Thanks Russ For The Review. more to follow.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Russ Kiehne" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Saturday, April 25, 2009 1:55 PM
Subject: Re: Yaesu VX8R


> Here's the latest review:
> KC2PJL
> Rating: 2/5
> May 14, 2008 11:54
> Send this review to a friend
> 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 ---