Hi Nick.? It is hoped that this is becoming and will be the place for FT-301 owners so welcome.? You are probably aware the D version has the digital dial and the standard version like yours has the analog dial.? Welcome to the group.
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Hello,
I just finish making one good FT-301D from 2 junkers and learned a
lot about the beast. See my photos. I strongly recommend you
install the Elcon VFO stabilizer in yours. They drift 400-500
annoying Hz. Does yours have the optional Speech Processor? The
biggest problem is the aging SSB filters. INRAD has expensive
replacements but for not much longer. The crystals in these old
filter change a little bit over time.
Cheers,
Randy
On 2/18/2020 5:28 PM, Nick (N1CCK) via
Groups.Io wrote:
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I am the new owner of an FT-301 (not the D version), and have been
searching for a little hideaway among people that recognize such a
boat anchor. They certainly are quirky radios, but I enjoy it very
much.
Hopefully my lack of a digital display doesn't get me summarily
dismissed.
73,
Nick (N1CCK)
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Randy your FT-301D sure looks nice in the photos!? Thanks for posting them and for your expertise to the so far smallish group.? I am sure more hams will join as time goes on.? Thanks for the tip on the filters too.
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I glanced at your pics – beautiful work! ? Mine does indeed have the option voice processor, though how effective it is in practice I have yet to determine.? I spend 95% of my air time on CW, so I give less consideration to the voice. ? I did notice an issue that I am not sure is the aging filters or a quirk of the radio.? On 40 meters, the LSB filter sounds as though it has the same bandwidth as the CW filter.? On 80 and 20 (not that I use it there), the bandwidth of the LSB filter sounds much broader.? I’m guessing that it is time to replace the filters. I’ll have to check INRAD’s, though I’m guessing that they may cost more than I paid for the radio. ? ? Seventy-Three, Nick (N1CCK) FN31RS – CT SOC# 1258 | FISTS# 19779 ? | The proper study of Man is anything but Man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men.? Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity. – J. R. R. Tolkien ?
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From: [email protected] < [email protected]> On Behalf Of Randy W7CPA Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2020 7:41 AM To: [email protected]; n1cck@... Subject: Re: [yaesuft301d] Hello ? Hello,
I just finish making one good FT-301D from 2 junkers and learned a lot about the beast. See my photos. I strongly recommend you install the Elcon VFO stabilizer in yours. They drift 400-500 annoying Hz. Does yours have the optional Speech Processor? The biggest problem is the aging SSB filters. INRAD has expensive replacements but for not much longer. The crystals in these old filter change a little bit over time.
Cheers,
Randy On 2/18/2020 5:28 PM, Nick (N1CCK) via Groups.Io wrote: I am the new owner of an FT-301 (not the D version), and have been searching for a little hideaway among people that recognize such a boat anchor. They certainly are quirky radios, but I enjoy it very much.
Hopefully my lack of a digital display doesn't get me summarily dismissed.
73,
Nick (N1CCK)
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It might be time to re-calibrate the SSB set points. Do you have an audio OSC?
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Not yet – I’m a tinkerer more than an engineer of any sort.? That’s a better starting point than replacing the sideband filters, though. ? ? Seventy-Three, Nick (N1CCK) FN31RS – CT SOC# 1258 | FISTS# 19779 ? | The proper study of Man is anything but Man; and the most improper job of any man, even saints (who at any rate were at least unwilling to take it on), is bossing other men.? Not one in a million is fit for it, and least of all those who seek the opportunity. – J. R. R. Tolkien ?
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From: [email protected] <[email protected]> On Behalf Of Randy W7CPA
Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2020 5:59 PM
To: Nick (N1CCK) <n1cck@...>; [email protected]
Subject: Re: [yaesuft301d] Hello ? It might be time to re-calibrate the SSB set points. Do you have an audio OSC?
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OK, I can walk you thru SSB OSC adjust but you have to have an audio OSC to feed into the MIC jack. It is simple but without audio OSC, you can only play with the trimmers and have to know what to listen for.
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Nick,
It sounds like your LSB crystal has drifted way off, the trimmer capacitor needs cleaning or someone tweaked it sans knowledge.
You could do the following without test gear.
1. With an antenna attached, tune to 40 SSB. Turn volume up and switch back and forth between USB and LSB. When optimal, you will heard no difference in the noise content, a balances mix of highs and lows in the noise.
.
2. Test tweak
Go 40 or 75 LSB and tune to a signal.
Now whilst listening critically, adjust TC501 trimmer cap on the last card (AF BOARD).
Does this test make it any better to copy a SSB signal? If it does nothing or very little, let me know.
You should be able to adjust from all lows to all highs (big changes)
?
Cheers,
Randy
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Re: FT-301D Restoration Complete
I finished restoring the pretty pretty almost new one - my keeper.
I just cleaned all board edges and re calibrated.
Only one big problem.
The 100 watt BOOSTER was only half power and 2SC2100s are not available even in the back rooms of China.
I tried an experiment and installed a matched pair of MRF458 transistors.
I set bias (ICQ) to 200ma for both transistors per the Motorola data sheet.
!!! SUCCESS !!! even higher output on 10m.
I uploaded a pic of the BOOSTER opened up to the forum.
I change the four 1000pf silver micas for grins, no known reason.
