How to Program an FT-65R — Step by Step

A single alphabetical Set Mode list you scroll through, plus four shortcut keys for the things you change most.

This page covers: Yaesu FT-65R, Yaesu FT-65E. They share the same firmware, so the steps below are identical on all of them whatever name is printed on the front.

Not the same numbers as the FT-4XR

These two look like sibling radios and are often sold side by side, but their Set Mode lists are numbered differently and even name the items differently — SQL TYPE here is SQL.TYP there, on a different number. Do not carry numbers between them.

What you can do on this radio

Rather do this on your phone, standing at the radio?

The app walks you through the same steps one at a time, on a screen sized for a phone.

Open Radio Rosetta

Save a repeater to a memory channel on an FT-65R

Get everything set on the frequency first, then hold one key twice to store it. The radio works the shift out for itself on ordinary repeaters, so there is usually nothing to do about the offset.

Have these to hand before you start

  • The repeater's output frequency.
  • Its tone, if it uses one.
  1. Press V/M until you are in VFO mode.V/MThe screen should show: A frequency rather than a memory channel.
  2. Type the repeater's output frequency on the keypad.type 147.080
  3. Press F then P3 — the shortcut for SQL TYPE — and set it to TONE.F›P3 (SQL TYPE)›▲▼ TONE›PTTThe screen should show: SQL TYPE, then TONE.TONE sends your tone and leaves you hearing everything. TONE SQL also silences the radio unless a tone comes back, which is not what a repeater needs.
  4. Hold F to open Set Mode, arrow to item 8 CTCSS, press F to unlock it, arrow to your tone, then PTT to save.hold F›▲▼ 8 CTCSS›F›▲▼ your tone›PTTThe screen should show: 8 CTCSS, then a frequency like 100.0.Watch out. The tone kind and the tone frequency are two separate settings in two different places. Setting only the first is why the repeater ignores you.
  5. Hold V/M — a blank channel appears. Arrow to the channel you want, then hold V/M again to store it.hold V/M›▲▼ a channel›hold V/MThe screen should show: MEM-IN blinks twice and the radio beeps.Watch out. It is the same key held twice, not pressed twice. The first hold opens the write, the second commits it. Let go too early on the second and nothing is saved.

You can type a name before that second hold — the keypad letters work like a phone keypad, and F moves the cursor along. Unlike a Baofeng, this radio will happily show you a callsign instead of a number.

Taken from the manufacturer's own manual for this model.

Set the transmit tone (CTCSS / PL) on an FT-65R

Two settings. There is a shortcut for the first and not for the second.

  1. Press F then P3 and choose TONE.F›P3 (SQL TYPE)›▲▼ TONE›PTTThe screen should show: SQL TYPE, then TONE.Set Mode item 29 SQL TYPE is the same setting if you would rather scroll to it.
  2. Then hold F, arrow to 8 CTCSS, and set the tone frequency.hold F›▲▼ 8 CTCSS›F›▲▼ your tone›PTTThe screen should show: 8 CTCSS, then your tone.

The Set Mode list is alphabetical rather than grouped, which is why the two halves of one job sit at 8 and 29 rather than next to each other.

Taken from the manufacturer's own manual for this model.

Set the offset direction and amount on an FT-65R

Only needed for an unusual repeater. Automatic Repeater Shift is on by default and handles the ordinary ones.

  1. Hold F, arrow to 24 REPEATER, and set ARS to OFF.hold F›▲▼ 24 REPEATER›F›▲▼ ARS›▲▼ OFF›PTTThe screen should show: 24 REPEATER, then ARS.Automatic shift has to be out of the way before a manual setting will hold.
  2. Back into 24 REPEATER, choose MODE, and pick +REP or −REP.hold F›▲▼ 24 REPEATER›F›▲▼ MODE›▲▼ +REP or −REP›PTTThe screen should show: MODE, then your choice.
  3. Back in once more, choose SHIFT, and set how far.hold F›▲▼ 24 REPEATER›F›▲▼ SHIFT›▲▼ the amount›PTTThe screen should show: SHIFT, then the amount in MHz.Watch out. One menu item holding three different settings. Arrowing to 24 REPEATER only gets you to the door — you still have to pick which of ARS, MODE or SHIFT you meant.

Turn ARS back on afterwards if you want the radio handling ordinary repeaters for you again.

Taken from the manufacturer's own manual for this model.

Change the transmit power on an FT-65R

  1. Press F then P2 and choose your power level.F›P2 (TX PWR)›▲▼ HI, MID or LOW›PTTThe screen should show: TX PWR, then your choice.

HI is 5 watts, MID 2.5, LOW 0.5. Set Mode item 32 does the same thing if you would rather scroll. If the repeater hears you on LOW, stay there — it is a tenth of the drain.

Taken from the manufacturer's own manual for this model.

Lock the keypad on an FT-65R

  1. Hold the 6 key.hold 6The screen should show: A padlock icon.Hold it again to unlock.

By default only the keypad locks, so the radio can still be keyed up in a bag. Set Mode item 15 KEY LOCK changes that: PTT locks the transmit button instead, and P+K locks both. P+K is the one you want for a radio going in a rucksack.

Taken from the manufacturer's own manual for this model.

Not covered yet on this radio

Delete a memory channel · Factory reset · Listen on the repeater's input · Name a memory channel · Set the receive tone · Set the squelch · Turn off dual watch · Turn off the roger beep · Turn off the voice announcements

These are honestly missing rather than hidden. Nothing goes on this page until it has been checked on the radio itself, and guessing at a keystroke is exactly the failure these pages exist to avoid.

Keep going