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I've been a member of this group since I bought an FT-817 from an SK estate maybe 8 years ago. I was curious about the radio's popularity and on paper it seemed a great value. Shortly after I started using the radio I found several issues with the radio: QRP wasn't really for me (I was struggling with compromise antennas and felt 100w would help), I wasn't a fan of the menu system, the internal battery charging procedure was fairly complicated, and the tiny display wasn't compatible with my middle-age eyes. I'll concede most of those issues could be addressed by spending money on various items (an amp, an ext CAT display, external batteries, etc), but I soon sold off the radio to someone better suited to the things the radio offered.
Time went on, the FT-817nd was cancelled, and soon Yaesu had released the FT-818. It retained all the issues I had with the original FT-817, but soon I found myself buying a new FT-818 - I thought maybe I was missing something, since the radio had come back. My second look at the FT-818 showed me nothing had changed, and soon my FT-818 found a new home.
Fast-forward to today. Now, having twice owned and twice sold my FT-817/818 radios, I would not be likely to buy a third FT-817/818, but the reports that Yaesu may not be repairing 20+ year-old FT-817 is going to have a serious impact on future potential buyers of this classic radio. (Has anyone reached out to John Kruk for a definitive answer to the FT-817 repair question and the availability of RF/Transistor boards for sale to do-it-yourself repairs?)
It used to be that new hams bought FT-817/818 radios based on price and capabilities (it got them on local repeaters AND hf, it included VHF/UHF antennas AND a power source), but today those new hams are snapping up Chinese radios at very low prices and are not really looking at the FT-817/818 family of radios.
Owner complaints can shape the resale market, and I would caution current owners to think hard about deciding to post their frustrations with the given situation regarding original FT-817 radios.
When Ten-Rec was sold to a new owner, and the new owner announced that in-house repairs were going to be made at market rates, not the previous discounted rates, people that previously bought and owned Ten-Tec radios started complaining far and wide about the new policy, convincing nearly every ham that Ten-Tec radios were 'unrepairable' and therefore should be avoided on the resale market... What made this even more amazing to me, was that prior to the company changing hands, the reputation Ten-Tec radios had was one of quality and the ease of home repairs since the designs used conventional parts! Owner complaints had changed the reputation of a quality, easy-to-fix line of radios into a pariah and something to be scoffed at when found on Hamfest tables.
Another example was the display issue on the Icom IC-7610. Shortly after releasing the radio, some owners found their displays were developing issues. It wasn't consistent across all radios, but it was becoming a fairly common issue. Owners started complaining about the failures publicly and repeatedly, and soon Icom (as I recall) isolated the issue to production issues at a supplier for some displays, but there was no easy correlation to serial number or manufacture date. Icom addressed the problem and has publicly stated that any IC-7610 displays that exhibit this issue will be replaced at no cost to the owner without time limits. Yet, today, a quick google of the IC-7610 turns up countless references to the display issue from several years ago. People today considering an IC-7610 still ask if the display problem continues, others won't even consider the radio because "there's a problem with the display"...
Then there's the Kenwood TS-590s (or was it the TS-590sg?) where the exhaust fans were installed backwards, or the brief run of TS-2000 that were 'dead' due to faulty filters from the factory. Both issues impacted a very small percentage of radios, both were easily overcome/repaired, but still those issues linger around those radios (TS-590 owners went so far as to devote a website to tracking the serial numbers of faulty radios as I recall).
My point is, internet postings are forever, and if everyone starts posting about the potential situation where original FT-817 radios are 'unrepairable' the market will become concerned about not only the 20+ year-old FT-817, but by association the FT-817nd and FT-818, and these fine radios will soon be avoided by hams that vaguely remember something they read about them being unfixable if they break...
At some point a 20+ year-old radio loses factory repair support, it's perfectly normal and everyone accepts it, but if we continue to dwell on the issue, we will soon find the prices on all these radios (FT-817, FT-817nd, and FT-818) dropping as our fellow hams start avoiding them at hamfests.
