Yaesu FTM-7250D Quick Start Programming

ps 6/27/20: There's now a similar quick start page for the FT-70DR here.

ps 4/5/20: Because this page is getting some attention lately with the covid-19 lock-downs, you may also be interested in this earlier post: The Quick & Dirty Guide to Getting a Ham License for Tech People  Also, there's a bunch more goodies on using chirp, programming FT-60s, etc at this more recent post.  And now, back to the original blog post on programming your FTM-7250D.

Taking a page (yes, literally, one page) from K9LCS's excellent one-pager on how to hand program a Yaesu FT-60 HT, it seems like a good time to document how to program Yaesu's somewhat larger FTM-7250D.  Here are the steps.  Remember "press" just means "press momentarily" while "press and hold" means hold for about a second.  OK, here we go:

For FM Repeater Operations

1. Turn radio ON.
2. Press [V/M] key to go to VFO mode.
3. Use mic numeric keypad to enter desired frequency.
4. Press [Mode] key several times, to cycle around to FM.
5. Press and hold [MHz/Setup] to get into menus.
6. Dial to menu 44, SQL TYPE.
7. Press [MHz/Setup] to get to SQL TYPE sub-menu.
8. Use Dial Knob to pick the right squelch type.  OFF / TONE / TSQL are all useful possibilities on standard repeaters.
9. Press [MHz/Setup] to get up out of sub-menu and back to menus.
10. Dial to menu 47, TONE FREQ (if you're using CTCSS tones; if not skip to step 14).
11. Press [MHz/Setup] to get to TONE FREQ sub-menu.
12. Dial to the repeater's tone frequency.
13. Press [MHz/Setup] to get up out of sub-menu and back to menus.
14. Press and hold [MHz/Setup] to exit menus.
15. Press and hold [V/M] to initiate saving all the above into a memory slot. 
16. Dial to a memory slot you want to write this information into.  If the memory slot number is flashing, it's empty; if it's not flashing, it's in use, but it can be over-written.
17. Press [V/M] to save to that memory slot, and alphanumeric tag entry is automatically started (confirm with another press if over-writing; the radio display will ask).
18. Use Dial to scroll to letters; press [V/M] to save each letter and move to the next letter slot.  When you're done entering the alphanumeric tag...
19. Press and hold [V/M] to save the info and alphanumerics into that memory slot.  You'll be returned to VFO mode.
20. Press [V/M] to get to memory mode.  You should see the new alphanumeric tag and be all set.

Painless... especially when you have Auto Repeater Shift set.  (it's the as-shipped default)

Simplex channel programming is even easier.  With no CTCSS tones to bother with, it's a snap.  In fact, before programming simplex channels it's best to turn tones off.  See steps 5 thru 9 above.  But if you don't, or forget, or...  it really won't matter.

For FM Simplex Channel Operations

1. Turn radio ON.
2. Press [V/M] key to go to VFO mode.
3. Use mic numeric keypad to enter desired frequency.
4. Press [Mode] key several times, to cycle around to FM.

5. Press and hold [V/M] to initiate saving all the above into a memory slot.

6. Dial to a memory slot you want to write this information into.  If the memory slot number is flashing, it's empty; if it's not flashing, it's in use, but it can be over-written.
7. Press [V/M] to save to that memory slot, and alphanumeric tag entry is automatically started (confirm with another press if over-writing; the radio display will ask).  If you just want the frequency to show, skip to step 9.
8. Use Dial to scroll to letters; press [V/M] to save each letter and move to the next letter slot.  When you're done entering the alphanumeric tag...
9. Press and hold [V/M] to save the info and alphanumerics into that memory slot.  You'll be returned to VFO mode.
10. Press [V/M] to get to memory mode.  You should see the new alphanumeric tag and be all set.

Whew.  That sounds like a lot (and I hope I didn't miss anything), but really it's more that these instructions are being step-by-step explicit.  Once you get rolling on dialing in the local repeaters and standard simplex frequencies, it's not so bad.  Many of the settings will just repeat, and you can skip over some of the menu option changes when that happens.

Also worth mentioning is that chirp (CHInese Radio Program, yes, really) doesn't support this radio.  If it did, damn right I'd've popped for the programming cable and gone the easy way!  But that's not an option (yet? ever?).  RT Systems does sell a cable & software bundle for about $50; I just RTFM'd and dove in manually.  If you want to read up on chirp for some other radios and some of the gotchas there, here's the link.  

Finally, there's a lot I've left out.  For a start, Fusion digital mode.  Not much used around here, but if that ever gets rolling I'll be set.  But in the meantime, this radio makes a dandy analog FM unit at a price that can't be beat.

And yes, as a matter of fact, I did pick up an FTM-7250R this week, and I like it very much so far.  With the new Diamondhead repeater as well as SARNET-FL, I needed to step up to a dual-bander.  Still working through a few options and getting used to the different/sameness from my old 2m-only FT-2900R.  But the fan is quiet, 50 watts is plenty to get to Biloxi, the front-firing speaker is nice, it wasn't too onerous to program (see above), and... it just works.  That's all I need it to do right now, and there's plenty of capability I haven't even begun to explore.

If you want more details or maybe get to one for yourself, here's a link.  Too bad the sale's over!  As with many good things in life, if you blinked, you missed it.

ps: If you've been watching this page, I've been lightly editing out a few glitches in the instructions as the errors sift their way to the surface with repeated re-readings.  If anybody finds any problem I've missed, let me know in the comments.