I have a few questions, but first some background . . . I've owned a Yaesu
FT-1000MP Mark-V Field (has to be the longest name in ham radio) since
May. I'll admit that I've not made any key click mod to it (at least not
yet), and I've also not done any extensive testing for key clicks.
Just looking at the scope captures in the ARRL product reviews, the
original MP and the Mark-V look very similar, and I would expect clicks
based only on that data. But the scope captures on the Field look
considerably better, especially on the first "dit". Just comparing these
three waveforms, I would expect the Field to be much improved over both
the original MP and the Mark-V. In other words, it looks to me like Yaesu
has tried to address this issue in the latest version, and the Field could
be expected at least to have LESS of a key click problem than the two
earlier versions. Maybe they even SOLVED the key click problem with the
Field.
In the expanded product review for the Field, there are a couple of plots
labeled "Keying Sidebands" that show the -30 dB points at around +/- 800
Hz from the center freq. There are no corresponding plots in the expanded
reviews of the earlier products.
Here are my questions:
1) Any comments on this? Any "real life" data or comparisons?
2) IF the Field is indeed better than the original MP or the Mark-V, is it
"good enough", or are further improvements required? Is -30 dB at +/- 800
Hz acceptable, or what exactly IS the contest community standard?
3) IF further work is still required on the Field to get key clicks to
the level deemed acceptable by the contesting community, do the W2VJN
and/or W8JI mods even apply? Has anyone actually attempted either (or
both?) of these mods to a Field? What are the results?
4) I have never had any complaints about my signal since using the Field,
but maybe that's because people are afraid to tell me. Or maybe it's
because I'm not loud enough for anyone to care! In any case, I would
welcome any comments, good or bad. Drop me a note, and I promise not to
bite.
I'll be making a go in the 10-meter contest this wknd, and I'll be using
the unmodified Field. I don't have the time to make any mods before the
contest, even if I wanted to!
73,
Tim Totten, n4gn@n4gn.com
http://www.n4gn.com
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