I am new to the FT1000MP and hadn't seen ON4UN's opinions. Some of you
may have already seen this but in case not thought I'd post it.
73 Nate
N7OS
______
> TWO WEEKS EXPERIENCE WITH THE NEW FT1000MP
> ------------------------------------------
>
> I have had the opportunity to evaluate one of the FT1000ZD rigs that
> are sponsored by YAESU to be taken along to the HEARD Island
> DX-pedition
> in November.
>
> I have seen a few rumors about this new radio on Internet, but no
> real life reports, so this may be interesting to all of you.
>
> The FT1000MP weighs only 15 kg (33 lbs) vs. (ask your back, it will
> remember) some 25.5 kg (51 lbs) for the FT1000ZD. Great! It has a
> switching mode power-supply (no bulky heavy transformer), and the PA
> voltage is 13 Volts (vs. 28 V for the FT1000D). Hence the 100 Watt
> output power.
> But nowadays you can drive two 3CX800's pants off with even much less
> than 100 Watts, so I do not see the 100 Watt power limit as a
> disadvantage.
>
> The FT1000MP looks very much like the FT1000D. The two large VFO
> knobs arein the same place, as well as the band keypad. In the
> FT1000MP you can nowindividually select the IF filters in each IF
> (8.125 MHz and 455 KHz), just like in the TS-850. Five selectivities
> are provided: 250 Hz, 500 Hz,
> 2.0 KHz, 2.4 KHz and 6.0 KHz.
>
> The FT1000MP not only has (like the FT1000D) a separate receive-
> antenna input, it also has two different transmit antenna outputs,
> selectable
> from the front panel (maybe good for something, don't know what
> yet...).
>
> The good old analog moving-coil S-meter is gone. It had to happen
> some day. But now the sub-receiver also has a LCD-bar S-meter. Both
> are peak-hold meters, where the hold time can be adjusted from 0 to
> 2000 mS. Nice feature.
>
> The display panel looks a little crowded, but shows a lot. You can
> (to a certain extend) even program what you show on the panel! It even
> has
> an RTTY/Packet tuning indicator, but that's just a gadget.
>
> Lets' talk about what makes a good radio: a good receiver. The
> FT1000MP has three different RF amps stages! One is designed for the
> low bands (160, 80 and 40), and is optimized for strong signal
> handling. The second is optimized for noise-figure (maximum
> sensitivity) and is used on 24
> and 28 MHz. The third amplifier covers the remaining bands. This
> third
> amplifier can also be selected to cover all bands. With the big 40
> meter yagi
> pointed at the Eastern European Megawatts on 40, I did notice some
> difference between the general purpose preamp and the low-band
> optimized pre-amp.
>
> Even without IPO (which means switching off the pre-amp) or
> inserting attenuation, I could not detect any trace of intermod on 40
> using
> the special preamp. With the general purpose preamp, I could hear a
> slight trace of crud.
>
> A vast improvement over the FT1000D is that you no longer have to
> turn a knob (the RX MIX) to switch from main to sub receiver audio. A
> small
> push-button (AF REV) does the trick. Simple but efficient.
>
> Then there is of course DSP. YAESU calls it EDSP (Enhanced DSP ...).
> It works on the last IF, on the detector stages and on the audio
> stages
> on receive, and also on the microphone preamp chain on transmit.
>
> On transmit one can select from four fifferent pre-emphasis curves.
> The cheap sounding hand-held mike that comes with the FT1000MP (sounds
>
> basy, hollow etc.) is turned into a Heil like mike with the EDSP. On
> the
> air tests confirmed that no difference could be found between my Heil
> boomsetr mike and the hand-held with EDSP!
>
> On receive, there are two concentric knobs that control de DSP
> function. One selector allows you to choose between 4 different noise
> reduction algorithms (optimized for either random noise, QRN, man made
> noise etc.), while
> the other knob selects 4 filter options: band-pass, high-pass,
> low-pass
> or band-reject. The FT1000ZD DSP works at least as good as any of the
> external DSP filters I have so far used at my station, and is of
> course much
> more convenient to use, as it is controled by one of the
> microprocessors
> and automatically adjusts itself to the operating mode (CW, SSB, RTTY
> etc). The DSP of course also eliminates any number of carriers that
> may pop up in the pass band on SSB.
