Thanks Dave, mine is an original non ND. I recently bought a new finals board, just in case. If you’ve seen the external display, it’s a nice option, but does add some clunkyness to the compact unit. I’m also waiting for the CAT bluetooth adapter, to see if that’s more to my liking, although I may run into CAT rate issues once again. 73 Mike Davis WA1MAD
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On Jan 5, 2025, at 8:03?AM, David Wilcox K8WPE via groups.io <Djwilcox01@...> wrote:
? In my experience of hearing tales of woe (not personal experience) damage to the FT 817 was caused by trying to use a tuner to an unknown antenna for too long of a time. ?High SWR seems to be the culprit and caused a lot of failures back in the day. ?Yaesu did some protection in the ND model. ?Mine sits there hoping I will use it again someday. It is a fun radio in spite of the many layers of button presses and small difficult to read screen. ?I sent mine to W4RT back in the day and had all the upgrades. ?What a machine when it was all one could buy in a small package covering all bands. ? Be the REASON someone smiles today.
Dave K8WPE On Jan 4, 2025, at 10:40?PM, Michael Davis via groups.io <maddmd818@...> wrote:
? Thanks Keith. The 1.5 watts on AM sounds relatively safe. Not sure how much of the 5 watts max might cause the finals damage. I know there have been reported damage, but I don’t know the actual cause. 73 Mike WA1MAD
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In my experience of hearing tales of woe (not personal experience) damage to the FT 817 was caused by trying to use a tuner to an unknown antenna for too long of a time. ?High SWR seems to be the culprit and caused a lot of failures back in the day. ?Yaesu did some protection in the ND model. ?Mine sits there hoping I will use it again someday. It is a fun radio in spite of the many layers of button presses and small difficult to read screen. ?I sent mine to W4RT back in the day and had all the upgrades. ?What a machine when it was all one could buy in a small package covering all bands. ? Be the REASON someone smiles today.
Dave K8WPE
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On Jan 4, 2025, at 10:40?PM, Michael Davis via groups.io <maddmd818@...> wrote:
? Thanks Keith. The 1.5 watts on AM sounds relatively safe. Not sure how much of the 5 watts max might cause the finals damage. I know there have been reported damage, but I don’t know the actual cause. 73 Mike WA1MAD
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Mike WA1MAD wrote… The 1.5 watts on AM sounds relatively safe. Not sure how much of the 5 watts max might cause the finals damage. In the past, I used an Elecraft T1 auto-tuner and the FT-817 survived that. I recently picked up a manual QRP Z-match tuner with an absorptive bridge, so the radio never sees a match worse than 2:1 while tuning. The radio should be pretty happy with that. -- 73 Keith VE7GDH
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Thanks Keith. The 1.5 watts on AM sounds relatively safe. Not sure how much of the 5 watts max might cause the finals damage. I know there have been reported damage, but I don’t know the actual cause. 73 Mike WA1MAD
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Hi Andy? Sorry I honestly can not remember, sorry? Dave
Hi David.....i'm following up a very old post you made back in 2016.? TX inhibit on an FT817.? Did you get to the bottom of it?? Does it work?? It looks like placing 12v on the TX Inhibit pin on the ACC socket prevents RF being transmitted.? I am working on the sequencing for my 10Ghz system and a TX Inhibit would be very useful!
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Thanks, best wishes ...and Happy New Year
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Andrew G0JCC
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Hi David.....i'm following up a very old post you made back in 2016.? TX inhibit on an FT817.? Did you get to the bottom of it?? Does it work?? It looks like placing 12v on the TX Inhibit pin on the ACC socket prevents RF being transmitted.? I am working on the sequencing for my 10Ghz system and a TX Inhibit would be very useful!
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Thanks, best wishes ...and Happy New Year
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Andrew G0JCC
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If the LDG only uses CAT to set power and uses the analogue band voltage to know band, then CAT could be disconnected? But maybe it uses CAT to read the frequency. I don't know.
As an aside:
I added a bargraph IC to my homemade linear for the 817 to select the relays for the band filters on the o/p of the PA and had pass-through CAT sockets.
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Mike (call sign?) wrote… I'm wondering if I use manual tuning, by keying the radio on packet, AM or CW and not going to lower power, what would be the danger to tune into a mismatch until the tuner matches the rig to antenna? If you use AM for tuning, the carrier is reduced to 1.5 W or less no matter what power level you have the radio set for. It gives you a reduced power signal for tuning without having to press any buttons except the mode button. -- 73 Keith VE7GDH
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Mike, I'm glad you are doing the tuning in low power out of habit. Not sure what you mean about removing the internal connection for CAT. Thanks
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John, thanks.. I'm wondering if I use manual tuning, by keying the radio on packet, AM or CW mode and not going to lower power, what would be the danger to tune into a mismatch until the tuner matches the rig to antenna? I sure don't wat to blow the finals at 5 watts. I know your suggestion, if "it's ok" would not be a guarantee of no damage. I'll read the Z817 instructions again. I was hoping that with the tuner connected between the radio and antenna there just might be some kind of protection.?
