[Yaesu] FT-ONE - memory board. Anyone got one, made one, or want one?

[David Kirkby]

I find the fact the FT-ONE will lose memories if powered off and
disconnected from the mains unless the optional memory unit is
installed is a bit annoying. I would have thought on a $3000 rig,
Yaesu should have added the memory (only 1024 bits of SRAM), and not
sold it as and option. But the fact is they did.

Does anyone have one they could photograph and send a high quality
picture? I can see the layout from the service manual.

I was thinking of making one. Getting the original SRAM ICs wold be
next to impossible as they are only 512 bits - modern chips would be a
lot larger. The problem with modern chips is they have more pins, so
the board would need to be bigger, or surface mount devices used.

It might be possible to replace the two SRAM devices (512 bits each)
with one single modern device, though I don't know for sure.

If I did design and make one, would others be interested in buying
them? I guess I'd sell them around $50 to cover cost of parts, labor
and development time.

My own FT-ONE has the battery box (takes 3 x AA cells), but no memory board.

If anyone has a board they want to sell, then that would be an easy option.

As a matter of interest, the keyer which was an option for the FT-ONE
looks remarkably easy to build, assuming the keyer chip is still
available.

Dave