Yes the MTR (or ATS3, 3b or 4).
Oh, we’re back to that again 
Pete
1 Like
We’d all love to see a new portable offering from Yaesu I’m sure.
Perhaps what might tip the balance in favour of getting this sooner rather than later is if HF portable increases in popularity in Japan. So maybe SOTA will play a part in swinging this they way we’d like. Go for it JA guys!
Remember that Rockwell Collins will “stop taking orders” for their mechanical filters after January 2016. I don’t know how much stock is in the system (Andy 'FMF may have cornered the market by then 
) but being unable to add a CW filter would make the FT817 rather less attractive - I haven’t added an SSB optional filter, so can’t comment on that one.
73
Adrian
Heavens above people will actually have to learn how to design and make ladder filters once again, great fun
Jonathan
I haven’t added an SSB optional filter, so can’t comment on that one.
73
Adrian
[/quote]
Got one in my 857, Adrian. Great bit of kit, shame they’re being discontinued.
73 Mike
2E0YYY
I’ve only got two Collins Filters: a 300Hz and 500Hz one.
I look on in awe when I meet people who can listen to an SSB bandwidth of CW signals and follow individual QSOs.
Why? It is only like listening to a piece of orchestral music and picking out what the clarinets or cellos are doing, one point where being musical DOES help. The real trick would be expanding on the ability to follow all the lines of counterpoint in Bach by following two or more QSOs at once!
Brian
Met plenty who can do that. Not me though.
Oops did I say Blue - agree that’s horrible. I actually have it set to orange. No problem with power consumption on my FT817 since installing the LIPO by the way.
Ed.
I added the SSB filter, it does help a little on selectivity but not a lot. I got the Yaesu(Collins) one but I did see other makes when I was looking around. Inmac for example.
Ed.
Hi Brian,
I need the contrast (s/n) not the size - been back to Specsavers this morning. I also prefer having the extra info on the screen - security blanket syndrome I guess.
I thought the X1M would be brilliant being white on black but in the open even with some shadow it’s not great. Needs much less general illumination.
73
Ron
Yes but where can I get inexpensive small 455 kHz crystals these days? Got some 9 MHz ones from Greece a couple of months ago.
73
Ron
QT in Germany will make them, as will several other manufactures e.g Euro Quartz is another which I have used. With chip capacitors you can make them smaller then some of the eariler Collins filters dimensionally. You can get 455kHz crystals in HC49 packages.
There is also INRAD which make roofing filters, Its hardly like amateurs are stuck for options…
Define inexpensive ?, filters and crystals are costly items…
Jonathan
455 kHz ceramic resonators are cheaply available and can be used to make effective ladder filters.
So when are we having that CW QSO Brian? No, seriously I know that you are allergic to the mode.
I do agree with your comment about being able to listen to one string of morse while others are present in the bandwidth. The problem comes when the one you want is S1 and the one you don’t is S9. I spent my first 20 years of CW operating using an SSB filter, but found it a revelation when I fitted a secondhand 500Hz filter to my TS-130V. I use a 300Hz W4RT filter board in my 817 and can honestly say I wouldn’t want to be without it. Usually I have enough to contend with on a summit on account of the weather without making life difficult for myself by not having a CW filter.
73, Gerald G4OIG
2 Likes
You never know, Gerald, I might surprise you one day!
Especially when the S1 signal has QSB, you don’t get that with an orchestra!
Brian
Diminuendo? 
1 Like
Hi Jonathan,
I can buy surplus crystals at AUD1.50 but the frequencies don’t suit me for any current project. I have bought a bag of 11 MHz Xtals 20 off for AUD5. That’s quite inexpensive in my book.
Inexpensive would be less that AUD5 per crystal.
Economic would be $15 per crystal for a 455 kHz crystal. Above that it is more attractive to purchase a plug-in pre-made one. The effort in sourcing pins and making up a home brew unit that will plug in is time consuming and time has a monetary value, so if the crystals cost more than say 7 UK pounds – forget it.
I can buy a 7 MHz rockmite type kit out of China for less than AUD10 that includes a crystal so $5 for crystals between 2 and 16 MHz seems reasonable. 455 kHz needs more quartz so maybe cost a bit more.
I’m not sure that ceramic resonators would give the same skirt response that crystals give.
Has anyone built a 455 kHz filter with 500 Hz -3dB bandwidth, pass-band ripple less than 1 dB, 1 kHz bandwidth 60 dB down, ultimate attenuation greater than 80 dB?
73
Ron
Hi Anthony,
Just seen on Southgate News that Waters & Stanton have a 10% “Black Friday” discount today, so if you’ve decided on which model you want - now might be the time to look at buying it (presuming other retailers are not 10% cheaper than W&S in any case!).
73 Ed.
OK - Update - the deals (10% off) are for online sales up until midnight on Sunday and the 817 is under GBP400.
I imagine that IF DSP is making rigs with a plethora of filters obsolete!
Brian