From WA4HWN - 11 August 1999

I needed to obtain a small rig with detachable control head and considered the DX-70, the Icom 706 but was really caught up by the potential offerings found in the FT-100. After studying reviews in QST and on your web site, I decided to "throw caution to the winds" and get the FT-100. It arrived 3 weeks ago. I spent the first week using it in the shack to get somewhat use to the menus, etc. I then installed it in my car, along with the ATAS-100, the separation kit and both quick disconnect mobile brackets.

So far, so good. I find the DSP and the noise blanker both to be "as advertised"! Never have I ran into anything to top the performance of these two functions! I had a few comments about my audio which wasn't too surprising after hearing some of the others out there and expecting to have to make some adjustments. By the way, I broke the first commandment of amateur radio by reading the entire manual prior to operating the rig!! Yes, I know that this is shocking to see someone admit to this violation of the amateur code, but believe me, it really does help in making some of the desireable, tailored, adjustments!

Anyway, I found that setting the compression to "0" resulted in reports of crystal clear audio. I found the setting of the equalization to be best on " 2 " for normal ragchews. So far I am extremely well pleased with the overall performance of this rig and it is everything I had hoped it to be. The only POSSIBLE shortcoming thus far, ( and with conditions being the way they have been of late this might not be a short coming) seems to be inefficiency on the 40 meter band with the ATAS-100. This is not surprising, though, and it will be interesting to see how it performs over the long haul! It is doing a super job on 20 meters and up. I thought that I would submit my two cents worth as I know there are a lot of people out there giving consideration to the FT-100 and also there are others who have been unnecessarily bad mouthing the rig. Strange that the only ones I've heard really putting the rig down are people who don't own one!

73 de Ron WA4HWN