Author Topic: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM  (Read 10667 times)

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Offline w2aewTopic starter

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This video documents the troubleshooting process I went through to repair a Yaesu FT-817ND QRP all-mode HF/VHF/UHF transceiver. The problem was that the unit would not transmit on SSB, AM or CW modes of operation.  Transmit on FM, Digital and Packet were fine on all bands, and receive functionality was fine on all bands and modes.  The video documents the troubleshooting process, but does not show the bench work (scope and DMM measurements).  This repair wouldn't have been possible without the great information from Clint, KA7OEI, and the fantastic information available on his FT-817 resource pages:
http://www.ka7oei.com/ft817pg.shtml

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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #1 on: June 24, 2016, 07:12:44 pm »
Alan, I'm enjoying your recent repair vids. Hope you'll be doing more. Great idea making those big prints of the schematics: easier to read, but also looks cool.
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Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #2 on: June 24, 2016, 09:05:19 pm »
Alan, I'm enjoying your recent repair vids. Hope you'll be doing more. Great idea making those big prints of the schematics: easier to read, but also looks cool.

I know!  Now the the repair is done - I'm a bit torn about folding up the big schematic, or hanging it on the wall!  :-)
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #3 on: June 24, 2016, 10:08:07 pm »
Yes! I was thinking the same thing. Why not hang it on the wall? Adds to the lab atmosphere. :-+
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Offline The_Penguin

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #4 on: June 25, 2016, 01:06:29 am »
Another great repair video.
Enjoyed it.  Just curious, how long do you think it would have taken had you not heard about previous cases of open transformers?
 

Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #5 on: June 25, 2016, 01:48:05 am »
Another great repair video.
Enjoyed it.  Just curious, how long do you think it would have taken had you not heard about previous cases of open transformers?

Several hours longer, or more, I'm sure.
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Offline nowlan

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #6 on: June 25, 2016, 03:04:51 am »
I was wondering why the transformer failed. Vibration?

Unrelated, but I was wondering about automotive grade parts. I always assumed was heat or water, and epoxy was solution.
 

Offline bitwelder

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #7 on: June 25, 2016, 11:31:15 am »
Teardown of the failed transformer? Still possible?
As coils/transformers usually would not be on top of my list of suspects, I'd like to see how they may fail.
 

Online HighVoltage

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #8 on: June 25, 2016, 11:33:47 am »
What a great repair video.
I always learn something from your explanations.
Thank you!
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Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #9 on: June 26, 2016, 03:11:55 am »
Not sure how or why the transformer failed. Unfortunately, I destroyed the part while removing it, so no post mortem is possible. There is some really fine wire in there (40AWG?).
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #10 on: June 26, 2016, 03:52:18 am »
The first three things that come to mind:

1. Excessive vibration
2. Circuit design flaw
3. Manufacturing flaw

Is that component spec'd OK for its given operation?
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Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #11 on: June 26, 2016, 04:40:44 am »
I suspect a manufacturing flaw of the part. There are about two dozen similar devices in this rig.
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #12 on: June 26, 2016, 06:57:27 am »
I concur. Since it happened to someone else, perhaps it was a bad batch. Hard to tell with a small sample of incidents. Of course, a service note or similar from the mfg. would've settled it.
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Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #13 on: June 26, 2016, 05:31:08 pm »
Nice validation of the repair yesterday.  I setup an impromptu station at a local park, using a end fed half wave antenna raised in a tree and a 12v LiPo battery, I made several contacts between 500 and 1000 miles away with the 5 watt output of the rig on the 20m (14MHz) band.
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #14 on: June 26, 2016, 09:04:22 pm »
QA in the park. Very good! :-+
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Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #15 on: June 26, 2016, 10:11:43 pm »
QA in the park. Very good! :-+

The coolest part is that the park was the Guglielmo Marconi Memorial Park in Franklin Twp NJ, which was once part of the Marconi Wireless Co. transmitter site known as New Brunswick Station over 100 years ago:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brunswick_Marconi_Station

Kind of an appropriate QA location, don't ya think?
YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/w2aew
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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #16 on: June 26, 2016, 10:15:59 pm »
Yes, quite! Sounds like a perfect subject for a short video (repair followup and tour/history).
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Offline Radio Tech

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #17 on: June 26, 2016, 11:07:03 pm »
Most likely a manufacturing flaw. As stated the wire inside these transformers are very fine.  Does not take much to cause an internal failure.  Unlike the IF cans in an old tube rig, which fail from capacitance issues when the formers shrink.
Good repair Alan, enjoyed the process.

Offline w2aewTopic starter

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #18 on: June 27, 2016, 04:18:41 am »
Here is a short 3 minute video overview of my Ham Radio Field Day setup where I used this rig (as well as my Icom IC-703).


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Offline bitseeker

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #19 on: June 27, 2016, 05:44:02 am »
You're too good, Alan. Already recorded it all! :clap:
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Offline Radio Tech

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #20 on: June 27, 2016, 11:32:10 am »
Nice field day spot.  :-+
Good job.

Offline mrf245

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Re: Video: Repair of a Yaesu FT-817 with a Tx problem on SSB, CW, and AM
« Reply #21 on: June 28, 2016, 02:23:45 am »
FT817ND is a good QRP portable radio. Nice job
BH7JUO Mark
 


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