You may not be overly concerned about market value, but by driving down the reputation of the radio you start to lose peripheral suppliers as they move on to more active markets supporting the latest Chinese QRP radios.
The new reality is that the Original FT-817 may be EOL now, and if/when they start to fail, they may not be fixable. And if you feel the need to publicly complain about that possibility/probability go ahead, but I encourage you to be specific in your complaint and understand whatever you share on the internet will very likely be around for a very long time.
Anyway, those are my thoughts, sorry it sorta got away from me,
Ken, N2VIP
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Yes, there are some shortcomings for the FT817/818, but I think the advantages make up for those. It is one of the ideal radios to use as a microwave transverter IF (on 144/432 MHz), and for years, was the rig that most microwavers used for an IF rig. The size is the big advantage. The other is the low power levels. Microwave transverters usually only need 0 to?+3 dBm of drive on transmit, and it's easy to attenuate the FT817 output to that level. The IC-705 is kind of taking over now for those who can afford it. (I can't at this time.) So I'll stick with the FT817 for now. The display size was easily corrected by me by just getting a pair of glasses or magnifying headset. I don't use internal batteries, so charging them isn't an issue for me. I have the menus pretty much set up the way I want them, so I just turn on the radio when I operate portable on microwave operations. I did have a problem develop once where the tuning somehow went into the "fast" mode, and the mic I had was not the one that was supposed to go with the FT817. It had no "FST" button. I had to open up the mic and momentarily short one of the leads to get it out of "FST" mode. But later I got the correct mic for the unit.
I also installed the W1GHZ spectrum monitor adaptor and put an SMA connector on the rear for the output for that.
I've been very happy with it for this use.
73., Zack W9SZ
I've been a member of this group since I bought an FT-817 from an SK estate maybe 8 years ago. I was curious about the radio's popularity and on paper it seemed a great value. Shortly after I started using the radio I found several issues with the radio: QRP wasn't really for me (I was struggling with compromise antennas and felt 100w would help), I wasn't a fan of the menu system, the internal battery charging procedure was fairly complicated, and the tiny display wasn't compatible with my middle-age eyes. I'll concede most of those issues could be addressed by spending money on various items (an amp, an ext CAT display, external batteries, etc), but I soon sold off the radio to someone better suited to the things the radio offered.
Time went on, the FT-817nd was cancelled, and soon Yaesu had released the FT-818. It retained all the issues I had with the original FT-817, but soon I found myself buying a new FT-818 - I thought maybe I was missing something, since the radio had come back. My second look at the FT-818 showed me nothing had changed, and soon my FT-818 found a new home.
Fast-forward to today. Now, having twice owned and twice sold my FT-817/818 radios, I would not be likely to buy a third FT-817/818, but the reports that Yaesu may not be repairing 20+ year-old FT-817 is going to have a serious impact on future potential buyers of this classic radio. (Has anyone reached out to John Kruk for a definitive answer to the FT-817 repair question and the availability of RF/Transistor boards for sale to do-it-yourself repairs?)
It used to be that new hams bought FT-817/818 radios based on price and capabilities (it got them on local repeaters AND hf, it included VHF/UHF antennas AND a power source), but today those new hams are snapping up Chinese radios at very low prices and are not really looking at the FT-817/818 family of radios.
Owner complaints can shape the resale market, and I would caution current owners to think hard about deciding to post their frustrations with the given situation regarding original FT-817 radios.
When Ten-Rec was sold to a new owner, and the new owner announced that in-house repairs were going to be made at market rates, not the previous discounted rates, people that previously bought and owned Ten-Tec radios started complaining far and wide about the new policy, convincing nearly every ham that Ten-Tec radios were 'unrepairable' and therefore should be avoided on the resale market... What made this even more amazing to me, was that prior to the company changing hands, the reputation Ten-Tec radios had was one of quality and the ease of home repairs since the designs used conventional parts! Owner complaints had changed the reputation of a quality, easy-to-fix line of radios into a pariah and something to be scoffed at when found on Hamfest tables.
