The Small Radio with a Mighty Heart!
“All in all a terrific little Package”..
”The 817 is a super little package.. it changed ham radio.”
“The 817 was sublime”
Two of Wythall radio’s geographically distant members have recently been paying tribute to the amazing (but now sadly discontinued) Yaesu FT 817 radio. This little radio was first introduced in 2004 and has remained amazingly popular with radio amateurs all around the world for its versatility and suitability for QRP (low power) and mobile operation.
Our south coast correspondent Kevin Tatlow G4XLO, has recently acquired one (left) and is excited at the prospect of portable operation out on the moors on Dartmoor in the Spring; a trial at his local allotment in Torquay is imminent! Not only that the amazing potential of this little radio on really low power has enthused Kevin to stick with QRP for a while.
Meanwhile down in South Wales Darren GW7HOC reveals that he has two of these superb radios and owned one of them for 20 years, working all over the world , including remarkably Australia (VK) from a tent in Devon on 20m. He has also worked the USA on 0.5 and 0.25 watts on CW much to the amazement of the high powered USA stations at the other end !!
The word that keeps recurring with the Yaesu 817 radio is ‘Fun’: a comfortable fit for the Wythall Radio Club oft repeated motto:
HAVING FUN WITH RF