Yaesu FT-450 Review

I have owned my 450 since June 2009. I don’t have a lot of experience with other rigs but I’ll tell you about what I like about this one. First off it’s small and doesn’t take up a lot of real estate on my desk. The display is well lit and easy to read, in fact I have the brightness turned way down it seems to be easier on the eyes. The receiver seems to be very sensitive and I can hear everything that is “at or above” the noise.

The transmitter does an excellent job putting out 100 watts, I’ve worked Europe, Asia and South America on a simple dipole. The main tuning dial is a bit small (about the size of a silver dollar) and I have fat fingers but it wouldn’t be a reason for me to look for another rig. I plan to use this rig for a couple of years and then use it as a backup rig when I buy my future FT-950 or FT-2000. By the way, the price isn’t too bad either, I paid only $699 through http://www.gigaparts.com/