[1000mp] Early FT-1000MP Serial Numbers / History ?

[Jeff Maass]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hans Remeeus [mailto:hans at remeeus.nl]
> Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 2:07 AM
> To: jmaass at columbus.rr.com; All about Yaesu 1000mp
> Subject: Re: [1000mp] Early FT-1000MP Serial Numbers / History ?
> 
> 
> Hello Jeff,
> 
> http://www.va3cr.net/main/serial.html says:
> 
> 5 = 1995
> F = April
> 01 = Lot number 01
> 00xx = Unit number within the lot
> 
> There should be a lot number 00. According to the message on the site of 
> VA3CR Lot number 00 seems to go to the Japanese market only. And often Lot 
> numbers 01 and 02 too.
> 
> Your 0100xx could be one of the very first sold outside Japan.
> 
> 
> 73,
> Hans Remeeus (PA1HR)

Thanks Hans and the others who replied! It was just a case of
curiosity on my part. I'd scanned the VA3CR page on the subject
and "decoded" our serial number, but missed the line about Lots
00, 01, 02. 

So, what have they done since the FT-1000MP family has been in
production for a full 10 years? Did they change the encoding of 
the s/n format for the MkV and Field models to prevent
"wrapping"? What is the serial number format for a radio
manufactured in 2005?

This radio is the oldest of the three 'MPs and two MkV Fields
at the Signal Point station (contest call PJ2T) in Curacao. It
came back to the States after it suffered driver transistor
failures, and at the same time we had it repaired we had all
the available performance-enhancing mods installed (key click,
AGC, noise blanker, K9AN audio, and the INRAD roofing filter).
The repair and mod work was done by Paul Hansen W6XA in South
Carolina (dba Amateur Radio Service), and I had him mod one
of my 'MPs at the same time. Paul knows his stuff, and comes
highly recommended. 

Prior to putting the FT-1000MP series in use at PJ2T, the
Kenwood radios in use (two TS930 and three TS940) were constantly
breaking down in the salt air of the island: the 'MPs have
generally just worked and worked.

The PJ2T station sits atop a 37-foot cliff at the ocean's edge,
(http://home.columbus.rr.com/jmaass/Radio/PJ2T_Aerial.htm) and
the breeze carries the "seeds of destruction"! Paul found that
the radio from PJ2T has suffered rusting on all upper metal
surfaces (as we had observed), but no accumulation of salt or 
corrosion on the PC boards. Rust on steel surfaces is really 
unavoidable in the sea air.

73,

Jeff Maass  K8ND

Station Manager  PJ2T, 
  Caribbean Contesting Consortium

CCC Web Site: http://www.pj2t.org