RE: Topband: ? Key-clicks FT1000MK-V field ?

[Bill Tippett <btippett@alum.mit.edu>]

HA1AG wrote:

> I can assure you they were well aware of the waveshaping issue as well as
> the corrections available in public domain. What still strikes me that new
> productions are not corrected but that is more likely a business decision
> rather a technical one.

        This is what is so difficult for me to understand.  What is the
cost of  a production change, which at the worst might be a new board
layout and probably a few cents worth of components?  If you check the
Inrad and W8JI mods, the components involved are trivial, and that's to
modify older units (e.g FT-1000/D/MP).  To continue to produce new models
(Mk V and Field) with the identical problem may be a business decision,
but one which is very short-sighted and not very intelligent.  For want of a
redesign and few cents worth of parts, they will lose sales of $3000 
products.
This is manufacturer arrogance at its worst, and it reminds me of our own
auto manufacturers in the 80's.

        How successful would Toyota or Honda have been if they ignored a
major pollution problem for 16 years (EPA regulations aside)?

        To the person who asked about Yaesu mods, here's the appropriate
Inrad page:  http://www.qth.com/inrad/kits.htm#yaesu

W2VJN's comments:

"Yaesu FT-1000MP / Mark V / Mark V Field Keying Improvement
The MP keying rise time is 2.4 mS and fall time is 1.0 mS. The fall time is 
responsible for the somewhat wide signal, which the MP generates on CW. 
There are two points in the radio which can be used to improve the keying 
by slowing the voltage change over from receive to transmit and back.

Three parts are added to the radio. Two go on the IF board and one goes on 
the RF board. They are small leaded parts which solder on the bottom side 
of the boards. Board drawings are supplied which show the part locations. 
The IF board is fairly easy to get at. The RF board is buried under the 
final amplifier and is somewhat difficult to get at. Estimated time to 
install is 1 hour."

Inrad's kit is only $15 including Shipping and Handling, but the real cost 
is the 1
hour and headache to install in a brand new rig.  I wonder how many sales would
have to be lost to justify modifying those 3 parts in Yaesu's production 
process?

        W8JI's mod is more involved but gives better results.  Again a few
components costing cents are involved but a fair effort to disassemble to
get to the appropriate PC board.  If the photos scare you, there are people
who can do the work for you.  http://www.w8ji.com/keyclick_mp.htm

        I still do not understand Yaesu's logic in stonewalling this issue.
I don't accept the "pushing on a rope" excuse.  Someone should have gone
to Japan, put a copy of Deming's book on the President's desk and challenged
the company's total non-responsiveness to customers.  Shame is the only
word that comes to my mind about this whole issue.  :-(

                                        73,  Bill  W4ZV

P.S.  Just to add insult to injury, the following is a true story.  There 
is a very
well known 80m DX/contester from W1 who said, "Why should I modify my MP?
If Yaesu says there is a problem, then they should fix it.  Why should I do 
that
at my expense when they have never said there is a problem?"  (my paraphrasing)





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