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Yaesu VR-500 Communications Receiver

Specifications
  Vintage       1999
  Type          Handheld
  Range         100 kHz - 1300 MHz
  Channels      1000
  Banks         10
  Search Bands  10
  Steps         50/100 Hz
                1/5/6.25/9/10/12.5/15/20/
                 25/30/50/100 kHz
  Modes         AM, FM, WFM, LSB, USB, CW
  Priority      1 channel
  Conversion    Triple?
  IFs           1=? 2=? 3=?
  Sensitivity   As listed in the manual:
                100kHz - 5MHz:
                  AM     = 1.5µV
                  SSB/CW = 0.6µV
                5MHz - 160MHz:
                  AM     = 1.0µV
                  SSB/CW = 0.5µV
                  NFM    = 0.5V
                  WFM    = 1.5µV
                160MHz - 370MHz:
                  AM     = 1.0µV
                  SSB/CW = 0.5µV
                  NFM    = 0.5µV
                  WFM    = 1.5µV
                370MHz - 520MHz:
                  SSB/CW = 0.5µV
                  NFM    = 0.5µV
                  WFM    = 1.8µV
                520MHz - 1300MHz:
                  SSB/CW = 0.8µV
                  NFM    = 1.2µV
                  WFM    = 3.0µV
                AM/SSB/CW = 10dB S/N
                NFM/WFM   = 12dB SINAD
  Scan          12 channels/second
  Search        20 steps/second
  Audio         90mW (AAs), 125mW (external DC)
  Current       115mA (rx), 15mA (save),
                55mA (standby)
  Power         2.2 - 3.5 Volts internal,
                9 - 13.8 Volts external
  Size          2.3"(W) x 3.7"(H) x 0.9"(D)
  Weight        7.8 oz
  Interfaces    BNC, DC, earphone/interface
  Antenna       BNC, 50 ohm
  Accessories   antenna, belt clip, hand strap
  Features      S-meter, band scope, alpha-tags,
                attenuator
Review

Web Info Hidden Info
  • The VR-500 comes with two hidden Set Menu options: Narrow AM receive mode and User Port (unknown use)
  • To enable these two hidden options, hold down the 0, 3, 5 and 9 keys while the radio is off and continue to press them while turning the radio on.
  • Go into the Set Menu and note the addition of items 33 and 34
  • The Narrow AM setting can be quite handy when surfing the crowded SW bands


Copyright © 2002 by Richard J. Wells Return to Home Page