I know I ought to be able to find this elsewhere, but there seems to be some conflicting information on the internet. How do enable my FT817ND to work on 5MHz. I am happy to disassemble the FT817, and have a newly issued NOV.
Early models could be expanded using software alone. Later models need a hardware mod. Not difficult but will need a steady hand and possibly a magnifying glass. You need to bridge some jumpers and open others.
Its worth commenting that opening the rig loses you your repeater settings and if you use repeaters you will have to put their frequencies in the memories.
You don’t “have” to do that Brian. I just nudge the button that flicks the repeater shift back in, and if necessary, the one that turns the CTCSS on.
The benefits of the ND, I suppose, on mine you had to program both channels using one vfo for RX and the other for TX, a bit of a bind but I don’t inhabit Repeater Land anyway - its a different world!
OT, but I just found my beam and mast is leaning against next door - last nights gale must have been worse than I thought!
Believe the mod is easy to do - provided you have a steady hand and decent eyesight.
I got mine done “while you wait” - about 10 mins, at Lowes in Matlock. Can’t remember the price but it was hardly anything (the petrol from Manchester probably cost more).
Unfortunately they aren’t there any more, but I can’t see any major cost or waiting at any Yaesu dealer.
It might be worth pointing out that the software mod works on some of the ND models and all of the non ND models. My FT817ND is about three years old and the software mod worked/works on that. It is also possible to change a US model to an EU model through the software. It is only the last couple of years they changed the rig so it could not be modified so easily due to pressure from the authorities in some countries.
I seem to recall I paid around £25 for MLS to mod my rig, but it was purchased new and I didn’t want to void the warranty. I ordered it ready modded, so no wait either.
The biggest pain is that the rig can’t be modded for 70MHz. It would have been great to have this band onboard.
73, Gerald
whose 817ND has never knowingly been used on a repeater.
In reply to G4OIG :
Hi Gerald. I also bought my 817 ready modded for 5 meg.W&S did`nt charge for the mod.The Icom E90 & the T90 will both mod for 70 meg but FM only.ATB Geoff. G6MZX
In reply to M0DFA:
Yes, if you were so inclined you could freeband to your hearts content - not that we would, of course. Information and photos on www.mods.dk and on the FT817 Yahoo Group if I remember correctly.
The “Friendly Band?” In Europe and the UK it has its adherents, but won’t make much progress elsewhere until either the Americans or the Japanese get it and the Japanese manufacturers move their first IFs further away from the band.
Indeed Martyn. That though crossed my mind as I dismantled my 817 last night for the first time. I was checking to see how hard the soldering mod would be and suddenly realised that I needed to back up all the settings etc. so that I could recover the set to its present state.
A useful link, but there seems to be a lot of uncertainty regarding using the blue numbers or the red numbers. Does anyone have a more concrete suggestion?