Another example was the display issue on the Icom IC-7610. Shortly after releasing the radio, some owners found their displays were developing issues. It wasn't consistent across all radios, but it was becoming a fairly common issue. Owners started complaining about the failures publicly and repeatedly, and soon Icom (as I recall) isolated the issue to production issues at a supplier for some displays, but there was no easy correlation to serial number or manufacture date. Icom addressed the problem and has publicly stated that any IC-7610 displays that exhibit this issue will be replaced at no cost to the owner without time limits. Yet, today, a quick google of the IC-7610 turns up countless references to the display issue from several years ago. People today considering an IC-7610 still ask if the display problem continues, others won't even consider the radio because "there's a problem with the display"...
Then there's the Kenwood TS-590s (or was it the TS-590sg?) where the exhaust fans were installed backwards, or the brief run of TS-2000 that were 'dead' due to faulty filters from the factory. Both issues impacted a very small percentage of radios, both were easily overcome/repaired, but still those issues linger around those radios (TS-590 owners went so far as to devote a website to tracking the serial numbers of faulty radios as I recall).
My point is, internet postings are forever, and if everyone starts posting about the potential situation where original FT-817 radios are 'unrepairable' the market will become concerned about not only the 20+ year-old FT-817, but by association the FT-817nd and FT-818, and these fine radios will soon be avoided by hams that vaguely remember something they read about them being unfixable if they break...
At some point a 20+ year-old radio loses factory repair support, it's perfectly normal and everyone accepts it, but if we continue to dwell on the issue, we will soon find the prices on all these radios (FT-817, FT-817nd, and FT-818) dropping as our fellow hams start avoiding them at hamfests.
You may not be overly concerned about market value, but by driving down the reputation of the radio you start to lose peripheral suppliers as they move on to more active markets supporting the latest Chinese QRP radios.
The new reality is that the Original FT-817 may be EOL now, and if/when they start to fail, they may not be fixable. And if you feel the need to publicly complain about that possibility/probability go ahead, but I encourage you to be specific in your complaint and understand whatever you share on the internet will very likely be around for a very long time.
Anyway, those are my thoughts, sorry it sorta got away from me,
Ken, N2VIP
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While you make a decent point, I think more value is gained from these large, widespread discussions for those of us who own, use, and enjoy our radios. It gives the users of these radios some knowledge on how to obtain spares and how to repair problems, which in the near future may be absolutely necessary. While the monetary value of the radio is a consideration for someone who has tried the radio and found it to be a poor fit for them and sold it on, I personally have an opposite reaction to my 817, I love it and never cease to be amazed by its performance. But different strokes for different folks.? One thing that has disturbed me about recent posts is the notion of buying up multiple spares and hoarding them. I never have thought that was cool at all, but again different strokes….
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On Aug 7, 2024, at 09:44, Zack Widup via groups.io <w9sz.zack@...> wrote:
? Yes, there are some shortcomings for the FT817/818, but I think the advantages make up for those. It is one of the ideal radios to use as a microwave transverter IF (on 144/432 MHz), and for years, was the rig that most microwavers used for an IF rig. The size is the big advantage. The other is the low power levels. Microwave transverters usually only need 0 to?+3 dBm of drive on transmit, and it's easy to attenuate the FT817 output to that level. The IC-705 is kind of taking over now for those who can afford it. (I can't at this time.) So I'll stick with the FT817 for now. The display size was easily corrected by me by just getting a pair of glasses or magnifying headset. I don't use internal batteries, so charging them isn't an issue for me. I have the menus pretty much set up the way I want them, so I just turn on the radio when I operate portable on microwave operations. I did have a problem develop once where the tuning somehow went into the "fast" mode, and the mic I had was not the one that was supposed to go with the FT817. It had no "FST" button. I had to open up the mic and momentarily short one of the leads to get it out of "FST" mode. But later I got the correct mic for the unit.
