[Yaesu] FT857 audio question

[Darrell Drake]

John....
    Have you tried using an external speaker? I use a mobile Motorola type
external speaker, actually, it's a Johnson, probably 4 inch diameter,
mounted in my truck facing me. The radio and speaker are mounted on a
homemade mount, secured to the truck floor, on the hump. I have plenty of
audio, and I'm deaf in one ear and hard of hearing in the other ( and that's
not a joke, either). When I want to use the radio indoors, which is seldom,
and I want to use my headphones, I just plug them into the jack at the rear
of the radio....it's not a big deal !! Changing the radio for another mobile
type is not going to alleviate your inability to hear at highway speeds
(windows open or closed).  All mobile radios have small speakers and the
only solution is to try a larger external mobile type speaker, or an
amplified external speaker.
    I have to disagree with you saying that the FT-100(D) is poor in regards
to audio volume at highway speeds, unless you are deaf or extremely hard of
hearing, for which you have my sympathy (been there and going through it).
    Correct me if I'm wrong, John, but I think you just like selling,
buying, and trading radios!!!!  ;-)

Cheers....
Darrell
VA3DG/VE3DDG

> I am looking for a replacement for my FT100D.  I like
> the 100 but the speaker audio is just too low for
> mobile work.  It is also a pain not having a
> headphones jack on the front of the rig for home use.
> How is the speaker output on the FT857?  Good enough
> to run mobile with and actually hear stuff over road
> noise?  The FT100D was poor in this regard: I could
> just barely hear things at highway speed.
> The QST review numbers make it look like the 857 has
> much more audio.
>
> 73s JOhn NE0P
>