Yaesu FT-209R / FT-209RH
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| Frequency | 144-148 MHz |
| TX power | 0.35 / 5 W |
| Modes | FM |
| Weight | 400 g (14.1 oz) |
| Connector | BNC |
| Year | 1984 |
| antenna | BNC |
| speaker mic | Yaesu proprietary (model dependent) |
| power req | rechargeable battery pack (model specific) |
Estimated (unverified): AMATEUR (ham) radio - FCC Technician-class license required to transmit; NOT GMRS, NOT license-free. VINTAGE single-band 2m (144-148 MHz) analog FM HT (mid-1980s, ~1984-85). Power: standard FT-209R ~2.7-3.5W; the FT-209RH is the 5W high-power version (with FNB-4). 10 memory channels; CTCSS optional add-on (not built-in); NiCd. Part of the 'x09' family (FT-109RH 220 MHz, FT-709R 70cm). DISCONTINUED (vintage).
Yaesu's entry into the 1980s HT wars. The RH version's 5W was strong for the era, and it was compact and ergonomic with DTMF for autopatch. Competitive with the Icom IC-2AT and Kenwood TR-2500.
2m only. NiCd batteries are dead. The LCD is prone to failure. The rubber feet fall off. Yaesu discontinued accessories long ago.
Yaesu's 1980s HT contribution. Not as iconic as the Icom IC-2AT or as feature-rich as the Kenwood TR-2500, but a solid radio that sold well. The 5W RH version was notably louder on repeaters.
The Yaesu FT-209R is a vintage mid-1980s 2-meter handheld, a rugged FM radio of the era when handhelds were chunky, metal-cased "bricks." It requires an FCC Technician-class license or higher to transmit; it is not a GMRS or license-free radio, and it is analog FM only, single-band 2 meters.
One spec needs care: the standard FT-209R puts out roughly 2.7 to 3.5 watts, while the high-power version, the FT-209RH, is the one rated at the full 5 watts (with the right battery pack). It has 10 memory channels and, typical of its era, CTCSS tone was an optional add-on board rather than built in. It was part of Yaesu's "x09" family alongside the 220 MHz FT-109RH and the 70cm FT-709R.
It is long discontinued and a vintage radio. The compact rugged Yaesu 2-meter HT that followed is the FT-23R; the keypad-equipped 2-meter model is the FT-411.