[Yaesu] FL101/FR101

[Traugott Goll]

I have no experience with the FT101 but have a FR101 since 1976 and that it
is still working now speaks for the quality with which it was built,
especially mechanically. Its shortcoming - if that really is one for you -
is that it does not cover the whole range from say 0.5 to 30 MHz but only
the main amateur and radio bands and even then not all of them. It is
possible to add crystals and then gain a few extra bands and I did that but
some 15 years ago I bought a UC2 Upconverter from a British company called
Datong and hence the FR101 became the general coverage receiver I wanted it
to be. Comparing it with a Yaesu FR 8800 that I have it does not have a
microprocessor or frequency memory or digital frequency input but then it
has a built in preselector and variable IF gain. I find it performs better
than the FRG-8800 though but not as well as the Palstar R30. I have had very
very few problems with front end overload though and audio is very decent,
though output could do with a bit of more punch as far as volume goes.

One problem I had after about 10 years of ownership and that has never been
fixed properly by the repair agent has been a flickering digital display.
There are days, weeks even when it seems ok most of the time, but on another
day it the numbers will race wildly. This has no effect on tuning but it
makes it almost impossible to determine where in the band one really is. I
have tried to find spares and the other day a digital frequency module was
sold on eBay for 128 USD (too much I felt at the time and did not win the
auction), I have even tried to bid for a second hand FR101 but haven't had
luck so far. In short: spares are not easy to get and you may have to settle
for a SECOND FR101 that you can cannibalize ...

regards
Traugott
Vienna, Austria


"Message: 1
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 20:26:29 -0400
To: yaesu@mailman.qth.net
From: john <johnmb@nc.rr.com>
Subject: [Yaesu] FL101/FR101

Can anyone comment on the quality of these rigs? I have an option
on such a station (the receiver is the digital version) and wondering about
first hand experience with these "mature"  rigs.

73
John "