I was fortunate enough to pick up the SSB and CW Yaesu Collins filters from Japan before being lost to the flights of time. Perhaps it's silly of me, but I feel a bit like a steward of this fine, landmark radio.
👍Thanks for video. I wish that it had been available a while back when I installed a LASERBEAM-817 filter in my FT-817ND. The filter certainly works. As you say, once fitted, it does tend to foul the loudspeaker. Although some people have installed lower profile speakers to get around this issue, I opted to keep the stock speaker and move it slightly to one side. Being an audio filter, it does have limitations. After installing mine, I did sometimes find it hard to copy weak signals if there was a strong adjacent station. Although, I could not hear the strong station, it would raise the AGC and wipe out the wanted weak signal that the filter was tuned to. In the end, I also installed a Yaesu YF-122CN 300Hz mechanical filter which fixed the issue. Though, I also kept the LASERBEAM filter.
I just installed this in my 818nd. Took a few hours for me as I'm still new to this skillset. Works great. Was a little worried it wasn't working because I couldn't toggle between narrow and wide on ssb. Then I realized there is no narrow and wide toggle on ssb. You have to go to. menu 38 and turn the ssb filter off. The instructions on sotabeams were good enough, but your video was a must watch as I was going along. The instructions also said to remove the speaker bracket and foam spacer and tape the speaker into place. Seems to work OK like that. For the shielded cable I didn't need to remove the board a second time. I just used a razor blade to score the sides gently and hold one side of the cable with pliers and use my fingers and fingernails to pull the insulation off the end. Worked great and didn't cut any strands. As a beginner, I was expecting this to be much more difficult than it was. Take your time. watch the video. Have the proper equipment. And you will be along just fine.
Thanks for the feedback Adam and I'm glad you found the video helpful - I've been using my filter a lot, it is really helpful, especially when some strong stations dominate a range of a band. Have a great time with your 818 - 73 from Mort G4BSK
@Q26 well. Just took it out today. Opened it back up just to see how the tape is doing on the speaker. Decided to clean up some flux. Add another piece of tape to the back of the speaker in case it came loose it wouldnt short anything. Put it back together and the speaker would not shut off on vhf/uhf with no signal and automatic or manual squelch. The noise floor wasn't coming through. But some internal speaker hiss was. Same on headphones. Multiple power sources. Volume was greatly reduced and intelligibility too. FM broadcast sounded like poorly tuned AM broadcast in that it lacked depth and bass and I guess fidelity. Higher volume caused distortion. Measured 12.5v on the red wire and .5mV on the yellow wire. Disconnected power and ground from the dsp board and FM was back to normal. Went over all the connections once more with the iron and checked continuity and reconnected. No change. Just put the radio back to stock for now. Waiting on a reply from sotabeams support.
Very helpful video which I used to install my filter yesterday in a FT-818ND. You do need to be steady-handed given some of the tiny SMD parts. The CW filtering is impressive. I assume the SSB filter is working but it's not obvious without a way of comparison.
Thanks Dan, glad the video was helpful. I don't hear much change on ssb either, and don't feel much need for it but the CW filter is something I use frequently and it's very helpful. 73 from Mort G4BSK
I looked at this option but it looks a bit fiddly, not that I can't work with SMD. I instead tried a temporary lash up using a single HC6U 455 kHz crystal which I've had for years and it worked so I soldered it in permanently. Not as good as a proper filter but still useful on c.w. and cheaper! G4GHB.
@@Q26Video I love building and modifying gear too. One valve cw tx, Pye Bantam put on 4m, Wireless 19 Set with much work to get it going properly and use it often on 5.262 MHz, xtalled on tx for stability. 73 G4GHB.
Hi great work think I would like one of these in my 817nd however my soldering work probably wouldn't cut it. So unless I get some one to do it for me or buy a SSB plug in filter I will have to keep it stock Motters M7TRS 73 👍🏻
Thanks for your feedback - yes, it is a bit tricky on that audio cap! I find it very good on CW but not so exciting on SSB, so maybe a plug in option would be a good idea. 73 from Mort/G4BSK
Great video. Thanks much. I am also impressed by that blue work station with places to keep all the tiny parts when disassembling a radio or laptop. Someone was using their noodle there. Can you tell me where you obtained it?