I also installed the W1GHZ spectrum monitor adaptor and put an SMA connector on the rear for the output for that.
I've been very happy with it for this use.
73., Zack W9SZ
I've been a member of this group since I bought an FT-817 from an SK estate maybe 8 years ago. I was curious about the radio's popularity and on paper it seemed a great value. Shortly after I started using the radio I found several issues with the radio: QRP wasn't really for me (I was struggling with compromise antennas and felt 100w would help), I wasn't a fan of the menu system, the internal battery charging procedure was fairly complicated, and the tiny display wasn't compatible with my middle-age eyes. I'll concede most of those issues could be addressed by spending money on various items (an amp, an ext CAT display, external batteries, etc), but I soon sold off the radio to someone better suited to the things the radio offered.
Time went on, the FT-817nd was cancelled, and soon Yaesu had released the FT-818. It retained all the issues I had with the original FT-817, but soon I found myself buying a new FT-818 - I thought maybe I was missing something, since the radio had come back. My second look at the FT-818 showed me nothing had changed, and soon my FT-818 found a new home.
Fast-forward to today. Now, having twice owned and twice sold my FT-817/818 radios, I would not be likely to buy a third FT-817/818, but the reports that Yaesu may not be repairing 20+ year-old FT-817 is going to have a serious impact on future potential buyers of this classic radio. (Has anyone reached out to John Kruk for a definitive answer to the FT-817 repair question and the availability of RF/Transistor boards for sale to do-it-yourself repairs?)
It used to be that new hams bought FT-817/818 radios based on price and capabilities (it got them on local repeaters AND hf, it included VHF/UHF antennas AND a power source), but today those new hams are snapping up Chinese radios at very low prices and are not really looking at the FT-817/818 family of radios.
Owner complaints can shape the resale market, and I would caution current owners to think hard about deciding to post their frustrations with the given situation regarding original FT-817 radios.
When Ten-Rec was sold to a new owner, and the new owner announced that in-house repairs were going to be made at market rates, not the previous discounted rates, people that previously bought and owned Ten-Tec radios started complaining far and wide about the new policy, convincing nearly every ham that Ten-Tec radios were 'unrepairable' and therefore should be avoided on the resale market... What made this even more amazing to me, was that prior to the company changing hands, the reputation Ten-Tec radios had was one of quality and the ease of home repairs since the designs used conventional parts! Owner complaints had changed the reputation of a quality, easy-to-fix line of radios into a pariah and something to be scoffed at when found on Hamfest tables.
Another example was the display issue on the Icom IC-7610. Shortly after releasing the radio, some owners found their displays were developing issues. It wasn't consistent across all radios, but it was becoming a fairly common issue. Owners started complaining about the failures publicly and repeatedly, and soon Icom (as I recall) isolated the issue to production issues at a supplier for some displays, but there was no easy correlation to serial number or manufacture date. Icom addressed the problem and has publicly stated that any IC-7610 displays that exhibit this issue will be replaced at no cost to the owner without time limits. Yet, today, a quick google of the IC-7610 turns up countless references to the display issue from several years ago. People today considering an IC-7610 still ask if the display problem continues, others won't even consider the radio because "there's a problem with the display"...
Then there's the Kenwood TS-590s (or was it the TS-590sg?) where the exhaust fans were installed backwards, or the brief run of TS-2000 that were 'dead' due to faulty filters from the factory. Both issues impacted a very small percentage of radios, both were easily overcome/repaired, but still those issues linger around those radios (TS-590 owners went so far as to devote a website to tracking the serial numbers of faulty radios as I recall).
