CW Filter FT817 ??

[Deni F5VJC-2]

Wondering if anyone has a CW filter or perhaps the "obf" filter kit for
the FT 817 to sell,  if not where to buy?

I'd also like to know your opinion on how  the 817 performs on CW , I'm
a K2  user normally, :-)

Thanks es 73
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[DYARNES]

In a message dated 10/1/2005 3:32:39 AM US Mountain Standard Time,  
[hidden email] writes:

Wondering if anyone has a CW filter or perhaps the "obf" filter kit for  
the FT 817 to sell,  if not where to buy?

I'd also like to  know your opinion on how  the 817 performs on CW , I'm
a K2   user normally, :-)
 
Filters are available either from Yaesu or from International Radio.   Most
seem to prefer the Inrad version.  I like the narrower filter myself,  but you
can get one that is 500 hz if you prefer.
 
As to the rig itself, It's a great radio for many reasons, but it's no  K2!  
It's small and portable, which can be very handy.  It has  wideband receive,
which is another good feature, but degrades the ham band  performance
accordingly.  It doesn't have a built in ATU, but I understand  some are pondering
putting an Elecraft T1 inside--the T1, by the way, is an  excellent accessory item
for the 817--external or otherwise.  And, Elecraft  makes a cable
specifically for the 817/T1 combination that allows you to have an  "autotune" feature.  
 
You also get VHF band operation with the 817, which makes it a very good  
"all in one" radio.  QSK is marginal however, but acceptable.  The 817  is
strictly a 5 watt radio.  The K2 allows you to squeeze another S unit if  absolutely
necessary, since it will go up to about 15 watts.  Some even  think the 817
is too small, in that the controls are hard for big fingers to  manipulate.  
 
Personally, I don't consider the 817 to be an "alternative" to the  K2.  The
K2 is just so much more radio on the HF bands.  The RX is  superb.  I don't
even have DSP built into mine yet, but still it performs  beautifully.  But my
817 is my "all in one" radio when I need that  particular group of features.  
So, if you only want to spring for one  radio, and "all in one" is important,
you probably would prefer the 817.   But for real HF performance in a
reasonably small package, the K2 is THE one to  have.
 
Dave W7AQK
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[Nigel A. Gunn G8IFF/KC8NHF]

If you need to buy new, try www.w4rt.com
They'll ship internationally and have 300Hz and 500Hz filters.


On Saturday 01 Oct 2005 09:58, Deni wrote:
> Wondering if anyone has a CW filter or perhaps the "obf" filter kit for
> the FT 817 to sell,  if not where to buy?
>
> I'd also like to know your opinion on how  the 817 performs on CW , I'm
> a K2  user normally, :-)
>
> Thanks es 73
> _______________________________________________

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Nigel A. Gunn. 59 Beadlemead, Milton Keynes, MK6 4HF, England.
Tel [phone]
e-mail [hidden email] or  [hidden email]
www    http://www.ngunn.net  or  http://www.ngunn.demon.co.uk
Amateur radio stations  G8IFF, KC8NHF
Member of  AMSAT-UK #182, ARRL, GQRP Club, QRPARCI, SOC #548  RAYNET
           Flying Pig #385, Dayton ARA #2128, AMSAT-NA  LM-1691,
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
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[ZPO]

I can vouch for that.  They did an excellent job on my FT-817 with the
full OBF/OBP/OPP package and I've got it over here in Iraq right now.
My K2 is 2 kits from the top of the building stack, but one of my
FT-817s lives in my assault pack ready to go.  I'll probably be
sending them my other one shortly to do the same things to.

 73/N5VFF - Brian


On 10/1/05, G8IFF/KC8NHF <[hidden email]> wrote:
> If you need to buy new, try www.w4rt.com
> They'll ship internationally and have 300Hz and 500Hz filters.
>
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[Jess Gypin]

I have both here in the shack at the present time. I just finished the K2
for a friend. There is no comparison on the receivers for CW work. For that
matter, there is hardly any other radio that can compare to the K2 on CW.
For general all around radio that does HF and VHF/UHF, the 817 is hard to
beat. I have not been serious about radio for sometime, but having the K2
here has made me realize what a great radio it is and wonder why I ever sold
the one that I had. It was an older version (ser #272) and the new ones are
that much better.

Jess AE0CW

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]]On Behalf Of G8IFF/KC8NHF
Sent: Saturday, October 01, 2005 11:39 AM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CW Filter FT817 ??


If you need to buy new, try www.w4rt.com
They'll ship internationally and have 300Hz and 500Hz filters.


