[NLRS] FT 857D "systems" design

[w0zq at aol.com]

Hi Bill.?? 

Congratulations on being the first pick in this years CSVHFS prize table - did you go out?and buy a lottery ticket after that ?

I have an FT897 which is the same radio (on the inside).? Here are some tips.

1)? For CW, especially for HF CW, I do recommend a CW filter.??Because I am a CW guy, I actually have the 500 and 300 Hz filters in my FT897.??You can get by with just one, probably the 500.?? 
2)? On HF, the receiver is hot, and I usually run with at least the IPO on and often the ATT, especially on 40 and 80m
3)? The rig does have a transverter mode, although the documentation is thin.?? When the transverter mode is enabled, the output power is reduced on whatever band it is that you are using (28 MHz or 144 most typical).? You can also program the readout to be the freq of?your transverter (ex - "222.100").?? The transverter mode is good, but its very limited in its ability to move back and forth from transveter mode to HF rig, etc.?? K0CJ uses a FT897 in its transverter mode and can tell you more.
4)? If you really want to learn a bit more, take a look at my CSVHFS article from about three or four years ago about placing a DEMI 222 transverter board inside a FT897 - although there is no room in the FT857 to do this the inside of the 857?is the same?radio as the 897 so you may learning something about other possible mods - for example, the RF to/from the PA board uses a split T/R concept where the transmit RF is 10 watts max - that may be a good place to grab the RF drive via added relays.?? 

A dandy little rig, congrads once again !

73, Jon
W0ZQ