Yaesu VX-6R 5W Multi-Band FM Handheld Transceiver

Great little (and I mean little) radio. Others' reviews highlight the positives.

My issues are form factor and battery life, both related. The radio is so small that the standard battery capacity is only 1400mAh. I have this radio, along with VX-7 and FT-60. While the VX-7 has horrible menu structure and the same poor battery, it's larger and it's got more capability than the VX-6. But, it's no longer made.

I love the FT-60 as my edc because it's a great size, very capable, great battery capacity, battery options, and ability to Tx at full power on alkalines. I would love to love the VX-6 more. Maybe Yaesu will make the next gen larger and increase battery capacity.

This radio is the latest purchase of mine after owning a Btech UV-5X3 and a Yaesu FT3DR. Let me say up front that had I known more about the VX-6R, I would have purchased it first of all and probably never bothered with the Btech. Both are tri-bands and both can be programmed by Chirp. Both have plenty of memory to store channels. Both receive on a huge range of frequencies and are relatively simple to program from the front buttons. I guess it comes down to your way of thinking: do you want a cheap, disposable, easily replaceable radio or do you want to spend more on a sturdy, solid one? You decide.
I absolutely love its small size, its submersible rating and the fact that its case is made of metal and sturdy plastic. I have no worries of dropping it on hard ground, or into a stream. The screen text is large and the brightness can be made more than bright enough. The single manual is short and easy enough to understand. This radio is designed for simplicity of use and sturdiness in field conditions and it excels in that regard.
However, I do have issues with this ht. I’m surprised to write of them considering how long it’s been on the market. First, sticker shock, especially after purchasing accessories. ‘Nuff said. The battery could, and should, be larger. The speaker is dull and quiet, even more so than my FT3DR, and that’s saying a lot! You can crank up the volume knob with very little distortion, but that just shortens the battery life even more. Ditto if you increase the screen’s brightness so keep charged spares nearby. In fact, there is no always-on battery level indicator on the display, just a low battery indicator that comes on at the last second. I don’t know what I hate worse: my Btech’s fake battery level indicator or the lack of one on the VX-6R.
The belt clip is cheapish, does not have a spring clip and jiggles around even when it is screwed down as tight as it will go. Of more concern, the VX-6R gets pretty warm in my hands if I transmit for 30 seconds or more. Even my FT3DR, with all its features, complexity, and compactness, runs cooler.
Last, there is the optional SU-1 Barometric Card. It’s easy to install under the battery and works accurately when you turn it on from the radio’s menu. Unfortunately, once it’s on, it takes over the screen to the exclusion of everything else, including such “minor” things like what frequency you’re on! Pressing the Moni button allows you to see your frequency, but only for 5 seconds! I would have preferred to press a button combo when I feel like seeing the barometric reading for 5 seconds rather than it having this “always in your face” design.

Processing and shipping times were a total joke compared to dxengineering. I wanted to cancel and order from there, but the return policy is also a joke. Go elsewhere.

Our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) group uses ham radio for all comms when we are activated. The VX-6R is my go to radio for these activities. Its waterproof, has plenty of power, and is easy to old an operate. The VX-6R can easily be programmed with CHIRP and the appropriate cable. The battery life is good and allows me to monitor AM & FM broadcast as well as NOAA weather radio during and after the storm and then our community simplex channel for CERT activities. No other radio has the frequency coverage and rugged design of the VX-6R. Also great to use during non-emergencies for local repeaters on VHF & UHF.

I'm an emergency volunteer. Just used this HT in a nighttime outdoor exercise during a chilly windy rainstorm. Works great! My gigaparts online order went smoothly and arrived on time.

I was a little concerned about Gigaparts after reading several reviews--they were great on this order. I ordered the radio on Saturday, delivery was Tuesday. Opening the package I was short one item (USB charger cord). Called customer service, got through within 5 minutes, re-order placed with no hassle whatsoever and delivered today (Thursday). I will certainly do more business with these guys.

In short, the radio is fantastic. The first morning after unboxing, I found the VX-6R was cooking breakfast. From then on, I have used it both in and out of the water. It has survived several dunkings due to kids and canoes. Out of the box, it has been a magnitude of order better than the plentiful cheaper nameless radios out there. I went with a better antenna and a waterproof speaker/mic. Both have proven themselves as well. This radio will serve a HAM very well where space and weight are a factor.