Thanks John, glad you liked the video. If you search for 'silicon soldering mat' you will find them readily available online. I hope your projects go well! Mort / G4BSK
When the optional filter is chosen in the menu it is immediately active as an SSB filter and seems to me to work well - I’ve made a few ssb contacts now. If you then switch it to NAR (narrow) it filters CW instead and that is very effective. Thanks for your feedback, have fun with your radio!
Hi great video, can you please tell me, the website says it is always on, But your video shows it being bypassed am i right ? as i what to use my 817 for FM sats also as ssb, Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
To activate the filter go to menu 38 (long press on F button) and choose OP FILTER/CW : then when using the radio you can switch it in and out by choosing 'NAR' with Button C (short press F button). When 'NAR' is not pressed, the filter is bypassed. Hope that helps, glad you enjoyed the video(s) 73 from Mort/G4BSK
Great video, OM. I hope to install my SB filter soon....I'll have to use a magnifier though. Do you think using .8mm solder will be OK? I think they suggest using something smaller. I've never messed with SMD's and that's what has been holding me up about my install. I bought the filter a few months ago and after popping the lid, I started getting cold feet. Your video has prompted me to have a second look. Tnx es 72 de wa4chq
Glad you liked the video, Neil - yes, the hardest part is probably removing the tiny capacitor without damaging the pads and the key to that is plenty of flux and enough heat, along with a small enough tip. I think I used 0.6mm solder - 0.8 is pretty large - but you can pre-solder the pads and then solder the wires into them. It may be a good idea to have a practice on a piece of dead equipment first, to get used to removing smd components (?). The rest of it is fairly straightforward. I wish you success with it and thanks for your feedback, Mort (G4BSK)
Excellent video, I think I'll get someone to do mine for me!
I was fortunate enough to pick up the SSB and CW Yaesu Collins filters from Japan before being lost to the flights of time. Perhaps it's silly of me, but I feel a bit like a steward of this fine, landmark radio.
👍Thanks for video. I wish that it had been available a while back when I installed a LASERBEAM-817 filter in my FT-817ND. The filter certainly works. As you say, once fitted, it does tend to foul the loudspeaker. Although some people have installed lower profile speakers to get around this issue, I opted to keep the stock speaker and move it slightly to one side.
Being an audio filter, it does have limitations. After installing mine, I did sometimes find it hard to copy weak signals if there was a strong adjacent station. Although, I could not hear the strong station, it would raise the AGC and wipe out the wanted weak signal that the filter was tuned to. In the end, I also installed a Yaesu YF-122CN 300Hz mechanical filter which fixed the issue. Though, I also kept the LASERBEAM filter.
Good video, I can’t do this level of re-work anymore those days have long gone but I have a great deal of respect for your ability. 73. KV5P
Thanks Mike - glad you enjoyed the videos - I'll listen out for you on the bands, Mort G4BSK
I am partially sighted and OLD now so no chance for me to do it now but have a cw Collins filter installed,, Excellent and many thanks Trig GM4NNC
Very good video & useful information. Quite a nice installation. Well done on the SMT soldering.
Many thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video Simon
I just installed this in my 818nd. Took a few hours for me as I'm still new to this skillset. Works great. Was a little worried it wasn't working because I couldn't toggle between narrow and wide on ssb. Then I realized there is no narrow and wide toggle on ssb. You have to go to. menu 38 and turn the ssb filter off.
The instructions on sotabeams were good enough, but your video was a must watch as I was going along. The instructions also said to remove the speaker bracket and foam spacer and tape the speaker into place. Seems to work OK like that.
For the shielded cable I didn't need to remove the board a second time. I just used a razor blade to score the sides gently and hold one side of the cable with pliers and use my fingers and fingernails to pull the insulation off the end. Worked great and didn't cut any strands. As a beginner, I was expecting this to be much more difficult than it was. Take your time. watch the video. Have the proper equipment. And you will be along just fine.
Thanks for the feedback Adam and I'm glad you found the video helpful - I've been using my filter a lot, it is really helpful, especially when some strong stations dominate a range of a band. Have a great time with your 818 - 73 from Mort G4BSK
@Q26 well. Just took it out today. Opened it back up just to see how the tape is doing on the speaker. Decided to clean up some flux. Add another piece of tape to the back of the speaker in case it came loose it wouldnt short anything. Put it back together and the speaker would not shut off on vhf/uhf with no signal and automatic or manual squelch. The noise floor wasn't coming through. But some internal speaker hiss was. Same on headphones. Multiple power sources. Volume was greatly reduced and intelligibility too. FM broadcast sounded like poorly tuned AM broadcast in that it lacked depth and bass and I guess fidelity. Higher volume caused distortion.
