Need some opinions

[WA4JK]

I am concidering buying one of the following as my new trailer station. I need some input from the board here. I am weighing the options on a FT-901, FT-101, bot referbished with AM Filter or a FL-101/FR-101, I Do not use 160 or WARC bands and use AM most of the time. What Pro & Cons do you have to offer.

[WQ9E]

For primarily AM use, I would go with the FT-901 for the 6146 finals.  They are more rugged than the 6JS6 "sweep" tubes used in the FT-101 and FL-101 and although both types of tubes have been increasing in price I expect the 6146 tubes to continue to be readily available.  With any of these rigs, closely follow the reduced power rating specified for AM and make sure if you use an amplifier as part of the setup that it is capable of running AM at your desired power.  Although these rigs all transmit only one sideband they do run continuous carrier at the set level so they aren't as easy on an external linear amp as the controlled carrier rigs (like the Drake 4 line, Heathkit DX-60, etc.)

It is common for all of the Yaesu rigs of this age to need the electrolytic capacitors replaced on the power supply/rectifier board.  It isn't hard or expensive-just maintenance you should plan for if it hasn't been done.  I think some of the ebay folks sell convenient kits of replacement caps which would be convenient but otherwise Mouser will have what you need.

I have all three of your choices and I also like the FR-101/FL-101 because I like separates and I did run some AM with the twins. 

If you operate primarily AM, you might also want to consider a "classic" AM transmitter like a Johnson Viking, Valiant, Heath DX-100, etc.  Any of the Yaesu gear you listed would work fine as the receiving side.

[k4kyv]

The FT-101 and FT-901 all run true DSB AM with both sidebands.  I'm not sure if the FR-101/FL-101 twins run true DSB or not.

The AM transmit function on the FT-101 works a lot better than that of the FT-901.  The 901 always tended to be incapable of full positive peak modulation, and the carrier tended to flick downwards under modulation.  I have seen some 101s that would modulate upwards of 150% positive before flat-topping.

But the receive function of the 901 is far superior. They had managed to work out some of the deficiencies in solid state receivers by the time the 901 came along, although it still can't compare to the best of the tube type receivers up to that era. The receiver in the FT-101 series SUCKS.

Another precaution with the FT-101 is 160m.  It has an out-of-band birdie, due to the conversion scheme.  The original FT-101 was one of those "all-band, 80-10m" rigs common at that time. Then, as 160m privileges began to improve world-wide (LORAN was slowly being phased out), they added 160m.  But it was an afterthought in the design, and had the spurious image. The instructions recommend loading the rig up at reduced power on 160 to reduce this spur.  It can be a particularly bad problem when using the 101 as an exciter for a class C plate modulated rig, since the class-C amplifier acts like a limiter (similar to the limiter in an FM receiver), and brings up the weaker spurs closer to the level of the desired signal.

Not all FT-101s are FT-101s.  While the FT-901 was in production, they came out with a stripped down version, and named it the FT-101ZD.  It had the same problems and strengths as the 901, but none of the premium features.  For example, it has AM made (true double-sideband), but no AM filter, and no provisions for adding one as an option, so you have to  copy AM with a pinched 2.7 kc/s slopbucket filter.

I ran the service dep't of a small commercial two-way company up in KY back in the early 80s. They were also dealers for Yaesu and Drake amateur equipment. In addition to installing and repairing the police and volunteer fire dep't radios, we worked on a lot of ham equipment (probably 80% of which was being used on 11m). I became very familiar with the Yaesu  rigs at that time, since we took in warranty repair and repair jobs from our own sales and from smaller Yaesu dealers all over the country that had no repair technician of their own.

About the only thing Drake that I worked on was the TR-7.  I figured out a cheap way (clip one transistor lead) to make it fully transceive continuously from 1.7 to 30  mc/s. The company sold hundreds of those modified transceivers to some mysterious outfit in Florida.  They were very closed-mouthed and I never found out what they used them for, but they were apparently exported outside the country.

