VR-500

The Yaesu VR-500 is a compact portable scanner with many useful functions and at the same time easy to operate. Allows the tuning to be set via rotary control, 20 steps per revolution, or with direct input from the keyboard. Coaxial to the tuning command is the squelch adjustment. Different search options: between band limits also with automatic storage of active channels, within the memories according to mode / preferences, free from VFO to rise / lower than the starting frequency. The latter requiring no programming, is as simple as it is effective. To facilitate the recognition of the individual memory locations, an alphanumeric label up to 8 characters long can be associated with the frequency. Alternate (non simultaneous) dual-watch listening and monitoring of a priority channel give flexibility to listening needs. The spectral panoramic analyzer instead allows to visualize the radio activity in two operative forms: In the "A" mode a fixed interval of 300 KHz (± 150) or 600 KHz (± 300) is covered independent of the tuning step. In "B" mode 60 adjacent channels (± 30 CH) are covered with total interval according to the tuning step as in the following table.

The indication that appears on the display is proportional to the intensity of the signals, a marker manageable with the rotary control can be moved to one of the displayed emissions so that by disabling the analyzer the receiver automatically tunes this frequency. When the analyzer is active, normal reception is disabled. Given the wide range of memories, their structure and the many settings, programming is also possible using a PC, the programming kit (ADMS-3) with software and interface cable meets this requirement.

VR-500 performance and practical notes :

The behavior in SSB mode on bands below 30 MHz is appropriate for an device of this category. Emitters not interfered by adjacent signals are demodulated with clear audio making it possible to follow the utility radio traffic both in voice and in digital encodings. The bandwidth is determined by the IF filter dedicated to AM listening, for practical purposes this implies that the receiver is not able to really distinguish between LSB / USB. This limitation is intrinsic to the circuit configuration adopted and is also typical of portable scanners basically made for AM and FM listening.

The sensitivity with the supplied antenna is good both in VHF (low-band around 70 MHz, high-band around 160 MHz) as in UHF, since the same antenna has a poor performance on VHF the front-end of the receiver is correctly sized on a wide range of frequencies. The generation of intermodulations due to saturation in the RF stage is manifestly evident when there are strong signals, but this susceptibility is similar if not less than that found in other portable receivers. A similar consideration is given to the rejection of the image frequencies which, however, in ordinary use rarely give rise to real inconveniences.

The presence of spurious, that is signals generated by the same radio that appear as fixed carriers, is rather reduced. This aspect is relevant as it would degrade the scanning functions. We performed a test to measure the frequencies and amplitude of spurs that fall in the bands between 108-174 MHz and 430-440 MHz, the most important for the user. With the scanner in narrow-band FM mode and with 12.5 KHz steps, the entire frequency range has been tuned manually. The squelch has been left open so as to check the presence of even the weakest components. Following the complete list of channels where spurious appear:

Overall, the result is certainly better than the average of handheld scanner. For completeness we specify that the tests were performed first by connecting a small 50 Ω load to the input and then with the supplied antenna. The double test was used to check the origin of the signals by removing all the uncertainties.

VR-500 price

We have collected for your convenience the Yaesu VR500 sale price (UK Pounds) and its trend over time. Useful to guarantee a cheaper purchase of this radio and to put it for sale in the second-hand market. Of course offers, accessories, warranty terms and conditions can lead to different figures.

Price	Date	Condition
GBP 139.00	2020-jan	Second Hand
GBP 178.50 (199EUR)	2020-jan	Second Hand
GBP 230.00 (299USD)	2020-jan	Second Hand In excellent shape and working conditions. With no dents or scratches at all, no dead pixels on diplay