My point is, internet postings are forever, and if everyone starts posting about the potential situation where original FT-817 radios are 'unrepairable' the market will become concerned about not only the 20+ year-old FT-817, but by association the FT-817nd and FT-818, and these fine radios will soon be avoided by hams that vaguely remember something they read about them being unfixable if they break...
At some point a 20+ year-old radio loses factory repair support, it's perfectly normal and everyone accepts it, but if we continue to dwell on the issue, we will soon find the prices on all these radios (FT-817, FT-817nd, and FT-818) dropping as our fellow hams start avoiding them at hamfests.
You may not be overly concerned about market value, but by driving down the reputation of the radio you start to lose peripheral suppliers as they move on to more active markets supporting the latest Chinese QRP radios.
The new reality is that the Original FT-817 may be EOL now, and if/when they start to fail, they may not be fixable. And if you feel the need to publicly complain about that possibility/probability go ahead, but I encourage you to be specific in your complaint and understand whatever you share on the internet will very likely be around for a very long time.
Anyway, those are my thoughts, sorry it sorta got away from me,
Ken, N2VIP
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Hi Ken, ? ?I can only offer that the repairability issues are in the same boat that most radios are in. It's easy to forget however that generic parts often remain available on the open marketplace. A case in point is the Yaesu FT 747 from years past. A nice radio that is simple to operate and mostly reliable. Tuner encoders started to deteriorate and Yaesu eventually ran out of replacements. People who had any of the OEM units started gouging the prices to many times of their real value. I was in need of one myself a while back and started to research the marketplace and indeed found them. Afaik they're still a contemporary part and at a fraction of the hoarder's prices. I've since found a used 747 in good shape at a great price and have set the first one aside for now. I'm keeping it BTW since it has the rare factory remote head kit on it along with the FM board. Lesson learned, the FT 817 family may still be viable for a long time to come. The doom and gloom predictions aren't always called for. ? ?As to the FT 817 display size, the ND model at least can be configured with much larger characters in a menu setting. You will of course have less information shown at any one time, but that's often ok. ? ?FWIW, JMHO, YMMV, etc.
Joe N1KHB?
On Wed, Aug 7, 2024 at 10:23 AM, Ken N2VIP <ken@...> wrote: I've been a member of this group since I bought an FT-817 from an SK estate maybe 8 years ago. I was curious about the radio's popularity and on paper it seemed a great value. Shortly after I started using the radio I found several issues with the radio: QRP wasn't really for me (I was struggling with compromise antennas and felt 100w would help), I wasn't a fan of the menu system, the internal battery charging procedure was fairly complicated, and the tiny display wasn't compatible with my middle-age eyes. I'll concede most of those issues could be addressed by spending money on various items (an amp, an ext CAT display, external batteries, etc), but I soon sold off the radio to someone better suited to the things the radio offered.
Time went on, the FT-817nd was cancelled, and soon Yaesu had released the FT-818. It retained all the issues I had with the original FT-817, but soon I found myself buying a new FT-818 - I thought maybe I was missing something, since the radio had come back. My second look at the FT-818 showed me nothing had changed, and soon my FT-818 found a new home.
Fast-forward to today. Now, having twice owned and twice sold my FT-817/818 radios, I would not be likely to buy a third FT-817/818, but the reports that Yaesu may not be repairing 20+ year-old FT-817 is going to have a serious impact on future potential buyers of this classic radio. (Has anyone reached out to John Kruk for a definitive answer to the FT-817 repair question and the availability of RF/Transistor boards for sale to do-it-yourself repairs?)
It used to be that new hams bought FT-817/818 radios based on price and capabilities (it got them on local repeaters AND hf, it included VHF/UHF antennas AND a power source), but today those new hams are snapping up Chinese radios at very low prices and are not really looking at the FT-817/818 family of radios.
Owner complaints can shape the resale market, and I would caution current owners to think hard about deciding to post their frustrations with the given situation regarding original FT-817 radios.
