In the case of my rig, it returns to VFO control if I touch the main knob or if I change the mode setting and the memory has to be re-activated by pressing the V/M button. Of course, there may be differences between different batches of rig.
The only real difference is the ND models always read the option links when the rig is powered on. The original models read the option links on reset and this let you change the options in software and it would stay that way till you reset the rig. It enabled easy “widebanding” (*). The ND models read the links so a software option change lasts to the next power cycle.
The fix is to program the rig to TX from DC to daylight. Job done, enjoy new features!
(*) Widebanding is the term used but is obviously technically incorrect. The B/W of the RX and TX circuits is the same still. The tuning ranges have been changed, not the circuit bandwidths.
Ah that makes sense Brian,
Moving the VFO knob switches back to VFO mode - on a frequency that the rig says one shouldn’t transmit on and it gives a TX error, unless the MARS (aka wide-band) mod has been done.
Given that memory channels are allowed to Tx on frequencies that are not in the normal “bands” I wonder if that is restricted to 60m or whether the FT-817 always lets you transmit from a memory channel when it is out of band? Hopefully not. Hopefully it’s only around 5MHz that memory channels are automatically Tx and Rx enabled in the US/Aussie version of the 817ND.
Now am not licensed to be on that band. But surely you should know what part of band you are limited too regardless of what licence you hold. I have a laminated chart indicating where i can op as a foundation licence holder. Surely this is one aspect of being an radio ham operator knowing where and where not one can operate and its limited conditions of modes as well too.
Well advise if you don’t know find out and don’t assume one countries band is same as your especially in different zones of the planet and especially 60m as it seems to vary a lot across Europe. Love to chase the Sotas in the 7200 to 7300 but not possible due to the zone I live in.
Not worth giving those in powers of being to rob you of an band I know many of you enjoy.
karl
Well mine has been opened up for a long time, but if my memory isn’t playing tricks the only memory channels that enabled you to transmit out of the regular amateur bands were the preset five USA channels and you couldn’t move off them with the VFO and transmit, you got the “TX error” if you tried.
Well yes, Karl, but the issue is that no rigs are sold that will cover any countries 5 MHz allocations except for the USA’s five channels. Opening up the rig to get your legal frequencies allows the possibility of operating where you should not, and the fragmented nature of the UK 5 megs band makes it difficult to remember everything (look it up, its a mess, I wonder if you have to know it for the full licence test!). I get over this by putting all the legal frequencies in one kHz steps in the memory, on a summit a chart might blow away - I had a whole reporters notepad blow away once!
As an aside, there is a thread on the Zed with complaints about an Italian contest station that was working a string of US stations on 7.125 yesterday. All the USA stations were illegal because their modulation was out of their phone band although their VFO frequency was legal - and some of the Zedders were criticising the Italian station for what they saw as illegal operation, not knowing that he was in the middle of the region 1 phone band! We all know our band allocations, but some got carried away in the heat of the moment - contest fever!
Those are the channel slots I used - I re-programmed the frequencies from my PC, so it looks like they possibly do have special rights and my inability to move off them is “as designed” in that case.
I see Hong Kong and I think it was Uruguay (?) have just got the WRC15 60 metre allocation. Interesting in Uruguay that the base (entry) licence class got the 15w EIRP but the full licence got 25W.
With 15W EIRP at both ends, I could only see WSPR, JT65 or PSK making the hop from Uruguay to Europe and then only under very, very good conditions.
With 15W EIRP at both ends, I could only see WSPR, JT65 or PSK making the hop from Uruguay to Europe and then only under very, very good conditions.
CX has been workable on 60m cw, ssb and jt65 in normal conditions all around Europe with 15w eirp. The path is not difficult at all from Europe.
73 Marko OH9XX
Hi Marko, Very interesting that Uruguay to Europe is possible (without QRM) on all modes with the right conditions. I had started thinking of 60m more as a local European distances band.
Ed.
Is it printed on gold leaf?
73,
Walt (G3NYY)
I didn’t notice the price when I copied the link! I think the ARRL price is better even to non-members.
Sadly low band DXing is not for those who have a garden as “bijou” as mine.
It opens up to the USA about 0200 here, I have made the hop with 5 watts of SSB to a G5RV but I think that was luck as from this distance the QRM on the USA channels makes it a babble with individual stations emerging and then vanishing again. The path to SA should be a bit easier, I look forward to trying it some time when I can force myself to stay awake!
ON4UN’s Low Band DXing is £34.99 to non members of the RSGB and £29.74 to members. This is the edition w3here the gold leaf is replaced with brass!
75 pounds?? Is that a joke?
Yes, it’s Amazon doing silly things. When there are lots of vendors, the vendors Amazon wants you to buy from are listed first. Towards the end of page the price rises dramatically and most people don’t click to see the next page because they expect the item to cost more. Most times the cheap stuff is further down the list on page 30 of 75 etc.
1 Like
Hello Andy. Thanks for information of Amazon. May be very useful for many people.
Best Wishes, 73, de Paul M0CQE.
Hi Adrian (or anyone else who has done the mod on the FT817ND). Did you have to short JP4009? I have found the mod at several places on the web. The one that suggests it is the “official” Yaesu mod says that JP4009 (along with JP4004 & 5) should be open and only JP4006, 7 & 8 shorted. I have done this however when hitting the PTT on 60m I still get the TX ERR message and the rig does not go into TX. One mod said that simply desoldering JP4005 would be enough for HF widebanding. I did that first as my FT817ND had jumpers 4005, 6 & 7 shorted and all others open, but it didn’t work so I went onto the “official” Yaesu mod, which says JP4009 should be open.
Each time after re-assembling, I did the required full reset.
Before I take the rig apart again, I’d like to know if in your case JP4009 is closed (which yet another web article says it should be).
73 Ed.
Thanks Andy - yes this is the page that says to also short JP4009 - so it looks like a third action on my part to do that one as well - hopefully that’s the answer.
Interesting with the ones I have got shorted, I get a message something like “memory tuning” when I move the VFO while on a memory channel - that didn’t happen before. In standard config turning the VFO knob while on a memory channel does nothing. So it looks like once I have TX on VFO working on 60m, this could be a good method - switch to channel and then tune.
First of all I’ll have to put the channels back in as they were lost with the master reset of course (luckily I have a copy). I also have a copy of all other settings, so that’s easy to put settings back like 5W on internal battery and front antenna socket on all bands etc.
Ed.