[1000mp] Re: MP Clicks

[Tom Rauch]

From:           	"tombaugh" <tombaugh@discoverynet.com>
To:             	<1000mp@mailman.qth.net>
Subject:        	Re: [1000mp] Re: MP Clicks

To learn more about clicks, read the article Spectral Analysis of a 
CW Keying Pulse at http://fermi.la.asu.edu/w9cf/index.html

> I am concerned with the holier than thou attitude with regards to 
the
> Clicking MP's that is becoming evident by : 1- those that don't 
own
> the MP 2- those that do and have "improved their clicking" With
> comments like... "The number of stations heard during the CQ 
WW 160
> contest that had key clicks is appalling." don't mean to pick on 
Earl
> this comment is echoed throughout the HAM community.

This isn't a "personal" issue or an "emotional issue", it is technical 
and easily verified. 

With an S-2 noise floor, and having to point the antennas through 
the east coast to get to Europe, the wall of clicks is very 
problematic. W4AN operated the CW contest here, and rather than 
fight the clicks through the entire contest he moved either real low 
or high in the band. 

Earl, if he said or implied what was quoted above, is correct. 
Crowded areas of our CW bands are being seriously harmed by 
needless clicks, and it is distressing we have allowed it to get this 
way. I think a big part of that is we just accepted clicks as a 
necessary part of having a strong signal, or we are conditioned to 
avoid giving honest reports.

It took almost two years before I received my first click report, and 
darn if the guy wasn't right! I'd have fixed mine two years earlier if I'd 
have known.

> example.. I wonder how many years of operating an average MP 
owner has
> under their belt before correcting this "well known" problem. I 
think
> very highly of  some of those making comments and taking the
> initiative to actually create the mod which would correct this
> problem. I feel compelled to correct what is apparently a flaw. I
> didn't buy my MP knowing there was a flaw. I knew it wa sone of 
the
> top radios used by many of the top DXPeditions all around the 
world
> with many attributes of a great radio. I find it really amazing that
> NOW after YEARS of production AND USE and now the 
replacement of the
> original for a new model, that there are folks who have this 
attitude.

> I know...... now that your radio is fixed.... (after maybe10 years of
> operating) it is good according to the Gods so everyone else 
must do
> it immeadiately. But.... I haven't operated mine for 10 years... 
can I
> have 10 years before I fix it.. or must I send it in now for repairs?

I'm not sure Yaesu will correct the clicks. But at least now we all 
should be aware we have that problem. People with stock 1000's 
really don't need to rush out and fix the radio. They just have to be 
aware they occupy 1.5kHz + - bandwidth and operate accordingly. 
If someone is working a weak signal nearby, just stay 2 or so kHz 
away from them. 

>I have looked at Tom's (W8JI) Mod..  

I'm actually working on a second better mod that engages the CW 
filter on transmit, and lengthens the hang time of stages after the 
CW filter. Yaesu switches to the SSB filter (at least in the D they 
do) to transmit CW. They basically run an unshaped CW signal 
into the SSB filter. The result is the ~2.5 kHz or so click bandwidth.

My FT1000D is now modified to run the 250Hz filters on CW 
transmit, and the result is a virtually perfect waveshape with no 
clicks at all more than a few hundred Hz away. All of this can be 
done at the harness connection points on the boards, so it should 
be possible to plug in a mod to the existing cables without even 
heating up a soldering iron.

As soon as time permits, I'm going to see if the same thing is 
possible in the FT1000MP. If it is, a small aftermarket plug and 
play mod would totally cure the MP.

I hope to have a MP to look at in a few weeks, now that my new 
lab is almost finished.
73, Tom W8JI
W8JI@contesting.com