On Saturday 01 Oct 2005 09:58, Deni wrote:
> Wondering if anyone has a CW filter or perhaps the "obf" filter kit for
> the FT 817 to sell,  if not where to buy?
>
> I'd also like to know your opinion on how  the 817 performs on CW , I'm
> a K2  user normally, :-)
>
> Thanks es 73
> _______________________________________________

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Nigel A. Gunn. 59 Beadlemead, Milton Keynes, MK6 4HF, England.
Tel [phone]
e-mail [hidden email] or  [hidden email]
www    http://www.ngunn.net  or  http://www.ngunn.demon.co.uk
Amateur radio stations  G8IFF, KC8NHF
Member of  AMSAT-UK #182, ARRL, GQRP Club, QRPARCI, SOC #548  RAYNET
           Flying Pig #385, Dayton ARA #2128, AMSAT-NA  LM-1691,
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
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[Mike Morrow-3]

Jess wrote:

>For general all around radio that does HF and VHF/UHF, the 817 is
>hard to beat.

The problems with the FT-817 as an all-round modest performance rig are
legion, as indicated in the partial listing that follows:

1.  It's a power hog.  Even when set up for its most power-saving
configuration, on receive it consumes about seven times what a K1 does.  On
transmit, regardless of its power output, it consumes two to three times
what the K1 does when the K1 is set for highest power.
2.  It allows a maximum output of five watts.  A rig of this type should
easily be capable 15 watts if desired.  The K1 allows seven watts at much
greater efficiency.
3.  Unlike a K1 or any other Elecraft rig, it has no internal auto antenna
tuner.  That would be far more valuable than the useless internal AA-cell
pack that takes up so much room now.
4.  Its VHF coverage stops low in the public service band (around 154 MHz),
This really really hurts its value as an all-round rig, since most public
service, or even NOAA weather broadcasts, are not covered.
5.  Its internal keyer allows only the abomination of mode B iambic keying.
Try to find that important info in any Yaesu product liturature!

The FT-817 was designed for the Japanese fourth class license ham market and
was only incidentally offered to the US market.  Perhaps someday the
tremendous design flaws of the FT-817 novelty radio will be corrected in a
properly designed rig.  In any event, I don't see the FT-817 as any kind of
competition for well-designed sets such as produced by Elecraft.

73,
Mike / KK5F

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[Deni F5VJC-2]

>The FT-817 was designed for the Japanese fourth class license ham market and
>was only incidentally offered to the US market.  Perhaps someday the
>tremendous design flaws of the FT-817 novelty radio will be corrected in a
>properly designed rig.  In any event, I don't see the FT-817 as any kind of
>competition for well-designed sets such as produced by Elecraft.
>
>73,
>Mike / KK5F
>  
>

Thanks to all who have commented on this topic.

 Just to clear a couple of things up, I have both the K2 and the FT817
(but no 817 CW FILTER).

 I'm well aware the K2 outperforms the 817 in many respects and only
wish to use the  817 at a temporary QTH.

My post was prompted by considering "should I go to the expense of
installing a CW filter in the 817" will it be worth it OR will I still
be *too* dissapointed in its CW performance as compared to my K2.

Thanks again for all the comments and pointers to the useful sites, I'm
still thinking about it.

73, Deni

F5VJC / GM3SKN
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[Robert-223]

I have an FT-817 and  a few K2s.  I like both rigs so comparing them is
futile since the FT-817 is a DC to daylight rig where the K2 is not "unless
you add the transverters."

I installed the DSP board from BHI and it made a tremedous difference.  It
really works great yet a CW filter is still needed.

The K2 is hard to beat and no the FT-817 is not a K2 but is is a nice
protable rig for use on nearly all bands.

Robert VE3RPF


----- Original Message -----
From: "Deni" <[hidden email]>
To: "Mike Morrow" <[hidden email]>
Cc: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Sunday, October 02, 2005 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] CW Filter FT817 ??

>
>>The FT-817 was designed for the Japanese fourth class license ham market
>>and
>>was only incidentally offered to the US market.  Perhaps someday the
>>tremendous design flaws of the FT-817 novelty radio will be corrected in a
>>properly designed rig.  In any event, I don't see the FT-817 as any kind
>>of
>>competition for well-designed sets such as produced by Elecraft.
>>
>>73,
>>Mike / KK5F
>>
> Thanks to all who have commented on this topic.
>
> Just to clear a couple of things up, I have both the K2 and the FT817 (but
> no 817 CW FILTER).
>
> I'm well aware the K2 outperforms the 817 in many respects and only wish
> to use the  817 at a temporary QTH.
>
> My post was prompted by considering "should I go to the expense of
> installing a CW filter in the 817" will it be worth it OR will I still be
> *too* dissapointed in its CW performance as compared to my K2.
>
> Thanks again for all the comments and pointers to the useful sites, I'm
> still thinking about it.
>
> 73, Deni
>
> F5VJC / GM3SKN
> _______________________________________________
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