Wonderful gift from a new friend…

by MD0MDI
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The Yaesu FT-ONE - HF Beast

Wonderful gift from a new friend...

Like most people of my age group, my first introduction to the Amateur Radio hobby was in fact CB Radio, I was quite lucky in that I was given a Ham International Concorde 2 by a friend over the road, and soon after I upgraded to a Concorde 3 at a later date, sadly I sold mine after it got a fault and at the time there were no suitable ‘Rig Doctor’s’ who could fix it, I really miss that old radio and even now I look for a nice specimen  to appear on eBay, sadly these seem to go for silly prices nowadays.

I was not too down-hearted at the time as I was given a Yaesu FT-101ZD Mark 3, I say it was a Mark 3 as I remember operating it on CB Frequencies, but I cannot really recall which model it was.

So this started my interest in Ham Radio, I was at the time working for a Sail Training Organisation, and during the off season I enjoyed being taught the skills for looking after not just the vessels owned by the organisation but also vessels owned by third parties who they looked after as well, and this brings me to the introduction to what was my dream radio at the time and obviously something that had left its mark on me right up until now.

I remember being taken to Southampton to a Radio Shop to pick up some automatic antenna tuning unit for one of the racing yachts, the shop in question was ‘South Midland Communications, better known as SMC. I remember being the kid in the candy shop, but what really stuck in my mind right up to this day was the radio that greeted you as you walked into the showroom, it was the just released Yaesu FT-ONE, and it was hugh!

I was used to large radios, most of the radios on the yachts were actual Boat Anchors like this example I found on the internet.

Sailor RT144C VHF Radio
Sailor RT144C VHF Radio

The Yaesu FT-ONE

This was late 1983, and after thinking that the FT-101ZD Mark 3 was a ‘big’ radio, I am greated by this massive set on a pedestal with some well placed lighting. From that moment on, The FT-ONE has been on the top of my Wish List for a very long time, I never thought that I would see one in the flesh so to speak, let alone actually have one in my hands,  well a dream has come true thanks to chatting with someone about trying to locate parts for the FT-980 Restoration, and in chatting with him, he just so happens to have basically every radio that I have ever hoped to one day own. I received an e-mail from him stating that he was going to send me the Yaesu FT-ONE that was under his bed since he acquired it and to a certain extent in an unknown condition, but he believed it to be working . 

I honestly don’t care! I just want to see it, these old radios often need a little tender care, so if there is anything that it needs then it kind of makes it somewhat more enjoyable, lets just say that although I am not too well at the moment, I have never wanted to see the postman appear more that I have this weekend…

Yaesu FT-ONE - I had to wait to get help to lift it out of the box!
Yaesu FT-ONE - I had to wait to get help to lift it out of the box!

My partner had the lovely task of bringing the radio. up two floors to the new workshop and by the time she had rrived was well and truely buggered!

I was desperate to see the beast and apply some power to see if it would go pop or not, thankfully and to my pleasure it started up without any problems, although I was caught on the hope by seeing and not hearing that the internal speaker was missing but I soon found a handy external speaker and she was alive at last.

Yaesu FT-ONE in the workshop.
Yaesu FT-ONE in the workshop.

A few things caught me out a little, but we soon hand her on 20m listerning to. the ever strong Italians, she warmd up loverly and even sounded great, I could not ever had hoped to see such a nice example, I am going to cherrish this radio and look after it as best as I can.

The kindness I have been shown in being sent this radio has blown me away, I will be forever greatful  to Kerry in sending me this fine example.

Yaesu FT-980 and the Yaesu FT-ONE in the workshop.
Yaesu FT-980 and the Yaesu FT-ONE in the workshop.

I may not be in the best of health, but I am smiling through the pain at the moment, and very happy with the two classic Yesu’s, the FT-980 will need a lot of time spent on it, but so far, the FT-ONE is looking to be mint and hopefully in need of just an alignment… More to follow…

A Big Thanks to:

Kerry Rochester  (G8VR)

I am blown away by this gift, this means so much to me and will be cherished , I really cannot say more and will be forever in dept to you for your kindness, Thank you Kerry, You have made an old fart very happy, I just hope that once through this bloody illness I will be able to truly put the Yaesu FT-ONE through it’s paces.

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