The ROM is user modifiable - I changed the original one myself, upgrading
to 6.0
As the to ROM version - I have 6.0. Is there really a 6.1?? What if any
differences are there???
I think the dual receive, using antenna diversity, is by far the best
QRM/weak signal method available, especially if you don't have a large
antenna farm. In my case, I have an old G5RV laying on my roof used as a
secondary receive antenna. There are many times that the combination of the
two antennas (in stereo) will make a signal intelligible, when nothing else
will. If I had to choose between the second receiver, and my Timewave
599zx, I would pick the receiver in a second. And especially on the lower
bands.
The two things I wish the FT-1000D came with was:
-the ability to make the two receivers tune in synch (the better to use
diversity reception). There is a custom mod that can do this - someday I
will install it, if I get brave enough.
- a bandscope (a la Kenwood/Icom)
So... how much is the radio now selling for?? I heard a rumor that Yaesu
had discontinued it, and was only selling off a (large, multi year supply)
of old stock. When I asked their national sales manager at the Concord CA
ham show a few months ago, he told me that this was completely incorrect.
Regards,
Mark
KM6FM
At 06:42 PM Thursday12/9/99 , you wrote:
> >I just saw an ad for a new FT-1000D at a very low price. I am thinking
> >of making the call and buying a new 1000D. My question is, how
> >important are the second receiver filters that are optional?
>
>Depends. As far as I know, the only option filter for the subreceiver is
>the XF-455MC 600 Hz unit for CW. If you use the radio for CW DXing and/or
>contesting, you'll find the filter to be quite useful in sorting out a pile
>on a calling frequency to find exactly where you should be transmitting. It
>would probably also be useful for receive diversity on CW, something I
>haven't personally tried. It is fairly easy to install, but if you put one
>in, be SURE you trim the pins soldered through the board slightly. I
>neglected to do that when I first installed mine and was rewarded with a
>dead receiver due to the filter input and output pins shorting to the
>subreceiver shield tray.
>
>As to general impressions, I've had mine for five years now and have used
>it for LOTS of heavy-duty contest operation. Simply put, it's without peer
>for demanding applications like contest or DX operation. The only quibble I
>have with its design is the choice of puny op amps to drive the headphone
>output in a $4K radio. I had to get a small Radio Shack stereo amp to get
>sufficient audio power to be useful in my (admittedly elaborate) audio
>switching setup in the contest station. And the microphone input seems to
>be quite sensitive to RF on the mic cable -- I had to put tiny 1mH chokes
>in the hot line and PTT line directly inside the mic connector to scotch RF
>troubles when I ran 1500 Watts to a shunt-fed tower on 160 meters.
>
>The receiver is excellent. It's not quite the performer my heavily-modified
>Drake R-4C was, but it's amazingly close. I also like the 200W power output
>capability, especially now that I'm in a situation where I don't have the
>ability to run an amplifier. And the human engineering is excellent. You
>don't have to navigate a bunch of menus to set the thing up, an important
>consideration if you're going to be spending lots of time at the controls
>in a contest.
>
>I lost the receiver PIN diode in the T/R switch circuitry a couple of years
>ago due to, in my opinion, a badly designed factory modification in the T/R
>driver circuitry (a series diode that doesn't belong where it was put).
>This was kind of a pain to fix, but Yaesu was quick to supply me with the
>necessary part, and I soon had it running again. Other than some damage
>from lightning (which Yaesu repaired under warranty) this is the only
>trouble I've ever had with the radio.
>
>One warning: If you plan to use the computer control feature of the radio,
>be sure it has ROM version 6.1 or later installed. If the radio is really
>new, this should be no problem. The ROM version can be checked by holding
>the 1.5 MHz and 7 MHz band keys down at power-up; this will test the
>microprocessor and display circuitry and display the ROM version. I believe
>it requires a trip to the Yaesu service center to install a ROM update, but
>I'm not sure.
>
>I'd advise you to go for it. You'll be getting the best performing radio
>available.
>
>Randy, W8FN
>Weatherford TX (Near Fort Worth / Dallas)
>
>--
>FAQ on WWW: http://www.qsl.net/k7on/yaesu.html
>Submissions: yaesu@contesting.com
>Administrative requests: yaesu-REQUEST@contesting.com
>Problems: owner-yaesu@contesting.com
>Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
==================================================
mark@marketfire.com
==================================================
--
FAQ on WWW: http://www.qsl.net/k7on/yaesu.html
Submissions: yaesu@contesting.com
Administrative requests: yaesu-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems: owner-yaesu@contesting.com
Search: http://www.contesting.com/km9p/search.htm
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