TopBand: FT1000 key clicks

[Art Charette]

At risk of heat:

Several years ago in the pages of that august journal, the San Diego DX Club
Bulletin, I published the results of some measurements I conducted on the CW
capabilities of 3 rigs I was considering: the FT1000, IC781, and TS950. N6ND
supplied the 950, HRO the other 2.

As measured with a Tektronix scope the FT1000 suffered debilitating
shortcomings on CW transmit. On the air it was in last place on receive.

It was noisy on receive with tons of audio hiss. Sure hope they cleaned that
up.

On QSK transmit each dot was very brief and harsh, generating severe clicks
by comparison. The dots were about 1/3 full size and sounded awful.
Risetimes were unmercifully short. I hear that many users adjust the weight
on the keyer to compensate for the foreshortening.

In non-QSK things were better on transmit: Only the first dot was clicky.

This was long enough ago that Yaesu might have done something about it. I
sure would avoid an early FT1000 based on my scope measurements and
on-the-air observations. BTW, I did not choose the FT1000 since, at that
time, either of the other two were far better CW choices.

73 Art


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