The Yaesu FT-847: A Satellite and HF Workhorse Worth Knowing
Date Published
The Yaesu FT-847 came out in 1998 and it still turns heads — or at least raises eyebrows — when it shows up at a swap meet or in a shack tour. It covers HF, 6m, 2m, and 70cm all in one box, handles every common mode (SSB, CW, AM, FM, digital), and has genuine full-duplex satellite capability baked right into the firmware. For the time, that was remarkable. For the price they go for used today, it is still a pretty compelling package.
The satellite mode is the big differentiator. The FT-847 can receive on one band while simultaneously transmitting on another, and it applies Doppler correction as you tune — meaning you can chase a pass on AO-7 or FO-29 without needing a computer doing the heavy lifting for you. Most rigs of that era (and many since) just cannot do that natively. You need two radios, or a dedicated satellite rig costing a lot more money. The 847 handles it solo.
On HF it performs solidly. The receiver is not going to beat a modern SDR-based rig on dynamic range, and the roofing filters are not what you would call surgical, but for general HF work it is more than adequate. The DSP noise reduction is usable without being magical. The built-in antenna tuner covers a reasonable range, and the 100-watt output is standard. Where the radio starts to shine is when you consider everything else it does at the same time — the VHF and UHF sections are genuinely good, not afterthoughts bolted on.
The ergonomics are classic late-90s Yaesu: a lot of buttons, a lot of menus, a manual you will actually need to read. The main VFO knob feels good and the front panel layout makes sense once you learn it, but there is definitely a learning curve. CAT control works fine with logging software and satellite tracking programs like Gpredict, which opens up computer-assisted tracking if you want it. Most people running this rig for satellites end up using a mix — let the computer handle Doppler, fly the radio manually for the rest.
If you can find one in good shape for $500 to $700, it is hard to argue against it for a first satellite setup or a compact shack that needs to cover a lot of ground. Parts availability is getting thinner and Yaesu has not supported it for years, so you are buying used with that caveat. But the FT-847 has a loyal following, plenty of documentation online, and a track record of just working. Not many rigs from 1998 can say the same.