[Elecraft] CW Filter FT817 ??

[Mike Morrow]

Jess wrote:

>For general all around radio that does HF and VHF/UHF, the 817 is
>hard to beat.

The problems with the FT-817 as an all-round modest performance rig are
legion, as indicated in the partial listing that follows:

1.  It's a power hog.  Even when set up for its most power-saving
configuration, on receive it consumes about seven times what a K1 does.  On
transmit, regardless of its power output, it consumes two to three times
what the K1 does when the K1 is set for highest power.
2.  It allows a maximum output of five watts.  A rig of this type should
easily be capable 15 watts if desired.  The K1 allows seven watts at much
greater efficiency.
3.  Unlike a K1 or any other Elecraft rig, it has no internal auto antenna
tuner.  That would be far more valuable than the useless internal AA-cell
pack that takes up so much room now.
4.  Its VHF coverage stops low in the public service band (around 154 MHz),
This really really hurts its value as an all-round rig, since most public
service, or even NOAA weather broadcasts, are not covered.
5.  Its internal keyer allows only the abomination of mode B iambic keying.
Try to find that important info in any Yaesu product liturature!

The FT-817 was designed for the Japanese fourth class license ham market and
was only incidentally offered to the US market.  Perhaps someday the
tremendous design flaws of the FT-817 novelty radio will be corrected in a
properly designed rig.  In any event, I don't see the FT-817 as any kind of
competition for well-designed sets such as produced by Elecraft.

73,
Mike / KK5F