I had a 736R and used it well. But I was unable to find a 6M module for it. I went to a new QTH, purchased a 756PRO, so I had 6M, and decided I wanted an upgrade so I purchased an IC-810H. A great radio but then I decided I might want to do 1200 MHz, so the 910H came into my life. It has newer bells & whistles, some I appreciate, but I am in a low noise area, well it used to be but many of the homes are now emitters, and the 736R would have worked well. Probably not now. If I had infinite bench space, a 736R would be in the shack. ---  Ciao baby, catch you on the flip side.    GEO

http://www.w3ab.org

Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana.

From: David G0MRF via AMSAT-BB [email protected] To: [email protected]; [email protected] Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2017 9:11 AM Subject: Re: [amsat-bb] Yaesu FT-736R versus newer transceivers

Hi Dave.

The FT736R receiver sensitivity is limited by its noise figure, which is about 4 or 5dB at best. By the time you add on a little coax loss you have a receiver which struggles to compete with modern sets.

However, having said that the radio is loved by many as a simple receive (masthead) preamp powered directly from the radio can transform its sensitivity. It is still used by many for EME Contesters also like this radio but frequently replace the internal LNA and mixer with one produced by Mutek.

www.ssbusa.com/mutek.html

I have one here and still use it. No front end replacement, but a masthead preamp does work wonders.

73 David  G0MRF

Please help me out with critical comments about receiver sensitivity vis-a-vis the venerable FT-736R and latest 2-m/70-cm all-mode transceivers best suited for AMSAT work.

Thanks in advance, Dave N4CVX _______________________________________________ Sent via [email protected]. AMSAT-NA makes this open forum available to all interested persons worldwide without requiring membership. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author, and do not reflect the official views of AMSAT-NA. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://www.amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb

The Yaesu 736R was my first satellite radio in 1993. Bought it new. I must have had a lemon as it lost the finals twice. Went back to the factory the first time, got it back and plugged in. Before I even had a chance to enter any frequency on the dial, there was smoke coming out of the top of the radio. Back it when to Yaesu. Yaesu took it back, refunded my money and I bought the Icom (I think 710) on the market back then. Forget the model number, but it was a huge radio.

Anyhow... one of the problems I found with the 736R was the power meter. It did not represent anything other than the position of the knob. Instead of indicating what was going out the back door, the meter showed where the knob was positioned. I had the radio out at field day the very first time in 1993 after using it at home for several months and we could not make one contact. I knew how to operate the satellites and knew what I was doing. After an evening of trying, we hooked an SWR meter to the output and found there was nothing going out even though the power meter consistently showed anywhere from full power to low power as the power knob was turned. That is when I sent the radio in the first time.

I did not like that design for the power meter. Have no idea if other manufacturer's do the same thing but it is kinda dumb although easier than measuring the output power.

I have known many hams that have used the 736R and still use it and have no problems. Just my experience.

73...bruce