When Ten-Rec was sold to a new owner, and the new owner announced that in-house repairs were going to be made at market rates, not the previous discounted rates, people that previously bought and owned Ten-Tec radios started complaining far and wide about the new policy, convincing nearly every ham that Ten-Tec radios were 'unrepairable' and therefore should be avoided on the resale market... What made this even more amazing to me, was that prior to the company changing hands, the reputation Ten-Tec radios had was one of quality and the ease of home repairs since the designs used conventional parts! Owner complaints had changed the reputation of a quality, easy-to-fix line of radios into a pariah and something to be scoffed at when found on Hamfest tables.
Another example was the display issue on the Icom IC-7610. Shortly after releasing the radio, some owners found their displays were developing issues. It wasn't consistent across all radios, but it was becoming a fairly common issue. Owners started complaining about the failures publicly and repeatedly, and soon Icom (as I recall) isolated the issue to production issues at a supplier for some displays, but there was no easy correlation to serial number or manufacture date. Icom addressed the problem and has publicly stated that any IC-7610 displays that exhibit this issue will be replaced at no cost to the owner without time limits. Yet, today, a quick google of the IC-7610 turns up countless references to the display issue from several years ago. People today considering an IC-7610 still ask if the display problem continues, others won't even consider the radio because "there's a problem with the display"...
Then there's the Kenwood TS-590s (or was it the TS-590sg?) where the exhaust fans were installed backwards, or the brief run of TS-2000 that were 'dead' due to faulty filters from the factory. Both issues impacted a very small percentage of radios, both were easily overcome/repaired, but still those issues linger around those radios (TS-590 owners went so far as to devote a website to tracking the serial numbers of faulty radios as I recall).
My point is, internet postings are forever, and if everyone starts posting about the potential situation where original FT-817 radios are 'unrepairable' the market will become concerned about not only the 20+ year-old FT-817, but by association the FT-817nd and FT-818, and these fine radios will soon be avoided by hams that vaguely remember something they read about them being unfixable if they break...
At some point a 20+ year-old radio loses factory repair support, it's perfectly normal and everyone accepts it, but if we continue to dwell on the issue, we will soon find the prices on all these radios (FT-817, FT-817nd, and FT-818) dropping as our fellow hams start avoiding them at hamfests.
You may not be overly concerned about market value, but by driving down the reputation of the radio you start to lose peripheral suppliers as they move on to more active markets supporting the latest Chinese QRP radios.
The new reality is that the Original FT-817 may be EOL now, and if/when they start to fail, they may not be fixable. And if you feel the need to publicly complain about that possibility/probability go ahead, but I encourage you to be specific in your complaint and understand whatever you share on the internet will very likely be around for a very long time.
Anyway, those are my thoughts, sorry it sorta got away from me,
Ken, N2VIP
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Also, it's quite doable to replace the 2 pa transistors on the pa board with a little courage and the right kit.
Instead of looking for replacement boards, source a couple of the transistors and put them somewhere safe, I've no doubt that some repairer will see this as an opportunity and start offering a repair service.
And please, don't order by the 100, how often does the pa go?
As an aside I have a peugeot car and the rear roll bar clamps rusted through, they are unobtainable even from breakers so my local blacksmith made a pair for ?70, just think differently.
Andy
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I have often described the FT-817/818 a wonderful balance of compromises, for every perceived shortcoming is a perceived benefit.
I want to like the radio, I bought two of them to try it out, but I struggled with certain issues. It simply wasn't a good fit for me, I never said it was a bad radio, quite the contrary.
Ken, N2VIP
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On Aug 7, 2024, at 9:44?AM, Zack Widup <w9sz.zack@...> wrote:
Yes, there are some shortcomings for the FT817/818, but I think the advantages make up for those.
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Not trying to go too much further down the rabbit hole, but...
