The FT-250 is primarily a vacuum tube-based radio with 16 tubes, though it utilizes 7 transistors and 15 diodes for specific low-level functions like the VFO.
A must-have for collectors and a fun challenge for restorers. For the daily driver, it is a charming secondary rig. 7/10 – historically significant and inherently cool. sommerkamp ft 250
The radio typically comes in a standard mobile housing, often finished in a matte charcoal or black with a silver faceplate. It is compact enough to fit comfortably in the dashboard of a truck or car, a necessity for the trucking industry. The knobs and switches feel substantial—not plasticky or cheap. The tactile feedback of the controls is a hallmark of 1980s Japanese manufacturing; turning the volume or squelch dial provides a satisfying resistance. The FT-250 is primarily a vacuum tube-based radio
This is where the FT 250 truly shines and why collectors seek it out. The receiver on SSB is surprisingly quiet and selective. The built-in 10.7 MHz crystal filter (typically 2.4 kHz bandwidth) provides adequate adjacent-channel rejection for contesting or DXing. A 10-watt SSB signal on 2 meters, when combined with a small yagi antenna, can work tropospheric ducting (tropo) distances of hundreds of miles. For a mobile rig of its era, the SSB performance is exceptional. 7/10 – historically significant and inherently cool
This is the most notorious problem. The PLL board uses obsolete capacitors and a reference crystal that can age. Symptoms: The LED display flickers, the radio won’t transmit, or the frequency jumps.
: The receiver filter is often considered too narrow for high-fidelity AM reception, and transmit AM is essentially "carrier-inserted SSB". WARC Bands : Lacks 160m and the modern 30m, 17m, and 12m bands. Maintenance Tips Sommerkamp FT 250 Shortwave Transceiver - DF9CY