One item on that list was a BNC antenna terminal. The FT50 won out over a unit that had a BNC, but fewer memory slots. As any photographer who ever used a Pentax or other M-42 thread mount camera learned long ago, bayonet mounts are faster, more secure, and far less subject to problems than threaded mounts. If we wanted to use only the supplied antenna, the SMA connection on the FT-50 would be fine. But not only did we want to use it while mobile, the RF hole we live in screamed for something better than the stock antenna, and advice from everyone we talked to indicated that we'd want to replace the stock antenna anyway. Since we had several BNC antennas, including one for the car, we tried the Yaesu BNC adapter. Electrically, it functioned well, but it was a pain to get on, with a smallish lock nut that moved independently of the rest of the adapter, and thus nearly impossible to position. The internet came to the rescue again: WA3HRL's page showed a really neat adapter. Steve, KC2BHO, makes these BNC adapters that just screw onto the SMA terminal like an antenna. They have a rubber boot which protects their innards and provides support. They can be left in place, but you can remove them with no trouble if you wish. With the adapter in place, we added an MFJ 1717 whip antenna. The combination works well, although it's a bit of a challenge to stick it in a pocket or anything else and carry it around.
Overall, the radio works well. The audio is clear, and the controls are laid out well. Especially with the MFJ 1717 or a roof-mounted car antenna, it gets out well. I still carry the instructions around, because there are so many things it can do--great flexibility, but impossible to remember it all. There are a few things that drive one batty. As is typical of many electronic devices, it's easy to push the wrong button and wander off into some function with no idea of what you've done--and, more problematic, no idea of how to return to basic operation. The instructions sometimes lapse into the typical fractured English of such things, and show signs of loose proofreading. You're often referred to a section that doesn't exist. I still haven't figured out how to set a non-standard offset for this reason. And there's the headset jack. An adapter is available, but it's a design that appears unique to this radio. But these are minor quibbles--only the last one would likely be resolved with a different unit!
FT50 Resources