[1000mp] No more Yaesu

[Milt Jensen]

John,

I have two of the MPs tricked out with all the additional INRAD filters plus
the INRAD keying mods, etc.  One of the units made the trips to XZ1N and
XZ0A, running Topband at night and primarily 10 Meters in the daytime for
four solid weeks each DXped.  I am not a "every weekend" contester but my
units do put it a lot of time in the 160 contests.

I have never had a single problem with either unit other than one side of
the RX audio from the 1/8" front panel stereo jack in one radio does not
work unless I torque the plug a bit.  I understand this failure is not
unknown, as the solder connection from the jack to the PC board can become
cracked by the phone plug being bumped, etc.

Obviously there is better technology out there now, in particular in the DSP
offerings.  I have not tried a Mark V, a Field or a 1KD to see what the
differences are in those models.

I always tell people that with radios it is akin to the old saying, "There
are Dodge people, there are Chevy people and there are Ford people."  That
is why the horses run at the track.  In all brands there are lemons and at
the same time there are diamonds.  Personally, I would not have an Icom or a
Kenwood because of past experience with those two brands.  Others say the
same thing about the Yaesu's.

BUT, and that is a big but, in thirty years of using Yaesu products, I have
not had a truly BAD one.  Sure, I have had some failures of small items.   I
have always called Yaesu parts and had them send the stuff.  Then I replaced
them.  The biggest item was the power transformer in the FT-980 went up with
a puff of smoke at midnight of the 2nd night of the 1997 CQ 160 SSB 'test.
I got to go to bed early was the good part.

Yaesu had 7 of those transformers left on the shelf.  They sent me one for a
bit over $100, and I replaced it.  My 1973 model FT-101B (My first Yaesu) is
still kicking after 30 years and ZERO failures or replacements.  It has been
through the loaner program to a number of Novice and Tech Plus licensees and
survived very well.  Even the tubes have not been replaced.

So, it is mostly the experience than one has with a brand/model of product
that determines where we go the next time.  I hope this helps you and others
a bit to temper the various comments that have appeared on the reflector.

73, and have a good week.

Milt, N5IA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Becker" <johnb3030@comcast.net>
To: <1000mp@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, January 26, 2004 10:51 AM
Subject: Re: [1000mp] No more Yaesu


> > Get a FT-1000D and you will be thoroughly satisfied.
> > Have a FT-1000mp MK V (not field) as well but
> > since the 1000D acquisition am looking to sell that MK V.
> >
> > 73, Larry AJ2W
>
> Larry,
>
> Could you please elaborate a bit on this statement? I've been trying to
> figure out for some time why some prefer the FT-1000D over the newer
> versions. Why is the FT-1000D a better choice for you?
>
> I've had my FT-1000mp Mk V for just over a year and have been generally
> quite happy with it. It replaced a TS-830S, so it was a great leap
> forward in technology for me.
>
> I *am* concerned over the number of reports of various types of
> catastrophic failures that show up on this list. My TS-830S was a
> workhorse that never had a problem other than the need to periodically
> clean the bandswitch, a problem that I'm told is very common with that
> model. Is there any consensus as to whether the reliability of the
> FT-1000mp is significantly different from rigs of similar complexity
> from other manufacturers?
>
> Has anyone else experienced the receive audio failure that started this
> thread? To me, a repeated failure of that sort is unforgiveable in a
> radio in this price class.
>
> 73,
>
> John, K9MM