开云体育

Well said, Ken.

The FT-817 is a 25 years old design, based on a much older architecture. The FT-818 was a bit of industrial CPR to keep a very useful radio going as long as possible, because lots of bits—components—are just not made any more. It's not just Collins no longer making mechanical filters. And why would they? Far better performance is available from digital filters, properly designed. The FT-817 was introduced in 2000. inflation from 2000 to 2024 of USD or GBP is around 1.84. The cost of an FT-817ND from 2006 with SSB filter and DSP fitted, inflation adjusted to 2024, is just over ?1050.

The FTX-1F has a different form factor. It's just as well, even with good eyesight the 817/818 display was tiny. The so-called spectrum scope is, well, the best that could be done dirt cheap. As for adding the necessary bits for data of one form or another, with CAT control, that's two mini-DIN plugs required. Modern kit should have Ethernet connections, whether through RJ-45, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or USB for simplicity of interfacing. Fewer cables equals more fun! There's a lot more that could be said, but in essence with a new design us Radio Amateurs, and the manufacturers, take full advantage of Moore's law over the past 25 years or so. In short, the design, good though it once was, is now archaic.

One is far too polite to ask if anyone still uses a spark transmitter, or keeps their favourite grandparent's 4H pencil in their top pocket to draw grid-leak resistors on the breadboard! [Not to say that heritage kit shouldn't be kept alive, or enjoyed occasionally.] As for manufacturing an FT-818, with the market cost of the BOM (bill of materials) plus the necessary overhead and mark-up costs to encourage dealers to stock such radios, to say nothing of the market competition reducing demand—one might need some heritage beverage, alcoholic or otherwise, to contemplate it.

Well done Yaesu,

Robin, G8DQX

P.S. IIRC, the biggest demand for the 817/818 came from Japan, for a specific limited licence class who needed a constrained radio. The export market was a bonus. But once one manufacturer broke ranks—the Icom IC-705—then Yaesu had little option but to follow and try to do it better!