10:42 AM
Subject: Re: Yaesu VX8R


> Hi Russ and Eric and all, I'll have to  go back over to eham and check out
> what's now on their reviews list, for the vr500.
> Seems to me that the reviews for that receiver were pretty good around
> 10years ago when I first looked into it/them.
> And questions about this radio, prompted me to share a few thoughts re it
> and its' compeditors.
> HTH, Danny Dyer, Wb4idu.----- Original Message ---