As I understand it, the original FT-817 used a transistor that is no longer available (hence the FT-818 redesigned board), and the original FT-817 had a low-voltage, self-oscillating, PA transistor-destroying design that was subsequently corrected in the FT-817nd design.
The FT-817nd has the same transistor, but an improved board design that avoids the earlier self-destruct design flaw.
The FT-818 has a new transistor in the finals, and they have a third revision/version of the transistor board, one designed for the new transistor.
The FT-818 boards with the new transistor can be fitted into an original FT-817 and the FT-817nd if replacement is needed.
If the above is true, and I *think* it is, then the issue is that the owner of an original FT-817 needs to find a source for what I'll call the FT-818 board - there are no transistors available to repopulate an original FT-817 board.
Presumably, Yaesu may make FT-818 boards available in the future, but right now there is some confusion/uncertainty on that issue. (Parts lady will take orders, but has no stock and no eta for new stock, service tech says none are on order, but logic says they must have FT-818 boards for warranty repairs at a minimum, etc...)
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On Aug 7, 2024, at 10:55?AM, M0RON <eustace.andy@...> wrote:
? Also, it's quite doable to replace the 2 pa transistors on the pa board with a little courage and the right kit.
Instead of looking for replacement boards, source a couple of the transistors and put them somewhere safe, I've no doubt that some repairer will see this as an opportunity and start offering a repair service.
And please, don't order by the 100, how often does the pa go?
As an aside I have a peugeot car and the rear roll bar clamps rusted through, they are unobtainable even from breakers so my local blacksmith made a pair for ?70, just think differently.
Andy
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My take on this is I have a 20 year old radio where parts are no longer available. No surprise there.
I'll therefore continue to use it (carefully!) until or if something fails, then I'll do something different.
That perhaps might even be build something myself, obviously not something to match the FT817/8, but that will still allow me to go lightweight portable on a band or two.
Could possibly be an outboard little amplifier or three wired in place of any blown finals?
In other words?in the best traditions of amateur experimentation rather than yet another black box.?
Alan G0TLK, sent from my mobile device
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The finals board of the FT817 is literally the simplest PCB in the entire radio. There are around 40 discrete components, including the PCB itself. Not a single IC.
There are a lot of very smart and resourceful hams out there. If necessary, it would be trivial to design and build a clone or even an improved version of a drop-in finals board for the FT-817.
A lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt over nothing, in my opinion.
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The bare boards themselves are pretty easy with companies specializing in low production quantities and even just prototype numbers. ? ?I had a similar thought about some of the more popular MFJ products. Antenna analyzers in particular. Maybe a few tuners. Time will tell on all.
Joe N1KHB?
On Wed, Aug 7, 2024 at 2:45 PM, Star Dos <stardogs9100@...> wrote: The finals board of the FT817 is literally the simplest PCB in the entire radio. There are around 40 discrete components, including the PCB itself. Not a single IC.
There are a lot of very smart and resourceful hams out there. If necessary, it would be trivial to design and build a clone or even an improved version of a drop-in finals board for the FT-817.
A lot of fear, uncertainty and doubt over nothing, in my opinion.
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So, you purchased a radio without knowing a thing about it. Then complain about it, by nitpicking everything you dislike, that you should have resurched prior to purchasing it. Then you buy a newer model of it and still nitpick it and still complain about it after getting rid of them.
My suggestion is find out about the radio or anything else to see if it would fit your needs before you purchase it. Then you won't have to cry about it.
Many of us who own either the 817 or 818 are happy with them. We purchased them for what they were DESIGNED for.
As far as repairability, like any radio that has been discontinued, parts are available for a limited time then no longer. That is the facts of life about anything. If one does not consider that, then one should not buy the item, new or used.
That is, unless you like crying about it later.
Just my thought about it.
Clyde KC7BJE?
