Chris,
My primary reasons for preferring the FT-60 are:
1. Front panel programming is almost intuitive because it has human-sized
buttons with clear labels and many functions are directly accessible from
the front panel buttons: V/M, direct numeric entry of freqs and channels,
single button entry into squelch type and tone menus.
2. A dedicated squelch knob. No menus, no mode buttons; just a single knob
that directly adjusts the squelch and only the squelch.
3. As you say, a simple dual-band 5-watt radio that covers the basics of
analog simplex and duplex communications in a professional-quality unit.
Plus a case that's big enough to fit in my hand. Plus a clear simple display
that my 73-year-old eyes can read easily, except that some of the tiny icons
might be a little fuzzy to me.
I also like the DTMF keys that allow me to access IRLP repeaters and other
DTMF-controlled repeaters.
I have read comments that say the FT-70 has all this, plus Fusion, plus a
Li-Ion battery, for only a few dollars more. Except the case is smaller and
the buttons are smaller. And it has a two-button squelch mode procedure. It
doesn't even have a dedicated volume knob. Very sexy perhaps, but not for
me. And, unless you really want or need digital voice, those extra DV
features are potentially a distraction.
Gordon West wrote an article many years ago that recommended the FT-60 from
among all the handhelds available at that time. I recently contacted him to
ask him about this. He confirmed that, after all these years, the FT-60 is
still his preferred "first" handheld, basically for all the reasons
mentioned above. YMMV. 73.
Chris Doutre KC9AD
