Also known as: FTM-500DR, FTM-500
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The Yaesu FTM-500DR is a 50-watt 2m/70cm mobile transceiver that does analog FM and C4FM System Fusion digital, receives two bands at once, and packs in built-in GPS, full APRS, Bluetooth, a band scope, and Yaesu’s signature AESS dual-speaker audio.1 It is the best all-around VHF/UHF mobile you can bolt into a vehicle — with one honest caveat: Yaesu shipped its successor, the FTM-510DR, in 2025, so the 500DR is a late-life buy.
Key takeaways Our best-overall mobile pick in the top 10 mobile ham radios. 50 W on 2m and 70cm, FM + C4FM with auto mode select, dual receive, GPS + APRS built in, Bluetooth, detachable color-display head. The AESS dual-speaker audio is its signature — widely praised TX and RX audio. ~$500 new while stock lasts; the FTM-510DR (around $650) is the 2025 successor. No CHIRP — program via microSD or ADMS-14. Transmitting needs a ham license; listening doesn’t.
Overview
The FTM-500DR sits at the top of Yaesu’s classic Fusion mobile line, above the FTM-300DR. The headline is audio: a front-panel speaker in the detachable control head plus a body speaker form the AESS acoustic system, and the community consensus is that both its transmit and receive audio are excellent. The high-visibility 2.4-inch color TFT uses a “funnel” heads-up layout that is genuinely readable at a glance while driving, and the menus are far cleaner than the old FTM-400’s — though there is no touchscreen, which some buyers expected at this price.
RF is what you’d expect from Yaesu’s flagship mobile: a solid receiver, 50/25/5 W on both bands, and dual receive in any combination (V+U, V+V, U+U). Memory management runs to roughly 1,100 channels with microSD backup and cloning, and the radio can act as a portable WiRES-X digital node. There is no cross-band repeat. Budget ~13–15 A of 13.8 V supply at full power.
The late-life note, plainly: Yaesu’s 2025 FTM-510DR adds a “Super-DX” receive preamp mode and ASP digital audio processing, and it now occupies Yaesu’s current mobile page while dealers move the 500DR to special-order status. Yaesu has not published a formal discontinuation date, and new 500DR stock is still real at Amazon and the big ham dealers. While that stock is genuinely new and ~$150 cheaper than the 510DR, the 500DR remains the smarter buy; once it’s gone, move on to the successor rather than paying scalper prices.
Modes & features
- Analog FM and C4FM System Fusion with AMS (auto mode select) — the radio follows whatever the repeater is doing. Note only one band decodes C4FM at a time on dual receive.
- Built-in GPS and full APRS with a 1200/9600 bps modem — beaconing, messaging and station lists with zero outboard boxes. One of the best APRS implementations in any mobile.
- Bluetooth for headsets (pairing is picky about which headsets — a known gripe), band scope, microSD logging/cloning, and WiRES-X portable digital node capability.
- Honest mode caveat: Fusion is a distant third digital network behind DMR and D-STAR in many regions. Check what your local repeaters actually run before you pick your digital camp — the GopherTrunk alternative below is the free way to do exactly that.
Programming
CHIRP does not support the FTM-500DR. Three paths, easiest first:
- microSD card — export, edit, and clone the whole configuration.
- Yaesu ADMS-14 — Yaesu’s free PC programmer.
- RT Systems ADMS-14 — the paid, more polished third-party option.
GopherTrunk alternative
GopherTrunk receives; it cannot transmit, so it is not a substitute for the FTM-500DR — but it is the smartest thing to run before you buy it. A ~$30 RTL-SDR running free GopherTrunk lets you monitor your local repeaters and digital ham traffic and see whether the Fusion, DMR, or D-STAR side of town is actually active — before you commit $500 to a digital camp. It also records and logs everything it hears, which no mobile transceiver does. Listening requires no license; transmitting on ham bands requires an FCC Technician (or higher) license under Part 97. See the best SDRs for GopherTrunk for hardware that pairs well.
Who it’s for
- Buy the FTM-500DR if you want the best overall FM/C4FM mobile — top-tier audio, dual receive, GPS/APRS, Bluetooth — and can still get it at ~$500 new. View on Amazon →
- Buy the FTM-300DR for most of the same Fusion feature set around $400 in new-old-stock, or the FTM-510DR if 500DR stock is gone.
- Buy the AnyTone AT-D578UVIII Plus instead if your area runs DMR, or the Icom ID-5100A for D-STAR.
- Still comparing? See the full best mobile ham radios guide.
Sources
-
Yaesu VHF/UHF mobile lineup — FTM-510DR/ASP product page — Yaesu, showing the FTM-510DR as the current-line successor; and DX Engineering FTM-500DR listing — dealer status, specifications, and pricing for the FTM-500DR. ↩
Frequently asked questions
Is the Yaesu FTM-500DR still worth buying in 2026?
Yes, while genuine new stock lasts. Yaesu released the FTM-510DR in 2025 as its direct successor, and dealers now treat the 500DR as late-life — but the radio itself is unchanged and remains the best all-around 2m/70cm mobile at its price. If 500DR stock dries up or prices converge, buy the 510DR instead.
Does the FTM-500DR do APRS?
Yes — full APRS with a built-in GPS and a 1200/9600 bps modem, one of the best APRS implementations in any mobile. It beacons, receives, and displays stations without any external hardware.
Can I program the FTM-500DR with CHIRP?
No. CHIRP does not support it. You program it via the microSD card, Yaesu’s free ADMS-14 software, or the paid RT Systems ADMS-14 package.
Does the FTM-500DR decode both bands in C4FM at once?
No. It receives two bands at once (V+U, V+V, or U+U), but only one band decodes C4FM digital at a time — a common gripe on an otherwise excellent dual-receive radio.
Do I need a license to use the FTM-500DR?
To transmit, yes — an FCC amateur license, Technician class or higher (Part 97). Listening requires no license at all; you can legally monitor the same repeaters with the radio, or for about $30 with an RTL-SDR running free GopherTrunk.