>
> A very large number of operating parameters can be adjusted by the
> operator from the front panel by microprocessor control (similar to
> TS850).
> When doing so, the diplay panel shows the parameters in the frequency
> display windows, while adjustments are done by the two VFO knobs and
> the
> memory slector knob. Most of the parameters can be adjusted in real
> time.
> This for instance allows you to select the best audio pre-emphasis
> curve for
> your particular voice and microphone. You can also adjust the
> transmit-
> receive switching times to match you amplifier in QSK operation.
> Together
> with a good monitor scope this allows you to adjust the setup for
> fastest
> response without relay arcing. You can even shift the carrier position
> on the
> IF-filters to your taste! In total 81 parameters can be adjusted with
> this method.
>
> Despite all of this, the FT1000MP still is a radio, and not a
> computer. If feels very much like the FT1000D, and its operating
> convenience is identical or even better.
>
> The FT1000MP has a full-fledged CW keyer built in (full weight
> control, automatic letter spacing, number insertion for contests, and
> 10
> message buffers). However, the control of these buffers is done from a
> keypad
> which is NOT provided with the FT1000MP, and which is not even an
> option
> (yet ??).But it is is very easy to construct, and details are given in
> the
> manual.
>
> One great improvement, is that the CW pitch is adjustable (in 50 Hz
> steps)from the front panel (from 300 to 1050 Hz). Changing the pitch
> automatically changes the relevant frequencies of the DSP filters etc.
> (everything is "gang-tuned"). The FT1000MP now also has
> selectable sideband on CW (nice feature!), which was first introduced
> on the TS850.
>
> The FT1000MP is excellent on the digital modes. The EDSP filters work
> very well on RTTY. All usual tones and shifts can be selected through
> the
> menu selection method as described above. The FT1000MP also has FSK
> input.
>
> The connectors and pin-outs on the back of the FT1000MP are 100%
> compatible with what is used on the FT1000D. The transceiver also
> supports the digital voice keyer DVS-2.
>
> The FT1000MP has a built-in level-converter for the CAT interface. A
> 9-pin (DB9) connector is provided for direct connection to a serial
> port of
> the computer. However, the instruction set for the FT1000MP is NOT the
>
> same as for the FT1000D. This means that the FT1000MP does not work
> with the current software programs that work well for the FT1000D.
> YAESU USA (Chip Margelli) is aware of this, and I have been told is
> working on it.
>
> When you open the FT1000MP, it is amazing how much less crowded the
> radio looks than the FT1000D. The big wiring harnesses that connect
> the PC
> boardsare gone. One small wiring harness is all what's left in the
> bottom
> compartment. Many boards are however connected with flex-prints. The
> new FT1000MP looks like a well engineered piece of equipment. The
> diecast aluminum front panel has been replaced with a plastic cast
> front
> panel, whick is likely to be more scratch resistant than the painted
> panel
> from the FT1000D. The styling is very nice, and follows the latest
> trend of
> curved lines and shapes that we witness in the car industry!
>
> Conclusion: the FT1000MP is every bit as good or better than the
> FT1000D. It has a very quiet receiver, and the ESDP makes it even
> quieter! It
> produces excellent audio on SSB,and a very nice keying waveform on CW.
>
> I am happy to see that the Japanese manaufacturers have reversed the
> trend of designing and producing ever more expensive radios. I have
> heard
> the price with all filters is in the $3,200 bracket, and I think this
> is
> the right price. At this price, the FT1000MP will soon replace the
> FT1000D at my station (also the OT5T contest station). Although YEASU
> does not see it asthe replacement for the FT1000D (which they will
> continu producing), I am convinced the new FT1000MP will very rapidly
> replace the Ft1000D and othertransceivers in many shacks!
>
> No, this is not a YAESU add, but I cannot find anything wrong with
> the new radio, except that the CAT instruction set does not match the
> FT1000D's set. As long as that problem is not resolved, I will HAVE to
> stick to my old trusty FT1000D, although In wiched I could keep the
> radio in my shack.
> But as I know, this radio will probably give me a new one on 160
> (Heard),
> I know it will serve a good purpose...
>
> 73
>
> John,
>
> ON4UN
>
>
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