Last update: Monday, 10-Mar-2014 15:33:41 GMT

May 26, 1998

Yaesu tells me via email today, that while it is possible to record off the air, it is not possible to retransmit that recording. That is unfortunate, I feel, as the DVR could be quite a bit more useful than it is.

I also wanted to comment about something I saw on the DX email reflector. Radio Shack (I REALLY hate shopping there) has a boom mic headset on sale until 5/31. The price is 40% off at $29.99. It really is a good deal, and being made by Koss, good quality. I took the Heil HC4 element out of my BM headset, and was able to make it fit in the RS PRO55MX headset in place of the original mic element. However, if I had made the QSO with N4EIX an hour earlier, I wouldn't have made the effort. He was running a PRO50MX headset with his FT920 (using the original mic element), and the audio was FANTASTIC. For $29.99, this is a real bargin, and it works well with the FT920. For that matter, it should work well with any Yaesu radio, and many other rigs as well.

For those interested in the FT847, I will have one in my shack for the better part of a week to run thru it's paces. This is the same one I used last weekend, and thanks go to KC6NGN (Jamie) for loaning it to me. I'll have more comments on it in June.

The FT100 looks to be interesting as well. I was able to get a look at some better pictures in the new Yaesu catalog I picked up today. One thing of note is the 11.705 IF. There are three filters listed in the catalog: 500 and 300 Hz CW filters, and a 6 kHz AM filter, all at 11.705 MHz. The photo also shows, clearly, the removable face plate. Sensitivity figures published in the catalog are comparable to the 847, and the size is 6.3 x 2.1 x 8.0 inches (W x H x D). I'll put more information here as I can gather it.

May 25, 1998

There is a function for recording off the air...press REC and then 0 to record the incoming signal. Has anyone figured out how to retransmit that recording? N4EIX and I played around with it for a while during a QSO not long ago, but we could not figure it out. Retransmitting that recording might not be possible, but it would sure be nice.

May 23, 1998

I have been away on a business trip, so I didn't get a chance to put my thoughts up on the FT847 vs. FT920. Thanks to KC6NGN for letting me borrow his 847.

The FT847 seems to hold it's own against the 920, but the biggest disappointment to me is the lack of filters (yea I know.... quit harping on the filters.) The 847 is REALLY small, and the only provisions for filters are for the 2.5 kHz Collins filters. One each for the TX and RX paths. It hears well (I don't know how it will do on really weak signals), and I got good audio reports using my Heil microphone.

All in all, it is a nice rig, and the 2m/440 addition is nice, but I won't trade my 920 for one.....

The word from Dayton is that the FT100 is slightly smaller than Icom's 706, and will be priced about the same. Sign me up for one (anyone want to buy an FT900?).

May 15, 1998

The long rumored do-all Yaesu rig has been announced. The FT100 covers HF/6m/2m/440 all in one package that appears to be slightly smaller than the Icom IC706. Pricing and availability to follow...

May 05, 1998

The 2.1 and 1.8kHz filters from International Radio make a tremendous difference, but I noticed the change in audio (a loss of the low tones), and this was also mentioned by N5WU as well. The simple fix is to adjust the IF shift counter clockqise for USB and clockwise for LSB. Another way to adjust the RX audio (and the TX audio) is to use menu settings U-58 thru U-63. These menu settings will allow you to adjust the TX and RX carrier offsets for both USB and LSB.

A visit to HRO this afternoon produced a new brochure about the FT920. Called "Technical Overview", it goes into more detail about the radio, and has a nice listing of all the menu settings. It is really just another marketing brochure, but it does go into more depth about how some of the things work, and for those people who might be looking at the FT920 for a new rig, it just might push them over the edge.

May 04, 1998

I have received the 1.8kHz filter, and have recorded some audio from the FT920 with the 2.4kHz, 2.1kHz, and 1.8kHz filters installed. Kind of interesting. I'll see about making them available for downloading later in the week. All were recorded with all radio settings at the factory default.

Field day 1998 is coming soon. Preparations are now underway, and I will probably end up taking both my FT920 and FT900 for this years campout (somewhere in the southern California desert.)