Measured 12.5v on the red wire and .5mV on the yellow wire. Disconnected power and ground from the dsp board and FM was back to normal. Went over all the connections once more with the iron and checked continuity and reconnected. No change. Just put the radio back to stock for now. Waiting on a reply from sotabeams support.
Very helpful video which I used to install my filter yesterday in a FT-818ND. You do need to be steady-handed given some of the tiny SMD parts. The CW filtering is impressive. I assume the SSB filter is working but it's not obvious without a way of comparison.
Thanks Dan, glad the video was helpful. I don't hear much change on ssb either, and don't feel much need for it but the CW filter is something I use frequently and it's very helpful. 73 from Mort G4BSK
I looked at this option but it looks a bit fiddly, not that I can't work with SMD.
I instead tried a temporary lash up using a single HC6U 455 kHz crystal which I've had for years and it worked so I soldered it in permanently. Not as good as a proper filter but still useful on c.w. and cheaper!
G4GHB.
Sounds great Bill - the fun of amateur radio is all about doing things and figuring out mods like this...73 from G4BSK
@@Q26Video I love building and modifying gear too. One valve cw tx, Pye Bantam put on 4m, Wireless 19 Set with much work to get it going properly and use it often on 5.262 MHz, xtalled on tx for stability.
73 G4GHB.
Hi great work think I would like one of these in my 817nd however my soldering work probably wouldn't cut it. So unless I get some one to do it for me or buy a SSB plug in filter I will have to keep it stock
Motters M7TRS 73 👍🏻
Thanks for your feedback - yes, it is a bit tricky on that audio cap! I find it very good on CW but not so exciting on SSB, so maybe a plug in option would be a good idea. 73 from Mort/G4BSK
Congratulations for this great video, very interesting !
73's ON3PiP
Thanks - glad you enjoyed the video - 73 from Mort / G4BSK
Great video. Thanks much. I am also impressed by that blue work station with places to keep all the tiny parts when disassembling a radio or laptop. Someone was using their noodle there. Can you tell me where you obtained it?
Thanks John, glad you liked the video. If you search for 'silicon soldering mat' you will find them readily available online. I hope your projects go well! Mort / G4BSK
Dose FM still sound ok
Thanks Dave
FM is on a different signal path - completely unaffected by this filter...no problem!
Great video. On this mod, would SSB sound better or is it only for CW?
When the optional filter is chosen in the menu it is immediately active as an SSB filter and seems to me to work well - I’ve made a few ssb contacts now. If you then switch it to NAR (narrow) it filters CW instead and that is very effective. Thanks for your feedback, have fun with your radio!
Hi great video, can you please tell me, the website says it is always on, But your video shows it being bypassed am i right ?
as i what to use my 817 for FM sats also as ssb, Thanks Dave 2E0DMB
To activate the filter go to menu 38 (long press on F button) and choose OP FILTER/CW : then when using the radio you can switch it in and out by choosing 'NAR' with Button C (short press F button). When 'NAR' is not pressed, the filter is bypassed. Hope that helps, glad you enjoyed the video(s) 73 from Mort/G4BSK
So this filter operating at 455khz?
This is an audio filter only. It is not part of the 455kc IF.
Great video, OM. I hope to install my SB filter soon....I'll have to use a magnifier though. Do you think using .8mm solder will be OK? I think they suggest using something smaller. I've never messed with SMD's and that's what has been holding me up about my install. I bought the filter a few months ago and after popping the lid, I started getting cold feet. Your video has prompted me to have a second look. Tnx es 72 de wa4chq
Glad you liked the video, Neil - yes, the hardest part is probably removing the tiny capacitor without damaging the pads and the key to that is plenty of flux and enough heat, along with a small enough tip. I think I used 0.6mm solder - 0.8 is pretty large - but you can pre-solder the pads and then solder the wires into them. It may be a good idea to have a practice on a piece of dead equipment first, to get used to removing smd components (?). The rest of it is fairly straightforward. I wish you success with it and thanks for your feedback, Mort (G4BSK)