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See comments inline: On Aug 7, 2024, at 14:31, Clyde Lambert <clyde.lambert@...> wrote:
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So, you purchased a radio without knowing a thing about it. No, I knew about it technically and by reputation, I bought it to give a try-out personally. Then complain about it, by nitpicking everything you dislike, that you should have resurched prior to purchasing it. Out of curiosity, do you find yourself researching the battery charging procedure before buying a radio? How do you determine the impact of the display size without taking the radio in the field? How do you gauge your opinion of QRP operation without working with a QRP radio (I know, turn down your 100 watt radio, but this was only one of the factors that was curious about). I didn't complain, I said it wasn't for me. Then you buy a newer model of it and still nitpick it and still complain about it after getting rid of them. After a few more years in the hobby, my operating interests changed, and I gave it another try. I bought a second one because I thought I would like it, I still struggled with the display/battery issues and sold it. My suggestion is find out about the radio or anything else to see if it would fit your needs before you purchase it. Then you won't have to cry about it. Thanks for the suggestion. Again, I didn't cry about it, I didn't complain about it, I tried it and it didn't suit my needs, period. Many of us who own either the 817 or 818 are happy with them. We purchased them for what they were DESIGNED for. OK, when did I say it was a bad radio? As far as repairability, like any radio that has been discontinued, parts are available for a limited time then no longer. I said the same thing - it is 20+ year old device, EOL was inevitable. That is the facts of life about anything. If one does not consider that, then one should not buy the item, new or used. Whatever. That is, unless you like crying about it later. Who's crying? Just my thought about it.
Clyde KC7BJE Thanks for sharing Clyde, Ken, N2VIP
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I restore old Kenwood radios and have no problem sourcing parts.? As a popular radio goes out of production, and parts are no longer available from the OEM, "parting out" radios becomes the norm.? As the demand for used parts increases, I think you will find plenty on eBay and other channels for a long time to come.? The ft-817's out there will live on.
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Dave kx3dx
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Dave
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I always growl and grind my teeth when I see someone parting out a perfectly good fully operational radio on eBay. Damn does that make my blood boil
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BUT!!
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I've also turned around and ordered an assembly or two that is no longer made by the manufacturer to get an old radio back on the air. I've done that many times with the Drake TR7 rigs.
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I hate to see 'em disassembled and sold off as parts, but....
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Mike, wb8vge
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Sacrifice one radio so several will stay on the air, it's a reasonable proposition in my opinion...
Ken, N2VIP
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On Aug 9, 2024, at 11:32, Mike Bryce <prosolar@...> wrote:
I hate to see 'em disassembled and sold off as parts, but....
Mike, wb8vge
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I have had an FT817 for probably 10 years.
Great little radio.? Reasonably reparable with the right microscope and tools.? ?I've done component level repairs.
Sure if specific parts fail then the radio will be toast.? If finals, or fuses fail, easy.??
I've been repairing rigs since my first ft747 probably 30 years ago, keeping in mind that rig was originally sold in the 70s.? ?
That's 50 years ago
If you amortise the price of these things over time, the 747 only cost $20 per year.? Awesome.? ? And the 817 is only $50 per year.
These radios don't owe me a cent?
I also have modern SDR rigs.? When they fail, they will become junk really fast.
Don't sweat the little things.
Enjoy the hobby.? Remember it's cash negative... and that's ok.
Doug. VK1ZDJ
On Sat, 10 Aug 2024, 2:33?am Mike Bryce, < prosolar@...> wrote: Dave
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I always growl and grind my teeth when I see someone parting out a perfectly good fully operational radio on eBay. Damn does that make my blood boil
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BUT!!
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I've also turned around and ordered an assembly or two that is no longer made by the manufacturer to get an old radio back on the air. I've done that many times with the Drake TR7 rigs.
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I hate to see 'em disassembled and sold off as parts, but....
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Mike, wb8vge
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Kevin - K5KTM
M0RON
Clyde Lambert
Doug Jackson