Now on to mod with Elcon EL-33 and EL-31.
Rock on.
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Hi Nick and all others, today my FT-301 arrived (indeed the anlogue version)_ which fits to my FT-221R (and that is the reason why I bought this radio).
For HF I've only 'oldies' (FT-7, FT-7B and the FT-301) on the shelve. Even for VHF the radio's are older models.
They are all in working order and happy with that.
But I do have a question about the FT-301.
There is one knob named Reject which was not thightened enough so I'm not shure what the 9 o?lock position is. It looks like a component which has no start/stop so I'm wondering if someone can tell me what it should be or if there is a way to align the knob in the correct postion (and if it may turn over 360 degrees). But in general I'm happy with the radio's I have.
Best 73's
de Kees
PA1CJT
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That is the REJECTION tuning knob.. It needs to live at 9 o'clock to be off.
They typically are stuck there due to no use.
I had to use DeOxit and many days to free mine up.
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Hello,
The FP301D power supply had speaker, clock and CW Morse ID system
The dealer would program an olde school PROM for your call.
Does anyone have any info on the PROM programming format?
Thanks in advance,
Randy
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A wonderful FoxTango member just sent me the FP-301D manual in Japanese.
It has the ID PROM programing data in ENGLISH.
Eureka.
I am uploading to Files.
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Welcome to the new members of the 301 group!? This is the place; all things Yaesu 301.? You might want to take a minute to introduce yourselves.? This is Rex, K0KP located at Fish Lake about 15 mil. NW of Duluth, MN.? My FT-301D was purchased new by me back in 1978.? It is still one of my favorite radios.? Not too long ago I took the time to replace all of the electrolytic capacitors in the rig.? The job wasn't too bad really, but did take some time.? This did fix an intermittent RF power problem where after a few minutes of operating the power output would start to drop, I suppose one of the electrolytic capacitors had become leaky.? This had been a pesky problem I had looked for for many years.? Now the rig is completely 100% up to spec and looks beautiful.? I run my digital version with the original Texas Instrument "TIL" chips in the digital readout.? Back when the radio was new I ordered a few spares which has allowed me to keep mine operating with all digits completely in tact.? For those that might not be aware the TIL display chips have a habit of going bad and are now pretty much unobtanium.
For now that is it for me, like I said if you haven't had the opportunity to introduce yourself please take the time to do so.??
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Well just lets follow the the request from Rex, I'm Kees (in a call pronounce it as a case in a court of law), PA1CJT, located in a small town near The Hague in the western part of the Netherlands. I purchased my FT-301 (analog) just recently due to the fact that my eyes getting worse and als SMD parts are getting to small for me hi. I own the FR-301 and also the FT-221 (looking nice next to each other) and also 3 FT-7(B) radio's and a FT-225RD. All with normal components so that I will be able to do some repair work what I never did before. I could be a frequently asker here.
The FT-301 (I already asked about it here) has one knob which was not fit (tightened) enough so I cannot tell what is 9 o'clock as mentioned in the manual by tuning reception. Perheaps someone can help here. I still have some SMD radio's from Yaesu like the VX-6R, FT-1500M, FT-1900 and I guess some more hi.
That is in a few lines lots of information. Best 73's Kees PA1CJT
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Hi Kees and welcome!? It is great to hear from you and your setup.? I think the knob you are referring to is the Reject knob.? The knob controls a small variable capacitor, when the control is rotated the rig produces a notch which can null out an interfering carrier.? I don't think the placement of the knob is very critical.? You could just set the control for good normal sounding reception and set the knob for zero.? Then when you want to null out a carrier you can simply rotate the control.? The Reject tuning is quite sharp.? Hope this helps.? Have a great day Kees and thanks.
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Rex,
Are you the group owner? I posted an intro message to the group last week and haven't seen that it made the list - awaiting moderator approval.
Thanks - 73
Fred, N8YX
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I'm Fred, N8YX. Owner of a couple complete and several "project" FT-301s (both analog and digital versions), along with all the station peripherals, an FT-221 and related accessories.
Vintage gear is one of the main reasons why I stick around the hobby - it's very enjoyable to restore and use yesteryear's equipment. I have several projects ongoing with the '301 line; one is to convert a -D model transceiver to the 8.9875MHz IF used in the FT-901 and similar rigs...the primary reason being availability of filters. Should that prove successful, another one of the "project" radios will be converted and a third turned into a receiver, albeit with extra filtering and interference-suppressing features. Lastly, an external DDS VFO for the first transceiver is in the works; this in an FV-301 style enclosure - with digital readout.
(I'll be posting a "want" for parts for this at some point.)
The last bit in the project queue was to figure out how to program an ID PROM for my FP-301D supply. I ran across Randy's (W7CPA) manual upload and saw the info therein, which confirmed my suspicions on what Yaesu did with the PROM. AFAIK, a 74288 will work in place of a 74188 - just need to see if either of my programmers will support the chip, or if I need to go buy one.
73 all.
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Sorry Fred, you are good to go!? I will see if there is a setting to avoid this.? I think it is for first time posting by a user.? 73
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My PROMS from Bulgaria and Jameco arrived. Need to buil;d package to sedn to Canada to get programmed with "de W7CPA ar".
TELSA and National proms same as TI allegedly, we'll see.
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Nick (N1CCK)