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Thanks Eric. I think I understand your reply. Yes, I can change the CAT rate to 4800 in the FT817 menu and the display will work when connected with the mini din cat cable. The Z817 tuner requires a cat rate of 38400 and will not operate at 4800. I'm wondering if I use manual tuning, by keying rhe radio on packet, AM or CW and not going to lower power, what would be the danger to tune into a mismatch until the tuner matches the rig to antenna? I sure don't wat to blow the finals at 5 watts. I know your answer, if "it's ok" would not be a guarantee of no damage.?
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The Elecraft T1 only uses the analogue voltage band data. I made up a splitter cable with 3.5mm jack and TTL RS232 converter to 9 pin serial for CAT (which works with a USB adaptor).
I set the FT817 manually to low power for tuning as I'd want to check SWR safely after tuning. I've done that with every radio forever and even with the FTdx10 & FC40, so after tuning I check SWR at low power.
If the LDG uses the analogue band data then the internal connection for CAT could be removed to have pass-through.
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Unfortunately, the Z817 does use proper CAT commands to set the FT81x to low power transmit when tuning. It's fixed at 38400 baud, so the pass through won't work for the OP.
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You can use the Z817 as a tuner without the CAT cable, i.e. connect the display directly to the radio.?
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Full detail in the Z817 instructions...
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Regards
John G0GCD
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Hi Michael, ? If I’m not mistaken, the tuner only uses the Band Data pin from the radio to tell it what band you’re on (plus Gnd and power, of course). ? The CAT Tx and Rx pins are different pins and, to my knowledge are not used by the tuner at all and are just passed through to the socket on the tuner. ? Therefore, it should not be a problem to change the data rate for the CAT port to 4800 bps. ? 73….Eric VK2VE. ?
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From: ft817@groups.io <ft817@groups.io> On Behalf Of Michael Davis via groups.io
Sent: Tuesday, 31 December 2024 02:56
To: ft817@groups.io
Subject: [ft817] FT817 compatibility? This is kind of a continuation of the display thread/subject. I received the display yesterday. It came with the mini DIN cable and my 817 was able to power it. However, I am using the cat port for the LDG Z817 tuner with radio menu setting at 38400, the new display requires a cat rate of 4800. The LDG tuner has a pass through cat. Not sure how to make both work. Can I just set to the lower rate, 4800 and both will/should work? There is also a RJ45 connection option that I haven’t tried yet. Thanks all
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This is kind of a continuation of the display thread/subject. I received the display yesterday. It came with the mini DIN cable and my 817 was able to power it. However, I am using the cat port for the LDG Z817 tuner with radio menu setting at 38400, the new display requires a cat rate of 4800. The LDG tuner has a pass through cat. Not sure how to make both work. Can I just set to the lower rate, 4800 and both will/should work? There is also a RJ45 connection option that I haven’t tried yet. Thanks all
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Re: Larger/brighter Display option
Is 817 Commander a better option than Pocket RxTx lite? Has anyone tried/used both? Mike Davis WA1MAD
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On Dec 23, 2024, at 12:22?PM, Toby Burnett via groups.io <ruffdog272@...> wrote:
? I've got a Bluetooth cat dongle plugs into 817. Like Jeff, can use 817 commander wireless for screen display and direct entry etc etc. Good for digimodes ptt too. Toby MM0TOB?
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Re: Larger/brighter Display option
Well, when you ask a question on this group, you sure get some very interesting and helpful answers. I now have a CAT cable coming, an older Android phone repurposed with pocket RX TX loaded and awaiting the cable, AND a display on order from Ali Express. All this should keep me busy and confused for awhile. My only concern is that on a YouTube video, the display worked on an 857, and 897 but not the 817. We’ll see. Steve, KB1CHU, a nearby ham, has offered support to see what we will see. I’ve even thought that just maybe, my unused backup automotive camera might work. Thanks to all, for your suggestions.
Mike Davis WA1MAD
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Dears,
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I wish to all of you Happy Holidays and healthy year 2025!
--
73 - Petr, OK1RP
FT-817ND | FT-818ND | FT-857D?
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Re: FT-817 +DSP +new finals FOR SALE
搁别辫辞蝉迟颈苍驳…
Nice clean FT-817 (non D) FOR SALE
Includes:
* Ft-817. (Non D)
* New Final Amplifier board with new factory installed final transistors
* bhi NEDSP106 DSP super clean noise reduction
* Narrow CW filter (500Hz maybe 300Hz can’t remember)
* Collins Mechanical 2.3KHz SSB filter
* MH-31 Microphone with up/down & fast buttons
* Power Pole dc input adapter
* Wire Bail stand
* VHF/UHF Flexible Antenna BNC
* Stubby BNC VHF/UHF Antenna
* FT-817 Pack-It Reference Manual (this is the real bible)
* Nifty Mini-Manual
* Original Leather Case and Shoulder-Strap
Checked out 80 - 10 Meter HF and 2M/440MHz this evening. The 8-step bhi DSP noise reduction really shines with todays QRN.
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Lots of photos available.?
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Asking $825 insured & shipped USPS Priority Mail with tracking.
Postal money order or PayPal please.?
John Arnold, WA6YSY
Contact me off forum: ?johna@...
Will list on our favorite sale site in a couple weeks if no interest
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Re: Larger/brighter Display option
 73 de Matt, DH2LAB
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Michael Davis
David Wilcox K8WPE
Mike EI9FEB
John, WA6YSY
DH2LAB