FT-817 second mechanical filter mod

This is me tuning around the bands after completing the modification to my FT-817ND to allow the stock SSB ceramic filter to be replaced with a mechanical one so the optional slot can be used for a CW filter. The antenna used in this test was a Sandpiper V9 and the photos of the modification can be found on my blog's photo album at http://www.amiga600.net/?page_id=46

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Yaesu
• FT-817
• FT-817ND
• filter
• IF
• modification
• mod
• Murata
• Collins
• ceramic
• mechanical
• portable
• QRP
• ham
• radio
• amateur
• M0SAZ

[a120068020]

@VK2BEN I have since put the W4RT one board instead to keep it tidy as per your suggestions.

[VK2BEN]

@a120068020 Hi Mike. I have just done the dual filter mod myself. Hmmm....not quite what I had expected. If you have the ND model, you need to change out a pair of the world's smallest resisters for a pair of even smaller capacitors. Good luck! ;-)

[a120068020]

@VK2BEN I have just ordered a W4RT dual board, I might as well make it neater like you say - I can sell the other Collins filters separately. Thanks, Mike M0SAZ

[a120068020]

@VK2BEN Hi yes sorry for that, it was an afterthought to make a video. The dual filter board is quite expensive and doesn't seem to offer anything over and above popping in a new filter. Although it looks a little gruesome, it is 100% reversible... I did a similar thing when adding a 3rd mechanical filter to an FT-857. You can resolder and resolder in the stock Murata filter. Regarding the performance, if you like the Collins 2.3K filter over the Murata, this is what this mod achieves.

[VK2BEN]

Thanks for the video. Might have benefited from an actual walk-and-talk-thru of what you did, how you did it, and the resultant differences it achieved in your rig.

Also, I saw your pics on the Yahoo group. May I ask if this is not exactly the same that would be achieved using the W4RT dual-filter board (SSB+CW)? It just makes me cringe to see things soldered and glued into a neat little rig like the 817...