Sleep Is For The Weak

The Yaesu VX-7R is the handheld to end all handhelds.  Where else can you get the 6m band, 2m band, 1.25m band, and 70cm band all in one hand sized package.  Add to that the fact the radio is water resistant up to three feet for an operating time of thirty minutes and you’ve got a serious radio for hiking, backpacking, kayaking, or emergency communications.

The VX-7R has two receivers that operate independantly of one another.  This allowed you to monitor two frequencies at the same time, and toggle between them for transmitting at the touch of either the Main or Sub button.  The Receiver in the VX-7R does not desense as easily as the VX-5R did which is a huge improvement.  It is a wide band receiver, working from 1MHz -> 999MHz but is cellular blocked.

There is a quick toggle to the National Weather Service band, with the standard NOAA weather radio frequencies pre-programmed.  This allows you to hit a key combination, and turn the knob at the top of the radio to tune the closest NOAA weather radio station and then toggle back to your previous two frequencies quickly.  Ther is also a high intensity multi-color LED on the front of the radio.  This displays whether you are transmitting on Main, or Sub, receiving on Main, Sub, or Both.  Which is good if the radio is across the room you can tell which receiver is active at a glance.  Also when the radio is put into “Emergency” mode the LED flashes intense white light.  This acts as a beacon.  Highly useful if you are on the side of the road to alert cars coming at you, or if you find yourself wounded somewhere and have called for help to assist rescue workers in locating you.

All in all I’d say the VX-7R is one of the Ham Radio purchases I have made that has far exceded my expectations.  It not only does a LOT of things, but it does most of them well.