I agree about the 6146s.  The 6JS6s are sweep tubes, made expressly for tube-type TV receivers.  How many of those are still around and  running these days? About the only demand now is for use as  replacement tubes for ham rigs of that era. I'm not sure if anyone still manufactures sweep tubes of any kind.  Ironically, they used sweep tubes in those days mainly because they were mass-produced and extremely cheap when TVs used them, and made the rig less costly than one using 6146s. But as tube type TVs have become obsolete (and most have crapped out by now anyway), the sweep tubes are considerably more expensive than 6146s.  The sweep tubes have one advantage in that will handle higher peak currents than 6146s, but they are also very easy to crap out, because they are designed for pulse service, and the internal structure is not robust enough to handle their peak power capability for any sustained length of time.

[K1JJ]

The receiver in the FT-101 series SUCKS.

I've found the 101 to be prone to overload.  You didn't mention it, but take a close look at the FT-102. It can be had for maybe $300 these days and has a receiver that is much like an FT-1000D. Excellent receiver  - with THREE 6146 finals to boot.  (And digital readout)

T

[W1RKW]

If you operate primarily AM, you might also want to consider a "classic" AM transmitter like a Johnson Viking, Valiant, Heath DX-100, etc.  Any of the Yaesu gear you listed would work fine as the receiving side.

Or there is the FT-102 as K1JJ stated.  Great used rig!  

Also consider home brew too! Of course you'll need a receiver.

[k4kyv]

He said for a "trailer station".  I assume that means limited space. Probably no room for classic AM transmitter and separate receiver.

[KX5JT]

Jerry sold me his awesome Viking II and NC-300 because they were large and heavy for his "trailer RV".  I think he is feeling some seller's remorse but his goal was to get a decent station that actually fits and leaves some room in there, so I'm sure he knows all about classic boat anchors and that's not the advice he's asking about.  

BTW, anyone around for some 14.286 tonight? The Viker II is tuned up and singing!


I'm JONESING for some High Quality AM Caw MOAN!!

[WQ9E]

Don, thanks for the correction concerning DSB on the FT-101 and 901, the FL-101 is the same.  I have been working with some older Yaesu transmitters recently  (FL-50B, FLDX-400) and these are one sideband only on AM.  The FR-101 receiver is much better than the receiver built into the FT-101 series and the D version of the FR-101 was usually sold with the additional shortwave crystals, VHF converters, and the AM filter.

I have used my Drake TR-7A with the L-7 amp for checking into a regional AM net on 160 and it does a pretty nice job on AM.  Unlike the earlier Drake gear, it is full carrier but it does transmit only one sideband on AM (although there is a fairly simple mod to activate the 6 Khz. filter for AM transmit allowing both sidebands).   The downside is the matching L-7 system amplifier doesn't have as capable of a cooling system as the older L-4/L-4B 4 line amps which used a blower with chimneys instead of the simple two speed fan used in the L-7.  The 4 line controlled carrier gear would be less taxing to the L-7 cost reduced cooling.  The only advantage the L-7 has is built in 160 meter coverage.

[WA4JK]

John is right on the space and because of that I have decided to try the Flex Smuggness I think that will fit and not over load the power availablity. Thanks for the info.

[WA3VJB]

Yeah, it's good to be smug if you're searching for a good AM rig.
The Smuggatron 5000 has excellent receive and transmit on the Wholesome Mode.

[KX5JT]

John is right on the space and because of that I have decided to try the Flex Smuggness I think that will fit and not over load the power availablity. Thanks for the info.

The Flex sounds like a great choice!  I know you do work ssb too and I do as well at times and I also love the digital modes.  Some day I would love to get into a Flex to cover all the modes I love and cover them well, including AM.  I don't think I would ever give up the vintage stuff, but the addition of a Flex seems probable in my somewhat distant future.

Okay, I am going work on getting my dipole up for 80 because I called CQ many times on 20 and 40 last night and did not have a single successful QSO.  I had a couple stations attempt to answer but they were just not readable enough for QSOs.

[WA4JK]

I still have to tube final amp. so I'll get some glow. I calculated the current and I'll have 1.5a left over. That is cutting it close.  Thanks

[KX5JT]

ARGH!  I just got back home and I'm having to call my financial institutions to cancel debit and credit cards.  Someone jacked my wallet while shopping.  I now only have an hour of daylight so the dipole will have to wait until tomorrow.